Buzzing around Hong Kong - Day 4

A day spent dreaming. The local version of Disneyland had drawn flak from some friends but still was one of the things to see for a first-timer. The journey was worthwhile too, taking us across the gigantic central HK station. HK is a small city, but has an impressive 8 rail lines, with each station having atleast 6 exits (although not all of them have escalators), connecting to all nearby streets. It was slightly confusing at first, but turned out to be much faster. The MTR trains themselves look cool, but the indicators inside specifying current station, next station, direction of travel and even side of exit was awesome. Probably something for SG to catch up on. It was heartening to see the young rise and shine by offering seats to the needy, which has sadly reduced a bit over the last decade in SG.



The disneyland resort line was theme based and the train windows and carriages full of disney characters, history and profiles reflected that. I was a bit sceptical on what to expect, but got into the mood as the day wore on. Disneyland was split into 4 quadrants, starting off with the shops on Main Street to the thrill rides in Tomorrowland, the meet-and-greet disney characters in Fantasyland and short trips in Adventureland. We rounded it off with a rickety train trip around the place. Out of all that the theme park had to offer, Fantasyland was probably the best as it captured the essence and history. Ocean Park has better thrill rides and there are numerous hiking trips around HK, including one in Ngong Ping for the adventurous souls. Fantasyland offers more for the kids and I could see the kid in everyone really coming out there. This is something that everyone enjoys. Stories are brought to life in stunning fashion. Winnie the Pooh story ride is a classic example, and a must-see. The 3D Phillar Magic show was lovely. Two 80 yr olds beside us were so taken in that they wanted to grab all the cute things that "flew" to them. It was probably the best of it all.





Disneyland has a nice concept of FastPass, wherein you take a priority ticket upfront and come back after an hour to enjoy the show. This helps people avoid wasting time standing in queues at these attractions, while it allows organisers to space out the audience. We grabbed one such fast pass and managed to find a veggie lunch, surprisingly including a Naan, before coming back to enjoy the show. I was one satisfied customer at the end of it!



I spent 4 times the ticket price on purchases, which could have been the obvious ploy when they made ticket prices "reasonable". But then dreams are special and it doesnt seem too much to spend on characters whom we had loved as children, and have grown to love more. My favorite character is Donald Duck and I had only a pencil box to show for it till today. Not anymore!

It was a special place to visit on New Year's Eve, and both of us were extremely reluctant to turn our backs on this magical place. They had made special arrangements for the countdown party, but we decided we would rather shiver closer to home than 1hr away from it in the midst of mountains and chilly winds. The whole day floated by and we just physically left it behind when we boarded the train where we heard "Thank You for visiting the magical world. We are now heading towards the futuristic city of HK". Truth is bitter, harsher and colder!



It was nice to see the entire Tsim Sha Tsui locked down for the New Year Eve. It was the masses everywhere with no vehicle in sight. Shops open and people enjoying everywhere. Small kids braved the chills to smile and it gave us hope that 2009 would indeed bring us joy and happiness; that we the people of the world can withstand everything thats thrown our way. The moment arrived, not with a bang but with a whimper of pong bongs in a street corner with a band and the better half right beside. Nothing else mattered when the clock struck 12.



Surprisingly, the crowd dispersed quietly as quick as it had gathered, with the band trying to entertain the few who didnt budge. Humble and passionate, the crowds of HK!
The chills brought us back to the hotel faster than we would have wanted. I am gonna get up late tomorrow, not bcos of hangover neither bcos of the free condom pack I got from a gal on the street who was impressed with what she saw, but bcos I wanna dream and go back to the fantasyland of my childhood. A day I will hold close to my heart forever.

Random Access
The search has just begun !!!