Hong Kong, Day 1.

assalamualaikum, readers! 

Alhamdulilah! I finally went Hong Kong for my first solo trip (besides JB) after 2 years of planning. I should have gone longer but its okay, I can always come back and explore the rest of Hong Kong. I went from 9-12 April 2018. It felt so surreal that I broke down when I was at the HK airport. I was happy that it came true.

If you followed me on Instagram, you might have saw my ig stories/posts about my whereabouts. I was too excited and I showed off way too much. I am sorry if you were feeling bummed out in sg and there I was showing off. I had no intention of doing it.

Back to this, I researched a lot. But, I knew that I wanted to hike. Something that I don't do in Singapore but other countries. I just wanted that experience. Therefore, let me put it here for my memories sake.

9 April 2018

Flight to Hong Kong via Scoot: 6.05am

I booked my first Grab Hitch. Thank god, my cousin & brother told me to do advance booking because it was a lot cheaper than Grab Car. Now, I know. Again, thank god, I checked in early but I was worried that Scoot did not gave me my boarding pass via email thus, I was scared that I wasn't checked in.

I reached Changi Airport at 5.15am, thank god again, that the counter printed my boarding pass for me. THANK GOD! This minor things got me anxious. Furthermore, I was alone so yeah. I thought of getting MAC breakfast but I scared that I will miss the plane. I had biscuits in my bag so I had them in the plane.

Upon reaching Hong Kong at 10.30am, I went to get my SIM card and Octopus Card at the counter, which I bought using Klook app. I paid beforehand for them and get the vouchers printed, just gave them at the counter. Best part, the Octopus card is preloaded with HKD 50 inside it. WOHOOOOO!

AIRPORT EXPRESS TO THE CITY WAS EXPENSIVE FOR BUDGET TRAVELLER LIKE ME!!

I did research that they had free shuttle bus to hotels but I only found out where when I was at my last day in HK, on the way to the airport.

Since I wandered around to find the free shuttle hotel bus and I couldn't find it, I ended up taking their public transport which was the bus. I took E11 at the bus interchange and alight at the Admiralty station which was the centre of all MTR stations.

I took the MTR and changed to Island Line and alighted at Chai Wan. Thankfully, the hostel I was staying was interconnected to New Jade Shopping mall. Checked in at Y-Loft @ Youth Square and rest before, going out to have my lunch.

Above Image Credit: booking.com

Y-Loft Youth Square
Youth Square, 238 Chai Wan Rd, Chai Wan, Hong Kong
Agoda Price: SGD186.90 for 3 days 2 nights

Time Check: 1.30pm

Since I had not even a proper breakfast, I was starved. Really starved. Initial plan was to pray Zohor at Ammar Mosque and had my lunch there but the dim sum lunch ends at 2pm. Thus, had to change my plan and prayed zohor at hostel instead and went out for lunch straight to Ma's Restaurant @ Prince Edward. I was confident that I can find the place with google map in hand but I got lost instead and went one big round before I finally found the place. Tu lah, jangan riak sangat kan dah dapat cash terus.

Image Credit: Google Images

Stir Fry Noodles with Mushroom & lots of Cabbage!

Lamb Goulash.

It wasn't suitable to my liking maybe because my lidah is lidah melayu and western! HAHA.
But, major love with their HK Milk Tea. And do note that the restaurant charged 10% service charge after 5pm. I should have just ordered Dim Sum but its okay tho cause it made me full for a while.

Ma's Restaurant 
Shop A, 21-25 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday, 11.30am – 11.00pm

Price: S$10-30
10% service charge after 5.30pm

After lunch, I went to Flow Books, a second hand bookstore. It was at the second floor of an old building. Even the lift was super old but the bookstore was just in front of the lift. I instantly fell in love with the bookstore. It felt super homely and cosy. Also, the smell of books were just amaaazing. 

Flow Books
1F-G, Kai Fung Mansion, No.189 - 205 Queen' s Road Central, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
Opening Hours: 12-7pm (Monday to Sunday)

Love this purchase of mine.
(Shall post a summary of this book on a separate post!)

Also, at this bookstore was where I had a direct conversation with the owner himself regarding housing in HK. He mentioned that the people in Hong Kong envied Singapore because even though, how small our HDB was, we still have the whole house to ourselves but in HK, our living room in our flats, had to be divided into 5 or even 10 small spaces for 1 person. And that one small space cost HKD $380,000 per month for rent, imagined for a year and yet, here we are, complaining how small our flats were while they lived in a cramped spaces. 

HK people envied us for having a proper system to buy a house or even rent one. They did not even have a system to begin with. :(

Man, it was one of the heartfelt conversation I finally had after so long.

After FlowBooks, I decided to go to Sai Wan Swimming Shed. I made a mistake of not checking the operating hours first and thus, got on and off bus, also, walked and walked but still, could not find the place. Oh mann. I finally gave up because I ended up at the other station which was the last station. I gave up and took taxi instead even though I tried not to because they were ex. And this girl right here, totally forgot about uber! -.-

I managed to get a glimpse of the Sai Wan Swimming Shed and asked the taxi driver, to just alight me at Kennedy Town Station. For that 10 mins drive, it cost me HKD 87.70 which converted to SGD 14. 

Since, I was not able to get to that place, let me show you the place I wanted to go.

Image Credit: The Smart Local

I was disappointed obviously but it was okay because at least, if I were to come back again, I will know what to do next time. Insha'allah.

And that, being said, my last stop was Big Pizza for dinner. The shop was in between pubs and clubs but I managed to find it and took that away to have it at the hotel because my feet were dead tired. Again, I thought of watching Sound Symphony at The Grand Square but the fact that I needed to search for it and walked again, sucked.

Big Pizza

Shop No. 5, G/F

Wan Chai Central Building

89 Lockhard Road

Wan Chai, Hong Kong

Opening Hours

10:30 a.m. - 6 a.m.

Headed back to my hostel and that was the end of day one.

Ending the post with this sunset that I managed to take a glimpse of it while walking and searching for the swimming shed.

Day 2 post coming right up, soon!

Till then,
see you whenever!