A Holiday Weekend Getaway – Hong Kong 2024 Part 1
March 12, 2024 9:25 pm Leave your thoughtsNothing to declare
Early 2024 saw my next semi–regular Hong Kong visit, with a series of firsts:
Flying with Cathay Pacific’s Boeing 777-300ER. Due to the Lufthansa strike, the trip started on a packed Swiss Airbus A340-300 – the veteran quad-engine, single-deck jet that just wouldn’t retire- In “winter”
- On Chinese New Year’s Eve
- Only there for the weekend
- Pre-installed eSIM data card instead of queueing at the shop for a physical SIM
- A digital Octopus travel card to get around, now in Express Mode to tap and go without manual activation
- Without any luggage. Everything necessary was tucked in the jacket pockets:
- toothpaste/brush
- а cocktail of emergency meds
- underwear
- a wad of backup HKD
- a fat power bank
A Swiss International Air Lines Airbus A340-300 preparing to fly from Zürich to Hong Kong 
An Austrian Airlines Embraer 195 about to fly from Sofia to Vienna 
The long boarding queue at Zürich Airport 
The entirety of my luggage for the Hong Kong weekend 
Airline meal is good... for killing some time 
Bargain
Go east
A smooth Austrian Airlines flight led to Vienna and a tight connection — about an hour. The gate was reached just in time, followed by a hop to Zürich. There, an airport train to the other terminal, joining ~230 fellow passengers, and settling in for the long intercontinental flight.
The interior of a full Airbus A340-300
Half of the 11-hour journey passed with Morpheus, and in what felt like no time the descent began. The first new (to me) mega construction project appeared: the crazy 55 km long Hong Kong – Zhuhai – Macau bridge, notable for its underwater section in the Pearl River Delta to allow big ships through.
A welcome sight – Hong Kong International Airport 
Boarding the Airport Express 
Inside the train to the city
Immigration and boarding the Airport Express were quick and straightforward, the Octopus card eliminating the nuisance of buying a train ticket. The spotless carriage offered internet and a curious feature — a sound volume dial on the seatback, controlling the headrest speaker that blasted TV ads. During the 30-minute ride downtown, an important business call came through — fitting for the commercial hub.
Back in town
Stepping out of Hong Kong Station meant stepping straight into that familiar thrill that’s so hard to articulate. For an impressionable country boy, being here is exhilarating beyond words. Disorientation soon followed — in this 3D maze, it’s vital to know exactly which sidewalk, intersection, overpass, or building to traverse to avoid the many dead ends. (More on this later)
Central traffic under pedestrian overpasses
The fabulous dinner appointment was conveniently nearby in Lan Kwai Fong, the famous night life Mecca — yet another first visit. Like a tamer version of Bangkok’s Khao San Road: a plethora of bars, restaurants, and something for every body. Before heading “home”, a short walk offered the chance to enjoy the pleasantly warm, but not hot Hong Kong winter. The latest impressive skyscraper came into view — a bubbly Zaha Hadid wonder called The Henderson. How was space even found for it among the other high-rises?
Lan Kwai Fong on a Chinese New Year Friday 
Posing in LKF 
Crossing the road 
So many dancing lights 
Fun on the stairs 
An alley in Central Hong Kong 
Never too far away from ads and finance info 
The street leading to the International Finance Centre
Public transportation here remains unforgettable — among the world’s best. After a little too much dinner in Central, a bus ride delivered me right to the hotel in Causeway Bay, the third district east of Admiralty and Wan Chai.
Chilly reception
From the 35th floor, the stunning view greeted sleepy eyes eager for a shower, local bedtime, and jet lag defeat. But a sobering surprise awaited — no hot water. Over the next couple of hours, half the hotel staff was mobilised: receptionist, manager, and duty engineer. The latter, a kind middle-aged man, showed real dedication and occasionally sought translation help via his phone.
It's not much but it's home 
Looking North to Victoria Harbour
Being unable to shower quickly was unpleasant, but a cool head prevailed. This was a fully booked high-rise hotel during the busiest holiday, and water pressure had its limits. In the end, we were semi-successful, and at last it was time to call it a day.
To be continued in the second part, which includes a return to paradise, urban sailing, monkeys and dragons.
Cloudy morning on Hong Kong Island
Categorised in: Photos, Travel
This post was written by rado