Well what a contrast from cycling and boating around the stunning West Lake of Hangzhou! We have just spent 6 days in the crazy, neon lit, hugely populated city of Hong Kong...and LOVED it (what else would you expect!) We flew from Hangzhou to Shenzen and then crossed the Hong Kong border by foot. Or should I say we tried to cross the border but infact this was not as simple as it sounds because literally thousands of other people were trying to cross it at the same time (Chinese New Year's fault again) and it was medlem!! When finally we left the pushing and shoving riot behind we successfully located our hostel. Hmm...what a delight beheld us! We waited for the lift in a shopping arcade in a rather sleezy area of Kowloon alongside 3 policemen and a covicted, handcuffed, hooded fellon! It got better.. we were shown to our dorm (no locks, windows or lockers but with the added bonus of dirty linen plus visible bugs on the beds) and then introduced to the one toilet which was shared by the entire hostel. This 1 square metre also doubled up as a washroom and shower! Needless to say we stayed just the 1 night with 1 eye open and fled as fast as we could in the morning. That will teach us for getting organised and prebooking hostels on the internet, see we knew there was a logical reason for our haphazard approach to life! The rest of our stay was thankfully less traumatic. We have been to the Temple Street night market where Cheryl bought a gorgeous silk komono, the laser and light show on the sea front in Kowloon, the beach on Lamma Island, been up Victoria Peak in a tram (and down it on foot thanks to a naughty man who tried to rip us off so we ran away and then couldn't go back to the tram). We went to visit the buddhist nunnary for a bit of peace and tranquility away from the city's hussle and bussle and were a little disturbed to discover that the nun's gift shop and expolitation of tourism were worse than at the top of Victoria Peak! Hong Kong is a true mix of China and England. It was, we confess, a relief to see english written on important notices (especially ones about eating on the subway for which travesty you can be trown in prison for 6 months!!), and double decker busses driving on the correct side of the road. It was even more of a relief to see the sunshine. We have just realised that we are about to miss our plane so we have to run!!!! Lots of love to you all xxxxxx