Sleeping to Hong Kong

Thibault had booked us on a "soft sleeper" carriage. Very grateful we didn't get the hard sleeper as I doubt that would have meant any sleep at all. Hard sleeper carriages are open to the corridor, and shall we just say that silence doesn't seem to be a typical Chinese characteristic. At least we could shut our compartment door to the world. We had a compartment for four. My first surprise was they weren't unisex. My second was that there was no seating to convert into beds - there were just beds. And my third surprise was the agility of the little old lady who took the upper bunk opposite and climbed up like spider man. Thibault graciously took our top bunk, so I got the lower one. I am not sure I am as agile as the little old lady. Actually I am sure I have the agility of a pregnant hippo.

Thibault and I went off in search of the dining carriage. Typically we headed in the wrong direction, so we did in the end explore the entire train. The lower standard parts did look pretty awful. Everyone seemed to have brought their own food. When we found the dining carriage we saw why. Not exactly cordon bleu. Although the shrimp omelette was fine, you couldn't say much for the rest, nor for the general ambience. But we had some yuan to burn.

As we were in mixed company it seems that the form is that one sleeps fully clothed. Now remember we had already engaged in a day's sightseeing and now we had a 17 hour journey ahead of us. And its around 28-32C throughout, and humid. No showers of course. I will leave you to imagine the clamminess.

Also I had imagined dropping off to the comforting rhythm of the train. Actually there were quite a lot of jolts. But for all that it was an experience and not such a bad one. I might yet try a sleeper again, but maybe in Europe.

Thibault having descended to "my" bunk for a read

 Needless to say on arrival in Hong Kong mid-afternoon our first desire was to get into the hotel, shower and change. Then quickly followed by a desire to get out and have a late lunch - so late that it was probably more like 4:30pm before we settled down to our meal.

 In amongst all the modernity, we went for a bit of old Hong Kong. The Luk Yu Teahouse served dim sum until 5:30 so we were just in time. And unsurprisingly at that time in the afternoon we didn't have to jostle with many other diners. Can't say we were blown away by the food, but the art deco styling was nice.

One of the must do activities in Hong Kong is to take the Star Ferry across the harbour to Kowloon. So we did it.

And then pottered around into the evening. I took a walk around the hotel area at night on return. Still incredibly hot and humid, but given what a grey day it had been, the night was actually nicer.