My First Hard Sleeper: Hong Kong-Beijing

It was time to say farewell to our gracious Hong Kong hosts Will and Melody, after staying in their pad for three days. They have been more than kind, and treated us (my husband Sherv and I) like family.

On our departure day, early morning, the four of us took a cab to Burd St. to have breakfast at Sang Kee Congee & Noodle. It's a local favorite, reason why it has been around for about 40 years. Noodles are at HK$19 and Congee at HK$21. Order the regular size and it can be shared by two people, making it super affordable. The dishes were served piping hot, and I couldn't believe how the old lady beside me downed a bowl so quick!

I wasn't even finished with my regular-sized Preserved Egg (a.k.a. Century Egg) Congee when Melody invited us to have drinks at her favorite coffee shop before she runs off to work. I felt bad ditching left-over food, but couldn't take another bite anyway because my tongue got scalded after shoving spoons and spoons of congee in my mouth without letting it cool down.

We walked for about 5 minutes and entered a small corner cafe that only had two other customers. I cannot remember which street it sits on nor did I see a signage outside the establishment, but on the menu I read the name C.C. Espresso. I was craving for a decent cup of coffee (I've never had a freshly brewed one in ages), but since my tongue was still numb I ordered iced tea instead. After half an hour of sleepy conversations (okay, so maybe I was the only groggy person) over coffee and tea, Melody excused herself for it was time for work. We bid her our last goodbye.

When she left, we walked out of the cafe and followed Will's path which led us to Ko Shing St. Nearby was a labyrinth of stores selling Chinese herbal medicines. On display were shaved animal horns, starfishes, mushrooms, shark fins and other dried creatures beyond recognition (ugh, deer fetus!). They sparked our curiosity, but made our stomachs churn. Will admitted he has not tried any of them and does not intend to.

Winding, confusing paths because stores sell almost the same merchandise.

Backpacking HK and China: The Lowdown

Without further ado, I hereby unveil the total cost of our Hong Kong and China backpacking trip... drumroll please... P32,665 (per head) for twelve bitter cold Winter days! Honestly, not as cheap as we wanted it to be. But hey, we're talking about the ever pricey Hong Kong, and China whose inexpensive days are long gone - especially in booming cities like Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou.

Our backpacking route around China.
Except for the visa (here's how to apply), the above mentioned cost included everything: 2 plane tickets (Manila-Hong Kong, Guanzhou-Manila), terminal fee (P750), Philippine travel tax (P1,620), 3 hard-sleeper trains (HK-Beijing 24hrs, Beijing-Xi'an 14hrs, Xi'an-Guanzhou 29hrs), accommodations, cab fares, MTR rides, countless bowls of instant Chinese noodles, cups and cups of instant Xiang Yue pearl drinks, a bottle of Harbin Beer (the only alcohol we bought!), souvenirs, and visits/admission fees (and a couple of booked tours) to the following:

Hong Kong
1. Victoria Harbour
2. Tian Tan Buddha
3. Ocean Park
4. Victoria Peak

Beijing
1. Tian'anmen
2. Forbidden City
3. Yonghe Temple (popularly the Lama Temple)
4. Beijing National Stadium (Bird's Nest)
5. Beijing National Aquatics Center (Water Cube)
6. Great Wall of China

Xi'an
1. Bell Tower and Drum Tower
2. Great Mosque of Xi'an
3. Muslim Quarter
4. Terracotta Army Museum

Guangzhou
1. Guangzhou Orchid Garden
2. The Nanyue King's Tomb Museum

Not bad, ei? We could have explored more places in China had it not been -1°C every darn day, and -7°C at night. We were always back at the hostel by 4PM. Such wussies, I know.

Winter is an off-peak season, so most of the accommodations offer a discount. Even admission fees to tourist spots are slashed. Try to sniff your way to shops and restaurants that locals patronize, so you can buy goods at a reasonable price. Even Beijing can be affordable if you're shrewd.

More cheap recommendations coming up as I post my China blogs in the coming days.

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A Hike Up Victoria Peak

We didn't make any plans for our third day in Hong Kong but to buy train tickets to Beijing, so we slept until 10:00 AM. I was awoken by my sister's text message that said she's home safe. Actually earlier that morning, around 5-ish, we got up briefly to hail a cab that will take my sister to Central Station. And from there, she'll transfer to the Airport Express Line. She was in deep melancholy when she left, and she hated me for booking her flight back to the Philippines that early.

