Saturday, May 30, 2015

香港 Hong Kong '15 - Day 4 & 5

The last post for this 香港 trip which consist of Day 4 and 5. Normally when i finish a blog travelogue, it would meant that i am departing for another trip real soon but i guess this time it's not the case, HAHA. I'm still in Singapore, working my ass off, growing more white hair from all the stress (but in the meantime also trying to plan for another trip, probably within the next few months, LOL) Who knows i might just go for another impromptu trip! I'm trying lah. HAHA
 photo meidu cafe.jpg
Woke up quite late and decided to head down to this old rustic cafe that i have been passing by for the past few days. My cousin told me i should totally visit the place because of their old school breakfast and setting. Mido Cafe, 63 Temple St, Hong Kong. I ordered a cup of hot cocoa and traditional toast with luncheon meat and egg. Awesome! :D
 photo IMG_4508.jpg
After breakfast, i went to explore the area and came across the street market. Very happening place.
 photo IMG_4319.jpg
Came across a store where they sell the HK famous curry fish ball so i decided to order some for myself. Apparently i got cheated because the auntie prepared the largest portion (instead of the usual 1 or 2 sticks) for me, probably because she realized i'm a tourist. I ended up with a huge bowl of fish balls (about 25 of them?) and had to pay like SGD7 for it? So angry. Kept eating while walking around until my jaw became sore from all the chewing. TMDDDD! >:(
 photo IMG_4406.jpg
Just had to take an #ootd in front of the old grey buildings of Hong Kong.
 photo fullcup cafe.jpg
Went to this "Mei Ho House" cafe which is a cafe at a hostel. Address: Hong Kong, 石硤尾巴域街九龍深水埗石硤尾邨41座 It's a very nice place to chill and maybe meet people, make friends because it's located in a hostel area for backpackers and tourists. I literally spent my whole afternoon sitting there. LOL The design of the place is really nice as well! :D
 photo IMG_4451.jpg
Salad. French Toast. Hot Chocolate to last for the entire afternoon at Mei Ho House Cafe.
 photo IMG_4489.jpg
Passed by this long street where they mainly sell pets and fishes. The fishes are individually packed into these plastic bags and hanged outside the shop. It makes me wonder what happens at the end of the day the shop closes... do they refill the oxygen in the bag or do they pour the fishes back into a tank. Whichever way, it seem like a lot of effort.
 photo IMG_4494.jpg
Had to give this milk pudding a try since i'm in Hong Kong and my cousin recommended me the ones from Yee Shun. Not a fan of milk so i chose the chocolate version. Still very milky, not to my liking. HAHA Do give it a try in Hong Kong!
 photo IMG_4499.jpg
Last day in Hong Kong and i forced myself to wake up for one last breakfast. Chose a cha chaan teng 茶餐厅 to have the standard Hong Kong breakfast (which i loveeee!) Ordered the Polo bun set with ham and egg, additional luncheon meat toast and lemon coke (?!). Last day liao, must order more what! HAHAHAHA I was really full when i left the place, hehe
 photo IMG_4314.jpg
Decided to explore the area and digest my heavy breakfast. HAHA Went into another street market and also this jade market. The morning life in Hong Kong is really interested. Exactly like what was depicted in the HK dramas, LOLOL
 photo IMG_4506.jpg
Thanks to Visondata for providing their portable WIFI device, i was able to stay connected throughout my 5 days in Hong Kong! Normally when i touched down at my destination, one of the first things i would do would be to get a local sim card, but this time i could do without getting one! Having one of these portable WIFI devices allows users to stay connected to the internet while traveling, without worrying about hefty data roaming charges. How awesome is that! :D

VDS currently offers their portable WIFI rental to 15 popular destinations including Japan, Korea, Europe and more and rental cost as low as $9 per day, definitely cheaper than what local telcos offer for data roaming. With the device, you can even connect a few devices to it at the same time! So if you are traveling in groups, you guys might want to share and rent one of these WIFI devices to stay connected throughout the trip! It was very useful having data connection throughout the trip because i depend on GPS to navigate around and also to search for places and food around the area.

Just 4 simple steps in renting your WIFI from VisonData:
#1: Make a reservation via phone or online - http://visondata.com.sg
#2: Pickup the device at the store (#05-41C,IMM Building 2) or arrange for courier.
#3: Enjoy your device at your destination!
#4: Return the device at the store or arrange for shipping.

