I started the bus just after 10am. This is because the tout told me the previous day that they start at 10am. When I looked at the map, I realised they start at 9.30. You always want to be on the first bus of the day to ensure you have maximum time to do what you want. I paid HKD350 for a 24 hour ticket. Normal price is 380. I got a discount since I used Big Bus tours in other cities around the world. It includes 3 routes, a night tour, a sampan ride, return tickets on the Star Ferry and return tram tickets to Victoria Peak so not a bad deal. I found out afterwards the Star tickets only cost HKD2.50 one way.
I started on the Hong Kong island side since I had covered Kowloon quite thoroughly on foot the previous day. It was raining for most of the morning so I spent a large part of the first route sitting downstairs with limited photo opportunities. I didn't get off the bus until the end of the route.
Next route took us to the south part of HK island past the holiday side of the island with awesome views of the South China Sea and little town harbors. Stanley market is in one of these. The sun was shining by this time and it got quite hot. Not much for me to do since I was not going to shop so I got onto the next bus back. Got off at Aberdeen and did the sampan ride around the harbor. There are lots of fisherman living in houseboats here so not very nice looking boats. There are some impressive yachts/boats in between and a couple of large apartment buildings overlooking the harbour. Earlier on the route, I went up Victoria peak. It was still cloudy and obscured at that time. It cleared up later so I was a little irritated but nothing I can do about it so life went on.
I didn't have time to do the Kowloon route. Fortunately the night tour covered most of it. Lots of traffic around Tsim Tsa Tshui so tour took longer than expected. I wanted to be back at TST for the 8pm light and sound show. It is in the Guinness book of records as the largest permanent sound and light display in the world. I got the tail end of it. The lights are on the buildings and many of them have lasers across the water so you watch it across the harbor from the TST promenade. Not particularly impressive but worthwhile watching.