Wednesday 9 December

After constructive feedback (ie. Complaints) on previous holidays that I tend to fit too much into one day, I took a new approach today and had a wish list but no schedule of events. The upside? We casually explored Kowloon. The downside? NO, the devastating result of such opposition to an organised schedule? We will miss out on Hong Kong Disneyland!! 😢

Thankfully, only Abi knew of my plan to visit Disneyland while here (well…and Ross andTim and Jarrod….but they don’t count because they weren’t keen to go there). I am glad I hadn’t shared the plan with the little three now I realise we can’t fit it in! We took the opportunity of a sleep in after such a late arrival last night, and went out to explore and seek out food. Our hotel offers a free shuttle bus (which is great but also necessary as it is quite a walk from anywhere). We took the bus in to Tsim Sha Tsui (which I can spell but not pronounce), and as it was sprinkling sought out a shopping centre. The first one that attracted our attention (because we saw a Starbucks sign) was the iSquare. At 10am the shops there weren’t yet open, but a bakery was and we enjoyed pastries for our late breakfast. 

We then wandered around window shopping, down to the harbour front, and towards a couple of tourist attractions we had researched online. However the worsening weather beat us. Below is Sam in the Garden of the Stars, which everyone else viewed from the small shelter near the escalator seeing as the weather wasn’t conducive to exploring the garden.

  
Without wet weather gear, we bought some supplies at a supermarket back at the iSquare and caught our shuttle bus home (it leaves every 15 minutes throughout the day and late into the night). 

After lunch in our room and a rest (see? I give us rest times!), we ventured out again to the Ladies Markets. The kids thought it was funny because I actually caught a train. Ross had researched it in detail, so we managed to buy tickets, get on and off at the right stops, and easily find our way to the market. Our first purchase there? Four umbrellas to share, which were difficult to use walking the market aisles but necessary. The kids spent some of their money on a few souvenirs and we returned to Tsim Sha Tsui station. The train system is very organised and on time, but so busy and squashy!

  
Ross was keen to sample some more local food, but with the rain now pelting down, we acquiesced to McDonalds and caught the shuttle bus home again.  We are hoping tomorrow is better weather to achieve more on my list…I mean, enjoy more sightseeing…