HK Day 3

Got up at 10am plus...the tiring Day 2 totally cured my strange bed-induced insomnia...which was good...decided to check out the Southern part of HK island...the guy at the front desk told me to take the 973 bus that goes all the way to Stanley...so that i did...the bus went through winding hilly roads...so it was quite a roller-coaster ride...there was a mentally-challenged boy who sat at the next row...he puked all over along the way...well, good thing for my anosmia...

I got down at Stanley Plaza...saw a stall that was selling some Chinese chewy candies...so bought half a roll and chewed on it while i walked around Blake Pier...saw some flyers that promoted some sailing and boat ride...apparently you can sail to the Southern Islands from Blake Pier...and you can go on a half-hour sailboat ride for HKD150..but didn't see anyone operating any boat...managed to take some photos of myself with self-timer...nice place for photo shoot...

Walked around Stanley Market...nothing much...and i wasn't really in the mood for bargaining coz i didn't see anything i really gawked at...stopped by at a restaurant for lunch...managed to order lunch by reading the chinese menu...cos i could read beef curry rice in Chinese..hehe...the curry tasted quite good...

Next i took the bus no. 6 to Repulse Bay...the beach was crowded with tourists since it was the weekend...saw some youngsters building a huge sand 'castle' (actually i had no idea what they were sculpting)...there were a couple of Filipino ladies being baptized by a Caucasian pastor in the sea...my first thought...they must be Baptists...the temperature was 21 degrees Celsius...it's quite warm under the sun...but chilly when there was breeze...the poor ladies...the water should be quite cold...even saw a Japanese guy sunbathing...i see this craze doesn't just affect Australians...

After i had enough of my beach encounter, i took bus no. 6X to Ocean Park...almost missed the stop...so i quickly hopped off the bus after being reprimanded by the bus driver...bought the entrance ticket for HKD250 and entered Ocean Park...a few minutes later, i realized that my Khalil Fong USB drive and picks were missing...they were hanging on my bag's zipper...DANG!!! i must have dropped them in the bus when i was rushing out...maybe snagged a pole or something...so sad!!! but nothing could be done to get them back...lucky is the person who picked them up...sob...

Well, wasn't about to let that hamper my good time at the Ocean Park...so i went to check out the giant pandas...they were just munching on bamboo shoots..while watching us humans watched them...they had bungee-trampoline but i was wearing a tunic dress... not properly dressed for such stunt...ish!! would have loved to try it out...took the Ocean Waterfront Express up to the upper part of the park...the upper part is where all the rides and the Ocean Theatre are...there was an escalator that goes down to another exit at Tai Shue Wan...out of curiousity and redundant-ness, i took it down..and up again...was passing time till the Sea Dreams show anyway...and the other rides were packed...

Then it was time to go for the Sea Dreams show at the Ocean Theatre...it was a dolphin and sea-lion show that lasted about half hour...i always love watching dolphins...and this time i managed to take nice pics of the dolphins...the show was quite amazing...i think this was even better than the one in SeaWorld at Gold Coast...and i noticed that dolphin trainers are usually cute..hehe...didn't do the rides coz too lazy to queue up and time was limited...so i took the cable car back to the main park...that was quite a ride...not for the faint-hearted...

It was already evening when i took the bus no. 6X back to Central...walked to the Peak Tram Station and was shocked to see how ridiculously long the queue was...a word of advice...never attempt to go up the Peak via tram on weekend nights...i had to queue about an hour before i managed to get into the tram...but the ride was pretty cool...the track was quite steep that i had to hold on real tight throughout the ride...i bought the SkyTerrace pass + single trip ticket which cost me HKD37...

So i went to the SkyTerrace at the Peak Tower...only to find out that it wasn't really necessary...you can get nice view everywhere else...don't have to pay extra for the SkyTerrace pass...and since it was night, it was bloody cold and windy up there..i could hardly stop my hands from trembling when taking pics...but it was worth going up the Peak...the night view of HK was amazing...well, except for the haze...but what was even more amazing were the apartments on the Peak...they looked so posh and must cost a few bombs...definitely dream house material...hehe...

Fed my hunger pangs at Bubba Gump Shrimp Restaurant and Co...Elaine said should go check it out so i did...the food's expensive...but i guess it would be the same for all the other restaurant at the Peak... had clam chowder with Caesar Salad and a bottle of water...quite yummy...cost me HKD132 for that...i like the way you hail the waiter...each table has 2 plates...one written "run, forrest run" and another "stop, forrest stop"...if you need the waiter, you put up the latter plate...after dinner, i checked out the souvenir shop and bought a Bubba Gump T-shirt...

Would have love to explore the Peak longer but it was too cold...so i took bus 15 down to Central...cost only HKD9.80...and the view on the way down was so beautiful, you'd forgive the winding, vomit-inducing road...this time, i got smart...i took a tram back to the hotel...at least i know it'll stop right behind the hotel...i didn't even mind the longer ride...

So, i actually like the southern part of HK...less crowded and agoraphobia-inducing...except with tourists...and quieter...and it's not inaccessible...definitely a good place to stay...especially if you like staying by the beach...if you prefer being on top of everyone else, there's always the apartments on the Peak...