It was a nearly perfect vacation. Damned jetlag got us! 13 hr time change, 15 hrs nonstop + layover in DTW prior...Must be age??
Flight left afternoon and we had the pod flatbeds on 777L. This time we tried "across the aisle" even tho it's diagonal. Not bad but still hard to communicate. Loads were light (160 total) Guess I chose well. Good service but so-so sleep.
Arrived 8pm, zipped thru immigration, grabbed a taxi and w/out traffic it was around half hour and $250 HKG total ($30 US)
The Langham Hotel was topnotch and the bed was 2die4!! They included their L Club deal which gave us exclusive ck-in and snacks, champagne, as well as extensive cont bfast w/lots of goodies! We snacked on sushi and dim sum and tea sandwiches and more.
Hotel location was Tsim Sha Tsui--right at the harbour and by the MTR metro--lots of attractions in the area. Huge mall 2 blocks away and we could provision the room when we didn't want to go to the Club.
One day we spent wandering HK Island via the ding ding trams (double decker skinny, historical trams--very crowded at time--very fun anyway! . 25 cents each off fare--so we went all to one end and back to Central Station.
We roamed around the escalators (commuter system of 800 meters of one way transport) and stopped halfway at SOHO, a hot "new" area of restaurants and bars.
Sunday is a special day in Central--all the Filipina housekeepers gather for meeting w/friends (one day off/week and most have no space of their own--just employers home) It's fascinatiing--just like homeless camped out w/cardboard on the overhead walkways to eat and play cards and visit. Some have laptops--umbrellas blocking light and otehrs have cameras and all had cel phones--very strange sight!
I have to add a zillion more things but I'm pooped right now! Super is coming up and I need a nap--more to follow.
Backtrack:
Arrival Info--headed to the ATM's for HKD (almost 8/$) and first purchase was refillable Octopus Card for $150HK cash only. ($100 usable, 50 depsosit refundable less 7) You can top it off at Seven-Elevens etc as needed. Octopus website has all the details.
Like most mass transit, scan card on arrival; when you depart station it deducts $) Can also be used and McDs, 7-11 etc.
Use it on bus, trains, subway and trams. Thos trams are great fun--it's a trick to beat the locals to get a seat on top--front is great but difficult (as are the spirals going up!) Each time you get off the tram, slap that Octopus (um...don't go there) card on the exit machine in front. You need to prepare to leave the upper deck at least one stop before! There are several good websites about the trams and routes/local businesses...
There are so many places to shop in HK--tooooo many! Western Malls are pretty boring, very $$ but have great clean toilets! There are several markets in Mongkok, near the Langham Place. It's very easy to get from place to place on MTR, so hotel location is up to $ and needs/wants. Even it was a holiday period, many were open--flower and bird market, fresh market (gorjus!!) and a gold fish market (closed when we went) Victoria Peak is a major attraction and can be reached diff ways--bus or funicular tram. It was quite overcast most times, so we didn't go up.
I found excellent advice on tripadvisor.com--one of the BEST travel forums groups I've ever encountered. Very accurate local experts and links to so many fun things, like videos how to get from a station to an attraction, or where to find a local laundry or dim sum house. There are lots of free things to do--the Nunnery and Gardens (Tea Cafe, $$) 10,000 Buddhas, markets, harbourfront, Avenue of the Stars (think Jackie Chan!!) We even saw a movie being made in Central--stunt guy on a crane across from our tram stop!!) Museums are not $$ and I understand the Coastal Defense one is pretty good (take the ding ding).
I would go back to HKG in a moment!! Our taxes/fees came to $32--it's that darned jet lag!! If they ever offer the Langham Place deal again, considering the cost of hotels in HKG, it's well-priced. The and spa dinner service included were
impeccable. We had a seven course tasting menu (tiny portions) that ended w/shark fin gelee/mango pudding square served on a solid block of crystal in dry ice...what a finale!!!
