Hong Kong and Macau

7 December 2015 - Diary begins I'm getting ready for my first trip to China - Macau and Hong Kong. It's a trip that was born and booked the way I do most trips - impulsively, and at very short notice. As always booking.com is my best friend for accomodation, and I've usually made good choices, hoping for more of the same luck for China. I'm not a "backpacker" person, and I opt for the comfort of hotels with 3 or 4 star ratings. Since I only sleep in the hotel and do not laze around in bed or at the pool (if available) it's quite easy to find something that suits my needs. My first idea was to visit Macau only, but after a little more thought, I decided to include Hong Kong, probably because of the easy access between Macau and Hong Kong ... so why not do both. Fortunately no visas are required to either of these destinations (with a SA passport) for a stay of 30 days or less, so all I need from immigration here is a re-entry permit. Without a re-entry permit, my visa and work permit will be cancelled - so off to immigration with 1000 TB and a photograph, and all done. I've done just a little bit of "googling" about both HK and Macau, and know that I should expect some crappy weather. Optimistically, I'm taking shorts just in case. I'll be staying over in Bangkok tomorrow night, and will take an early flight to Macau on Wednesday morning. As things stand at the moment, I will arrive in Macau on Wednesday at around 10.30 am HK time, and will take the Turbojet ferry directly to Hong Kong Island, where I will spend 2 nights. I'm hoping to do some Christmas shopping and to enjoy the hustle and bustle of the city. On Friday I will board the ferry again, this time back to Macau, where I will spend 3 days and 2 nights exploring all that Macau has to offer. Excited much? Of course I am! 8 December 2015 - 16h00 Well, I arrived in Bangkok, albeit having got started a lot later than I'd hoped. For me the worst part of the trip was over, that being the trip from NS to BKK in the van. It's a drive I never look forward to, but it's efficient and much quicker than a bus. For a change, and due to the location of the hotel which would be home for the night, I chose to get off at Rangsit instead of heading all the way into Bangkok, and took a taxi from there to the hotel. It's an apartment block actually, Thip Mansion, but services overnighters for easy access to the Don Mueang International airport. The service at Thip is efficient, the lady speaks English very well, and the room was more than okay for one night. It was clean, had everything one would need for an overnight, including coffee making facilities and a hairdryer. Bed was very comfy, wifi worked, and there were a few English programs on TV to fall asleep to later. There's not a huge amount of life in Ban Dong Mueang area beyond the local residents, but I had a map of restaurants in the area, the motorcycle taxis are seemingly always readily available to take guests wherever they want to go. So I was a happy overnighter and do reccomend Thip Mansions for a simple but efficient overnight stay. At about 8.30 I headed out on the motorcycle taxi to the Amari Hotel. I saw earlier that there was a Western Food Pub and Grill there, Henry J Beans. Since I'm not too keen on Thai food, this was where dinner happened. I ordered lamb chops with mash and vegetables (vegetables were 3 slices of grilled bell peppers), but the chops were cooked just the way I ordered them, and the mash and tasty gravy didn't disappoint. Two glasses of Australian wine later, I decided on a walk back to Thip. Alarms were set for 4.30am, so an early night was called for. After a hot shower and a smoke outside, that was me for the night, excited for the adventure ahead. 9 December - late night in Hong Kong As arranged, the efficient service at Thip had me on my way to the airport on a motorcycle taxi just a few minutes before 5am. With one thing and another, long queues at the check-in and immigration counters, I made it to the boarding gate just seconds before they starting announcing my name. Note to anyone flying with Air Asia on early morning flights - get there early!! The pilot announced that the weather in Macau was a very cloudy and that we could expect some turbulence along the way. Well, that was an understatement! It was a very bumpy flight, but finally arrived in Macau on time. There was a little bit of a runaround before I could get to the Hong Kong/Macau pier. Had I not had any checked in baggage, I could have taken a short cut directly to the pier, but as it turned out I had a bag to collect. So, the usual immigration queue and the short wait for my checked in bag, then I was in a taxi and on my way to the pier. Turbojet has a fabulous service between Hong Kong and Macau, departing every 15 minutes or so. On board the boat, passengers were advised that the trip could be a bit bumpy, and it would be advisable to keep seatbelts on for the duration of the trip - about 55 minutes. Due to the choppy water and bumpy ride ahead, no hot beverages could be served. Well, obviously that meant a little bottle of wine was called for, along with a ham sandwich - I was starving. Another bumpy ride later, and then "Welcome to Hong Kong." Upon arrival at HK Island, another immigration queue lay ahead, and then I was in the taxi to the hotel - Mini Hotel, Causeway Bay. The word Mini doesn't