We were seated at a table, map out, considering our next move when a voice called out from behind a newspaper. The voice, as it turned out belonged to a smartly dressed English businessman sitting at the next table along. ‘Do you need some help?” he asked. And that was it. From there the conversation went on. As it happened, this guy was the former president of the Hong Kong ex-pats hiking society, and as such knew all the best routes to take and where to find the most stunning views of the city. We’d done Victoria Peak, we’d been to Stanley, we’d taken the ferry across to the other side. Now we were looking for something different. Something that would fulfil our innate desire to explore and to experience a real adventure. Also, hiking sounded fun. As soon as he told us about the walk to a place called Ng Tung Chai, which passed through ’some of the best waterfalls’ he had ‘ever seen’ we were hooked. He then mapped out a detailed route of where to go and how to get to the starting point via bus and MTR metro system. Included in his precise description of our intended trail was the following gem of advice. ‘Take the path marked NOT VIA WATERFALL, and unless it’s been raining, ignore the warning signs. They’re only there to stop you from getting close up’. What? But we want to go to the waterfall I thought. How odd! He assured us that he had taken the very same route a few weeks back with his 9 year old son, and that anybody who was reasonably fit could manage it. Delighted with our newly acquired knowledge and the promise of a real adventure we headed back to the hotel, happy to have found such a helpful and informative friend.

The next day we were meant to be on a tour of the Northern territories, but a mix up with the hotel pick up times meant that fate struck once again. Having missed that tour we now had time to head off in search of these great waterfalls in Ng Tung Chai. The first part went well. We metroed it to the supposed bus stop for the number 51 K bus- the bus which would take us to the Visitor Centre and the start of our hike. We searched everywhere but could we find this damn bus stop? Short answer: no. Long answer: (exasperated) noooooooooo.

Realising that we were running out of time we hailed a taxi and showed the driver the address of our intended destination. He nodded and we got in. Barely 5 metres down the road he begins to consult a map. ‘Umm… do you get the slight impression that this guy might not exactly know where he’s going?’ I asked Matt. He smiled in agreement. Two minutes later our suspicions were confirmed when the driver started to call a friend. The friend seems equally stumped. Great! So now we’re just kinda cruising around in a taxi stocking up a hefty cab fare and getting nowhere, I thought. Just then fate struck for the third time. We saw the bus! We saw the same bloomin’ number 51 bus we’d been searching in vain for at the bus terminal. ‘Follow that bus’ I shouted momentarily forgetting he understood no english. ‘Umm.. busi, follow busi..busi good!’ I attempted in the manner of the world’s worst charade. Miraculously, however he seemed to understand and we followed the bus until we saw a sign for the Tai Mo Shan Visitors centre. Huzzah, we had made it, but by now it was 4pm. After a quick chat with the guys at the centre, we bought a Country side series map- essential if you want to try one of these hikes and make it back alive- and headed out at a brisk pace. Brisk, because they’d told us it would take around 5 hours. Barely 500 metres up the road the stunning views began. We’d climbed pretty quickly and already we could look down on the sprawling business heartland of HK and marvel at the sublime juxtaposition of countryside jungle on one side and urban jungle on the other.

From there on upwards the views just got more and more spectacular and although at one point we were shrouded momentarily in thick fog for around 15 minutes, we were fortunate with the weather. It was not stiflingly hot and humid, but was instead sunny and bright for the most part, which meant we had some absolutely stunning views.

With note pad in hand we followed the clear instructions that Paul, the man from the sandwich shop, had written down for us and took the turn marked ‘not via waterfall’ down a dirt track into dense jungle. The path was often rocky and sometimes a little difficult to scramble up and down but nothing that the average person couldn’t handle. Both Matt and I buzzed with a sense of real adventure. Everything was so green and lush and fresh. It was just like you imagine Harrison Ford or Angelina Jolie doing in Indiana Jones or Tomb Raider. There was also a certain buzz from ignoring the danger signs and rebelling a little. Clearly, it must be stated that we kept our common sense and would have turned back if at any point it got too dangerous. It also should be said that we only did this on the advice of an experienced hiker. And it was advice well worth taking. The waterfalls when we reached them were just stunning and the whole day was such a great adventure. We swam for a little in the pool of the biggest fall and took some amazing photos (which should be up on flickr soon!) before realising it was getting dark and we still had a fair bit to go. So we pushed on eventually reaching the small, sleepy, town of Ng Tung Chai just as the sun was setting. From there we hopped on the bus and metro back to our hotel, thoroughly knackered but completely satisfied with a day well spent. If you’re in the area and you have a spare day I thoroughly suggest trying a hike. Just remember to bring a map, enough water and plenty of repellant for those peskie mossies. Try it though, and you will be rewarded with some jaw-droppingly beautiful scenary.