Once again, thank you VisonData for extending your service for my Hong Kong trip! Connection was great throughout the trip. I was able to stay connected, update my Facebook Status, upload photos on my instagram, contact my friends using whatsapp and many more! I would definitely want to rent one of these devices for my future overseas trip! :D

 photo IMG_4515.jpg
Time to checkout of my hotel and head to the airport!
 photo jetstar.jpg
Jetstar flight back to Singapore. Good bye Hong Kong.
 photo selfie2.jpg
#selfie on board. First solo trip a success! Weeeeee~
 photo IMG_4551.jpg
Like i mention in my very first post, this trip was rather a fulfilling one. I came to Hong Kong without knowing what to do, where to go. I just wanted to leave the country to get some "alone" time and move on. When people say go for a trip, you will feel better. It's somewhat true and false at the same time. True as in you get to reflect but false because when you spend time alone, you tend to think more and further. Irregardless, it was a fruitful trip to me.


Till the next trip,                           

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 & 5

Sunday, May 24, 2015

香港 Hong Kong '15 - Day 3

Finally having dim sum for breakfast, and what better day than to have it on a Sunday morning! Met up with my cousin and her friends to have dim sum at the famous Tim Ho Wan. Met up at Prince Edward station before making our way over. Even though i say it's for breakfast, i think we met up at around 11 that day, LOL So is it considered brunch? LOL
 photo IMG_4042.jpg
Just had to take a photo at the station. Hehe
 photo timhowan.jpg
Wasn't expecting a crowd outside the restaurant and at least half the crowd are definitely tourists. Like quite obvious because some of them were carry luggage or speaking in different language other than Cantonese. I can imagine the locals commenting how overrated the place/ food is. Got our seats after waiting for about 20 mins and we started ordering the usual items like Har gao, siew mai etc. Honestly i think the Tim Ho Wan is better in HK than in SG...
 photo IMG_4010.jpg
Group photo taken with my shaky hands. On a side note, all the photos in this HK travelogue are taken using the iPhone. My camera was in the bag all the while throughout the entire trip. It was really nice spending the morning with my cousin and her friends. Our conversations also made me realized my Cantonese isn't perfect in Hong Kong context! LOL
 photo IMG_4124.jpg
Went over to PMQ (something like our national design centre) to spend the afternoon. Very interesting place!
 photo IMG_4130.jpg
Lunch. Simple noodles with luncheon meat and egg for me. Yum yum
 photo IMG_4205.jpg
#ootd: Uniqlo basic black tee | Cheap Monday Jeans | Gshock Watch | Timberland boots.
 photo apple watch.jpg
I wanted to take a look at the Apple Watch to have a feel of it (it's not available in Singapore yet) and The Central has one of the biggest Apple Store in Hong Kong. The Apple watch is really nice especially the steel or the mesh strap version! Really want to own one of these but the cost of it is... oh wells. We shall see when it arrives in Singapore...
 photo selfie.jpg
The lighting at the Apple store was so good that i couldn't resist snapping a few selfies. LOL
 photo IMG_4227.jpg
Apparently this Ferris wheel is something new in Hong Kong. Not exactly very big though...
 photo IMG_4261.jpg
Love this shot taken by my cousin. It's like the whole Hong Kong is right in front of me. HAHA
 photo IMG_4281.jpg
Dinner. Taiwan food for me, LOL "Braised minced pork with chicken chop rice and egg."
 photo IMG_3288.jpg
Back to Mongkok for shopping and more shopping! Neon lights every where.
 photo IMG_4286.jpg
This is one drink i would highly recommend if it's your first time to Hong Kong. Hui Lau Shan or Xu Liu Shan signature Mango drink. It's so heavenly and awesome. Every time i come to Hong Kong, i must at least have 1 cup of it. It's not exactly cheap but worth it. There's one outlet at City Square mall, JB though... the taste is pretty much the same.
 photo IMG_4283.jpg
Saw these uncles drawing portraits along the road of Mongkok and i first thought they are drawing for others to make a living but apparently they are not. They are just demo-ing and trying to recruit students to teach them the art of drawing portraits. I must say they draw really well. Why not take this chance to draw for others as well... No idea why.
 photo IMG_3980.jpg
Ended the night at a random dessert stall. Unknowing, the end of day 3. Time flies.


