MOTHER'S DAY IN HONG KONG!

Thursday May 9

Side Trip to Hong Kong

After a slow morning of preparations and a homemade Mexican breakfast of chorizo and potato tacos, we started off for the Taoyuan International airport. We were travelling light with only one carryone suitcase for the three of us, so we took the city bus to the Nangang Exhibition Center, where we could catch a shuttle to the airport. For 115 NTD ($3.50 US) each we were driven clear across the city to the front door of terminal 2 for our flight to Hong Kong. A taxi would have run us at least five times that amount. The shuttle took care of our carry-on and offered a very comfortable, air conditioned ride. Unlike a taxi, there were more than enough seats for us to each take our own bench and stretch out and relax.


Since we were technically leaving Taiwan, we had to go through customs immigration and security. We easily went through both stations and got into the gate area without any problems. This airport is much bigger and busier than the Songshan one we used when we arrived in Taipei. On our way to gate B9 we saw the typical duty free shops and restaurants, a place where you could get a massage to relax and the prayer rooms. The waiting room had regular and reclining seats for your comfort.

Airport had three separate chapels for its patrons.

Our flight covered 501 miles/807 km in about 1 hour and 22 minutes. There wasn't much of a meal plan for such a short flight but we did get a tasty BBQ turkey sandwich and a cup of orange juice with coffee or tea offered. I note this because most US local flights don’t offer anything on short flights.

Arriving in Hong Kong we went through the immigration process with only a slight hiccup. They explained that it happened all the time. The airport in Taipei had given us the departure form instead of the very simial arrival form for entering the country. We filled out the correct form, and were officially in Hong Kong for an extended week-end.


As we walked out of the security area, we noticed signs about the H7N9 bird flu epidemic that is now (2013) hitting the area. There is even a heat sensor station manned by attendants wearing surgical masks. Seems it will sense your body heat as you walk by.






Although the Hong Kong airport is huge, there are signs everywhere that direct passengers to their destinations. We found the signs for hotel/tour shuttles and walked to the desk where we checked in for our tour package. A shuttle bus drove us to the Traders Hotel for our check-in.





Hotel quirk over debit card--My daughter had booked this hotel as part of a tour package as a gift for us and had paid for it on-line at the time of booking. It was an all-inclusive package that covered the flight, airport transfers, hotel, and a half day tour of the city. When we arrived at the hotel, we were asked for a $1000 Hong Kong dollars ($125 US) deposit for the room. She tried using her Taiwan bank card and our US debit/credit cards but they were all declined by the staff. It seems they only take credit cards. We explained that our debit cards could be used as credit cards but the attendant was insistent we could not use them. The only option was to pay cash and reduce our spending money. This also meant that on the day of departure we would have $1000 HK to convert back to Taiwanese dollars for an extra conversion fee. This would have been a good policy to note by either the hotel ( a ShangriLa chain) or the tour company on their websites. I don't think we are the only people that prefer paying cash over charging purchases.


Room size--The tour company listed the hotel as one of a few that had rooms that would accomodate the three of us, and my daughter had used this assumption when she booked us into a superior room with a view of the bay.

The room had a rollaway between the beds. That meant the beds were pushed up against the walls and it actually looked like one massive bed with a dip in the center. This did not allow much room for moving around and/or even getting into bed was a tight squeeze. We would most likely have to climb into our respective beds from the foot up. Doing some rearranging gave us a little more wiggle room and made it more comfortable.

As for the bayside view, our floor was too low to give much of a view because of all the other tall buildings in front of us.  We did have a lovely bay window that afforded a view of life in a huge city.  I did not really mind the view.  The pictures are a little foggy but that was the norm for most of the time we were there.  Weather was muggy and hot with daily showers.   

Laundry day

Flowers in the window

Window washer

One apartment in the lower right hand side shows a rooftop garden, common throughout the city.

No problem, though.  After all, we were in Hong Kong! And did not plan on spending our short visit in a hotel room.  AndreAna's generous gift is one memory that will last us a lifetime.