Spent my last day in Hong Kong around the markets - the Ladies, the Bird, the Goldfish, the Flower - and the computer centre. Men take their birds for a walk in their cages at the Bird Market and live crickets chirp in bags waiting to be eaten by said birds. My last meal was in a tiny Michelin listed cafe where I was able to skip the queue as I was alone. Shared the lovely food, which cost less than a fiver, with a young woman opposite who was also alone, and a...

Headed out of town a little today to the New Territories. There are newer, self contained towns, with tower blocks and amenities, not looking very attractive, sitting amidst the hills and greenery. One of them contains this old walled village, and temples, a study hall, and other buildings, mainly from the Tang Dynasty, who settled there hundreds of years ago. The nearby town has lots of shops and eateries and I had noodles and dumplings in a Michelin recommende...

Last night my 2 new Hong Kong friends who I met in Darwin, took me to a neighbuorhood restaurant for some good food and everything I ate I'd never eaten before. Visited the north of Hong Kong Island again today via the lovely old Star Ferry. Did a sort of self-guided heritage walk. Passed through streets full of traditional medicine & herbal shops and then streets made up of antiques and curios. Travelled on the longest covered escalator in the world which li...

Landed in Hong Kong last night. Bit of a culture shock. It was dark and cold, and I was tired & hungry and everything was unfamiliar. Am staying in a tiny studio in an old street of the city, so very dense with people and shops and signs and menus all in Chinese. Road and transport is bilingual though. Reminded me of my first visit to China 10 years ago I think. More on top of things today and made my way to the south of Hong Kong Island, to Stanley, an old p...