Route: Take the MTR metro to TSUEN WAN- the end of the red line. Then take either the 55 or 51K bus, or taxi (around 35,000 HK Dollars) to the Tai Mo Shan Visitor Centre. Buy a countryside series map- you’ll need it. Follow the path up and where it splits into two, take the road marked ‘Not via waterfall’. Dodge past danger signs and go round others warning of landslides only if the weather is good and it doesn’t look like raining. Our route took us 5 hours and it was dark when we finished so it’s a good idea to start earlier than we did. Say around 12 or 1 and you should be fine. Good luck, and let us know if you do it. We’d love to see your photos too!

It’s also very westernised. On the high rise opposite from me there stands an gigantic poster of a serene looking Nicole Kidman, advertising Omega watches. All around me there are signs in English, double decker buses, fast food joints like McDonalds, Burger King and KFC, and all the designer clothes brands you could ask for. In Hong Kong they drive on the left, eat western (as well as Cantonese) cuisine, and pay in Dollars (admittedly HK Dollars). The prices are also closer to what we are accustomed to at home, although having flown in from dirt cheap Hanoi everything seems astronomically expensive by comparison. (My advice, don’t compare. Don’t convert back. It only makes you angry, as Matt found out yesterday when he paid triple the price for his food compared to the night before). Aside from the ridiculously tall- and I’m talking really silly proportions here- and at times bizarrely constructed, skyscrapers -this could be London. If you squinted hard enough and ignored the normally warm temperatures that is. Hell, even the weather’s putting up a good pretence; at the moment it’s overcast and drizzling slightly, and later it’s forecasted to bucket it down.

None of this should really surprise, however, considering that HK was only handed back to the Chinese by the British in 1997 and the place still maintains a lively expat community. Just yesterday we met up with 19-year-old Brit Katie, whose parents emigrated here a few years back. There are also a great deal of well to do, suited and booted young Brits working for companies like HSBC and JP Morgan so going out here can sometimes be mistaken for one of the trendier areas in central London.

So this isn’t really China as you imagine it, but there is still enough to make it different, and the blend of East meets West makes HK quite unique. And I have to say, at the moment, I kinda like it, although this might have something to do with the ultra swish 4* Cosmopolitan hotel we’ve been put into. Since the moment we walked in the door, we’ve been treated like royalty. We were first greeted by Guest services Manager Agnes Yau, and escorted up to our beautiful hotel rooms by Assistant Front Office Manager, the very smiley Ronald Cheung. When we opened the door I could not believe my eyes. For five days I have this absolutely amazing room all to myself. It comes complete with a wide flatscreen TV, computer, a luxurious double bed, complementary tea and coffee, a selection of fruit, an array of free toiletries, the free use of dressing gowns and slippers, stunning views, and a power shower which could cure any hangover. They’ve literally thought of everything you might need.

We’ve just come back from a guided tour of the hotel, and her sister hotel, Cosmo, by the Public Relations Manager, a charming young man called Stewart Chen. During his detailed account on the range of the hotel’s facilities he was keen to stress the importance of comfort and connectivity as his two buzz words. Comfort in everything from the silky soft 300 thread count bed linen right down to the bouncy carpets, and connectivity in the form of phone and high speed internet access.

