Birthday Gift Trip

A wonder of all the surprises on my birthday, my special friend, Adda of Canada, completed this dream with a gift for my children to join me.  I never thought that my day would become an exciting celebration with my kids.  Karen and Fritz (who is a deaf-mute), in my dream vacation island, Hong Kong.  It was our first trip away from home.

Months before our trip, I spent hours researching about our island destination.  With the help of TripAdvisory and Yahoo, I got all the necessary details I might need in the trip:  cheap fares, accommodations, destinations, transportation, and the weather in our vacation island.    The travelers had been very nice to respond to all the queries too, making it easier for me to shape my trip plan.

Everyday seemed a busy day for all of us.   Learning new Cantonese and Mandarin words was not indeed not easy.   I printed the necessary notes I might need, and a list of important things that would be included in our baggage, including cameras, medicines and food.  Besides the plane tickets that I booked many months before our departure, in order to avail for Cebu Pacific’s one peso fare rate for Manila and the promo price for Hong Kong.  But while busy preparing for the trip, sheer excitement kept Fritz busy imagining about Disneyland and Mickey Mouse and how it feels like taking the rollercoaster rides that he saw on the internet.

Day 1. November 20, 2007.  We boarded Cebu Pacific Airline from Davao International Airport for Manila at 11:30 a.m.   During our check-in, we were adviced to hurry in order to board the plane that would be leaving that time because our flight was cancelled. The travel lasted only for an hour and 45 minutes.   My nephew  met us and picked-up all our baggage and dropped us at the Mall of Asia (MOA): the largest shopping mall in the Philippines and one of the largest shopping malls in the world (in terms of floor size).

The mall is located in Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City built on 19.5 hectares of reclaimed land and has a gross floor area of 386,224 sq m.  It is a huge Mall, one can not spend just one whole day to see all of the different stores in it.  They have a tram that can carry about 20 people traveling around the mall grounds.   It consists of four big buildings and interconnected by walkways:  The Main Mall, the Entertainment Mall, and the North and South Carpark Buildings.   One of the mall’s attractions is the first IMAX theater plus six regular movie theaters.  It has an Olympic sized ice skating rink also.  Aside from shopping and watching movies, one can watch the beautiful sunset of Manila Bay fronting the Entertainment Mall.  One of Manila’s best.

Day 2. November 21, 2007.  My birthday, we all went to MAX at MOA to see my brothers and  have lunch with them. It was a reunion with them because it has been more than 20 years since we last saw each other.  Time was  so short, we have to leave for Hong Kong after lunch.   Went home and picked-up our baggage at Palanan, Makati where my youngest brother was waiting with the van that will bring us to NAIA1.  Our flight lasted for another two hours in order for us to be at Hong Kong International Airport known as Chek Lap Kok Airport at 7:00 p.m.   The weather was just right, no rain and colder compared to Manila , which was very hot.

From the plane, we saw Hong Kong Airport at nighttime.  The glittering lights coming from tall buildings surrounding us looks lovely.  The airport is big, or I may say huge and clean, and everything we need was right in front of us.  After the immingration, We started collecting maps, guides and plenty of brochures.  There are also available ATM machines and Money Exchanged at the airport. 

At the center of the arrival hall, there is a unique sculpture standing and I learn that it is the most important signpost for all visitors because above it are signs in order for us to know where the different terminals going out from the airport are located.  Signs are written in Chinese and English.  Transportation was easy for first timers like us.  Airport Express, the fastest way in going to downtown was just a few steps away, as well as their Airbus and City Bus.  Taxis are of three different colors:  Red Taxi travels to different areas of Hong Kong, Green Taxi to the New Territories and the Blue Taxi which is the cheapest to Lantau Island including the airport.  Airport Officers are friendly and ready for any assistance that we need; although there are also a few who can not understand English – they only waved their hands.

Purchased Octopus Card worth HK$150 for each of us, the HK$50 was included as refundable  deposit and the HK$100 to pay our public transportation fees and we can use it also in some convenience stores and fast food outlets.  Then we boarded Bus21 because we have plenty of baggage and it was the cheapest also.  Fare is only HK$33 for 40 minutes travel.

 The streets were still busy at midnight but most of the stores were already closed.  Started looking for the hostel read about on the Internet.  For budget traveler like us, we chose a small room at Sincere House; its entrance is located at Fa Yuen or Tung Choi Streets, Mongkok called Dragon Hostel at the 7^th level and not the Argyle St. like what I have read on the internet, a reason why we have the hard time finding it because the address was different from the one written on the internet.  We were very lucky to find out that the in-charge was a chinese-filipino who can speak English fluently and Tagalog as well.  Even as we had not booked for a room, he helped us find a place to stay.  He advised, in case we travel again, to book through the Internet in advance so that the rooms will be ready by the time we arrive. 

The hostel was right at the well-known shopping centers, street night markets (Ladies market), malls, and plenty of local restaurants surrounded the building.  It was just a small room with one single bed and a double-deck bed, enough for my two grown up children and me.  It was air-conditioned, had a private bathroom with hot water, a small television, a telephone and a free broadband Internet access.   We can also use the laptop at their office but we had the hard time when we found out that they are using Chinese characters, which we can not read, one reason why our pictures we planned to transfer from our digital cam to the flash disk failed.  We did not check first if they are compatible so we lost all the 400 pictures.  Hot water for coffee is always available at the guest kitchen where everyone is welcome. We paid HK$1,080 for three nights including clean bed linens, comforters, towels, sleepers and bathroom facilities. 

