April

The Beauty of Hong Kong Pier

The world is on fire this year, but it still can be such a beautiful place. I now understand the name behind Hong Kong’s Instagram Pier.

Ever since I arrived in Hong Kong, I’ve been hearing about one experience over and over again: spending a summer day on a junk boat. Basically, one person or group of people hires a boat to take their friends out on the water for a day of eating, drinking, and having a grand time. The amount of people on a boat seem to range from about 10 to 50… it depends on what you desire!

I was told about this event so much from friends that I was (1) very excited and (2) wondering if the experience was over hyped. Luckily, I recently got to go on three separate junk boats, all planned by friends.

The experience definitely depends on who you’re with and the accessories of the boat. Some of the boats have slides, accompanying banana boats, wakeboarding, jet skis, and more. I can confidently say my expectations for the days out on the water were fully met, and more. It’s such a blast just to have a day out in the sun, socializing or taking part in water activities.

As long as you bring lots of sunscreen and drink enough water, it’s always a day filled with fun!

Finding Ways to Workout During COVID

One of my favorite parts of Sai Ying Pun so far is the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park. It faces Victoria Harbour and has a beautiful view across the water. There is also space for running, lots of green grass for laying out or doing yoga, and, now, lots of people practicing their different workout routines both in groups and individually.

Since Hong Kong was ordered to shelter, the part of my routine I’ve missed the most is going to the gym. I am not the most motivated exerciser unless I have a scheduled class with an instructor and classmates. I love going into studios for yoga, pilates, cycling, HIIT…you name it, I’m down to try out the class for it.

So I jumped at the chance when my friend invited me to a boxing/HIIT class in the park this past weekend. These private classes are a little pricey, and the weather is getting a bit too warm, but I figured one class wouldn’t hurt. And it turned out to be tons of fun!
Our instructor taught three of us girls the basic steps and moves for boxing (which is more fun and complex than I would have thought). Then we took turns each working on cardio, legs, arms, abs, and boxing sessions. My hands had never felt so sore, but the boxing was too fun to stop until it was time to go.

Gyms are starting to open up again, so the stray exercise groups will probably leave the park soon. But I now see the appeal of spending the hour in the sun trying something new.

Camping on a Sai Kung Beach

This weekend I got to have the amazing experience of camping right on the sand of a beach in Sai Kung. I had heard of the fun camping adventures many people have had there, so when I got an invitation to join a group of women I said yes right away. And now I know why people speak so highly of it. It was an awesome night that I’d definitely love to do again!

To begin, the preparation process of the trip was very easy. Ham Tin, the beach where we camped, offers tents, sleeping bags, sleeping mats, and more to rent or purchase. Not having to carry around these heavy items makes the travelling portions MUCH easier. In fact, there are even restaurants on site, so you don’t even have to bring food!

My group, however, brought tons of food. One girl was kind enough to put a feast for us to enjoy for the full day – sandwich skewers, chicken skewers, beef skewers, chicken wings, cheese-stuffed peppers, fruit, and more. We also brought loads of snacks and drinks to enjoy for the day.

Getting to the spot was simple, as well. A group of us Ubered from Hong Kong island to Sai Kung and took a boat to Ham Tin for the price of HK$130 per person. The boat, although a little rocky a few moments, was a really fun journey!

Once we got there, we got settled and began to enjoy a day full of eating, drinking, swimming, playing games, and laying in the sun. Things mostly went smoothly…the only issue was cooking food over our fire. No grills were on the beach at this time, so we had to use our resources to build a fire and cook right over the sand, which was not easy. But we did our best and ate more than enough.

When we woke up the next morning, everyone was ready to grab a 9:30 AM boat back. I, for one, was in desperate need of a shower and nap in my bed. If I did it again, I would make sure to rest better next time so I might be up for spending another full day at the beach the morning after. It’s one of my favorite places to be!