The Cosmopolitan Hotel, built on the site of the former Xin Hua New Agency, is first and foremost a very business orientated hotel, though it’s in the process of changing that image to a more feminine and family orientated image, or at least something which combines both business and leisure. Allegedly this had something to do with the new carpets. Apparently plush and soft carpets means more feminine and therefore more appealing for female guests and families. It’s an interesting idea, but just goes to show just into how much detail the hotel’s managers are going, to try to cater for all needs and widen the hotel’s appeal. The deluxe room I’m in is furnished in a modern, neutral tone, and is above all designed to be functional but none of this really puts me off as a woman, and I have to say, before it was mentioned to us, oh the odd half a dozen times or so, I hadn’t paid much attention to the carpets. Still, it’s nice to know, that as a woman, they are thinking of my needs too. Attention to detail was also emphasised in the staggeringly wide selection of pillows available. There are a whopping eleven different types in the range. Just deciding upon which one to choose would make me drowsy! Still, were I so inclined- and you know I just might try it now I have the chance- I can chose between pillows which offer extra head and neck support, those that are designed to be soft and light, non- allergic pillows, pillows to improve circulation and reduce stress and those that are scented. Hell, even the paper this information is written on is scented, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it was providing some kind of health benefit to boot!

Included in this startling array of choices, are options about the type of complementary water you can have. There are four types. To me, as long as it’s cold and doesn’t carry typhoid, water is water and will refresh me whatever brand it may be. To the guests of this hotel, however, it’s something a whole lot more. Still, sparkling, mineral, non-mineral, distilled, non-distilled, it’s confusing just trying to read the labels. I’m seriously considering popping down to reception later to ask for some Kabbalah water with my tears of leprechaun, rose hip and just feed baby smell scented pillow, though something tells me that no matter how mad hat your requests may be, the hotel staff will always try to accommodate you.

Wifi is complementary in the lobby and restaurant areas but annoying not so in the rooms. Consequently, it’s invariably packed by reception, with those checking out, those checking in and those struggling to find a plug socket for their laptop. Incidentally the plugs here are the same as in Britain, so there’s no need to bring an adapter. Hurrah! Another British hangover for you. I’m full of them today!

Aside from your average deluxe room – I say average… at 280 square feet it’s anything but! – which would already set you back a whopping $763 per 7 night stay, you can enjoy the luxury of an executive suite, which, at 520 square feet, would cost you around $1,167. The suites have four themes, including the massage suite, complete with a variety of massage equipment (all relatively painful in our experience, though whatever floats your boat!) and the toy suite which comes complete with a number of games and puzzles aimed at small children, fluffy animals and a built in Wii and DVD player. Though both of these options of course might mean that you never actually end up leaving your hotel room, which of course defeats the object of actually travelling there in the first place.

The Cosmopolitan also offers free use of its gym for all guests and a complimentary shuttle service to 16 different points on the Island. ‘Location is everything in Hong Kong’, Mr Chen informs us as we walk round the hotel. I can see the shuttle bus coming in handy for us, but some of the other amenities seem a tad unnecessary. Then again, that’s exactly their point. They are unnecessary frivolities, capricious desires that don’t really need fulfilling, but if you have the money and do feel so inclined then I guess that these subtle nuances are what makes a good hotel experience a great one. And at the moment, with monetary considerations set aside for the while, I have to say, as hotel experiences go, aside from the dull ache in my neck from sampling the torturous neck massager, I’m loving my one.

Right, we’re off to check out what this city has to offer.

More from HK next time!

I was also in no danger of getting dehydrated as my newly acquired Vietnamese lady friend (no, not that kind!) was ever attentive to my needs (and her opportunity to make a tidy profit) and in between chats she scurried back and forth with ultra refreshing coconuts and water.

In the evening we went for a nice meal at… as recommended to us by our guide. The food was reasonably priced and the place had an amiable ambiance which made for a relaxing meal. The only thing which made me mildly uneasy was the gigantic leopard print eel which glared at me menacingly from his tank for the almost the entirety of the meal. It’s quite hard to enjoy yourself when you’re stuck in a face off between yourself and an enormous eel, but somehow I managed.