Just 1 more post to go,                          

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 & 5

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

香港 Hong Kong '15 - Day 2

Rise and Shine to Day 2 in the land of Dim Sum! But nope, not having dim sum for breakfast. The day before i decided that the next day's breakfast shall be at the famous Australia Diary Co. I have been to Hong Kong several times and is quite familiar with the place (thus the solo trip destination) but have never been to Australia Dairy Co. I have heard so much about their legendary scrambled egg so i told myself i must try it this time round.
 photo 9.jpg
47 Parkes Street, Hong Kong. Nearest station: Jordan. 

Didn't expect the queue to be so long but the turnover rate for the place was pretty fast. Queued up for about 20 mins and got ushered into the restaurant. Was pretty unsure of how to order so in the end i ordered all the items individually from the menu -_- Like 1 x scrambled egg toast, 1 x Ham macaroni and 1 x hot drink. Apparently there is a set for these items altogether at a much cheaper price, LOL I can't read Chinese for nuts. The food came really fast, item after item. The scrambled eggs was REALLY GOOD. No wonder people were raving about it. Although i am not a fan of macaroni, i managed to finish the whole bowl of it, it was not bad as well. What a hearty breakfast. Definitely worth the queue :D
 photo 10.jpg
#OOTD: Rayban Shades | Uniqlo Basic Grey Tee | Jogger Pants from Temple Street (lol) | Nike Roshe Run | Kanken Bag
 photo IMG_3825.jpg
First knew of this Secret Garden book online and i finally saw it at one of the book stores and was so tempted to get it. Then again, where got free time to do coloring. I wish they just sell the small version of the book instead of in a set...
 photo IMG_3854.jpg
Window shopping at MUJI and saw this kitchen display. So neat!
 photo IMG_3889.jpg
Looked all the place at Mongkok Sneaker street to get another pair of Nike Roshe (It's super comfortable i tell you!) but the black one i wanted was sold out EVERYWHERE, and the only available ones are in those limited edition stores, the price marked up at least 2 times! While shopping at Harbour City, i went into the Nike Store and I SAW THE SHOES at original price. Just had to get it no matter what. Even if i have to hand carry it back to Singapore. So happy to find it!
 photo IMG_3832.jpg

 photo agnesb.jpg
I LOVE THE BLACK AGNES B CUP!!! I so regret not bringing it back, it's a paper cup by the way. I should have finished the drink, washed the cup and carefully bring it back. Tried looking for it at the airport on the very last day but couldn't find the outlet. #regret ttm. If only they sell the plastic/ recyclable version of it like Starbucks/ Coffee bean.
 photo IMG_4554.jpg

 photo 11.jpg

 photo IMG_3935.jpg
Wanted to see how the original Jenny Bakery look like so i decided to drop by. The famous biscuit that you have to queue a few hours just to get a few tins. I remember the taste being pretty normal when i first tried it. The queue was quite short that day (i queued for only 10 mins!) so i decided to get a tin to munch on in my hotel room. Now i feel that the coffee one tasted really good, LOL Should have gotten a few more back to SG. By the way, if you are lazy to queue, there are a lot of unauthorized stalls in the area selling the same cookie at marked up prices. The taste the same anot?
 photo IMG_3944.jpg
Went over to Avenue of the Stars to see the beautiful skyline of Hong Kong. Very nice place :D
 photo charsiew.jpg
This is one stall that i would come back every single time i'm in Hong Kong. The char siew rice is AMAZING. Like the best i have eaten. Even if they ever increase the price to like 10 or 12 dollars a plate, i would definitely come back for it. LOL Really that good. Best if you order a sunny side up along with it and let the runny yolk flow through the char siew and rice. OMGGG. *salivates all over the place disgustingly* LOL I miss the char siew rice! Everyone should try it!!!!!!
 photo bar.jpg
Went to this bar which my cousin's friend worked at for some drinks and food to end the night. That's it for Day 2.


