Hong Kong, December 2 – 10, 2008.

Anne had a business trip to Beijing, so I went to Hong Kong for a week or so (there is no logic to that statement; I just didn’t want to spend the week by myself in New Jersey). Airfare was relatively inexpensive, anyway. And I could stay at Tim’s place for free.

Flight on CO to Hong Kong (CO99 12/2) left a bit late because of mechanical problems, but we still got there pretty much on time. I had an aisle seat on the window side, but all three seats were occupied, which made the 15+ hour polar flight somewhat uncomfortable. Tim picked me up in his new Subaru WRX STI. Luckily the streets were quite busy so it wasn’t as much a white-knuckle experience as I feared.

My trip back on 12/10 worked like clockwork. CO98 left on time and landed more than an hour early as the tailwinds helped the plane along, reaching a ground speed of over 700 mph at times. Taxiing, immigration, and customs (I had one piece of checked luggage) took only 35 minutes. Anne picked me up a few minutes after my eating a hamburger and getting a cup of coffee.

Some trip highlights:

Hike on Friday 12/5. With Ling & Wally. It was advertised as a 4 hour hike but ended up being an hour longer. We hiked from the Taipo area to the Tsuen Wan area, covering (in my estimation) more than 14 km; not particularly difficult, but some sections involved long sets of steps that didn’t seem to end. Had dim sum lunch at Tsuen Lung Restaurant. Cost us all of HK$130 or so for a full meal. Took an Advil afterwards to tackle the aches.


Some of these stone steps stretched for a km or so.


Late lunch at the inexpensive Tsuen Lung Restaurant was filling.

Dinner on Friday 12/5. At the Queen’s Palace Restaurant at QRE Plaza with Ka Shi, David & Ruby.

Church on Saturday 12/6. This Tung Fok Church is a bit on the charismatic side, although the service I attended wasn’t particularly so. The sermon on “new insights” into Noah was a bit disappointing.

Dinner on Saturday 12/6. With Tim, Wally & Ling, Alfred, Joy & Rachel at “Fung Sing” in Causeway Bay. Fried chicken cost $88 (whole). Alyson couldn’t join us because she had a competition (which she won.)

Lamma Trip on Sunday 12/7. In Tim’s boat, with Alyson, Ling & Wally. Hiked the 2.5 mile or so trip from Sok Ku Wan to Yung Shue Wan: a piece of cake compared to Friday’s hike. Bill at Rainbow Seafood came to about $1000 for five. Afternoon tea at Yung Shue Wan while we waited for Tim to see a patient.


On Tim's Boat.


At Yung Shue Wan on Lamma Island.

Boat Trip on Monday 12/8. Ruby & David were planning on a two-day Macau trip. I initially said I would go for a day, but then changed my mind. Had breakfast with them and other would-be travelers at Florinda Restaurant at the Ferry Terminal. Turns out there wasn’t much enthusiasm among the group to go; the one who wanted to go the most also relented. When someone suggested Lamma Island, I offered the use of Tim’s boat. Lunch at Rainbow Seafood cost $1000 for seven (others picked up the bill), we also had soft tofu nearby. Then we took the boat to Cyberport, Repulse Bay, and stopped by Stanley to have tea (at McDonald’s, of all places). I hope the others (Julie, Eileen, Ruby, David, and Dr & Klara Chu) enjoyed it as much as I do. The seas were much calmer, except the wakes caused by these container ships are quite substantial.

Coffee with David on Tuesday 12/9. Old friends chatting away for a few hours over coffee and tea at Pacific Coffee at the Great Eagle Center.

Didn’t do much on the trip, but nonetheless an enjoyable week.