Mussoorie has been on my “wish list” of places to visit/re-visit for some time. We decided to make a trip to the “queen of the hills”, as it is known. The trip was nice and the place beautiful. But here are five things I wish for after getting back:
1. I wish getting there was easier.
I know the journey is as important as the destination and all that, but when we had to do a 2.5 hour taxi ride after landing from Delhi in one of the propeller planes that I absolutely hate, the trip didn’t seem as glamorous as I had imagined. One tip for those arriving by air – take the bypass road from Dehradun, not the highway. The driver gave us a choice, and we being clueless, opted for the highway as the bypass has a “kuccha” road for the first 3 km. But this easily…
All I could see from the airplane window were rows upon rows of coniferous trees, no buildings at all. Although not quite until we were in the open did I feel the strong chilly winds, this place seemed different. The wooden floors at the airport made it feel different from any place I had been before, leave aside London perhaps. This was Scandinavia! And I did feel like I was in a Nordic country, close to the North Pole. Here’s what I took back home from this visit:
Please help us recycle…Nordiska Museet, Stockholm
Make sustainability part of your daily life. Perhaps because the climate has always been harsh (if summer is so chilly, I shudder to think what winter must be like), Swedes have learnt to adapt, and make the most of what they are endowed with. Also importantly, to build sustainability into their daily lives. This was visible everywhere. Outside the Nordic museum where segregated dustbins for waste, plastics, paper, and glass/metal, urge you to dispose of waste responsibly – “please help us recycle”, the sign said. Inside it, where the drinking water fountain is turned off when not in use (realized this only after a bit of struggle). At the Vasa museum cafe where a sign nudges you to take only the number of tissues you really need. At the hotel in Stockholm, where instead of rows upon rows of mini toiletries, were found two of the thinnest slices of soap, and a hair & body gel you could squeeze out, and therefore take only as much as you used. At the airport where a machine asks you to feed it used bottles and cans.
The cloth bag can be your style statement. This is a separate point, because it is so important. I saw the locals carrying their own cloth bags everywhere, in shops, on public transport, most anywhere. And they carried them proudly. Almost like a style statement. Most shops there do not provide free bags. They will ask – “do you need to buy a bag”? Note the word “buy”. Not, “do you need a bag”? The word “buy” at once makes it clear that you are paying for the bag. Sustainability messaging, here too, exhorts you to carry your own bag. “Do you really need that plastic bag?” – one of the signs (one of the few I missed clicking!) at the airport shop said.
Go “fika” like the Swedes. One can never be too busy for a fika (used both as a noun and a verb). Often translated as a “coffee and cake break”, the fika is “a concept, a state of mind, an attitude, and an important part of Swedish culture”. It means making time for friends and colleagues to share a cup of coffee and “something sweet”. Importantly, it is never alone, and is as much about socializing as it is about the food. I saw Swedes out in coffee shops early mid-day, having their fika. I too had my fika moment with this giant cinnamon bun from Cafe Husaren in Gothenburg (see pic). Couldn’t finish even a quarter of it, but the Hagabullen had to be experienced (“it’s famous for a reason”)! The taste of cinnamon rolls (kanelbulle) with coffee (kaffe) may be my most lasting memory of this beautiful country.
Prioritize safety. The biggest reason I was here though was that I had been hearing for years, not only about how Sweden is consistently amongst the top countries on quality of life ratings, but also about how safe its roads are. Was there something in the culture that makes them so? After a few days of walking about (much like a queen) on those pedestrian crossings and sidewalks both in Stockholm and Gothenburg, the answer came to me, quite suddenly: it’s the way they have built (or rather, as I read later, completely re-built) their roads to prioritize safety over speed and other considerations. I found that the crosswalks were very narrow, making crossing the streets a breeze. There were signs and reminders everywhere, on the streets and also the highways. Even if you did make a mistake, the road design would “forgive” and save you. Second, it’s in the discipline in the drivers. You could walk blindfolded across the street, and come away unscathed.
“Where the streets are meant for walking (or cycling)”. A traffic sign with a father and child holding hands and walking caught my attention on the road from Stockholm from Gothenburg. After some research, I found that this means – this is a “pedestrian street”. Signs for pedestrian streets or “home zones” mean these are streets where vehicles have certain speed and parking restrictions, and they must give way to pedestrians.