Be right back,                                

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 & 5

Monday, May 4, 2015

香港 Hong Kong '15 - Day 1

" It's 6 pm as i'm typing this on this plane alone at my favorite window seat. The flight captain just announced that we are cruising at 35,000ft on the way back to Singapore. The past 5 days in Hong Kong has been a blessing in disguise. All i wanted was a trip to get away from all the stress, work and i wanted some time alone for "self reflection" or should i say "healing" in Korean terms. I arrived in Hong Kong on the 17th without knowing what to do, there was no itinerary, i did not have any particular place i want to go and 5 days unknowingly just past just like that. Time really flies. But still, it was still a fruitful trip to me.
I found out my Cantonese isn't perfect and there is still a lot for me to learn, LOL I made new friends, both locals and a few others from some other countries like Japan. I shared things that was always on my mind but i didn't dare to and i felt both happy but also sadness at the same time, it's like finally getting things off my chest. When i touch down in Singapore later, everything will be back to normal. But i will start anew, become a stronger person (both mentally and physically) Be more discipline and force myself to run to lose those calories that i gained from all the good food i had in Hong Kong. " - 21st April 2015, 6.15pm

I typed the above 2 paragraphs while i was on the plane back to Singapore. There was a sudden urge to pen down my feelings at that point of time so i took out my iPad and started typing. Halfway through, i looked out of the window and tears started forming in my eyes as i think back at the past 4 months. I wanted to write more but i lost my train of thoughts. Even till today i still think about it, it's not easy to let go of something that you hold dear to your heart. By the way, don't bother asking me about what happened because if i want you to know, you should have already know the story even before you read this post. People often say, "It's time to let go" or "Move on" but it's really not that easy... 4 months seem like a really short time but a lot of things can happen in that 4 months. It's back to square one now...

Brought my camera to Hong Kong but i ended up using my iPhone to take all the random photos throughout the trip. #fail I'm also not sure how many post will this Hong Kong "mini" travelogue will last but let's see how it goes shall we? :)
 photo 1.jpg
My flight to Hong Kong was scheduled at 10.10am on 17 April 2015. I spent the night before packing my luggage till about 3am, slept for 4 hours before waking up for the airport. Wanted to take the direct bus 53 from my place but the 2 buses that came was fully packed so in the end i called for an UberX. Checked in my luggage and off to find some food before boarding the plane. The feeling of going on a solo flight was kinda weird (even though it's technically not my first time but still...) By the way, the above shot is taken using a self timer remotely controlled by my phone. LOL
 photo 2.jpg
Had Texas Chicken burger, hash brown and a bottle of mineral water for breakfast. 
 photo 3.jpg
Total flight time was about 4 hours. I used to love taking the plane and i would specifically request for the window seat so that i can look out at the amazing cloud formations but now taking the plane seem like a pretty boring thing, it took me awhile to realise, LOL The seats are quite uncomfortable (especially for budget airlines and even economy for long haul flights) Anyway, i reached Hong Kong at around 2 plus. Got the Octopus card for transport and headed to find my hotel. This time there was no need for me to get a simcard thanks to VisonData, share with you guys more about it later!
 photo 4.jpg
Stayed at Silka Seaview Hotel, Yau Ma Tei for this trip. I actually made the booking just the day before via my HotelQuickly app. Prior to departing, i was considering whether to stay at a hostel, or stay with a host via AirBnB as accommodation can be really pricey especially when traveling alone. There were also a lot of considerations such as location, accessibility, security ++ In the end i decided to stay in a hotel and i managed to get a last minute deal room in Silka Hotel at a reasonable rate (after using the credits i earned from you guys via the HotelQuickly app! Thank you to those who used my referral code, hope you guys did enjoy your staycation too!) The room i got was basic but it had everything i needed. Small but comfortable. After all i spent most of the day outside and i only return back at night...
 photo 5.jpg
By the time i unpacked and lazed in my room, it was already evening and i was ready to head out to the streets! First thing first was to meet up with my cousin (who is working in HK) for dinner. I wanted to have char siew rice since i've been craving for it for the longest time so she brought me to this restaurant, forgot the name of the place though but the food was not bad. The char siew in Hong Kong is simply divine. Yes, i used the word - Divine. It's so different compared to those in SG. Even the best char siew in Singapore cannot be compared. You need to try it for yourself, LOL
 photo 6.jpg
Took a train to Mongkok after dinner and the amount of people is oh my tians. Sardine-packed.
 photo IMG_4561.jpg
 photo 8.jpg
Went sneakers shopping and saw these 2 Jeremy scotts Adidas shoes. So chio can!! But it's not cheap at all.
 photo IMG_3663.jpg
 photo 7.jpg
Queued up 25 mins for this famous yogurt fish-shaped waffle at Mongkok before walking back to my hotel.
 photo ootd.jpg
#ootd while waiting for the waffle. Ignoring all the stares i got from the queuing bystanders, LOL


To be continued,                  

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 & 5