Hong Kong

The start of another adventure. Our flight from the UK was on time, quiet and calm without screaming kids or incessantly chattering people sitting next to us. We managed to get some sleep and arrived as per schedule. Immigration control presented no problem. After several times walking around the baggage hall we managed to find our bikes in the porters section, still fully intact. It was easier and cheaper to take them out of their slightly ripped plastic bags, straighten the handlebars and wheel them out of the arrivals hall than paying a porter.

Our taxi had been arranged one hour later than our arrival, so we wheeled the bikes to the designated meeting point in the car park and waited for 45 minutes in the warm evening air, which wasn't a hardship. Once loaded up we were driven to meet our Warm showers host, Phil Sams at his apartment in Tuen Mun to the west of Kowloon. He was waiting for us on the street and made us very welcome, cooking a lovely pasta dinner swilled down with a couple of bottles of the amber nectar.

The next morning we rode the double deck bus into Hong Kong and walked around the main shopping area in the rain. It was Sunday so it was very crowded. Traditionally the Chinese work very hard and only have one day off a week. Most families have a maid, usually Filipino and they all meet up in the town on Sundays, sitting in large groups under the walkways and in the parks eating picnics and chatting.

Afterwards we took the Star Ferry to Kowloon, walking through the Harbour City mall to the China Ferry Terminal to check out the ferries for journey into China. We bought tickets for HK$ 220 each (about GBP 18) and learned that we could either check the bikes in, provided they were in bags, at no cost or wheel them onto the boat ourselves at a charge of HK$70. We paid for the privilege of doing it ourselves. At least that way we were in control of them.

The shopping malls in Kowloon and like towering temples of consumerism with all the big designer names there, Luis Vuiton, Chanel, Versace, Prada and many others. There were long queues of people outside each of them, waiting to be admitted to the hallowed inner sanctum to worship at the altar of their favourite designer. White gloved doormen limited admittance to heighten the impression of exclusivity.One of the more tongue in cheek names was.....

The road led us down to the water front and along the Pavement of Stars that celebrates Chinese cinema. Many of the great Chinese actors, (mostly unknown to us) have plaques in the pavement with their hand prints as per Broadway. Everyone had to have their picture taken with the statue of the great Bruce Lee.

Walking around in a loop we worked our way through the night market, which was basically a small china town market and back to the MTR station to catch the subway back to Phil's place. Phil cooked again and sat and watched “ The King's Speech” (brilliant).

By the next morning, the weather hadn't improved so we decided to stay at the apartment to sort out the bikes, plan our route and arrange transport to the ferry terminal the next morning. The latter was much more difficult than we had expected, (see note about transport and bikes below). Few of the taxi van drivers wanted to be up early enough to pick us up at 6-30am. However with the help of Phil's Chinese friend Iris, we managed to sort it out an we retired to bed by 10-00 for an early start the next day.

Hong Kong has over 18,000 taxis and is said to be the best system in the World. For sure it works well and is clearly defined with metered taxis.

Red taxis – Urban

Blue taxis – Lantau Island

Green taxis – New Territories

They are usually happy to put a bike in the boot, necessitating at least front wheel removal, but of course if there is more than one of you that means more taxis.

The MTR is really quick, modern and comfortable. It is easy to use. You can buy an Octopus card that you can charge up, a bit like an Oyster card in London. It can also be used on Ferries and buses. Officially there a few lines that you are allowed to take bikes but it is prohibited on the remainder. Some people do take them on anyway and provided the front wheel is removed and the bike shouldered it seems to be accepted. However we read some very antagonistic comments by people on the Geoexpat web site, so our preference is not to use the MTR.

Bikes are not allowed on buses.

Bikes can be taken on the train into China.

The easiest way although not the cheapest is to use the taxi vans. These are not sanctioned by the HK authorities and accordingly the registered taxi drivers don't like them. However they provide a valuable service which the ordinary taxis don't, i.e. moving bulky or awkward goods and passengers (some of the passengers may be awkward too). Ours cost HK$250 from the airport to Tuen Mun and HK$160 into Kowloon from Tuen Mun Beware though as they are not registered and mostly not insured.

Bikes can also be taken on the normal steamer type ferries, but not on all of the fast enclosed ferries. Check with the operator.