4 Travel Tragics and a Scottish Wedding

Indeed it is a long way to the top, and the sight out our window this morning suggested that it was going to be a long and wet way to the top of the mountain opposite on Lantau Island, home of the Tian Tan Buddha or the Big Buddha as it is better known. Scrumptious Breakfast had, it was time to borrow a complimentary hotel umbrella in preparation for our trek. We had not set a toenail outside the Citygate complex and could see the rain was teaming, but we delayed the dampness for a few metres by making our way through the undercover bus station. Here is seems must have been a nexus for the protest movement in recent weeks. I would have loved to have stopped and taken photos of the extensive number of posters and post it notes that had been plastered to the bus station wall by protesters, about people disappearing and not trusting the police,  but, as you never quite know when you are being watched, thought better of it and walked straight through. There were some mighty big puddl...

There was no respite in the weather today in Hong Kong... the low pressure cell had intensified and it was a tropical rainy day. We took the opportunity for a sleep in and a leisurely breakfast before planning our assault on lunch. When we travelled to Singapore last year, we stumbled upon a chain of dim sum restaurants called Tim Ho Wan. Very tasty and exotic dim sum and we discovered that the restaurant had a Michelin Star. Wooot Hoot. What we discovered later was that Tim Ho Wan earned his star with very humble beginnings in an area of Kowloon not far from where we were staying. So, what a great opportunity to be able to go to the original Tim Ho Wan and have dim sum. The number 6 bus went from across Nathan Road.... of course crossing Nathan Road is no mean feat and we did get very wet hiking down to the lights and hiking back. Our little Superdrug umbrellas from York were no match for the teaming rain and wind but at least there was a little shelter at the bus area....

The weather in Hong Kong is threatening to do not nice things, guess you have to expect it as it is summer and that is typhoon season, but still, it makes holiday planning difficult. The other complication today is the political unrest in Hong Kong which is manifesting itself on the streets and in the airport. Last night we were alerted by hotel reception that there was another protest action planned for Saturday and that roads and transport could be affected. There was much discussion, as we could not decide whether we should just hunker down here in Tung Chung, or whether we could stick with the original plan and head off to Kowloon. It was quite stressful but, in the end we decided that we would still go into Kowloon today and check in to the Novotel in Jordan, but that we would take the opportunity of a potentially fine morning to go up the peak on Hong Kong Island by catching the Peak Tram, something that Chris had never done. So off we went.  First observation... no pro...

And what do you do when you arrive into Hong Kong at 6 in the morning after a somewhat sleepless flight... you magically get early check in into your Novotel booking at Tung Chung near the airport, dust off the cobwebs and freshen up before trekking out to the MTR and a short train ride to Sunny Bay and then on to the Disney Resort, affectionately dubbed the Mini Mouse House on our last visit to Hong King in 2010. The site is very much smaller than any of the other Disney parks, but there has been a lot of work done there since Liz had last visited and so Chris was keen to take the lead and apply the strategy to maximise riding. The forecast was for showers and a possible thunderstorm, and while there was no storm, there were some showers on and off and it was so hot and soooooooo humid! We had a really good day, starting by riding the old fashioned Disney taxi up Main Street, something we have not done before. Then it was off riding the Grizzly Gultch Coaster twice ...