describe the hotel, since it has 19 floors of different types of accomodation, including family rooms and suites. The hotel itself is nice and in a great location, it's clean, with a hairdryer and a kettle provided. The staff at reception were not so nice, gloomy faces and "passport" snapped at me for checking in. My room was on the 18th floor and extremely small - built for tiny people it seems. I wasn't too bothered, it was just a place to sleep anyway. What I did find impressive was that each room is provided with a Handy Phone for guests to use for free for the duration of their stay. The Handy Phone (cell phone) is a mobile city guide, including free internet browsing and call facilities to local numbers. Very handy I'd say. Bags dumped, and off I went to explore. As one would expect, Big Brand name shops are everywhere - inside Malls, outside Malls, down alleys in every direction. But, I strolled past the many "food kitchens" which seems to be the dining of choice by locals, and found myself at a square where the local folk were chilling and chatting. Walking through the sqaure, found me at the entrance to the local street market where food, fresh produce and some cheap clothing and shoes were being sold. At about this stage, the heavens opened and the drizzle became a downpour. The roads looked like a sea of umbrellas as all the brollies were popped open. Drenched to the bone and looking completely out of place - like a tourist without the obligatory accessory, I quickly found a 7-11 store and purchased an umbrella for way too many HKDs. Conversion from THB to HKD is really just not a good idea. The cost of living in HK is 98.3% higher than the cost of living in Thailand. Feeling less like an alien with my brollie, I continued to explore within about a 10 or 15 block radius of the hotel. I was impressed by the Christmas decorations, lights and music eveywhere - I felt a little homesick for SA Christmas season but took photos and enjoyed the sounds of Jingle Bells as I wandered around. Nothing spectacular caught my eye, so after a few hours I went back to the hotel to shower, change my still wet clothes, and make my way to somewhere for dinner. The dinner venue was a little disappointing - The Red Pepper Restaurant, where the staff were sullen and seemingly unhappy doing their jobs. It occured to me that this is probably what I should expect in China - quite unlike the happy, helpful and smiling people in Thailand. I ordered a spicy chicken and cashew nut dish with a side order of rice and a glass of wine. The food was great, but the atmosphere in the restauarant distinctly resembled the staff''s mood, so I left immediately after my meal. Feeling a little exhausted from very little sleep the night before and a very long day, it was time for me to stock up on a few bottles of water (not supplied at hotel - rather unusual), and to take a slow stroll back to my little room. Plan for tomorrow devised - to take the MTR to Hong Kong - Kowloon. Back at the hotel, ablutions done, and asleep very quickly. A big A+ for the comfortable bed.

10 December Hong Kong Woke up feeling refreshed, dressed and ready, armed with the brollie, and off I ventured to the MTR station just a short walk away. I took the train bound for Kennedy City, but got off at Admiralty to connect with the HK - Kowloon line. As expected, the station was clean and very efficiently run, very similar to that of the BTS system in Bangkok. I guess it was around 45 minutes including the change when I arrived in Kowloon. The arrival station is very close to the pier and coffee, so that was my first stop. It was a misty morning, but no rain. Walking back from the pier, I stopped along the way to take in all the beautiful Christmas displays at various locations. Very impressive. Then onto the business of shopping - not quite as successful. I'm not a big shopper at the best of times, and I confess I was rather disappointed by the lack of "ordinary" shopping venues. I spent the morning scouting around for shops other than the brand shops which are all over Thailand anyway, but no such luck. I did find a shopping centre which looked promising, but it turned out to be 3 floors of artificial nail booths. Nevertheless, I did manage to get a variety of Chinese teas for a colleague, and a little something for my granddaughter, and that concluded the shopping. HK - Kowloon is crowded, everyone is in a hurry, seemingly with a purpose. I'm a great people watcher, so I enjoyed my "smoke" stops to take in all the activity around me, and was rather surprised to see the number of beggars on the streets. There are a few scams of course which I'd been warned about - people posing as volunteers collecting money (from foreigners) for an animal society or an orphanage. I was happy for the warning, since I was approached at least a dozen times, but the actual old people who were digging through the bins for scraps or recyclable materials was quite disturbing. Around lunch time I had a quick bite to eat and a coffee, explored more of Kowloon, and mid-afternoon I decided to head back to HK Island. MTR route in reverse, and pretty soon I was back on HK Island. When I reached HK Island, it suddenly dawned on me that I had not seen any motorcycles at all on HK island or in Kowloon. Beautiful, expensive cars aplenty, but no motorcycles. I guess I expected that HK would be no