Thus making it very easy to walk and cycle. On a Monday morning I found so many people cycling so busily to work on the bicycle lanes that I got a huge complex thinking how I would be in a car at this very time, had I been home, in Delhi. What a healthy mode of transport! With zero pollution around, and also no contribution to it.
Make public transport the default choice. Like all developed countries, the public transport system is so efficient, I wouldn’t imagine why one would need a car. At Stockholm, the station for the light rail (Tvärbanan), which helps extend the bus and rail network, was literally outside the hotel. The “last mile” was therefore some 10 steps of walking. Buses mostly run on biodiesel. The Stockholm subway system, modern and efficient as it is, also happens to be the world’s largest art exhibit. At Gothenburg, the tram has an old world feel but lends to the city its very distinct charm and character. You see it slithering around the whole city (it did remind me of a snake now, it did!). Where you do see cars parked, it is common to see them charging. The passenger ferry makes for a calming ride (there’s something about water and calm, I’m convinced).
‘Tis an equal society. Nothing says this clearer than the traffic signs – the father and child at the pedestrian streets, and the soon ubiquitous Ms. Pedestrian, who alternates with Mr. Pedestrian at pedestrian crossings. At first this was a shock to me, but I slowly got used to seeing the “lady” at the crosswalks in Stockholm.
Sometimes, it’s ok to pay for services we take for granted. Though not expensive, it did come as a bit of a surprise that public restrooms all over Sweden often cost money (about five krona) to use (and it has to be the exact change, please, which may be a bit inconvenient). At a restaurant, you may have to ask your waiter for the bathroom lock code. Restrooms are modern and clean however. Although this took some getting used to, I realized sometimes, it’s ok to make people pay, in return for better services and perhaps in the interest of sustainability.
The drinking water fountain at the Nordic museum is turned off when not in use Sustainable practices in the hotel industry Where recycling is a way of life…Sustainability messaging Choose the cloth bag Going fika! My Swedish fika with the HagabullenThe pedestrian street signThis is a “home zone”…Where the streets are meant for walking/cycling (Gothenburg) Monday morning @Stockholm Couldn’t get easier to cross a street On a Swedish road – signs (and crash barriers) everywhere Home is where the tram drops you off (Stockholm)The efficient little tram (Tvärbanan) snakin’ thru’ Gothenburg The Stockholm metro – the largest art exhibit in the world Biodieselbuss Charging up…Sailing on calm waters The “lady” at the crosswalk
After a whole week of walking around, clicking the traffic signs (and the scenery! – Sweden is beautiful wherever you look), observing the crossings, having my fika, and wondering how they built such a sustainable society, I do not think I came back with all of the answers.
I do suspect however that those coniferous trees, standing silent and tall in the frosty air, whisper many, many more secrets.
On a recent visit to Singapore, I noticed some differences between India and Singapore from the perspective of an urban transport ‘consumer’.
One, the city offers not one, but a whole menu of urban transport options, each as efficient and safe as the other. In fact Singapore has perhaps one of the most efficient public transportation systems in the world. Choose from public bus, MRT, LRT, depending on your location, mood, requirements, and you can be assured that you will reach from point A to point B in the fastest, safest, most comfortable way, regardless of the option you pick. Taxis support and complement other forms of urban transport, but may not be the first preference for getting around (think the proliferation of Ola, Uber in India and, while useful, the problems they bring). Yet, they are affordable, safe, comfortable, and very convenient. Surcharges during peak hours help even the flow of traffic. And taxi stops are super comfortable with good information boards.
There is also an array of apps (many of them free) to help you choose from the menu of options. Singapore maps, SG BusLeh, SG MRT LRT Offline – just open the app and it tells you the best options to get to your destination – drive, taxi, bus, bus/MRT.
Two, owning a car is expensive so by default public transport is favoured. Cars are a luxury, and frightfully expensive to own and drive. In fact, the Government has implemented a range of measures to manage car ownership and usage. In every way, this encourages public transport, and why wouldn’t one want to use it? Given all the options available.
Three, the MRT stations are right where you are. So the problems of ‘last mile connectivity’ and ‘first mile connectivity’, which are big challenges in India, are all neatly taken care of. I saw hotels and healthcare centres located right above the MRT stations. There is also an MRT station located within Singapore Changi Airport. All the trains and stations are luggage friendly. The city has been meticulously planned along principles of integrated land use and transit oriented development to make best use of its limited space.