Victoria Peak's The Peak
I rose from our sleeping bag-turned-bed and went to the kitchen to prepare coffee. We were staying at my husband's ex-colleague Will's pad. I could feel my joints aching, strained from our hectic tour the day before. I was hoping for a relaxed day, but when Will got out of his room and invited us to visit The Peak, I wasn't able to resist. It was our last day in Hong Kong anyway, so we better make the most of it.

Though my hamstrings were still complaining, I braved our short hike up Victoria Peak. Yes, we did not take public transport. We entered the hilly property of The University of Hong Kong (just across Will's building), exited at a back gate, and followed an ascending narrow road. Just about 20 minutes into the hike, we ended up on the 'Morning Trail'. In that area, traffic noise is already filtered by a heavy population of trees. The only other sound I could hear was Will talking to Shervin about how he mastered Lao dancing in Laos (I was walking way behind them).

The Morning Trail is popular not only to local joggers, but also to Tai Chi practitioners because the trail branches out into uncrowded pocket parks.

Halfway to the peak.
Somewhere along the way we entered Lung Fu Shan Country Park, the smallest country park in Hong Kong. Pinewood Battery (an old defense line completed in 1905) and Pinewood Garden picnic site can be found here.

Bunkers constructed at Pinewood Battery.
Then finally, we trudged on 'The Governor's Walk' which led us to the view point. When we arrived, the air was dense with the fog's penetration, we couldn't see anything beyond a 5-meter radius.

View point, zero visibility. What now?
Where we were ain't The Peak yet. To avoid confusion, Victoria Peak is the highest mountain in Hong Kong Island. It is also known as Mount Austin or simply The Peak. On top of Victoria Peak are The Peak Tram, The Peak Tower and The Peak Galleria, which at times are also called The Peak. Okay, so it's still kind of confusing.

But anyway, moving forward, we walked (at last after a 2-hour hike) to The Peak Tower where we will be catching The Peak Tram. It's already hazy how we got there, I just kept following Will. For you guys who will be heading to The Peak from the MTR station, here are two easy ways to get there on foot (plus other sites along the way!):

1. From MTR Central Station, exit J2. Turn right through Chater Garden to Garden Road. Keep walking until you see St. John's Cathedral (oldest surviving Western ecclesiastical building in Hong King) on your right, just a few more meters should be The Peak Tram's Lower Terminus to your left.

2. From Admiralty Station, exit C1 and follow signs to 'Hong Kong Park' or 'Island Shangri-La Hotel'. You'll be passing by Flagstaff House (Museum of Tea Ware), the oldest existing Western building in Hong Kong. Follow the signs to Rawlinson House (old residence of the Deputy Commander of the British Forces in the old Victoria Barracks). Walk up along Cotton Tree Drive, then turn right to the Peak Tram's Lower Terminus when you pass by the Hong Kong Squash Center.

For more information about The Peak Tram, check out their website. Its history, hours of operation, promos, and a whole lot more are discussed in detail there.

Recommended: Climb up The Sky Terrace on top of The Peak Tower! A 360° view of Hong Kong Island awaits.

Octopus Cards can be used to pay for the tram's ticket. Mine was already out of credits so I paid in cash, HK$22 one way. This was December 2009. Just last 1 January 2010, price was raised to HK$25.

At the Peak Tram's Lower Terminus.
It took a while before the next tram arrived. The trip itself however, only takes about 5 minutes from end to end. At The Peak's Lower Terminus by the way is where Madame Tussauds is located. Though their exhibit is different from Amsterdam's (which I was able to visit in 2007), I refused to check it out. It would have been nice to have a photo with Jackie Chan, perhaps I'll have that chance next time. The HK$160 ticket was just too much.

For more information on Madame Tussauds Hong Kong, here's their website.

It was already 2:00 PM. We left the terminus and strolled across Hong Kong Park towards Admiralty Station. Will was going to accompany us to Hung Hom Station next so we can buy our tickets to Beijing.

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Ocean Park, Hong Kong

We (my husband Shervin, my sister Gabe and I) did a mad dash through Hong Kong's MTR stations, from the Tung Chung Line to the Island Line. It was already 2:30 PM and we were still at Central Station, waiting for the train to Admiralty. Earlier that day we went to Lantau Island to see the Giant Buddha. It was a very brief visit, we didn't even have time to stop for lunch.