different to anywhere else in Asia. So we learn. I took time to drop off my meagre purchases at the Hotel and to freshen up a little, and then hoofed it around new territory, browsing whilst deciding on the evening dinner plan. I knew for sure where not to go. I mozied down Lee Gardens Road, once again abuzz with activity and peak hour traffic. Besides the "food kitchens" which I avoid, nothing really impressed me much in the dining department, so I opted for the little place next to the Hotel. I'd noticed that it was usually quite busy, thereby assuming that the food should be good, and it was. I wasn't ravenously hungry, something small would do nicely, so my choice was made. Unlike the night before, I was met with a smile and a cup of Chinese tea. The owner / manager was very attentive and took my order of gyoza, a potato cake and a beer with a smile. I'm sorry I didn't get the name of the place, it is written in Chinese, but I would certainly recommend it ... so if anyone is near the Mini Hotel Causeway Bay, that's a good place to get a bite. Somewhere along my strolls earlier in the day, I'd bought a bottle of wine and a bar of dark chocolate, so my next stop was my mini room to chat with family while I posted pics and ploughed into my treats. Bags were then packed, destination Macau in the morning. My overall impression of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon is "Been there, done that, moving along". However, I may be a little hasty in my opinion as my time was short, there is a whole lot more to see if time allows, and the weather was not ideal for too many outdoor activities. My idea of travel is to explore and experience a country like a local. I avoid tourist areas, tours and guides, and while I may not see all the tourist hot spots, it's because I have my own list of places I'd like to see. Although Hong Kong is rated as being a good place to shop, so is Bangkok, and I'm not a keen shopper.

11 December - Hong Kong to Macau / Macau Packed, checked out and left for MTR at about 10am, headed for the Hong Kong / Macau ferry terminal. Pretty painless getting around, except for the brollie and the bags which had become sufficiently heavier. The sun was shining brightly, that annoyed me a little haha. Boarded the Turbojet at 11.45, enjoyed the way less bouncy trip to Macau, immigration done and to the bus terminal which would take me to the Hotel in Central Macau. Finding the right bus was easy enough, the driver was a maniac, but I got dropped off safely somewhere on the road where the hotel was located. The first thing I noticed was that all the road names are in English and all are Portuguese names. I learnt in my few short days that there is a very strong Portuguese influence in Macau, and Portuguese is also one of the native languages, along with Cantonese and Mandarin. English fits in somewhere as well, but I didn't encounter too many people comfortable speaking English. It was also good to know that the Portuguese wines are very reasonably priced .... took full advantage. The currency in Macau is only slighter weaker than the HKD - 1 HKD = 1.06 MOP (Mecanese Pataca). HKDs are accepted everywhere and treated as having the same value as the HKD. Change is usually given in MOPs. Macau is also the destination of choice for gambling, and there are many casinos on the peninsula. The biggest casinos are situated in Taipa area, which is also where the airport is located. I was told that the ferries and the hotels in Taipa are packed to capacity on Fridays for the pilgrimage from Hong Kong to Macau for a gambling weekend. Baccarat is supposedly the most popular, with only a few slot machines and other "lose your money" options. Prostitution is legal in Macau, although numerous hotels have banned soliciting on or around their premises. Anyway ..... I digress. I found my lodgings fairly easily (thanks Google maps), and was soon checking in at the Fu Hua Guang Dong Hotel, again standing before morose reception staff. I was very happy to see that my room had space to move in, and even a cupboard and complimentary water - oh and a hairdryer and kettle, but no Handy phone. To me things were looking good already so I took about 10 minutes to unpack what I thought I'd need for the next 2 days, and then my self guided tour started. I didn't expect to do too much in the afternoon, but I had a list of places on my "tomorrow" list. First things first, explore the surrounding area, and all in all quite easily done. As in Hong Kong, the eating establishments are of the kitchen variety, and very well supported. Motorcycles, parking metres, pedestrian crossings and policemen everywhere. The streets too are populated with every Brand name you can think of, and there's no shortage of Malls. Seemingly the roads are always busy, and by 5pm traffic is backed up for miles. As in Hong Kong, there seems to be a frenetic kind of energy out on the streets. Roads were lit up with Christmas lanterns and decorations, and Christmas Sales were advertised everywhere. I took a long walk up the hill, noting direction arrows to some of the places on my "to see" list. It was a lovely cool evening so "walk and see more" was an absolute pleasure. I found a few supermarkets along "my" road, noted that they sold those Portuguese wines I mentioned, and knew I would be stopping off there on my way back to the Hotel. Later, I realised