Paris... exploring and enjoying part un

Monday...
Well after a night back in London it was time to leave again but this time not just the city but also the country.

I grabbed my re-packed backpack and my passport, hopped on the tube and headed for King Cross St Pancreas station. I met Wiz and we checked in for our ride on the Eurostar to Paris... everything was going smoothly until security when Wiz discovered that she didn't have her passport... she had grabbed what she thought was hers but it was actually Matt's, so off she went to get hers while I waited patiently.

An hour later then planned we were on our way... the Eurostar was terrific, we had wine and lunch and before we knew it we were arriving in Paris, a great way to travel.

As the taxi line was so long we hopped on the Metro to get closer to where we wanted to be, coming out of the Metro station I looked around and saw my first real look at Paris, narrow streets, apartment buildings with small flower boxes and stores with French designer names.

We hopped into a taxi to make our way to our hotel and I sat there like a small child on Christmas morning, just trying to take it all in.

When I arrived in London I was amazed with what I saw (though it was not until the Tuesday when I started to explore that I was awestruck) but with Paris it blew me away from the first sight.

Like London there is such a sense of grandeur and history but for me I found that Paris seemed to have more of a sparkle about it, having said that if I was to choose one to live, it would be London.

Driving along in the taxi (I am having trouble with the left hand drive, it just doesn't look right) and seeing the Eiffel Tower for the first time was magical and the funny thing is no matter how many times I saw it during my 24 hours in Paris it lost none of the magic.

We checked into our beautiful hotel, Hotel Ares which was simply stunning and the perfect place for our girl's night in Paris.

What better way to start our time out but with cocktails so off we wandered and found ourselves sitting at a little bar on a French street drinking cocktails... who would have thought all those years ago when we first met that we would be in Paris together. Just sitting and watching the world go by, just like we do at home difference is everyone is driving on the wrong side and talking a strange language, the thing is we were happy.

As easy as it would have been to sit in our little corner of Paris, there was much to see and do so after a quick outfit change (girls need to be dressed just right in Paris) we headed to the banks of the River Seine for a relaxing cruise along the river.

It was wonderful to watch Paris go by as we enjoyed a glass of wine.

Fans of Sex and the City may recognise the name of the restaurant, Kong,

 it is the restaurant that while in Paris Carrie meets and has lunch with the Russian's ex-wife. So where else would two beautiful ladies and fans of the show go... Kong.

The view was divine, the decor was impressive, the service immaculate and the food was amazing. I did comment to Wiz to look around because this must be what heaven looks like... that is how good the experience was.

Dusk was setting over the city so it was time to move on and to explore some more so we headed for Avenue des Champs-Elysees to see the Arc de Tromphe.

We walked along the Avenue before deciding to have a drink so we looked for somewhere cool and found Unisex...

Sitting out the front, we settled in and sipped away on our Ultimate Joan Collins cocktails. I realise how lucky I am to be able to share all of this with by dearest friend Wiz.

So after finishing two cocktails each (at a total cost of 54 Euro, go ahead do the Maths... yes that is right around HUNDRED Australian dollars, do I care, no it was worth every cent) it was time to head to bed.

One thing I have to mention because I just can't believe it is the amount of people out at midnight on a Monday night...

My last adventure in Hong Kong...

You know it is humid when.... you walk out the door and your glasses fog up or when the lens of your camera fogs up when you take it out of your camera bag. I like Hong Kong but I am not a big fan of the humidity...

I look around and I see many things that I expected from my research of Hong Kong, the buildings, the high-rises, the harbour, the list goes on but the one thing I did not expect is how green the city is, where ever you look there is greenery, be it in planters along the footpath, plants in areas in the middle of the road or parks, there is some sort of plant, it is amazing to see massive high-rise buildings where ever you look with green plants so close.

Looking out the window of my room you see buildings and roads but tight in the middle is a park, with sports grounds and open areas... and it is green.... but if you look at the picture on the right at the bottom you will see in between the tram lines plants...

Hong Kong Park is a green oasis in the city of high-rises and has fountains, ponds and waterfalls and it is in the heart of Hong Kong...

Well my adventure today has me travelling to Victoria Peak, 396 meters above sea level. The mode of transport to get to the peak is the Peak Tram. It all sounds very civilised and it is but you have to realise the angle of the slope that this tram has to travel up, as I travelled up in the tram I felt my body being pushed back into the seat, similar to being on a roller coaster as it makes it way to the top. Your eyes are looking at the scenery as you go by and your mind is confused... as it example the first photo is shown with the building as it is in the real world (that is the window frame of the tram in the foreground of the photo)

Now here is the same photo, just cropped and rotated so the window frame is straight (remember your body is on the same angle as the window frame)

Can you see how your mind is confused and this is not even the most steep part of the track...

Once I reached the top I made my way to the Sky Tower (it does not really look like a tower but that is it's name), the highest platform on the peak and before you is the whole of Hong Kong.

From this view you realise why Hong Kong is known for it's skyline and it's buildings... they are impressive and you also realise the height of the buildings before you and how many of them there are.

Wiz had given me strict instructions to head to Pearl on the Peak for lunch, so I did. I drank my lime margarita, enjoyed my mushroom risotto with black truffle followed by a chocolate souffle while enjoying a breath taking view... the way to do it.

After my relaxing lunch it was time to head back down the mountain... now I said that going up you were pushed back into your seat, well so you don't fall forwards as you travel down the mountain you actually sit so you are travelling backwards and once again you are pushed back into your seat.

Well that is it for my adventures in Hong Kong... bright and early tomorrow morning I hop on a plane and head to London.

I have enjoyed my time in Hong Kong and it might have been nice to have another day (I have been so busy that I have not done a lot of shopping, some but not a lot) but I will not be sorry to leave the humidity that I have experienced here.

