Traveling Hong Kong the Eat, Pray, Love Way

How else do you do a Hong Kong travel? To for a fact be mentioned that American writer Elizabeth Gilbert authored a bestselling "chick-lit" in 2006. It sold a million copies, translated into 40 languages, and turned into a big hit travel-romance movie. Apparently, it is a travel bible to many country drifters.

It's gratifying how we all can take a trip to places as fascinating as those in the book without having to spend largely for tickets and hotels for a taste of Muhgal architecture and feel- good mantras, or for a dominion inhabited by Roman-numeral boys. :)

Hong Kong is a pretty good choice. While an eat, pray, love kind of adventure can be done in many other countries, a Hong Kong travel can be far less expensive and doable compared to those in the west side of the globe.

Options are abundant. But if there's a way to do it remarkably, it can be specified into 3 unforgettable should-do's:

Eat

Dai pai dong is a Hong Kong style open- air food stall. It's a term usually used to refer roadside food stalls with foldable tables and chairs and no air conditioning. Although it literally means as "restaurants with big license" denoting the size of license bigger than the other licensed street vendors. 

Dai pai dong food stall

Legally, the term can only refer to the 28 stalls with "big licenses" -- those in Causeway Bay Central, Sham Shui Po, Wan Chai, Tai Hang, and Tai O. Although food stalls of the same kind are scattered widely around the country.

It characteristically has an untidy atmosphere. But to experience a pure Hong Kong dining together with pure Hong Kong locals is a sure bet. It's not everyday that you get to eat those dai pai dong congees and yuanyuang the way Gilbert has given up a love-handle-free potbelly for a daily sellout with gelatos and linguine pastas in 4 long months in Italy.

Yuanyuang drink

Most dai pai dongs offer authentic Cantonese food. English is hardly spoken so a little more of hand pointing will serve as your tongue.

Pray

For an experience of a Chinese solitude, try the ancient and fluid movements of tai chi in a peaceful side of the city, say, in a park or at the waterfront facing the Victoria Harbour. 

Tai Chi in Hong Kong Clock Tower

Tai chi movements are said to balance the body's internal yin and yang, for the mind, soul, and body. There are tourists and locals who do this outdoors under the morning light. Even Andrew Zimmern did it, too in a Bizarre Foods Episode! 

Love

Love is a widespread phenomenon and odds are that Hong Kong established activities that can foster this. 

Less expensive than a Harbour Cruise is a late-afternoon Duk Ling ride for only HKD100. It is a Chinese sailing junk that sails the harbour, holding out a 360-degree view of the captivating skyline. It sails regularly three times a week for about 2.5 to 4 hours. 

Duk Ling Cruise, Victoria Harbour

Duk Ling is to Hong Kong as much as Taj Mahal is to India. And the most romantic thing, if at all,  is riding in one of the red- sail sampans, the ones that look like an iconic bat wings in red colors flashing against the scenery of the modern skyline. 

Plan it or wing it, the important thing is to make the most of the experience. Because it's one thing to "know" how to do these things, but it's another thing to "live them up".

We may not always be able to visit every part of the country in a travel, but sometimes less is more, especially when you know how to do just that. It's the reason why I always want to travel the eat pray love way-- minus the divorce and the erratic affairs. Teehee!

Now let's cross over to the sides of Hong Kong. Attraversiamo!

References:

wikipedia (dot) org

discoverhongkong (dot) com

Photo Credits:

google (dot) com (slash) images- 1st photo

commons (dot) wikimedia (dot) org- 1st photo 

scoopweb (dot) com- 2nd photo

theredheadriter (dot) com- 3rd photo

businesstravellerasia (dot) com- 4th & 5th photos

3 Things Guidebooks Don't Tell Budget Travelers About Hong Kong

Life in Hong Kong starts at 10 AM. That's when the streets get busy, and people start loading up sidewalks and escalators.

busy Hong Kong street

They live fast paced. That is, you have to always keep right in roadways and escalators. And keep up with few minutes of standing in these public places on end.  Or you'll get impinged. But that's Hong Kong.

Travelers hoard to where it's public and familiar, and to where it's economical. And most of these travelers want to get the cheapest deal, often. Even I, too, dream of returning home from Hong Kong full of markdowns every time especially on bargain clothes and keepsakes. 

You're paying too much for their budget finds

But how cheap can we go? Chinese are skillful salespeople and even the best hagglers don't always get the lowest price. Because here's a fact: you can find exact items being sold in Hong Kong's budget markets in your own hometown at probably the same, or even cheaper price. 

The only difference about the price of these jades, ceramics, jewelries, and keepsakes sold in Hong Kong and in your hometown is the currency. Do a little math and the amount is hardly disproportional. Trust me.

Shop in Hong Kong without expecting too much that you're getting the rarest and best-est items. And while you can still negotiate the cost as much as you can, remember that the difference isn't much.

Every penny counts

Newspapers in Hong Kong are free, but not the plastic bags in most groceries and convenient stores. It's either you hug your purchased items in your arms or buy something to contain them in. In case you're not the type who minds spending coins.

Hong Kong public vehicles on the other hand don't give loose change on fares. You might want to care for your petty cash, anyway, so you can give an exact amount and avoid spending the needless extra.

The cheapest airport transfers are not from the Chinese

Just when you think the middle eastern folks are simply hoaxing at your "very tourist orientation" about Hong Kong, it's the airport shuttles and taxis which you should try to avoid.

The Pakistanis, Indians, and Arabs offer relatively inexpensive airport transfer service. They are usually stationed outside the buildings of hostels (e.g. Chung King & Mirador Mansions).

Consider paying about HK$112 airport transfer by these middles eastern folks (for a group of 4, that's roughly HK$28 each) compared to the HK$90 single journey from Kowloon to airport, or the HK$100 single journey from Hong Kong Island to airport.

These middle eastern folks make sure you're well-accommodated. Besides, it feels as if you own the car. You know, comfort and privacy.

The next time you're in Hong Kong you know that opportunities to spend wisely are abundant. That is if you know where and how to spend your cash. 

Photo Credits:
sassyhongkong (dot) com- 2nd photo
spafinder (dot) com- 3rd photo
quintavaledmaria (dot) wordpress (dot) com- 4th photo