Homeward Bound

Our Air Canada plane in Hong Kong 

Home soon it was a great trip with lots to talk about. 

Typhoon Krosa WARNING - T1 Level off Hong Kong

WARNING LEVEL 1 - Typhoon Krosa

Typhoon Krosa is in the South China Sea, just South of Hong Kong at the present local time 16:34 HK-ST

Cat: 1

Winds: 135kmh

Gust: 165kmh

Expecting to turn away from HK and head Southwest to Vietnam

HK is in status T1, we are experiencing high winds at present and about 1m seas, very cloudy no rain yet, we do not expect any issues with this typhoon effecting our trip or departure on Tuesday.

Weather bulletin will be posted if required.

Map Image - Typhoon Krosa 2013-11-03 / 16:39 HKST

Day 16 Tuesday, November 5

Homeward Bound

Honk Kong airport

AC#16 in Hong Kong

Today we are heading for home on Air Canada #16 from HK direct to Toronto, some 14 hours, departing at 16:20 and arriving around 18:00, all on the same day.  This will be a polar route flight using a Boeing 777-200, which smaller than the 777-300 we took to Beijing but has a 3,500km of more range, so it can make the longer route home.

These are two engine jet aircraft, so the 180 rule applies, what is that??,  Well the 180 rules means that the route taken must be within 180 minutes of an airport that can land a 777 air craft.

One last point on China, don't drink the tap water and remember to always carry toilet paper as that is NOT supplied, plus learn a few words of Chinese.  Plus for Canadian's bring the little Canada Pins, get these from your local MP's office, they have bags of thousands.  

We will post a trip summary on our return, we had just a super time and I would say this has been of our best trips ever taken, even some parts of trip were difficult.  We saw so much of such a diverse country/nation and got a inside view of an economic power moving into first place in world economics.

There is still a lot I don't understand about Chine but now have some insight which will require some further reading.

Ken and Karen

in Hong Kong

This is China !

  

Day 15 Monday, November 4

Hong Kong

This is our shopping day, we have no scheduled events or tours, and by now I think we have both had  enough  tours any way.  So we are taking the MTR (the HK Subway) to the MONG KOK shopping district, this where the streets are laid out as follows:

- Camera Street

- Sneaker Street (I hope they have the silver Converse High Tops I so desperately need, and would save me a trip to New York City if they do).

- Electronics Street

- Computer Street

- Ladies Fashion Street

- Mens Fashion Street

MTR Subway Map of Hong Kong

NOTE:: The Subway even serves the new Airport, wow, can't do that in Toronto.

 Hong Kong Harbour

 Star Ferry - Hong Kong Harbour

MONG KOK Shopping District - Hong Kong

 MONG KOK Shopping District - Hong Kong

This is inside the major shopping Mall in Hong Kong, MONG KOK Shopping District, part of the Langham Place, close to being 200ft high.

Day 14 Sunday, November 3

Our guide picked us up promptly at 9:00 a.m. for our Hong Kong Island tour in a Mercedes sedan, a definite improvement over the old Toyota Land rover in Tibet.

Hong Kong Harbour

Boat Terminal for the Jumbo Floating Restaurant Hong Kong Harbour 

We visited the Aberdeen fishing village which is now dominated by Sampan tour boats, an extra fee of course. Our next stop was a prestigious jewellery factory where we could watch and photograph craftsmen fashion ornaments made of gold and gems. Karen tried on a ring she didn't want to leave behind and Ken tried on a pendant made of an old Chinese coin from 1800.

Craftsmen at the Aberdeen Jewelry Factory 

We drove the winding road past Repulse Bay, sandy beaches and continued on to Stanley Market which has shrunk since my last visit in the 1980s. Since the line ups for the tram ride were very long on Sunday, we drove to the top, took photos and took the ride back down. The view of Hong Kong Island was spectacular from the peak from the beach to the white condo towers and the office towers of Hong Kong.

Stanley Harbour, Hong Kong

Stanley Market, Hong Kong

Views from the peak in Hong Kong

Karen and Ken with the Financial Area of Hong Kong in the background

Hong Kong Financial Distract as seen from the Victoria Peak.

Downtown Hong Kong

I had to add some photos from Sunday Night's Harbour Light Show.

Every night at 8:00pm the buildings on Hong Kong Harbour (Central District) put on a 15 to 20 minute light and laser show.  Best place to watch this is down on the harbour behind the museum.

Ken and Karen in Hong Kong at the Sheraton for dinner after the fantastic light show.

Day 13 Saturday, November 2

We departed Xi'an on a China Eastern flight to Hong Kong, which is about a two hour flight.

Hong Kong is very British, still, driving on the Left and British traffic signs, and yes unrestricted Internet access.  The Drive from the airport to our hotel on Nathan Street (the heart of the shopping area) takes about 50minutes, and they have high speed roads at 120km, fair bit of traffic, but everyone obeys the traffic laws (is this China ?).

Tomorrow will be a full day of touring around HK.

 

Day 12 Friday, November 1

This morning we are heading for the Shaanxi History Museum, this area has a rich history as it was once the capital of China about 300BC and the Tang Dynasty was a big factor in unification of China back in 200BC and as I said before the Silk Road started in this city and headed West.  There a cellphone cases sold with a logo of the great West Wind.

Vase from 500BC

Karen and Ken at the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Xi'an 

The great South Gate of the Xi'an Wall