I was also impressed with the signage inside MRTs and in the stations. Some of the signs also nudge you to, for instance, be quiet (“quieter rides make lovelier rides”), put your bag on the floor “to make space for more”, give up your seat for vulnerable groups (“show you care, offer this seat”), etc. – all in the most unobtrusive and creative way (using ‘cool’ hashtags such as #BagDownBenny, #HushHushHannah, #StandUpStacey). Green and red arrows guide you through the MRT (alighting passengers to go out first along the straight green arrows, boarding passengers to enter along the diagonal, red arrows). MRT is an attraction by itself, one of the top “things to do” in Singapore as per TripAdvisor!
Four, Singapore has implemented something called Electronic Road Pricing (ERP), aimed at tackling traffic jams during peak hours. Motorists are charged when they use priced roads during peak hours, with the intention that the price must reflect the true cost of driving. This helps manage congestion on roads.
Five, like most developed nations, pedestrians have an importance in Singapore. “Press for green man before you cross.” Of course, the discipline is remarkable, but the measures to support pedestrians exist. And while I do not focus on road safety here, I did notice that all communication related to road safety is positive – car radios do not say “slow down”, they say “drive carefully” or “drive safely”. An important point perhaps.
I also noticed at Changi airport, an innovative feedback mechanism in the restrooms and other areas like the gardens (e.g. the butterfly park), where you are encouraged to rate your experience based on the cleanliness of the restrooms or experience in the gardens by clicking smiley icons on a screen (ranging from excellent to very poor). If you click ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’, you have to select one of the reasons for your choice, and submit again. Although I didn’t realize at that time, this actually helps collect real-time data on how the restrooms/gardens are performing. Data which immediately feeds back into operations. So, for instance, if a particular restroom is getting a lot of average or poor ratings, housekeeping staff are alerted to send a supervisor to inspect. And though I did not see the same at MRT stops, bus stops and other transit stations, this may be an idea worth transferring to public transport, if it isn’t being done already.
I know that Indian cities are not strictly comparable with the island nation of Singapore. But that shouldn’t stop us from learning some useful lessons? It’s up to our policymakers to adapt as they deem fit.
This blog was first published on LinkedIn in July 2017.
Ok so don’t get me wrong! While I do love traveling and exploring new places, I have to admit that I end up suffering from some travel anxiety when I have to pack to go on a holiday with kids. It just so happens (always!) that just before I have to travel, someone’s sick, or work’s suddenly hectic, or there’s some other kind of stress. When I get to the destination, much of the anxiety lifts, and I find myself enjoying.
While no vacation is ever all “good” or “bad”, I find that it helps to learn from your experiences. So a little secret I had was that I would come back from each holiday and jot down what I had learnt from my experiences in a little diary. And I would refer to all of my previous lists whenever I would go on the next holiday. Over time I found a pattern to my lessons. And this time I thought – why not share my lessons with other moms and give back to the “village”. So here goes, my top 10, in no particular order:
Rule Number 1: **Always eat a hot dinner**
I found that while lunch is often skippable (you’ve often eaten a really heavy breakfast at the hotel, you are out all day, or you just feel like munching on something rather than having a full meal), one non-negotiable rule especially when traveling with kids is to always eat a hot dinner. It may just be cheese pizza or whatever the kids like, but ‘hot’ is key to keeping little throats well, and ‘dinner’ is key as well to keeping kids well!
Rule Number 2: **Carry a variety of munchies, and not just sweet ones**
Carrying munchies is of course a done thing, if you want to avoid hungry, tired, and cranky kids. What I learnt is, when you are on holiday and not perhaps getting all of your basic meals, the body craves a variety of tastes, so carrying mostly sweet/chocolate biscuits is going to lead to a situation where you actually can’t look at more sweets! So I realized how important it was to carry a mix of sweet and savoury snacks. Here too, variety is key. Think wafers of different varieties rather than just chocolate cream biscuits. Think Lay’s of different flavours, kurkure, soya snacks, nachos, and crackers (which go well with cheese spread and jam). And your own home made matthis and namak paras, which I find a God sent really.
Rule Number 3: **Always carry lollipops on a flight**
I suspect there is a psychological reason apart from the scientific one, but there’s something about a lollipop that will soothe a child on a flight, even if it works more for its distraction power.
