Hongkong Experience - Part 2

Today, although we were still up a bit during the night, we are all feeling a lot better thanks to a better nights’ sleep. We went to the Kowloon side today, being the mainland side of Hongkong to visit the markets. The Ladies’ Market was our main destination, a block from Nathan Road which is Hongkong’s most famous tourist strip. The Ladies’ Market is a bit of a misnomer as the market sells almost everything you can think of but seems to specialise in small electronics, clothing, shoes, jewellery and leather goods. Particularly ‘under the table’ copies of brand name watches and handbags and ‘on the table’ label goods. I was surreptitiously offered Tiffany jewellery, Bulgari and Chanel watches and Gucci and Prada handbags, plus other replica expensive gear which was then brought into the shop from ‘out the back’ and you had to have a quick look while they stood lookout for police I suppose.


The boys thoroughly enjoyed negotiating bargain deals for the things they bought and all in all a lot of fun could be had for a couple of hundred dollars.

Now we have overcome the worst of our jetlag, found our way around and sorted the trains out it is time to go home tomorrow which seems a shame.

Hongkong is a pretty cool place and here is some idea of the prices of things:

Meal out at flash restaurant: NZD$115

Bottle of beer from 7/11: NZD$2.50

Meal out at McDonalds: NZD$16

iPod Touch 8GB – genuine article at proper shop: NZD$260

iPod Nano 8GB - not real article but good working copy at market: NZD$45

Converse sneakers in shop: NZD$44

Converse sneakers at market: NZD$21

So, it is certainly reasonable cost-wise to come and stay and shop here. I am sure we could have found cheaper places to eat, but the trade off would have been as described in Part 1.

Another few comments about Hongkong –

It is immaculate, other than a few strange/bad smells at times the place is absolutely free of rubbish and graffiti which is quite a feat for such a crowded city.

There is obviously a vast amount of wealth here – there is a huge concentration of Porsches, Maseratis, Ferraris and new Mercedes/Audis on the road. And they have a low level of car ownership because of the cost of fuel – about NZD$2.80/l - only 77 cars per 1000 people.

Because land here is at a premium, you can only lease a space in a cemetery. It costs HKG$20,000 for 6 years. (About NZD$4000). After that you are dug up and turfed out – literally. Hence, cremation is a popular option!

I will post up some pics from the airport tomorrow - bye!