The next day we worked on finishing our first video blog, hampered ever so slightly by a weak wireless connection and intermittent power cuts. Once we’d sorted that out, we headed to the hot springs and mud baths which our guide Apple had told us about. A taxi shared between 4 came to about 75,000 DONG, working out at roughly … each, … in dollars. Entrance to the hot springs was free, but for the mineral mud baths there was the option of either a four person private mud bath totalling 700,000 DONG or access to the public ones working out at 100,000 per person. We opted for the public baths: a) because they were cheaper but more importantly b) because we weren’t segregating ourselves off from the locals. In the event we were guided to a bath for just the four of us- presumably they’d assumed that we would choose the private option, though later I joined in with some of the locals. I’d hopped out of our bath to take some photos with Matt’s new SLR when an ‘official’ photographer popped up and started snapping. I swivelled round and began to take some general photos of the place and my attempt at National Geographic-esque snaps of the locals enjoying the mud. It was at that moment when the Vietnamese photographer approached me gesturing to the camera and pointed at a group of women in a bath that I’d just photographed. Oh ok, don’t take pictures of them I thought- perhaps they don’t want to be in other people’s photos. Yet that wasn’t what he was trying to get at. What the women wanted was, in fact, a photo with yours truly. Umm… ok, I said, surprised at the request, though I suppose we are just as interesting and photo worthy to them as they are to us.

After my somewhat bizarre bonding session with the three women which, as far as I can gather, involved variations of the Vietnamese for ‘Man, how white is she?!’ and ‘what on earth is she wearing?!’ (apparently unbeknownst to us swimwear clad Brits, it was actually customary to dive in to the murky green liquid mud fully clothed, complete with jewellery and watches- not sure how they still worked!) we headed off to first shower and then hop into one of the luxurious hot springs where we were joined by some fellow travellers from Canada and the UK. Our next stop was a warm waterfall, which was exactly what are aching muscles needed. Finally we headed into the pools, both hot and cold to enjoy a leisurely swim before heading back to the hotel. It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience, and one which I would recommend to anyone. The muddy water, although giving the appearance and smell of watery cement was in fact full of minerals which made your skin incredibly soft. Those with sunburn also mentioned that it appeared to soothe their discomfort somewhat. After wolfing down some delicious, and I’d have to say most authentically italian of all the pizzas professing to be so, (purchased from a charming lady from the restaurant Little Italy- she was so nice she even gave us some extra sauces for those who were taking their meals away with them- we headed back to the train station, safe in the knowledge that Apple had promised us that this train would be just as comfortable and well equipped as the last. Now I’m not trying to call anyone a liar here, but the Vietnamese (technically Apple’s thai but this rule applies to her as well) have a wonderful way of stretching the truth slightly to fit their purpose, and nowhere is it summed up better than in the oft heard phrase (so much so that it now appears on souvenir t-shirts) of ‘same, same, but different’! More of slight artistic license used by Apple to describe our second overnight sleeper next time.

Til then!

Becky

Australia and New Zealand promise to be similarly fascinating, and it’s here where the itinerary gets really fun. I can’t wait to explore all the gorgeous rainforests, to try my hand at Queensland farming and to go sailing around Whitsunday Islands. Not so sure how I feel about the Crocodile Farm but they do say keep your friends close and your enemies even closer so perhaps it’s best that I learn about them so I know what to do in case one of them gets a little peckish. I’m also relishing the opportunity to try out my new Panasonic Lumix TZ10 camera, purchased with the aid of some tough haggling skills combined with lots of shameless flirting.

Meeting new people is undoubtedly one of the best things about travelling; however it can be a bittersweet thing. I’ve met some of the most amazing people on my travels but the more I travel the more I find that there’s no one place I want to be, as I have friends and family scattered all over the world. At times I feel like I want to pack all these people and take them with me wherever I go, but I’ve also come to realise that all these people belong in their surroundings and there are many benefits to having people in different parts of the world. It means that wherever you go, you always have someone to call upon. With this trip, I’m lucky enough to be going to places where some of my friends are. In Hong Kong, I am hopefully meeting up with a friend I knew from Tanzania, who is out there working as an English teacher. In Argentina I have heard from a friend who I met back in 2005 when I was volunteering in Paraguay, so I’m excited to be able to see him again. As he’s now back in his native Buenos Aires, I’m hoping he’ll be able to show us around and give us some fantastic inside tips. I also know lots of Brazilians that I may possibly get a chance to see during our stay there. Fingers crossed!