Second adventure in Hong Kong

So far my adventures for the day had taken me on train and cable car, well it was now time to take to the water.



The plan for the evening was to hop on a ferry and head over to Kowloon to watch the Symphony of Lights. I had seen the peace and quiet of nature and now it was time to see the side of Hong Kong that most people picture in their minds.





It was around 7:30 when I boarded the Star Ferry to take me across the harbour and it was only a short nine minute trip but so very beautiful...




the sun was setting and the lights of the skyline were twinkling to life. If you are in Hong Kong this is something you must do and it is only a couple of dollars.

On Hong Kong Island I have walked through the streets feeling very safe and I have not been approached by anyone but in Kowloon this changed, I still felt safe but I was constantly approached by men with the offer of cheap watches and I found myself checking my pockets and bag a lot more. This is the tourist side of Hong Kong and you can tell, a totally different feel from the other areas I have experienced.

Each night at 8pm for fifteen minutes there is a light show on each side of the harbour, called the Symphony of Lights and lights on the buildings "dance" to the music as well as spotlights and lasers lighting up the sky from the top of buildings.

I set myself up by the Clock tower on the pier and waited for the show to begin...

The Symphony of Lights was amazing and I don't feel I have really captured the feeling and excitement in my photos...

After the beauty of the show I headed over to a place called Pawn (thanks Mona) in Wai Chai, it is a little place that serves more English food, so after a feed of Fish 'n Chips I headed back to my room and bed (I would have stayed longer but the place was full of people watching and discussing the soccer).

My first adventure in Hong Kong

After a relaxing morning at my hotel, where I had a delicious breakfast, it was time to hit the street and explore

I must mention my hotel, Lanson Place Hotel, Causeway Bay. It is not the cheapest place to stay in Hong Kong but it would have to be one of the nicest (thank you Mark for recommending it).


So grabbing my camera bag I headed out, the first thing that you notice is the weather, it was only 9am and not yet hot but it was humid and it only got worse as the day went on. I was expecting it but it still hits you when you walk out into it.

I mentioned that in Hong Kong everything goes up... well that includes it buses and trams they are all double decker. The streets of Hong Kong are busy and there is a lot happening, walking along you come across a small shop selling live fish in containers on the footpath and then you turn the corner and there is a Mercedes dealership. It is an interesting place to just walk the streets.



The first of today's adventures has me on Lantau Island, the home of the airport, Hong Kong Disney and also the world's largest seated bronze Buddha. Ngong Ping the home of the Buddha was my destination.

To get to Ngong Ping you take the cable car, it was suggested to me by the ticket seller to take the Crystal Cabin option for an extra HK$50 as I would not have to wait as long.



A good suggestion and well worth the extra money as my queue was at least a quarter the length of the normal queue. I know that there are some people in my life that would struggle with this option though... not because of the extra money but because the Crystal Cabin gives you a wiew all around... you guessed right it has a glass floor.

The car travels above the mountains that I flew over on my way into Hong Kong and once again I am surprised at the way that nature surrounds the buildings. Everything is so lush and green and the view is amazing no matter what ever way you look... even down.

It is funny how somethings still surprise you even though you already know the facts, I have just told you that I was going to visit the world's largest seated bronze Buddha but my first sight of it from the cable car still surprised me... it is big.

Ngong Ping is a tourist village that leads to the Buddha and it is proud to be Hong Kong's first Zero plastic shopping village... that made me smile and reminded me of home.

After looking through the shops and a delicious lunch of chicken and cashew with steamed rice it was time to go see the Buddha.

On the road to Buddha, there are a few things that make you stop... the Bodhi Wishing Shrine is one of those places. The Bodhi Tree is the "Treee of Awakening", it is said it was the tree under shich Siddhartha meditated on "Who am

I and why am I here?". He eventually attained enlightment and became Buddha. The tree and nearby sign are covered with prayers and wishes from people hoping that the Bodhi Wishing Shrine will deliver blessing and happiness.

The entrance of Po Lin Monastery, which sits at the base of the Buddha, is a grand structure. The monastery was founded in 1906 as a religious retreat and I am sure anybody that stayed there would find a sense of peace

The climb was not easy but worthwhile, there is a sense of peace even with all the people around you, you realise that this is not just a tourism area but a place of worship when you see people standing there praying to Buddha.

The sheer size of the statue is very impressive, it weighs 250 tonnes and is perched at 34m high, as is the details but for me the statues that surround the Buddha offering sacrifies are truly beautiful.

First impressions of Hong Kong

Saturday morning, Lanson Place Hotel, 25th floor, my bed...

Yesterday I started my adventure... I won't bore you all with the details of the flight, it was fine that is all you need to know.

The highlight of the flight, no... not the movies, no... not the food, no... not being stuck in a plane.

The highlight was coming into Hong Kong... After looking out my window for so long and only seeing clouds or water, I was amazed with my first sight of Hong Kong.

From the air you see the mountains surrounding the city areas and the mountains are so greeen and powerful. When you see photos of Hong Kong, you see pictures of buildings and city skylines but from the air the buildings even though they are all highrise buildings all look over powered by nature.

Once on the land though your impression changes, as I travelled from the airport I realised the size of everything around me, everything was big and there was a lot of it, you can't help feel the pulse of the city beating around you.

Each street is not wide but everything is high... I sat in the express train from the airport and then a taxi looking out at sign after sign, billboard after billboard and highrise after highrise. There was movement all around.

Today I go out and explore... last night I just relaxed at my hotel (I did have a bit of a headache, which this morning is gone), rang the boy about his results (well done Ryan) and then slept. So today, I grab the camera and go and see what I can see...