Rule Number 4: **Buy as you go, click as you go**
OK so this is not necessarily a rule only for travel with kids, but generally. I made this because I would always return from a holiday with a bag of regrets – “I saw this and thought I would buy it later”, “oh we’ll buy it on the way back at the airport”, “it looks expensive!”. Well, the opportunity slipped and I never bought the thing. Moods have a way of deteriorating on the way back from a holiday. So buy upfront, and don’t worry how much you are spending. Years later, you still have the thing, who cares how much it cost! And yes, don’t postpone clicking. I saw a certain decoration at a hotel we stayed in recently and thought – “oh I’ll click this tomorrow!” By the next day, they had taken it down 😦
Rule Number 5: **Pack according to the destination**
So this may sound silly but it happens! This is when you go to a warm destination from freezing Delhi, say. You just can’t imagine what the weather is going to be like at the destination. But then it’s important to foresee. Check weather apps, read reviews, ask people, but don’t assume the weather won’t be different from where you are.
Rule Number 6: **Arrive close to check in time**
Yes it may be difficult to exactly synchronise your flight timings with hotel check in timings, but especially when traveling with kids, it’s a good idea at least to be AWARE. It is NOT welcome to hang around in the waiting area for hours with hungry, tired kids, waiting for your room. Makes for bad tempers and a bad start.
Rule Number 7:**Always carry the Vim!**
OK so while one isn’t exactly going to a holiday to work, I tend to be a little hyper about hygiene, boiling water and storing it neatly in washed sippers. I don’t know how much the effort is worth it, but I would still say, don’t forget your (liquid) vim! You’ll be glad for it.
Rule Number 8: **Carry the powders in Nutella jars**
So this is a rule I made when I would carry milk powder, Bournvita, Tang in sachets, and then struggle to store them using rubber bands. Now all I do is carry all the powders in neatly labelled Nutella jars. It’s convenient and amazingly mess free. Don’t forget to carry your own (IKEA) plastic plates, bowls, spoons and knives. Extremely handy and far better than asking hotel staff for extra cutlery all the time.
Rule Number 9: **Plan, Plan and Plan**
Now this is something I made up when I feel we messed up our itineraries in some visits. There’s no harm in being aware, reading up (TripAdvisor is a favourite), discussing and planning your day to day itinerary with your family thoroughly before you travel. And usually, while the kids are well, plan the major outings upfront. Like in Hong Kong, I would say do Ocean Park on the first day. And always alternate with a lighter outing. A friend also gave me a valuable tip. She said if we’ve had a hectic day, I let the kids sleep until late the next day. Then we rest that entire day and perhaps go out only in the evening.
Rule Number 10: **Don’t leave behind the devices**
Last but not the least, and this is a debatable one, but I’ve come to believe in its power, so I say don’t leave behind the devices. Yes, you are going on a holiday and there’s a lot to explore, but I’ve seen one thing and that is that when you’ve had too much of exploring, you can do with the much needed device-break to recharge yourselves. So pack those iPads and Kindles, and don’t forget the chargers 😀
Enjoy the break from routine rather than stress about it. Remember, don’t come back with a bagful of regrets! And always eat the hot dinner 🙂 Safe travels!
This blog was first published on momspresso.com in January 2018 (AND got over 1.8k likes – my very own blockbuster hit!).
Mussoorie has been on my “wish list” of places to visit/re-visit for some time. We decided to make a trip to the “queen of the hills”, as it is known. The trip was nice and the place beautiful. But here are five things I wish for after getting back:
1. I wish getting there was easier.
I know the journey is as important as the destination and all that, but when we had to do a 2.5 hour taxi ride after landing from Delhi in one of the propeller planes that I absolutely hate, the trip didn’t seem as glamorous as I had imagined. One tip for those arriving by air – take the bypass road from Dehradun, not the highway. The driver gave us a choice, and we being clueless, opted for the highway as the bypass has a “kuccha” road for the first 3 km. But this easily added half an hour taxi ride time because of traffic in the city.
2. I wish it was easier to get around Mussoorie.
All taxis in Mussoorie are part of a “taxi union”, and thus charge exorbitant rates, e.g. a 5 min ride costing Rs. 300. Yet we also found different taxi drivers quoting different rates. Cycle rickshaws I suspect have some kind of union of their own, because their prices were not any less!
3. I wish the mall road was not as crowded.
I found the mall road very dirty and congested, with none of the charm or peace of mall roads in other hill stations.
4. I wish places within Mussoorie were not quite as commercial.
Everywhere carries an entry fee, and has a whole lot of touts and such people around. We finally visited only two places – Soham Heritage Centre, and Camel Back Road, and by the end, were done with sightseeing for good. It just gets to you.