My First Random Quarantine Hobby

For anyone who has kept up with me, it’s obvious Hong Kong is not actually in quarantine. We are social distancing a lot, but not to the point where we’re not allowed to leave our homes for dinner or hangouts with friends. I feel very lucky to be in a place during this time that hasn’t required people to stay in shelters. The biggest changes going on right now are:

Many people, like myself, are working from home. This is a huge change to the job of a teacher, of course, so my work schedule is very different than what it would have been otherwise. I look forward to getting back to the office.
We are not allowed to go outside in groups of more than four people. Really, people will be fined if they are seen in a group of more than four.
Gyms are closed. 😦
Bars are closed.
Lots of salons and restaurants that cannot stay open during this time are closed.

Compared to other people who cannot even go to a restaurant right now, I can’t really complain. This time has been hard on everyone, in many different ways.

But I’m hoping this time also shows people how much they have to be thankful for when things eventually get back to normal. We’ll be able to go to our favorite restaurants and shops. We’ll be able to see our loved ones. The air will be a little cleaner and the world will feel full again.

Until then, I, like many others, am finding new hobbies to take up while we have the free time. Hobby #1?

Pickling.

Yup, that’s pretty much it. I am going to start pickling my vegetables. I’ve been obsessed with pickles since I was a kid, and they are WILDLY expensive in Hong Kong, so I figure why not do it myself for cheaper? And so I begun.

Pickling is actually a very quick and easy hobby. The recipe I found asked for 1 cup of vinegar, 1 cup of water, and 2 tablespoons of salt. You mix these ingredients in a pan, heat the pan to boiling, and pour this over your vegetables (which should be tightly squeezed in a jar). Add in any extra seasoning or flavor you’d like, seal the jar tightly, and voila! You may just have delicious pickled veggies in 48 hours.

After 48 hours, I’d say the cucumbers I cut up and pickled were good. Next time I would add a little more salt and a little less vinegar, as they came out a little too vinegary. I would also like to experiment with different flavors: hot sauce, garlic, ginger…

And I’ll continue thinking of more hobbies until then!

(Twin) Peaks and Valleys

I will one day write about something other than hiking on this blog, but for now it is the main event in Hong Kong during quarantine times. This past weekend, I got the chance to take on one of the hikes known to be hardest on Hong Kong Island: Violet Hill and Twin Peaks. Amusingly, I didn’t even know I was going to hike Twin Peaks until I was on my way there — my friend sneakily said we were “doing some hike around Tai Hang” before I met up with her. And so it begun.

We started off with Violet Hill, which is quite a journey upwards, but nothing compared to the Twins themselves. But we already get a beautiful scenic view of the city even starting off climbing the Wilson Trail to Violet Hill.

Once we crossed the bridge at the end of Violet Hill, that is when we started the first uphill climb on Twins Peak! Lots of people were taking a moment to relax at this point, which is smart to do.

The journey to the top of the first peak was one of the longest uphill journeys I have ever had. We got out of breath constantly and took many breaks, even sitting on the steps at times. But the top of the first peak is one of the most beautiful views I’ve seen yet.

After that first complete uphill climb, you must go down a little…and then back uphill for the second peak. Luckily, that second climb uphill is nothing compared to the first. Once we realized we were at the top of the second twin, and therefore were completely done climbing uphill, there was a great feeling of triumph.

But the walk downhill at the end wasn’t the easiest feat for legs that were already aching. Sometimes I feel like going downhill is actually harder on the legs than uphill, as you feel each step in your knees.

We ended the hike close to Stanley Beach, so we took a bus over to the village to get tea and snacks. Overall, this is DEFINITELY a hike I would recommend to everyone who lives here! I would even do it again myself, once the aching in my calves finally goes away.

(This photo taken by Lili 🙂 )

I Love Victoria Park

I have one week left of living in Causeway Bay, and I am surprisingly not feeling too much pre-nostalgia or wistfulness for the place I’ve called home for almost three months. This may be because of all the weirdness and uncertainty going on during this time. Or maybe it’s because I know my job will continue to be in Causeway Bay, bringing me back here almost every day of the week. Either way, there is one spot I know I will miss most of all: the beautiful Victoria Park.

Victoria Park was my first workout spot in Hong Kong, before I discovered any gym or yoga studio. I would get here early in the morning or late in the evening to run around the track. Although small, this track is the first area outdoors where I’ve ever truly enjoyed running. This is because of it’s clearly marked distances and clear rules for joggers. It can convince the most certain non-runners (me) to try it out.

