Hong Kong > By Train to Hong Kong

Today we continue our journey to Hong Kong. I have a good breakfast at the hotel with toast, eggs, yogurt, muesli, and coffee. It turns out there is another Dutch travel group staying at the hotel. They are traveling with NRV on a 22-day trip. When the bus arrives at quarter past nine, it has just started raining heavily. What luck that we went cycling yesterday. The bus parks practically under the hotel’s canopy. We take the bus back to Guilin station. The bus windows fog up quickly as we head toward Guilin. Around eleven o’clock, we arrive at the station. It is still raining. We wait in the departure hall until the train arrives. Meanwhile, Frank has already arranged for our passports to be checked in. This saves time when the gates open. The train to Hong Kong arrives at 12:50, ten minutes late. Inside the carriage, it’s a bit of a squeeze to stow our luggage, especially since bags aren’t allowed to lie on the ledge between two luggage racks. Why this rule exists is unclear, but in China, the rule is more important than the reason behind it. As the train travels on, I eat the lunch I brought — keeping it simple with yogurt. The train passes several large cities. The stations are often impressively large. Guangzhou seems to be the biggest, with over twenty tracks side by side. Around half past three, we approach Shechen station, the last city before Hong Kong. Here, we must leave the train. For the last twenty minutes, we take a different train, much to Frank’s annoyance. Apparently, it wasn’t possible to book a direct train. Upon disembarking, one travel companion forgets her bag with souvenirs. She quickly runs back onto the train. Just before the doors close, she’s relieved to be outside again. That was just in time. The next train leaves in an hour. We enter the enormous waiting area at Shechen. It’s crowded with people. Fortunately, we can board the next train fairly quickly. This train isn’t fully booked, so we can store the large luggage fairly easily. We enter Hong Kong. Hong Kong was part of the United Kingdom since 1840. In 1997, Hong Kong returned to China. However, the Chinese promised to guarantee Hong Kong’s current status for at least fifty years. Because of this, we have to pass through Chinese customs in the arrival hall. I receive an official exit stamp in my passport. A little further on, we pass Hong Kong customs. I get a loose slip with an entry stamp. I must keep this slip safe for my departure in two days. Meanwhile, Frank calls about the bus. There are problems with the bus, and the company sends another bus, so we have to wait a few minutes. Afterward, we are driven to our hotel in the Kowloon district. In the evening, we take the metro to Victoria Harbour.

Hong Kong - The colorful buildings of Hong Kong

I see the illuminated skyscrapers of Hong Kong Island across the water. It’s so beautiful. It’s no wonder it’s busy here. I pass the Clock Tower and walk along Nathan Street. This is supposed to be the main shopping street, but it’s not very busy or impressive. We continue to Temple Street, the area of the night market. This street is lined with stalls selling food, clothes, and souvenirs. At various stalls, we order something to eat: a meat skewer, a crab skewer, and sausage. When we want to order a beer, we find out that on the terrace, you must also order food. We decline. Instead, we buy a beer at the supermarket. When we try to take the metro back, we discover the transfer between metro stations isn’t possible with the same ticket. We have to check out and buy a new ticket further along. Luckily, a ticket only costs 70 euro cents.