Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2009/10/11
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Talk to Howard Cummer, he lives there. In HK, stay at the YMCA: http://www.ymcahk.org.hk/sales/html/hst001e.htm - same view as The Peninsular, a fifth the price, right near the Star Ferry terminal and Tsim Sha Tsui. Four stars - a really, really great place to stay. There are also some great self-catering options on VRBO: http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/asia/hong-kong Eat noodles from street stalls or in little restaurants (I can send specific information if you're interested). Apart from space (and therefore accommodation) nothing is very expensive in Hong Kong. A guidebook (we found the Lonely Planet unusually useful - we've had bad experiences with them in other places) is useful. Get a good map - I like the Moleskine City Guides - they don't look like tourist maps that scream "please come and steal my wallet". Getting out of TST/Central is nice - Hong Kong includes an amazing area of 'Country parks' - protected areas with great walking trails. The rhesus macaques in Kam Shan Country Park are very interesting, but don't feed them, get too close or harrass them. We also went to Sai Kung (New Territories), which has amazing seafood and a beautiful ocean view. It also has access to the beautiful, uninhabited Kwo Chau Islands. The outlying islands are also worth visiting. Han Lok Yuen restaurant near Hung Shing Yeh beach on Lamma Island has great food. The Bookworm Cafe at Yung Shue Wan also on Lamma has free internet and great tea. In terms of Leicas, film is hard to get - don't expect Japanese-style stores with plenty of film. bring your own. Digital supplies are plentiful. If you want to look at cameras there are plenty of stores and you could also contact LuGger Dr Joseph Yao. HK is very, very productive photo territory. I'm still editing my pictures from my last half dozen trips there, but there are a few in the LuG gallery already: Our room at the YMCA: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/freakscene/Randomness/File1090.jpg.html This guy fixed a tear in my shirt for $HK10: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/freakscene/Randomness/File1079.jpg.html while I waited shirtless. That attracted some attention (no pictures, lucky for you). Tin Hao Temple: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/freakscene/Randomness/File1084.jpg.html In the bird market: http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/freakscene/Randomness/File1101.jpg.html I can send more suggestions if you'd like. Take plenty of storage/film. I haven't been to Huaihua so no suggestions there. Marty On 10/12/09, Adam Bridge <abridge at gmail.com> wrote: > Next June we're going to China, flying into Hong Kong and hanging > there to let our clocks reset, then going to Huaihua, Hunan for my > nephew's wedding. > > Having advice on how to exist in Hong Kong without spending a > ker-zillion dollars would be wonderful. Also the things we should see > that aren't necessarily in the guide books. My nephew speaks fluent > Chinese but beyond a few words I learned from a Chinese roomie back in > the 60s I'm totally without the language. > > So if you have ideas for affordable places to stay, things to see/do, > etc I'd greatly appreciate it. > > Best regards, > > Adam Bridge > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >