Arriving in Hong Kong for the first time if you’ve not been here before is frankly like something from a futuristic sci-fi.
As you leave the aircraft you proceed along spotless corridors towards immigration and baggage.
The journey from the aircraft to immigration is quite a walk but the moving walk ways are everywhere.
You’re guided down a very long escalator that must descend several storeys to arrive surprisingly at an underground light rapid transport system.
There are only two stops, one for transfers to other flights, the other to immigration and baggage reclaim.
Thankfully signs are in English and Chinese.
I’m politely stopped by an official who points a thermal reader at my forehead to check my temperature… he has a surgical face mask covering his mouth and nose.
The organisation managing the thousands arriving at immigration is so impressive .. an orderly line moves quickly as small groups are expertly guided into railed areas to pass through immigration officials efficiently and with a welcoming smile.
The baggage claim area is massive and our bags are already on the carousel.
Across the hall, the length of several football pitches, I notice a small group of people gathering inside the baggage area.
Police at the other end of the vast hall with machine guns and sniffer dog casually gather as onlookers rather than deterrents.
Suddenly, a ring of security, literally a dozen men holding hands around a group, move quickly with outstretched arms swiftly through the hall. The content of the ring look like a Chinese version of the Beatles with fans hot on their heels taking pictures.
Hong Kong is made up of three provinces and islands. There is Hong Kong island where the land has been impressively created by man specifically for a huge international airport.
Then there is the ‘New Territories’ a rural area and finally Kowloon.
The British leased Hong Kong from the Chinese for 150 years and recently handed back in a substantially better condition than they received it.
Our hotel is right in the centre of Kowloon called the Cityview hotel.
At first site this place is like London and New York with double decker buses, tall buildings, literally thousands of shops and places to eat.
There are lights from huge commercial signs, advertising everywhere, bridges and near the hotel the well know ‘Ladies Market’.
The place is alive with everyone wanting to trade with you and do a deal.
There is much here to see and do, but if you’re a shopaholic then this is your fix.
We ended the day at midnight in Starbucks for a late night coffee located under H&M.
I asked an assistant where the toilets were to be told I should get the key from the cashier and then make my way up to the eighteenth floor!
Think I’ll wait until I’m back at the hotel!