So there I was on the platform, drained and famished. The instant noodles I had for breakfast, obviously has long been digested by my stomach.

At Ocean Park's entrance

Tian Tan Buddha

When in Hong Kong, do not squeeze Tian Tan Buddha and Ocean Park in one day. First, transportation will take too much time because they're on different islands (and not entirely reachable by MTR). Second, half a day is just not enough for both.

Tian Tan Buddha looming in the fog.
I speak of this with such authority because we did so, and the result was ugly. However, if you only got three days to spend like us, then perhaps it's worth the attempt. Hopefully this blog and the next can help you make it happen.

Hong Kong and All Its Jazz

We awoke at 6:00 PM from a three-hour nap. Though we were able to recuperate from lack of sleep, we felt bad for sleeping in because we could have used the three hours on a walking tour.

Will our host, assured us that no time was wasted for it rained the whole afternoon. We didn't have any plans that evening so he said he'll show us around Kowloon after he feeds the cats.

Hongkong's skyline.
And he did take us to the 'feeding-of-the-cats' thing. He led us to a cluster of residential buildings, a fifteen-minute walk from his place. It turned out that Will had to feed the cats every evening while their owners were gone. We never found out who owns the pad (we didn't think it was appropriate to ask), but what we do know is that he or she is very lucky to have an astounding view of Victoria Harbour - day in, day out.

After his errand, we left the pad and walked to the nearest bus station. We hopped on a double-decker bus, our first for this trip. When you a got a guide taking you around, you're less stressed about where you're off to and what you're going to do next. Since we got Will, I didn't make much mental notes about commuting. Hence, I don't know where the bus dropped us off.

The Peninsula's dazzling Christmas lights, at the junction of Nathan Road and Salisbury Road. Hong Kong's very first hotel (1928).

A Tea House With No Name

The primary reason for booking our Hong Kong flight is that it was our cheapest option to enter China. We were able to score tickets with a 30% discount (fare was brought down to P1,995 MNL-HK) from their August 2009 sale. From Hong Kong, we will be taking the 24-hour train to Beijing.

We aren't big city fans, but we allocated three days for Hong Kong. Its dropping December temperature will somehow prepare us for winter in northern China.

I must admit, I already liked Hong Kong even on the first half of our arrival day - and we haven't been anywhere else but the airport, IFC Mall, and Will's pad. Perhaps because it was my first trip overseas with my sister or maybe because we got a host who will provide us honest remarks about the various tourist options offered by this SAR (Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China). Hence, we avoid getting ripped off or spending money on destinations turn out to be a disappointment.

Transport Options from HK International Airport

Our Cebu Pacific flight bound for Hong Kong touched down at its expected time of 7:40 AM. Because of its popularity among Filipino vacationers, I thought getting past immigration would be swift. But heck no - or perhaps it was just that particular official, whom I want to proclaim "The Most Meticulous Immigration Officer of 2009".

After examining my passport and encoding it in his computer for more than five minutes, he asked "How long to Hong Kong?".

Was he trying to chitchat with me because he needed more time? Or was he really asking about the trip? Do I answer '2 hours'? I suddenly thought, he might be asking about the length of my stay. "I leave December 10", I replied.

I don't think he understood. He must have expected an answer which goes, '4 days'. He let me through anyway, that's what matters.

We then grabbed our backpacks from the belt, and searched for a currency exchange stall within the airport. We ended up with Travelex, where we changed US$200 to HK$1,413.40. Not bad. They accept pesos too but expect a bad rate. It's best to buy dollars (from trusted changers!) before leaving the Philippines.

Tip: When at the airport, exchange just enough amount that can take you to your hostel and pay for your first night. It's very much possible that money changers outside the airport offer higher rates.

Their cheery staff suggested we buy the Airport Express Travel Pass:
HK$220 for 1 Airport Express Single Journey + 3 consecutive days of unlimited travel on MTR + HK$50 refundable deposit
or
HK$300 for 2 Airport Express Single Journeys + 3 consecutive days of unlimited travel on MTR + HK$50 refundable deposit
Special offers for tourists, when you buy the Airport Express Travel Pass.
At the time of our visit (December 7 last year), if you purchase any of the above, you also get discount stubs for: Ocean Adventure, Wetland Park and Ngong Ping 360. So we all agreed to buy. My husband Sherv and I, who will be heading to China after four days bought the single journey. My sister Gabe on the other hand, who'll fly back to the Philippines from Hong Kong bought the roundtrip pass.

If you wish to take the Airport Express but not interested with the inclusions of the pass, you may just pay HK$100 to Central Hong Kong, or $90 to Kowloon. There is also the Airport Express Discounted Group Ticket ('group' meaning 2 persons above) which you can ask about at the service center.

Travel time from airport to Central Hong Kong via Airport Express: 25 minutes

A cheaper but slower option to get out of the airport is the bus. Just follow the sign that says "buses to the city". But before you get on, you need to buy an Octopus card. The Octopus card is a rechargeable stored value card that you can use to pay the MTR, buses, the Star Ferry, and HK's Tram. It can also be used at establishments like McDonald's and 7-11. To acquire this card, you need to pay HK$50 for deposit and HK$100 for the initial credits. For succeeding recharges, the cheapest you may purchase is HK$50.

Bus ride to Central Hong Kong is HK$40, Kowloon about HK$30+. Bus A11 for HK, and bus A21 for Kowloon. If it's your first time in the country, you may ask the driver about the place you are going to and where you can be dropped off.

Travel time from airport to Central Hong Kong via bus: 45 minutes day time, 30 minutes at night.

A taxi ride ranges from HK$250-$350 + bridge toll. Unless 4 people split the bill, it ain't worth it.

The Airport Express station at Central Hong Kong is just at the basement of IFC (International Finance Center) Mall. That's where our host picked us up. Will, my husband's colleague from U.S.A. has been living there for two years already to manage his own business. He and his fiancee offered their place to us as our accommodation for the next three days.

When we walked out of IFC to go to the taxi line, we shuddered as a harsh, cold breeze swept. The temperature was about 14°C. Thank goodness there was no queue for the cab. We hurriedly got it in.

Their building is located across University of Hong Kong, a 10-minute hilly ride from IFC. And their pad sits on the top most floor, which offers an unobstructed view of the harbor. We plopped our bags near the couch and took our seats. While Shervin and Will were busy catching up, I shut my eyes for a minute and suddenly felt fatigued. I didn't feel like talking to my sister who was mega-thrilled about travelling overseas for the first time.

In my mind I was thinking that we should go out once again and maximize the remaining half of the day. But the body was just so weak.

Fast Facts/Helpful Info:
- Pick up free brochures for tourists from numerous stands dotted in the airport and malls. My top picks:

Hong Kong Visitor's Kit, Hong Kong Walks and Hong Kong Cultural Kaleidoscope.
- At the time of writing, HK$1 is more or less P6.00.
- Filipinos (visa not required) are permitted to remain for 14 days from the date of entry. Onward tickets are rarely inspected, but us Filipinos have them anyway (as required by Philippine Immigration).
- Electricity is also 220V, but uses the UK plug (three-pronged with a rectangular tip).
- Time zone, same as Philippines.
- Phone country code, +852.
- Vehicles are right-hand drive.
- Most restaurants add 10% service charge to your bill. If it's not included, tipping is discretionary.
- Convenience stores, big supermarkets and pharmacies charge HK$.50 for each plastic bag.
- Remember, you may claim your HK$50 refund once you return your Airport Express Travel Pass and/or Octopus card. Unless, you want to keep your card as a souvenir.
- Hong Kong is a tourist-friendly destination. But always be wary - especially after we have heard about the recent acid attacks at its famous tourist spots.

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9 Countries for 2009: 'Best Of' Snippets

If you can't play the video, it may have been removed because of its soundtrack. You can view it here instead.
Part 1 of Pinay Travel Junkie's Best Of 2009 video. 'Best Of' may not pertain to the best choices in town, but they're the most unforgettable for me. Places I have been to and experiences which I found life changing (though my life didn't really change much).

Trip stats for 2009 here.

Disclaimer: Obviously, the songs used for the video aren't mine. Credits go to:
1. AC/DC - Highway To Hell
2. Me First and the Gimme Gimmes - I Would Walk 500 Miles
3. Mungo Jerry - In The Summertime

What's on your 'Best Of 2009' list?

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