Hong Kong (SAR) Natural Environment

Last time I was in Hong Kong was for the Chinese New Year in '97, prior to the much publicised take-over of the region by China. On that occasion, I was stopped several times in the street and asked by schoolchildren taking part in a project whether I thought the take-over would be good or bad for Hong Kong, and my immediate reaction was to say that I didn't think the region would change much. All in all, I think this has so far turned out to be a fairly sound prediction - China don't seem to be about to step on the feet of what must for them be an extremely prosperous area both in tourism and productivity, and as such have named the region as a special economic zone. This is basically the Chinese way of saying that an area is, to a large extent, outside of the normal strict rules laid down elsewhere by the communist government and that it can continue to be run almost as a separate entity for as long as it shows a return. For this reason, nothing much has changed here - Chinese citizens still can't just walk across the border at will, and although westerners are welcomed with open arms to Hong Kong we still have to roll through hoops to get into mainland China. Hong Kong was acquired by the then British Empire through a series of treaties. In 1842 the Treaty of Nanking handed over Hong Kong Island, while this was followed eighteen years later by the Treaty of Beijing which handed over Kowloon, the area of the mainland up to the border of the New Territories. It is little understood that both of these treaties gave the British Empire total control over these areas forever, with no possibility that the Chinese would be able to get them back later. However, a third treaty, signed in 1898, handed over the New Territories, the large area of countryside, hills and rural villages beyond Kowloon and up to the Chinese border. The problem was that, because the New Territories provided most of the natural resources to the rest of Hong Kong, handing them back in 1997 and holding on to the rest of the region would have caused more problems than it was worth, not least because the Chinese almost certainly would've made it difficult or costly to transfer resources across the new border - so the British government decided after much negotiation to hand the whole region back. These negotiations didn't go very smoothly, with Prime Minster Margaret Thatcher wanting assurances from the Peoples Republic of China that Britain would retain an administrative presence on Hong Kong after the handover to ensure the Chinese didn't just march in and impose communist values. China refused point blank, and pretty much threatened to make up the British governments mind for it, which would have meant that when the lease ran out in 1997 the PRC could have just walked in and chucked the British out anyway. Things came to a head after Black Saturday in 1983, when the stock market in Hong Kong plummeted overnight. The British government pointed the finger at China, saying that people were unnerved by the political climate, and China pointed their collective fingers right back, accusing Britain of taking advantage of the situation to bend the truth. Seeing that the people of Hong Kong were starting to lose confidence in their government, Thatcher conceded to China's demands on the understanding that China would turn Hong Kong into a special economic zone where the socialist system would not prevail and the current system of Capitalism would continue for at least 50 years. Nevertheless, hundreds of thousands of people flocked out of Hong Kong for new homes around the world in response to the news that the PRC would be taking over, especially after the events at Tiananmen Square in 1989. The world waited with bated breath as July 1st 1997 approached, expecting anything from a total anticlimax to Chinese troops swarming over the horizon! As we now know, the events of that day were televised around the world and went off virtually trouble free, and in my humble opinion Hong Kong hasn't changed one iota. Of course, it'll all start again when the 50 year capitalist deadline runs out in 2047, but that's a few years off yet... I wanted to come back for a number of reasons, not least of which was the simple fact that I always enjoy the diversity of the islands which make up Hong Kong; from the hippy community of Lamma to the ex-pat settlements here in Discovery Bay. There are also, of course, shopping opportunities here beyond your wildest dreams, from the many colourful markets selling anything and everything to the packed high-rise multi-storey shopping blocks within which each floor is packed with tiny little cubical shops selling any type of technology known to man. When I was here before, it struck me that one of the great myths of our time is the notion that you can't move in Hong Kong for people. I mean to say, there certainly are a heck of a lot of people around, but most of them go to work like the rest of us. The popular misconception that you have to walk through the streets as though in a jammed lift full of people, sharpening the point of an opened umbrella and forcing people out of the way is simply untrue. So it came as a total shock to me to see the scenes at Bangkok airport this morning when I arrived for my flight. I've never seen so many Chinese people in my life - It was as though everybody who left Hong Kong in the 80s and 90s had all decided to come back at once! When our flight was called, it was as if a great dam had burst: Hundreds of people literally surged through the small door and along the passage to the plane as though it was going to leave in about 10 seconds. The crush was unbelievable - Like being at a concert. People found their luggage caught between other bodies and disappearing off in the direction of the cockpit. The Chinese aren't exactly known for their subtlety or patience, but I just couldn't believe this frantic rush to get on board!
It wasn't any different inside the plane, either.
Everybody seemed to be in everyone else's seat, and I thought that a number of fights were going to break out. The cabin crew certainly deserve medals of valour on China Airlines - and this, remember, was just a 3 and a half hour flight from Thailand to Hong Kong. I really can't imagine what it must be like on a major long-haul flight… Anyway, I fell asleep for the duration of the flight and missed whatever other unpleasantness went on. Awaking as we approached the shiny new International airport at Chep Lap Kok on Lantau Island, I looked out of the window expecting to see skyscrapers looming up around us but was pleasantly surprised. No longer do we have to hang on to our seats and pray as the plane makes it's famous low approach over the houses at the end of the runway and has to bank sharply through the valley - The approach to the new airport is totally different, giving panoramic views of one of the most incredible cities on Earth by night. Miles of twinkling neon lights tempt the passenger to the shopping delights awaiting him on the ground. Closing your eyes and praying for a safe landing is no longer written into the itinerary. The new Airport is impressive, to say the least. It sort of reminds me of Heathrow, and is a hell of a lot more modern that Kai Tak was before it. For a start, you come out of the arrival gates onto long corridors with moving sidewalks to whisk you to Customs and Immigration, whereas before it was an effort to locate where you were going at all. The whole thing looks shiny and new and actually feels like a real airport, a suitable addition to a modern Hong Kong. I was meeting a friend of mine who has been working out here for a couple of years on the Airport, and I was impressed with the speed in which we got through the airport and hopped onto a train in the Terminal building which connected us with the main subway system and went right into the heart of the city, a journey which used to take a long time through heavy traffic from the old Airport. In fact, it wasn't until we strolled off the platform at the other end that I suddenly knew exactly where I was. Hong Kong was exactly as I had left it, give or take a few touches. This was the familiar "Central" where all the buses, ferries and trains go from, and it somehow felt like home...

