Mongkok Mistake

Mongkok, Hong Kong

We arrived on December 6, 2006 in Mongkok, Hong Kong. We were able to take the AirBus 21 to the area we were staying in. Then we would find our hostel based on the address. This was not as easy as it sounds. We got off the bus and became dizzy with the lights, signs, people and diesel fumes. It was late at night in the middle of the week, but the streets were packed to the gills with cars and people. Addresses aren't like in the states, sometimes they refer to the block number, other times it has the year the building was built. Not only that- this place was located on the 14th floor of a building in all this mess. How in the world were we going to find this place? Our first impression was not good and we were not thrilled with Hong Kong.

After finding the hostel and settling down, the last thing we wanted to do was go back out. But the next morning we had to eat breakfast. Naturally, we picked something close and fast- McDonalds. Not only did we eat breakfast, we got a nice taste of rudeness from the other patrons. There were two girls, about our age, sitting next to us. And they were blatantly staring at us! They had finished eating and both sat there with their heads turned in our direction watching us eat. It was so uncomfortable, that I had to shoot a look back at them- just to let them know, that I knew, they were looking at us. It helped a little- but I wasn't about to cause problems in a foreign country. Ugh! We learned real quick that personal space does not exist here. When standing in line, you cannot leave room in front of you and the person in front of you, or else someone will cut right in. I mean in shopping lines, bathroom lines, train lines and waiting to cross the street. They push and squeeze with no consideration... even among themselves.

We went to the train station and got ourselves an Octopus Card- a highly recommended transportation card- that was quick and easy. It turned out to be perfect for catching trains and buses, even the peak tram. The Peak Tram was a trolley that travelled steeply uphill to the peak, where there was a 280 degree view of Hong Kong. The top was littered with shops, cafes and restaurants. The view was amazing and it was nice to get away from the Mongkok hustle & bustle.