Shanghai and Hong Kong
Trip Start
Aug 30, 2008
1
5
24
Trip End
Aug 30, 2009
Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Saturday, September 20, 2008
First off our Shanghai experience was extended by a day due to train timetables! Not much you would think but i tend to disagree. I'll get into that later.
We have booked an amazing hotel to stay in for a week after we leave Hong Kong. It's in a place called pattaya just an hour or so away from Bangkok by taxi. Well after all the hours spent on sleeper trains i'm sure none of you back in cold, wet Scotland would begrudge us a wee break. After all, this sighseeing malarky is hard work!!!!
Throughout our time in Beijing and Xi'an people told us that shanghai was not worth visiting as there is nothing to see or do. Well were both adults and can form our own opinions thank you very much! From our time there we did form our own opinions. DEFINETLY do NOT go to Shanghai there's nothing at all to see or do!!! The best thing about Shanghai is that you can say you've been, it really is that dour. Prob didn't help that it was torrential rain with thunder and lightning most the time we were there.
Sunday was the only day really worth writing about! In the afternoon we headed for a place called The Bund. It's a view of the tv tower and other buildings on the far side of shanghai over the river from the pedestrianised walkway by the riverside. You would think with that sort of view it would take the locals minds of staring at the two peely wally's fae Scotland but obviously not.
At night we were due to to meet the two girls we shared dorm with in Xi'an for some food and drinks. We found what sounded like a good old Irish Pub in the lonely planet guide, so we jumped in a taxi headed for there. On arrival the place looked ok. We went inside to see what goodies they had on offer but after a quick scan of the menu we reallised that we were well out of our travellers budget. We made a sharp exit which seemed to confuse the chinese waitress slightly. So we were in a part of town that our knowledge extended to "it had a Irish pub". So we just had a little walk around to see what was on offer. We came accross a brightly lit pub so we went in there. Just as i (mark) was starting to settle down for an evening, we realised it was a strip bar we were in. The others made an another sharp exit for the door. Now i think it's just plain rude to walk out of somewhere without sampling the atmosphere for at least one drink (mark's thoughts again)!
Anyway the evening worked out ok in the end. We found a nice, if a tad odd little steakhouse hidden away under another resteraunt. After, we all headed back to our hostel for a few beers.
As the Shanghai experience came to a close we knew that another train journey loomed, this time 21 hours! Again we were hard sleeper. When we arrived at the train station we queued up at the main enterance to get in. At the first security check we were sent away now with these people speaking little English we were slightly confused. What we neglected to remember was that we were leaving the country so would need to go through immigration. Another worker spotted us and called us down to the right entrance for those leaving the country.
After the process of immigration it was straight onto the train no queuing to put bags through security, no queuing to board nothing like that, just straight on the train, what a relief!!
Another bonus was the train was half empty, we were both in middle bunks, with noone above us. The train journey went pretty smoothly, but for one thing, the chinese Brian Blessed in the cabin next to us. With his booming voice and annoying laugh, Mhairi's caring nursing tendencies went out the window and she was so close to murder, she could taste the prison food.
Finallt the train journey ended an we reach Hong Kong, kowloon stattion. Luckily for us, it was only a short train ride to our hostel. Having got off the train, we eventually come across Chungking Mansion, there was certainly nothing "mansion" about it!! A lot of pushing past hagglers and up 15 floors to finally be shown our bed!! A bit basic but for the price we paid we can't complain, at least it's clean. Have a look at the photos and u'll know what we mean.
Hong Kong a pretty cool place, took the star ferry out to Hk island, really spectacular!!
Took yesterday to do Disneyland, was very hot but a good day out!
Off to Pattaya tomo and looking forward to it!!
Thanks again for all the comments, it's nice to know that people are reading about our adventures!!
Lots love to all, Mark and Mhairi xx
Comments
At Maggie & Dave's
The garden hotel looks 'stunning!!' Sure you must be needing a break after all that trvelling and sightseeing!!! Puts our trip to Cornwall in the shade, although we stayed at a place called Mevagissey, which was stunning, right out of Doc Martin, food gorgeous, leaving here today to go up to Nantwich to stay a night on the boat with Ann & Mick, then a final night somewhere in the lades or borders. Will try and organise a Skype call when we get home. Have fun, speak to you soon, love to both Mum & Dad G xxxx
Hong Kong
Hong Kong or was that King Kong in the spaceman suit? Looks like you had a fab time and the view from the ferry looked electrifying.
The Garden Hotel looks in need of a visit from Colin and Justin. And, by the way, was the garden a plant pot, or was I missing something?
You put me in the mood with all your talk of bicycles, so I have booked to go cycling in Provence in October.
Enjoy your next stop,
Isobel xx
Hong Kong
Hi there guys. Have enjoyed keeping in touch with your trip. Don't get too used to the mod cons of your accommodation in H.K. - just might be hard to part with. H.K. would appear to have changed a bit since we were there!! Enjoy the rest of the trip. Norman and Ann x
Hong Kong
Hello, glad to see you are both surviving the first class travel in Hong Kong, bet stagecoach and citylink seem like premier travel compared to that, haha!
Cant believe you went half way round the world to have your photos taken in a spaceman outfit and what looks like a noddy car, when you could have gone to storybook glen in Stonehaven for that, lol.
On a serious note the pics from the ferry look amazing.
Take care Liz x