5. I wish places like Landour around Mussoorie remain unspoilt.
For real serenity, we went up the slopes to Landour, which is as yet much more pristine and unspoilt. A visit to the Landour Bakehouse was like stepping into a different era altogether. I do hope for selfish reasons that it remains hard to get there, because once tourists reach, the purity of these small towns will also be destroyed.
I first went to Hong Kong in 2010. The seamless confluence of the hills, the sea and the land made me fall in love with the city. Although there were many places I visited with my husband and 2-year old daughter, we did not manage to visit the “Peak” that time. I promised to myself that we would be back if only for the Peak. They say always leave that one thing that will take you back to a place…? Maybe this was it.
So here we were, night of 28 May, 2018, this time with a 10-year old daughter and her 7-year old excited little brother, off to another visit to the same magical city. We enjoyed the second visit too, and it was different and special in its own way. Here are the “must see” places we experienced this time.
1. Ocean Park – a full day required
Ocean Park is a marine park/animal theme park/amusement park located in the Southern District of Hong Kong. It’s quite easy to get there now, just change to the light green line (the South Island line) of the MTR at Admiralty, and it’s the first stop on this line with direct access to the park. The park is interesting, and big, with lots to do. What troubled me was that it seems to be getting dated, with a bit of everything, I enjoyed much more on my last visit, with a lot of live performances and a carnival atmosphere. Maybe it’s the age, or the heat, because this time we were out to Ocean Park on one of the days with a “very hot” weather warning. It was just cruel being out in a huge park on such a day although what probably saved us was that being a weekday, queues were not long anywhere. I would probably visit the Panda enclosure which is right at the entrance first, then take the cable car up to the summit while the crowds are still less and you have shorter queues for the cable car. Up there is where all the rides are. We did the “rapids” at the “rainforest”, and it was utter bliss getting wet in that weather! Look for the North Pole encounter with the giant walruses which are simply stunning. We didn’t visit the South Pole enclosure with the penguins but I believe that is good too. The dolphin show which has as its narrative preserving/saving dolphins, is good, but a bit repetitive, if you’ve seen similar shows before.
Tip: Reach sharp at 10 am (not early, no place to sit outside).
2. The Peak – a half day trip (or less, depending on how early you make it there)
I was really excited about this visit as we missed it the last time. I had heard so much about the terrifying queues for the Peak Tram, and the scramble for seats on the right-hand side where all the views are, that we rushed to make it very early to the station. The Peak Tram actually starts running at 7 am and we were there before 8. It’s a Funicular railway, in that it uses a cable traction for movement on a steep slope. One of the fun parts is that passengers riding on the Peak Tram will experience a visual illusion: when going uphill, the high rises on the right ride of the tram appear to fall toward the Peak. Now, as we were early, we didn’t experience any queues for the tram and managed to get our seats on the right-hand side, witness the illusion, and the ride, while short, was pleasant enough. Once at the Peak, we missed the usual crowds but got some spectacular views at the Lion’s Pavilion. While it was a hot and humid day in Hong Kong, the Peak was slightly cooler, though it was far from chilly. Maybe rainy days get cooler here. One downside of making it up so early was that we missed the usual bustle and the shops. There was just one Chinese shop open at 9 am. That said, I would still recommend reaching the Peak early. After the ride back in the Funicular, we also had time for a short visit to the Hong Kong Park, a hidden gem just off the Peak Tram station. It has a children’s park, an aviary, beautifully maintained gardens and fountains, and even a waterfall. As it’s quite shaded and on the way to the MTR station, you also make it back there in a relatively unruffled condition.
Tip: Don’t miss the Peak Tram.
3. Ngong Ping – a half day trip
Ngong Ping is a highland in the western part of Lantau Island, Hong Kong. It hosts Po Lin (Precious Lotus) Monastery and Tian Tan Buddha amidst the hills. Reaching there is pretty easy on MTR, just get off at MTR Tung Chung Station Exit B, then take the Ngong Ping Cable Car. Queues for the cable car are long, but shorter if you book through Klook. You can opt for the normal cable car or the crystal bottom one, unfortunately with our booking we didn’t have the option for crystal bottom, but I think it would be worth the experience. I think this place is worth visiting just for the cable car experience, which is phenomenal. You get some amazing views of the airport, the highlands, and a first view of the Big Buddha. When at the Ngong Ping “Village”, the place, while tranquil, is pretty commercialized I felt. It’s nice buying one of the touristy pictures/snow globe of your family in the cable car just when you get off, if you only mind the exorbitant $300 tag, but it’s cheap of them when they give you a free photo to collect from one of the shops up ahead, where you are made to pose in 6 different poses, hoping you would be motivated to buy more. The walk up the 268 steps to the Big Buddha is exhausting especially on a hot day (yes, we landed up there on another “very hot” warning day) but once up, the atmosphere is spiritual. So irritated was I with the long trudge up that I ended up splurging a further $150 on a rose quartz bracelet, and I only hope it’s worth the price!
