DAY 50
Week 8
YANGSHUO (Guangxi, CHN) to KOWLOON (Hong Kong, CHN)
Friday August 25th, 2017
TODAYS MILEAGE – 402 miles or 647 kilometres
TRIP MILEAGE – 36,968 miles or 59,494 kilometres
As days go, today was a significant milestone - not only was it 50 days (and the start of the 8th week) that I've been on the road, but it was also the final day of the G Adventures Essential China trip.
The day started literally at "sparrows fart" with a pre-dawn departure from the "Yangshuo New Century" hotel, as we had to catch the 7:30AM bullet train service at the brand spanking new railway station in Longjinghe. By road, its only about 20 miles (32 kilometres), but the prevailing road conditions meant that it took us just over an hour to cover the distance.
After arriving at the "Shenzhen Railway Station" around 3PM, we would pass through the border crossing and then catch the "Hong Kong Mass Transit Railway" (MTR) into our accomodations - the "West Hotel", located in the "Yau Tsim Mong District".
All up, the 402 mile (647 kilometre) journey took a total of 9 hours, with well over half of that being spent waiting to board trains.
It took about ½ and hour to get squared away at the hotel, at which time we all met in the lobby for our final orientation walk with our CEO (Chief Experience Officer) Lee.
At the end of the walk Rob & I suggested having a whip-round for Lee, to show our appreciation for her efforts on the trip - the two German girls refused, stating they would do their own thing. We also suggested taking Lee out for dinner, which is customary when ending such trips. Again the girls refused, this time stating they had really early flights back to their respective homes.
In the end, Rob and I had a great evening with Lee, dining at one of her favourite restaurants and then heading down to take in the "Symphony of Lights" on "Victoria Harbour".
Before I turned in for the night, I jumped online and secured Peak Tram tickets for the 10:45AM service to "Victoria Peak" for both Rob and myself.
• LIUZHOU ~ Liujiang Railway Station (Guangxi, CHN)
• SHENZHEN ~ Railway Station (Guangdong, CHN)
• KOWLOON ~ West Hotel (Hong Kong, CHN)
• KOWLOON ~ Symphony Of Lights (Hong Kong, CHN)
Day 20 - Yangshuo - Hong Kong
Travel back to Guilin for the fast train to Shenzhen, then cross the border into Hong Kong. Enjoy some free time to explore the city.
Arrive late morning to Shenzhen, cross the border and catch the metro into the heart of Hong Kong, arriving late afternoon.
Prepare for the change of pace as you enjoy your last night's dinner in the most dynamic city in Asia. Explore Stanley Market, shop, eat, go to the top of Victoria Peak or take a harbour cruise.