that I'd had nothing to eat all day, so I began looking for a place to have dinner - to no avail. I remain adamant about those kitchens. Finally, I settled for a Spicy Chicken Burger from Mc Donalds. I must mention that I never, ever eat Mc Donalds anything, so this was a real sacrifice. I sat in and had a coffee with that burger, watching the queues getting longer and longer. Hard to believe that so many people eat such crap food. My next stop was of course the Supermarket for that wine purchase, along with a little bar of dark chocolate for just in case. Just in case did happen. But, before I headed back to the Hotel I spent a little more time exploring the other side of the intersection, chatted to a local lady at the Victoria Park, and took another few hundred photos. The lovely old lady told me that Macau is very safe, and I can feel free and safe to walk anywhere at any time. Another bit of information is that Macau does not cater for backpackers, and maintains a high standard of tourists and tourism, hence the almost non-existent crime statistics. An hour or so later I thanked the lady whose name I never got, and off I went back to the Hotel, opened that wine and had a rather relaxing evening watching Chinese TV. It wasn't long before I was in lala land - around 10pm. 12 December - Macau Up early and ready for a full day of exploring. It was a mild day with a little cloud but rain forecast for the day, so I took that darn brollie with me. Damn nuisance, and it didn't rain. The closest place on my list was the Lou Lim Lok Garden which is rather beautiful, and is the only Suzhou style garden in Macau. It was early morning, and many locals were doing their early morning exercises at various places in the garden. It was quiet despite the number of people - exercise and silence and meditation being the order of the morning. Leaving the garden, I was headed toward the A-Ma Temple, but spotted something a little up the hill and went that route instead. The best way to explore is to have no real plan and usually discover the gems that are not in tourist brochures. It's impossible to describe everything I saw, everywhere I went and how much I enjoyed seeing so much of Macau on foot, not forgetting the exercise I got in doing so. To name a few, I saw monuments, museums (some of which had not yet opened for the day), government buildings, churches and cemetries, the fort, ruins of St Pauls, Christmas decorations and demonstrations, lighting displays, quaint shops, cobbled roads, distant silhouettes of high rise buildings and towers, the popular hotels and casinos, squares, parks and thousands of enthusiastic people all along the way. Every moment was like opening a lucky packet. My only reason for visiting Macau was to explore the peninsula, and that I did for as far as my legs would carry me. Nearby the ruins of St Pauls I did happen to find a souvenier shop (at last), and made a few small and completely unnecessary purchases. The ladies there were lovely, one of them from Indonesia, so we spent some time chatting about my visit to Indonesia last year. Purchases done, and armed with a pocket full of complimentary candy and water, I strolled along to St Paul's ruins about 50 metres up the road. Well, me and thousands of others all had the same idea, it was packed and very festive. There is a very efficient bus service that I could have used for convenience and to visit other districts on the peninsula, but the pleasure was walking the walk, stopping for coffee and a smoke, taking photos, meeting some lovely people along the way, and experiencing the chaos and the calm that Macau has to offer. Some photos included in this diary will better describe what words can not. I don't know what time it was that I knew it was time to head back to the hotel. By this time I had no idea at all about where I was, or how to get back without using a map, so I opted to take advantage of the bus back to the city centre. 20 minutes or so later I was off the bus and around the corner from the hotel. I dropped off my bag of goodies and that darn umbrella, made a quick trip to the supermarket, and had a quick dinner. I did another walkabout for gifts I hadn't been able to find in Hong Kong or Macau yet, and success at last - Chinese teas, chocolates and Macau candies for the folks back home. I spent time debating about getting a bottle of wine to bring back, but remembered my limited packing space and didn't. Time therefore to pack it up for the day, have a few glasses of wine and get some sleep. It's obvious that Macau was my favourite destination on this trip. I was a little sorry that I didn't have just one more day to explore more. I'd made a lucky choice on the hotel, I seemed to have taken all the right roads leading to some of the most amazing places, and even though there was a lot I didn't see, I know that I saw most of my "to see" list, plus a whole lot more. What a wonderful adventure.

Casinos 13 December - Macau to Bangkok to Nakhon Sawan Packed and ready to leave. Taxi to the airport, and this time early enough to board my flight in good time. Next stop Don Mueang International Airport. Arrived in Bangkok around 1.30 pm, taxi to the Van station and then back to NS. A little annoyance was that the van driver decided to stop and have new tyres fitted onto his vehicle, held us up for about an hour. Arrived back home at around 6pm.