Bottom-line: Go here for sure, for the cable car experience.
4. Hong Kong Disneyland Resort – at least a full day
Now I haven’t visited any other Disneyland resorts around the world so I really can’t compare, but from what I read based on others’ reviews, the park is relatively small. That doesn’t mean however that you do not need to plan, if you want to visit more than one “land” in an efficient manner. We ended up on another “very hot” day (phew!), and that too a Sunday. Queues everywhere were long, but especially for the customary picture with Mickey and Minnie near the entrance (which took over an hour of standing and waiting, not worth it especially if you are staying at one of the Disneyland hotels nearby where you would anyway get to meet the characters at breakfast) and the Winnie the Pooh ride, which was kind of repetitive, especially after “It’s a small world”, an amazing boat ride past a joyful congregation of singing children from around the globe, which has excellent queue management. We ended up kind of going back and forth the park, which was pretty exhausting. By the time we made it to the Lion King show in Adventureland at 4.30 pm, we were exhausted, at least I surely was, and my son looked as if he had nearly caught a heat stroke. Happiest place on earth? Wasn’t for me, at least not this time!
Bottom-line: Carry lots of food and especially various kinds of drink.
Some last tips on Hong Kong in general?
Tip 1: HKG offers a variety of modes of transport, which are all very good and worth experiencing. Do ride the double decker bus, the MTR, the Peak Tram, the Hong Kong Tramways (Ding Ding) (this one we missed), and the Star Ferry, each of which has a charm its very own. I was particularly impressed to see people who were going to work, riding the Star Ferry boats from Hong Kong Island to Kowloon and back even though they could quite easily use the MTR. I guess many people take the ride not just for an up-close look at the beautiful harbour, but because, even after a century, Star Ferry is still a highly reliable and efficient form of transport, something that India is trying to emulate. Do not miss it!
Tip 2: HKG’s climate is sub-tropical, tending to be hot, humid and sunny, with occasional showers and thunderstorms. We were there during a particularly hot and humid week, and the high humidity levels certainly made it feel much hotter. The week we were back, I checked back and found that a tropical cyclone had hit Hong Kong, bringing heavy rains. Carrying an umbrella is a must to protect from both the sun and the rain. Do not also forget the sun screen, which sometimes lies forgotten in our bag on a holiday.
Tip 3: For the weather, download an app called MyObservatory. I found it very useful for its real-time weather predictions and warnings for HKG. Look for the red and yellow coloured sign saying “very hot” and avoid going to a resort/outdoor trip that day!
Tip 4: Shopping? All places are good. I did not think much of Ladies market, a street market in busy Mong Kok (described as the busiest district in the world by the Guinness World Records) which ended up being rows and rows of cheap, fake stuff, but maybe it’s good for cheap souvenirs you forgot to buy before, if you can haggle. Our hotel was connected to Langham Place, Mong Kok, a Hong Kong shopping hot spot and one of the major malls in HKG. Other malls – Pacific Place, Olympian City, and International Finance Centre, which is high end – were all good. Causeway Bay gets crowded on weekends, but it has an IKEA, and a SOGO (department store). The Toys R Us we saw there last time has closed.
Tip 5: Prepare to be sad when you leave this place. HKG kind of grows on you and calls you back. Now I was just wondering when I could go to Hong Kong again. I think we missed “A Symphony of Lights”! 😉
1. I wish getting there was easier.
1. I wish getting there was easier.
I first went to Hong Kong in 2010. The seamless confluence of the hills, the sea and the land made me fall in love with the city. Although there were many places I visited with my husband and 2-year old daughter, we did not manage to visit the “Peak” that time. I promised to myself that we would be back if only for the Peak. They say always leave that one thing that will take you back to a place…? Maybe this was it.
Lavendermistwithglitter 