You can read my complete travel journals at www.offexploring.com/globalwanderer and www.offexploring.com/globalwanderer2

I had fun at Disney in Hong Kong. I when in a Familiarization trip . Just for 6 days and 5 nights. The park is like Disneyland in California . The biggest is the Orlando Disney. Some information to travel to Hong Kong. Q A
Q: When is the best time to visit Hong Kong? A: Hong Kong is an all-year-round destination. It enjoys a mild climate from the middle of September to the end of February, while the weather from May to mid-September is rather warm and humid. Eighty per cent of Hong Kong's precipitation occurs between May and September, with August registering the highest rainfall. For a detailed weather forecast, please visit Hong Kong Observatory website .
Q: Do I need a visa to visit Hong Kong? A: Visitors from most countries can enter Hong Kong without a visa for periods of seven days to six months, depending on nationality. Check with any Chinese embassy or consulate for the latest status.
Q: Where is the best area to stay? A: Hong Kong is compact, so visitors are never too far from shopping and major sights. Hong Kong also has an excellent transportation system so visitors can easily reach other areas, no matter where they stay. Most hotels are located in the heart of the city, in Central, Wan Chai and Causeway Bay on Hong Kong Island and in Tsim Sha Tsui and Tsim Sha Tsui East in Kowloon. There are also a growing number of resort-style hotels in the New Territories that offer relaxing alternatives.
Q: Is local transportation easily accessible? A: Public transportation via bus, ferry or train is efficient, relatively inexpensive and user-friendly. The system covers extension areas of Hong Kong with signs in English and Chinese.
Q: Will I be expected to pay tips? A: Most restaurants will levy a 10 per cent service charge but waiters will expect to be given some loose change. Restaurants that don't add a service charge will expect a 10 per cent tip. However, tipping is left to your discretion. Bellboys, porters, restroom attendants and taxi drivers will happily accept loose change.
Q: Will I be able to use my electrical equipment in Hong Kong? A: The standard electrical voltage in HK is 220 volts AC, 50HZ, so you will need an adaptor for your 100-volt appliances and electrical equipment.The majority of electrical outlets in Hong Kong take a three-pronged plug. You can buy an inexpensive adaptor for your equipment when you arrive in Hong Kong.
Q: Where can I get Internet Access in Hong Kong? A: Most hotels have Internet access. You can also access the Internet for free at many coffee shops, large shopping malls, major MTR stations and public libraries in town. For people bringing their laptops to Hong Kong, Wireless Broadband service is common at major shopping malls and coffee shops. If you use a modem, note that the BT system using in Hong Kong will gradually be replaced by the RJ system . If you are still using the BT plug, you can buy a BT–RJ adaptor in Hong Kong to solve the connection problem.
Q: Is Hong Kong safe for the visitor? A: Yes, Hong Kong is one of the safest cities in the world even at night, when people may walk alone with confidence.
Q: Is English widely spoken? A: Very widely spoken. There will be no problems in communicating with people in most hotels, restaurants and even some taxis.

Stormy Weather in Lan Kwai Fong.

its a small island but its a great place. The best time to visit Hong Kong is round oct to Feb...the weather is not to hot, not to cold and all the shops r in sales LOL