It was a little cooler up there, which was a welcome relief. There were tons of people and all kinds of junky tourist souvenir shops. But there was also quite a nice tea house, which for some reason was empty, so we enjoyed a quiet respite from the hordes.
Another way to avoid the crowds would be to hike up. There's a good trail but an awful lot of uphill in this heat. There are lots of trails on Lantau island, including a 70 km loop around the island. Despite being so close to millions of people the hills are quite empty and natural. If I had to live in Hong Kong (god forbid!) I think I'd be heading over here to escape the city.
The heat and humidity here has been wearing. I always say I like the heat - as long as I can sit in the shade with a cold drink. But walking around here, especially uphill and especially in the sun, is too much. I guess you'd get used to it but I can't imagine living here. Of course, they'd say the same about our winters but at least you can dress for the cold. Not much you can do for the heat other than sweat, copiously! And then you get to freeze every time you go into air conditioning. I can never understand why people set the AC so high you need a sweater. But it seems universal in hot places.
People here have been very friendly and helpful. And most people's ability to speak English means you can actually communicate. Whenever we puzzle over a map or look lost someone will stop and ask if we need help. As much as we like to figure things out on our own, it never hurts to get pointed in the right direction.
Hong Kong has been an interesting experience but I'll be glad to get away from the crowds and the malls! Next stop Kathmandu.
See all 14 photos as a slideshow or overview
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