Hong Kong 101
The balmy evening of Friday, June 3, 2016 will remain etched in my memory. It is on this day that I stood witness to the behemoth that is Hong Kong. Ever since I descended from the China Eastern flight, I was struck by the ingenuity and complexity presented by the city. I was greeted by a blast of warm and moist air. The airport, as usual, was bustling with activity. Innumerable tourists, businessmen and students alike thronged the immigration counters. But what really amazed me was the efficiency with which everything was handled. Hong Kong’s conducive policies toward business and tourism makes a task as daunting as clearing immigration look like cakewalk! No wonder it is one of the most sought-after travel locations in the world.
The travel from the airport situated in the Lantau Island to Kowloon Tong was smooth and quick as expected in one of Hong Kong’s Urban Taxis. I got a superb view of the city on the way. The sight of the high rises against the backdrop of the ocean and mountains was breathtaking. The taxi whipped past all of it quickly, before I could take in everything in its entirety. Following a brief meeting with the instructors for our course, Rob and Jenny, I tagged along with other students to venture out to a nearby shopping mall called Festival Walk, owned by a Singaporean fund. We explored around a bit before answering the angry growls of our stomachs with mouth-watering seafood in one of the restaurants inside the mall. After buying groceries for breakfast and a sizeable supply of water bottles we headed to our dorms and were soon asleep. At this point I must mention that the number thirteen turned out to be lucky for me that day! It so appeared that I was the thirteenth student in the course and hence was not paired up with anyone, paving my way for enjoying a single room.
The next day was quite exhilarating as well as exhausting. We got introduced to the MTR (underground rail system of Hong Kong) which took us to a pier. We embarked upon a ferry ride to the Lamma Island. This part of Hong Kong has been preserved, complete with a beach and a hiking trail running over the hills. It was a three mile hike in repressive heat but it was entirely worth it. We saw some spectacular views of the island’s greenery seated amidst a majestic ocean.
Post hike we treated ourselves to world class Dim Sum. The variety and quality of seafood offered on the platter satisfied us immensely after a drenching hike. Accompanied with this was a bout of heavy shower, fine raindrops carried by the wind soothing our tired bodies. We soon returned in ferries back to Hong Kong Island and then to Kowloon. In spite of the weariness everyone was in high spirits, having started the journey in Hong Kong on such a fulfilling note.
Sunday saw us being introduced to the college campus and the course outline. Our able coordinator, Fung, guided us through an extensive tour of the campus. It was almost noon when we finally sat down to have lunch in one of the university canteens. Arguably, it was the best food I ever had in a university canteen. This was then followed by a trip to Victoria Peak, one of the highest points in the Hong Kong Island. A double decker bus took us up the winding path to the hilltop. I am at a loss of words to explain the mixed feelings the view had engendered in me. It was both extraordinary and saddening at the same time. Surrounded by ocean, the beauty of the clouds and fog rolling over the hills spellbound me. It was as if I had time-travelled to another world in another time. On the other hand, I was saddened by the fact the beauty facing me wasn’t pristine. In my mind’s eye I couldn’t justify the presence of all those dense high rises sticking out of the landscape. What I could imagine in such a setting was only ancient oriental huts and monasteries standing proudly in the hillsides. Then it dawned upon me slowly that changing times always brought with them changing needs and priorities. Millions of people, rushing every day from dawn to dusk trying to make ends meet, not only justified but even glorified this great city. Hong Kong hasn’t shunned its poor. Ranging from public housing to an excellent transit system, everything spoke of an underlying effort toward welfare.
Ending the day on a relaxed but introspective note, I came back to the dorms. It would be an interesting learning experience in Hong Kong.