Otherwise, Victoria Park is just a beautiful spot. It is so green and peaceful in the chaos of Causeway Bay, an amazing city that can feel overcrowded and suffocating. But anyone who feels overwhelmed by the streets in this area can easily wind up in the park for a nice touch of nature.

I intend to find other jogging trails closer toward me once I move locations, but I hope to come to Victoria Park every once in awhile. Because, even though I’m still brand new to Hong Kong, it feels like a little touch of home.

The Ups and Downs of Kowloon Peak

This past weekend I had the pleasure of once again getting together with a few girlfriends to hike Kowloon Peak. While our intention was to go all the way to Suicide Cliff (which is accessed through Kowloon Peak), we ended up taking quite a long way that left us wanting to save that for a later date. I do badly want to see the views from the top of the cliff and plan to one day, but honestly, I can’t imagine it getting much better than seeing the beauty of Hong Kong from just the bottom of the peak.

We started hiking directly from the Choi Hung MTR but eventually realized that many people take a car or bus a bit closer to Kowloon Peak. This makes a big difference I’m sure, as we started off hiking many stairs. However, we were almost immediately surrounded by nature and greenery, making it all worth it.

The hike up to Kowloon Peak itself was on a fairly narrow road with many cars coming down and people walking up. It’s important to keep an eye open during this part as it’s clear lots of cars aren’t being that careful. A rolling car even hit a woman in my group with their side mirror! That derailed the trip quite a bit, as a passenger then got out of the car and tried to argue that it was the woman’s fault that she got hit by the car. (Life tip: If you bump someone with your vehicle, you are almost always completely in the wrong no matter what.)

Luckily, my friend was okay and we were able to keep moving after that fiasco. It was a long journey both up and down, and my legs were aching by the end, but it was such a beautiful trail with amazing scenery. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys walking and wants a small challenge.

Quarry Bay Hikes

This past Saturday, I had the pleasure of being invited to a nice morning hike by my friend Erin (shoutout to those in our lives who are awesome at bringing groups of people together). At 10 AM, a group of seven girls met up at the MTR station in Quarry Bay to make our way through Tim Tam Reservoir and up to Jardine’s Lookout. It was the best way to start a weekend — feeling great and healthy and having fun with friends.

Tim Tam Reservoir was a pleasant surprise as there was so much greenery and trees around the area that it could be difficult to see any views of the distance, no matter how high up we got. But then — suddenly — there would be a breathtaking view out of nowhere. Green foliage, blue water, and gray skies made for an enchanting scene that was done justice in pictures.

The reservoir itself was pretty nice, as well.

After this, we walked the 2,000-ish steps up to Jardine’s Lookout. The path was almost COMPLETELY uphill, and while every corner tricked us into thinking we about made it to the top, we saw many more steps to go. However, the victory made it all worth it.

Overall, the hikes were so tiring that I almost didn’t make it to happy hour at the end of the day, which seems to be looked at as a crime in Hong Kong. But I was able to make it and feel great about having an active and productive morning. I would recommend this hike to anyone looking to do the same.

Lion Rock on a Cloudy Day

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m a big fan of hiking. So for my second hike of Hong Kong, I decided to take on Lion Rock. I was initially planning to go on my own, but was luckily enough to have a friend join me last minute! I believe there are plenty of benefits to hiking alone and taking in the scenery when necessary, but if hiking can be used for quality time with others, then the more the merrier.

Personally, I was kind of surprised by how hard the hike ended up being. I thought its difficulty level was a little downplayed by review websites. We were breathing heavily and taking many breaks throughout the hike, and at the end of the day, my legs were paying the hefty price. I would definitely give at least five hours to complete the hike fully.

But, as usual, it was worth it for the iconic view. It wasn’t the clearest of days for looking out into the distance, but I still would’ve picked it over hiking in the boiling hot summer. Even when conditions aren’t 100% convenient or ideal, I never regret or question a day spent out in nature. The only question I have now is where my next hike will be…

Author Archives: April