Falling in Love with Hongkong-Macau Eps 1

Day 1, Saturday 3 Sept 2016

Again!! We took Malaysia Airline for this trip, since the plane ticket is very cheap! We just got 2,250,000 IDR /pax for Jakarta-HongKong return trip (1 transit in KL), as you know Malaysia Airline offer you full service airline with 30kgs of check-in luggage per person. The flight was designed arrive at 19:30, but we got delayed around 5-10minutes (same old same old).

Welcome to Hong Kong

Arrive at Hong Kong International Airport or just call it HKIA, we take a bus A21 to Tsim Sha Tsui area, stop at cameron road, cost 33HKD /pax. I was choosing public bus because i prefer enjoy my ride to the city center with HongKong's night time scenery. And i loveeedd travel with Hong Kong's famous double-decker bus.

2nd floor of HK's double-decker bus

From cameron road bus stop, just 5minutes walk to check-in to the hostel that we already booked using booking.com before, 460HKD for 2nights + 10% tax (so the hostel cost us 506HKD) and deposit 100HKD (they will return it as we check-out later), all paid in cash. We stayed at hostel inside Chung King Mansion building.

My first impression when entering the room, well the room is quite clean, the bathroom is clean also, have an old but cool air con and Flat LCD TV, wi-fi also available, and don't worry about the electric socket, they install an universal socket next to the bed. Not bad i think, and they provide free drink water in dispenser machine for the guests. Maybe providing towel and doormat outside the bathroom would be nice, yes they didn't give us any towel or doormat. But then! I think the spring bed not hygiene at all, we got some bug's bite during our sleep, and yes we found our skin getting tattooed the day after!! I promise i will not stay at this property ever again!

Chung King Mansion is quite famous for the low cost traveler or backpackers, they provide private room with bathroom, affordable price compare to hotel, but if you have an open-modern mind and feel okay to stay at shared-room like dorm, then you can find there are so many out there offering you much cheaper than this rate. This area Tsim Sha Tsui, actually is like pecenongan in Jakarta, crowded, and so local. So many people standing outside chung king mansions offering cheap hostel for tourists.

Underpass toward Avenue of Star

After put the luggage inside the room, we walk near hotel area, take some pictures before go back to end today's journey.




Day 2, Sunday 4 Sept 2016
-Avenue of Star
-The Peak

Morning everyone... Because of our hostel is not providing any breakfast for us, so we need to find our meals by self. People from the internet just telling me there are so many delicious and cheap food at Hau Fook Street, from our hostel just like 10 minutes walking distance.

So 9am in the morning, still too early for Tsim Sha Tsui, because we only find 2-3 restaurants that already open for business. We decided to eat porridge, since they don't sell cooked rice menu until 11am.

I choose porridge with centuries egg (pi dan egg) and fish slices, and one portion of chinese rice cakes with small shrimp (in my country they call it chi cong fan). The porridge (26hk$) taste good, but i think they put water too much, for rice cakes (16hk$) i really don't feel the shrimp, maybe i just find 2-3 bites from 15 bites that have very small small small shrimp (its called ebi).

source: http://www.beijingholiday.com/

Let me explain a little bit about Hong Kong, Hong Kong actually have 3 big area / city / island if i may. They seperate it into Kowloon Area (Tsim Sha Tsui is here), Lantau Island Area (HKIA, Giant Buddha is here), and Hong Kong Island Area (where The Peak belongs).

Today's weather is sunny and foggy i think. Walking from hostel to Avenue Stars resulting sweat coming out. Hahaha.... Even its only like 15minutes walking distances anyway. We can't see clear panorama from the avenue of stars. But as we planned, we visit avenue of stars and we will directly toward to The Peak after this.

i know you, but you don't know who i am

Avenue of Star is one of main tourist spot in Hong Kong, about 3 years ago when i came here for the first time, they located just next to the sea on the side of the street, but look at now, they build this beautiful bridge to make if more wider.

Next destination is The Peak, i want to try the mini bus from IFC building. So we took MTR from Avenue of Stars to Central Station, and follow the direction to IFC Two (a building's name), then ask the information service for the direction to mini-bus station. Yes, you can directly reach The Peak from IFC Two by using minibus number 1.

8 HKD

But while we were walking finding the right path, we also found a small cakes shop, Maxim's Cake Shop, because of so many people also buy some cakes from there, so i decided to steal 2-3bites from this delicious chocolate brownies cake with chocolate and peanut on top (8hk$). This is really delicious, the sweetness is just right, and the brownies below the chocolate is not too dry but not to soggy also. Yummm~

Again after the cake, we visited this coffee shop inside the IFC building. Actually this is just like a department store, and this coffee shop really looks interesting, again is because so many people-so crowded standing and lining up.

Inside, you can find coffee of course, cakes, sandwiches, bread, other drinks and wine also, and fresh salads. The business is really good. Everything looks tantalizing and so fresh from the oven. Am i too  exaggerating? Nyahaha....

38 HKD, please don't blame me for this food-porn!

So the order just come out from my mouth, i take one big spinach turkey cheesy bread. Waiting around 8 minutes for reheating. Trust me, the portion was quite big! Soft warm bread inside with crispy on the edges. Spinach cheese and the slices of turkey just make a perfect combination. There are vegies, meat, and cheese, We are Indonesia, its too bad that i just feel tasteless when there is no sauce sambal, you should bring one next time!

Okay stop for snack-ing. Lets get back to The Peak, after asking and wandering, finally we find the bus terminal (sorry can't really explain you guys, because really its confusing), just ask the information lady when you reach IFC 2 building, okay?!

Mini-Bus number 1, will send you to the peak, cost you 10,2 hk$ /pax. I am not choosing peak tram because i'm just thinking that riding tram on this Sunday Morning will be so crowded and tiring if you have to standing along the road. And plus, the mini-bus charge cheaper than the tram.

You can also take the public bus number 15 to reach The Peak from Central. They will charge you only 9,8hk$ /pax. I take this bus to go back to the city. The journey from/to the Peak is only like 30minutes ride. FYI, if you are an easy car-sick person, tram will be your best option to reach The Peak, since taking the public bus or mini-bus will get you on zig-zag twist road. And the skillfull driver will not let you go off so easy. Hahaha....

we are really at the altitude!

Anyway, i am using octopus card for all transportation transaction (except A21 bus HKIA-Tsim Sha Tsui), you should buy it at the airport when you first arrive. New octopus card cost you 150 hk$ (100 hk$ balance inside the card, and 50 hk$ deposit for the card). Keep the card and don't lose it, you can get 50 hk$ deposit returned when you return the card to any MTR service counter. http://www.octopus.com.hk/

Most of tourists reach the peak for trying the peak tram and to visit gallery of Madame Tussauds. Me? I enjoy the scenery accompanied by warm tea and cakes on windy breeze.