I returned to Hong Kong a few years later. That time, I travelled with my mom, brother, sister, the same aunt, the same cousin, my uncle (the same aunt's husband), and their other daughter. My dad had to stay behind because of business commitments.
The second trip was more of a family trip, focusing on theme parks with a bit of shopping and dining here and there. We spent one whole day at Ocean Park, which was THE park to go to when in Hong Kong in those days (many, many years before Hong Kong Disneyland was constructed) and another full day at the now-defunct Lai Chi Kok Amusement Park, Hong Kong’s original amusement park. We also rode the cable cars to Victoria Peak.
My memories on what else we did aside from the requisite city tour are pretty vague, so I will just recount the incidents that stood out when we were there. You can’t really expect someone to remember every detail when travelling with a big group composed of three adults, three teens, one pre-teen, and one child.
At Ocean Park, which is Hong Kong’s famous marine park, oceanarium, and amusement park rolled in one, I remember:
getting soaked while watching the dolphin and orca shows at their Marine World Ocean Theater (Even though we avoided the first few rows and thought we were safe, it turned out we picked a spot that was the perfect distance from the biggest water splashes);
freaking out at the Gator Marsh (because I am scared of reptiles) as my brother and cousins teased me to death;
having a relaxing stroll at Middle Kingdom, a section that featured traditional Chinese culture and heritage and was constructed to resemble traditional buildings (I enjoyed the photo ops amidst the “ancient” backdrops and amongst costumed staff. Sadly, this attraction was closed in 2001 and sadly, I lost all of my photos from there); and
walking down the Ocean Park Escalator because it was out-of-order at the time of our visit and we didn’t know until we got there (We took the cable car up to the summit).
I should mention that this escalator is considered the second longest outdoor escalator in the world (incidentally, the first longest is also in Hong Kong) at 225 meters. Despite the clear dome roof that protected us from the wind, and despite the amazing view of the park and the island of Apleichu, I was more focused on my steps during the descent, and I am telling you now that staring at the silver lines of the escalator steps, as we traversed it from one end to the other, left me whoozy and somewhat hypnotized.
Memories from Lai Chi Kok include:
being duped by my cousin to ride the Astro Air Boat with her (This was because at first glance, it looked like a harmless little metal boat that rises up in the sky and goes around like your old, trusted carousel but it turned out to be a flying boat that went upside down in mid-air. My cousin “remembered” to mention this very minor detail in a nonchalant “by-the-way-just-to-let-you-know-in-case-you-still-don’t” kind of way as the ride attendant was already fastening our seatbelts. I screamed my lungs out during the entire ride and promised to strangle my cousin as soon as we got off alive);
seeing a bunch of teenage boys jump off the rollercoaster in panic, just seconds before the ride started to take off (I guessed they had a very last minute change-of-heart and decided they couldn’t do it. Luckily they all landed safely on the ground. After a brief argument amongst themselves, which I guessed involved blaming each other as to whose idea it was to take that ride in the first place, they all burst out laughing and congratulated themselves for escaping in time); and
getting so dizzy at the end of the day because even though my strict and money-wise uncle did not explicitly say we should get the most out of the exorbitant entrance fee we paid, his daughters knew him too well and did not fail to remind us “to get in ALL the rides so we get our money’s worth and so as not to disappoint their dad who paid for our tickets” (We at least got treats after enduring the monster rides and my uncle walked out of the park with a satisfied look on his face as if to say, “Glad the kids got to try everything…it sure was a bunch of well-spent entrance fees!”)
The Victoria Peak cable car ride was for the most part, non-remarkable. After the hair-rising and adrenaline-pumping rides we had the previous day, it was just the usual, boring ride high up in the sky with amazing views.
This trip served as a memorable bonding time for both our families, and though most of us cousins were nearly turning twenty, we got to relive our childhood.
I have not been back to Hong Kong since the turn-over to China and subsequently, the opening of their new world-class airport, and of course, Disneyland Hong Kong. If I do go back, I would be more interested in exploring the New Territories in the north, which I heard, offers much cultural and natural attractions, with its ancient walled villages, temples, monasteries, a generous expanse of unspoiled country, and wetlands teeming with birds and aquatic life. I have also always wanted to visit Lantau Island to get a feel for Hong Kong’s quieter and more spiritual side (it is the site of the giant bronze Tian Tian Buddha perched on a hill and is considered the largest seated outdoor Buddha statue in the world), ride the Ngong Ping Cable Car to Po Lin Monastery where there are more bronze Buddha statues, see the houses built on stilts at the fishing village of Tai O, and perhaps go on a meditative hike up on one of its scenic trails. Of course, tempting my taste buds again with genuine Cantonese cooking is always a bonus. I might even consider taking the ferry or the high-speed train to Guangzhou for some mainland adventure. Who knows? The possibilities are endless.
Photo Credits:
ca.hotels.com/go/hong-kong/ocean-park, klook.com, alchetron.com, hongwrong.com, xinhuanet.com, discoverhongkong.com
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