Arrival to Hong Kong

25 April

Day 151: First day, first party :D

Me, Juli and Serafin have arrived to Hong Kong at 16. 30 and went directly to check the transportation options from the airport to Kowloon station, where we had to meet our host – Michael. Usually, it is very difficult to find a couch in Hong Kong for more then 1 person, since the apartments there are very small and people just don’t have place to host. However, we were lucky, and somehow Michael has agreed to host 3 of us!

Ok, the options to get from the Hong Kong airport to the city are the following:

· The easiest and most attractive one is to take Airport Express train, which will take you directly to the center of Hong Kong, also stopping at Kowloon station. The price is 90 HKD/person (around 9 euros).

· Bus is the cheapest option, and you can see if the route is suitable for your destination just inside the airport on the time table display. The price to Kowloon station was around 40 HK dollars/person (around 4 euros).

· Taxi to Kowloon was 230 HKD (23 euros), which is not bad taking in consideration that we are 3 people (cheaper then airport express anyway).

So we decided to take a bus, since we had enough time and no rush, but before guys stopped at the smoking area to have first cigarette after 10 hours flight. While smoking, an Indian looking guy asked us if we want a taxi. Juli said it was too expensive for us and the guy went away. In couple of minutes he came back and asked where we were going and how much we want to pay for the taxi. We said 120 HKD for 3 of us, he said he wanted 180 HKD, finally we agreed on 150 HKD for all of us from the airport to Kowloon station.

The taxi was actually a big red minivan, all shiny and bright. In 30 minutes we have reached Kowloon station, as promised.

Our first day on this trip has started by taking an illegal taxi. Welcome to Hong Kong! :-D

On the station we bought some water and cigarettes in 7/11 shop and a sim card, which can be used in HK and mainland China. SIM card coasted 68 HKD and had 68 HKD credit on it + 10 HKD bonus. In conclusion we paid 68 HKD for the card and got 78 HKD credit on it, nice!!!

We called our host Michael and he said he would pick us up in about 30 minutes. We were waiting phim in front of the station, drinking some beer bought in 7/11 and enjoying the beautiful view of skyscrapers.

Michael came and took us to the place. This place deserves a special paragraph!!! It was an incredible 5 stars apartment, in one of the skyscrapers buildings. And this is the view from teh balcony:

during the night:

and next morning:

The apartment belongs to Michael’s parents and it is on sale. There was no furniture inside the apartment, but there was a table with chairs and a mattress on the floor in one of the bedrooms – enough to have some drinks, a poker game and to go to sleep afterwards :-D

We dropped our bags and together with Michael went to grab something to eat in Jordan area, which is 10 minutes walking from Kowloon.

The dinner was great, simple and tasty Chinese food with some beers and we bought some more beers to have later in the apartment too. At the reception of the building, we met Emily and George, an English couple, who were also couchsurfing with Michael.

We had some the beers and played poker, till around 3 am in the morning and then went to sleep, dead tired.