It has also an outlet for our chargers.  Standard electrical voltage is same as home, 220 Volts AC, 50 Hertz but they are using a three-pronged plug and the in-charge of the hostel lends us one.  For those laptops using modem, and a BT plug, be sure to bring a BT-RJ adaptor.

MRT station is also very near to it.  What is new to me is their elevator, or they call it a lift.  There were two at the ground floor that will transport you depending on your room number and level.  The lift on the right side will carry all rooms that has even numbers and the lift on the left side will carry rooms with odd numbers.  One time we took the wrong lift and we ended not finding our room, so we decided to go back to the ground floor and read the instructions carefully.

We are staying in a place where there are a number of speciality streets, like the Sports Shoe street, the Women's Street, the Goldfish Street, Flower Market and Bird's market.  Plenty of bargain itens in these streets and you can choose from the latest, most stylish and limited edition of sports shoes.

Day 3 - November 22, 2007 .   Started our day early, went by bus to Tsim Sha Tsui and from the bus stop we decided to walk through Nathan Road then to its neighboring roads, the Canton Road and Peking Road, where high class fashion shops like Louis Vuitton, Channel and many others are located.  There are plenty of different restaurants and pubs also.  Then we proceed to the Harbour City, and to the waterfront where the famous clock tower is located.  It looks lonely standing there, the HK Cultural Centre behind it and the half-egg shaped Space Museum and Museum of Art nearby.  And not so far is the New World Centre and the well known Avenue of Stars where you can see the statue of kung-fu action star, Bruce Lee, one among our favorite martial arts actor; It has plaques and handprints of well known actors and director.  And it is also a good viewing place to watch the Symphony of Lights at 8:00  every night.  The world's largest permanent Light and Sound Show.  If you plan to visit Hong Kong, never missed it as it is a beautiful show where colored lights, laser beams and searchlights perform a stunning and unforgettable spectacle synchronized to music.

The long walk back was tiring, but the 8-10 minutes ride on the ferry to Central sure feels good with the view showing Central's skyscrapers.  The fare was very affordable, only HK$1.7 at the lower deck.  We met a pretty Filipina while at the ferry who has been working in Hong Kong for quite sometime and told us how to get to Ocean Park.  And when we reached Central, there were plenty of women loaded with early morning newspapers and then handed each of us a copy, I thought they're for sale but they were free for all.  Our friend guided us to a narrow street called Des Voeux Road, near the Worldwide Plaza where there are plenty of canteens that serves Pinoy cuisine at a very affordable price,  but we did not eat there, instead we went to Jollibbee nearby and have breakfast.

The best way to experience the urban life of Hong Kong, people say, is to enjoy the double-decker tram ride and we did.  It travels slowly and cheap.  For a flat rate of HK$2 for adults and HK$1 for children, you can go as far as Kennedy Town in the west and to Shau Kei Wan in the east for 90 minutes only.  And with trams you always get on at the back and pay the exact fare at the front upon reaching your destination.

Went back to Admiralty MTR station and bought our Ocean park admission tickets.  They accept credit cards and the entrance fee are :  HK$208 for adults and HK$103 for children.  Bus 629 travels from Admiralty MTR station to Ocean Park in Aberdeen, and vise versa.  Ocean Park is a combination of marine park and amusement center which is divided into Lowland that has the Maine Entrance and the Headland having the Tai Shue Wan Entrance connected by cable cars and the second highest escalator.  The park accepts credit cards also and has an ATM machine at the headland.

A park made for all ages, both young and old will surely enjoy.  It has the best shows, the Ocean Theater Show with its trained dolphins and sea lions is the most popular.  We started at the headland with all the different rides Fritz and Karen wants.  The Space Wheel; the Raging River, don't forget to bring extra shirts because you surely will get wet after the raging river ride;  the Mine Train, where Fritz promised not to ride again, that makes his sister feel bad because she still wants to ride the Dragon which is higher and longer.   We also enjoyed the ride at the Ocean Park Tower where I can take pictures of the surroundings, then the Ferris wheel.  After the rides, went to watch the Ocean Theater and the rest of the shows then visited all the aquariums.  The shark aquarium, the Sea Jelly which was beautiful as it changes each different colors because of the lights and the big aquarium for fish with its different species.  Visited also the atoll reef; then a ride on the cable car which was very exciting as we pass the sea underneath us and the mountains while I was busy taking pictures.

The lowland has its Sky Fair Ride and the Ocean Park Grand Prix.  The giant panda and plenty of small rides that kids will enjoy.  After enjoying our whole day at the park, went back to Admiralty with same Bus 629.  We were in a hurry because we wanted to see the peak at daylight and night time as well. 

Victoria Peak is the western half of Mount Austin having 552m altitude, most commonly called the Peak of Hong kong.  We arrived at the Peak Tram almost dark.  The round trip fare was HK$33 and for single trip HK$22.  Plenty of people waiting to buy tickets to take a ride on its tram to the peak.  It was 6-7 minutes rides only, very exciting where one can see the views of the banks of Victoria Harbour and Central's skycrapers.  Be sure to sit at the right side of the tram so you can see the breathtaking view as the tram begun to climb up.  At the top of the Peak Tower are shops, restaurants, Madame Taussauds Wax Museum, with its entrance of HK$120; and an observation. deck.

After dinner at McDonald, went back to Tsim Sha Tsui and start walking as far as Yau Ma Tei, stopping at every establishment.  Evening at Nathan Road was colder and plenty of people.  Everyone seems busy and in a hurry but it was safe walking in the busy streets of Nathan Road.