Hong Kong (Part I)

I've been busy being a couch potato and enjoying my last few days of hols before the much dreaded new semester commences. Isn't it just bliss being able to sleep at 3.00 a.m and wake up at 11.00 a.m without having any obligations to attend to? Lovely I tell you!

Anyways, on my trip to Hong Kong. Let me just say it was a pretty last minute thing and we weren't sure of going until the very last moment. Coincidentally my brothers and I were all on hols and it seemed like the perfect moment for a much needed break and strengthening some sibling bonds (hekkkk!).

We left very early for the airport at approximately 5 a.m. My parents had an early morning flight to Syria and we were lined up to take-off 2 hours later. Unfortunately due to some technical error, their flight was rescheduled later that night and my parents ended up sending us off instead.

Yours truly and her sibs.

Touching down Hong Kong International Airport, we were pretty surprised with the 'warmth' that greeted us. During custom check, they had attendants that were unbelievably strict... even to tourists! I was more shocked to the fact that even kids weren't compromised. They make you stand in queue a certain way and practically ushered you off to the counter even before the previous passenger had had a chance to stuff his passport in his jacket and make a beeline to the nearest exit. I was flabbergasted since you know... I'm very much Malaysian and Malaysians are polite people. Especially to foreigners. Ehem.

A chartered bus waited for us and we were whisked off to our hotel in Kowloon. The room we got despite the so-called suite in its name and its location on the 22nd floor that supposedly screamed exclusivity, was extremely small! Even my bedroom is bigger. And the fact that I had to share it with two monkeys who were constantly jumping from one bed to another made it even more minuscule. I later found out that hotel rates in Hong Kong depended on the location of the hotel itself and not how big or small the room is. Well that was one heck of a revelation.

Our hotel. I got this from the website actually. That twinkling glow is too good to be mine.


From the website as well, the room is really smaller than it looks. It's the exact layout of the room I got.

Our hotel situated on Kimberley Road.

Let me just tell you first and foremost that halal food is absolutely scarce in HK not to mention rather expensive. Most of our walks in the streets of Kowloon aside from window-shopping was scouting for halal food. On Nathan Road, we stumbled upon this wonderful Pakistani restaurant on chance and gobbled up some good food much to the content of our sorry tummies.

Nathan Road.

With my cool bro. Koh!

7-11s are everywhere in HK, sometimes two of 'em to a street. And as opposed to being called 'guardian' here (referring to the pharmacy shop), it's called 'mannings' over there. Five of us spent about USD500 on food alone. Gila tak gila. Sampai terbeli dan termakan dengan lahapnya noodle yg terkandung ba alif ba ya. Astaghfirullah, haruskah kusamak dalamanku ini? The container clearly stated 'seafood' and without further checking we grabbed it totally oblivious to the ingredients. Tu diaaa selamat dah dalam perut, baru dapat tau. My bros siap hirup soup sekali. *slurppp2, buuuurrrppppp, ptuuuuiiiiii2!*

Kowloon's busy roads.

You'd be astonished at the amount of immigrants in HK. Bangladeshis are everywhere, at least I think that's what they are. They could be Pakistanis or Indians but they look pretty much the same to me. And because Muslim women clad in tudungs are probably a rare sight in HK, I became a victim of naughty teasing and whistles. I couldn't believe how forward these men were considering I was with two of my bodyguards. Gila.

Our first night, we walked and heaved through the happening streets of Kimberley and Nathan Road and made our way to Tsim Sha Tsui promenade. Thay have this gorgeous display of outdoor laser and light show that goes on for about 20 minutes beaming lights from skyscrapers in a myriad of colours across the sky alongside synchronized music. Absolutely breathtaking. From the waterfront, you could clearly see Hong Kong Island across the harbour with all its lit up buildings....

By the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront overlooking Hong Kong Island.


Skyscrapers in Hong Kong Island at night from the waterfront. This is not the light and laser show mind you.

Emm, more cool bros?


Bruce Lee forever remembered and immortalized on Avenue of the Stars.

'Avenue of the Stars' is the equivalent of the 'Hollywood Walk of Fame' in Hong Kong. Names like Jet Li, Wong Kar Wai and Bruce Lee have stars or handprints stamped on the grounds of this avenue.