05 : Getting Around In HK : The Tram

OIAP FMS HK 2008

Introduction : Peter, Hui Tze & Ruiming (yours truly) make their way to Hong Kong. From the 14th September 2008 to early January of 2009, they will work as interns, surviving on a measly sum of money. I kinda guess it’s not exactly backpacking, but you know, the concept’s the same : we’re still poor. And being poor simply means being poor. It’s that simple.

 

 

 

Tram docks at a station.

 

 

And yes, for weeks Peter, Hui Tze and I took the MTR. It was lovely, it was sweet, but it was taking its toll on our finances. Soon, our nice colleague, Mary was kind enough to decide to fetch us to work everyday (with the exception of Hui Tze, probably because of the lack of horsepower). Our usage of the MTR soon became infrequent and rare. 

For from the trampled and rusty, bustling and screaming, crowded and dirty streets of Hongkong, there comes a vehicle so old, so slow, so ugly, so …. 20th-century that even Stalin would spit on it. No, I’m kidding. 

But it’s okay, it is forgivable. Never mind the fact that if I stuck my head out, it would probably be ripped off by oncoming traffic, never mind the crazy exposure to Hongkong’s air pollution or it taes an hour to send us home. It’s all okay. 

Why? Well, the reason is because…

 

Tram & A Bus (which is more expensive)

 

Tram.

 

 

 

It costs just 2 bucks. 2 whole dollars, and Hongkong dollars. That’s cheap enough to, well, umm, never mind. It’s the cheapest thing in Hongkong. That’s like, what, 40 cents? Cheaper than a can of coke and as moving like a billion grannies without their walking sticks. 50 kilometres per hour at maximum, mostly slower. 

 

That said, it’s a lovely way and inexpensive way to tour the city and shout at other people in oncoming trams. If you are the mischievous sort, try resisting the urge to throw something across. Waiting times aren’t especially bad, and pretty reasonable. 

 

Tram Route.

 

 

And..300 odd words. I’ve reached my ranting limit. Stay tuned for another entry soon! To read more about trams in Hongkong, click here!

02 Getting Around In HK : MTR

 

Give way to these types of people on the subway in Hongkong : from left to right, Men with Erectile Dysfunction, Paedophile In Action With Child, A Fat Man, Men with Injured Genitalia.

 

 

 

OIAP FMS HK 2008

Introduction : Peter, Hui Tze & Ruiming (yours truly) make their way to Hong Kong. From the 14th September 2008 to early January of 2009, they will work as interns, surviving on a measly sum of money. I kinda guess it’s not exactly backpacking, but you know, the concept’s the same : we’re still poor. And being poor simply means being poor. It’s that simple.

 

 

MTR Network

 

 

Hi guys, it’s me again. It’s been two weeks since we landed and I haven’t been able to secure an Internet Connection. Peter, Hui Tze and myself have been getting on each other’s nerves all week (mostly their fault, haha).

 

 

Waiting

Today’s entry is about the MTR, which of course, stands for Mass Transit Railway. As I have mentioned before, it puts Singapore’s MRT to shame. I mean, the train comes as often as a minute during peak hour. The longest you’ll ever have to wait for one is 3 minutes which is simply amazing.  I take the train at around 8 every morning and most of the time I am able to find myself a seat. In contrast, back where I come from, I have to squeeze against the bums of strangers. 

 

Seats here are cold, hard metal, which…doesn’t really bother me. It doesn’t really make me feel more special either, just saying.

 

Cabin Interior

 

Admittedly, the carriages are smaller and noisier, but that isn’t really a bother because you don’t stay on the MTR for long. We all have to use the Octopus Card which is pretty expensive. It costs me around a HK$80 bucks per week, which is umm, 14 Singapore dollars. The card can also do so many things, like pay for stuff at fast food joints and 7-Eleven. Pretty much like an EZ-LINK card, but with different colours. Cost is pretty much the same, so there’s nothing much to ramble on about. Same gantries, except they have that turning thing, which I don’t know how to describe. 

 

Train Line

 

Gantry

 

The signs are also interesting though, as you have seen from above.

And yes, I am extremely tired and going to head off to write a couple hundred more words after I finishing writing the next sentence. Good night.

 

PS : I should also add that no one jumped onto the tracks since I arrived, that’s quite alot to cheer about.

01 Getting Around in HK : Airport Express

 

OIAP FMS HK 2008

Introduction : Peter, Hui Tze & Ruiming (yours truly) make their way to Hong Kong. From the 14th September 2008 to early January of 2009, they will work as interns, surviving on a measly sum of money. I kinda guess it’s not exactly backpacking, but you know, the concept’s the same : we’re still poor. And being poor simply means being poor. It’s that simple.

Our Flight

 

 

Day 1 : 

Finally, we have arrived in Hong Kong. Jetstar took around 4 hours (in the mean time we spent 8 bucks in cheap in-flight spaghetti that was worth what, 3 dollars? Better eat before you board.) and we touched down at Hong Kong International Airport. Though the customs officer was rude to Peter (“Why didn’t tell me you had a VISA?!” [he is convinced they treat dark-skinned people unfairly]), I got through relatively unscathed. 

What is Hong Kong like? Well, Hong Kong is like Singapore, except with seasons, Cantonese speaking people, heavy use of Mandarin, unique (some say odd) town planning, a cooler subway and shopping. And currency. iPods here are also cheaper. But I digress. 

Arrival At the Airport

The 3 of us took the Airport Express (from the airport of course). It costs $HK 210 as we had 3 people. Apparently it is usually $90 per head. Oh well, thank God for other humans. 

 

Airport Express Tickets

 

Waiting Area

Okay, so it is a little expensive, but hey, for a Singaporean living on a island so puny, it was alot of experience. If you thought Singapore’s MRT was good, let me till you now that it is NOTHING compared to the subway (not the restaurant) in HK. 

 

AIRPORT EXPRESS

I mean, take a look at this : The trains have these “loading bars” that show you how much the train has travelled.

 

Peter in Airport Express

 

 

Interior Of Airport Express

 

How Long It Takes To Reach

 

Certainly awesome, but not worth it’s price if you ask me. It’s always better to travel slowly to soak up the…never mind. Heard there’s a ferry that could have gotten me across the water. Takes longer, of course. The Airport Express is the quickest way to reach Hong Kong island, where we stay. It took around a grand total of just 20 minutes. 

They say long entries are boring, so I am going to keep this one short. 

Till then! Keep your eyes on this space!

03 : Buildings In Hongkong Island

If there is any 2 things that my Motherland Singapore surpasses Hongkong in, I have to say that it would be the use of the English Language and the second, well, organization of buildings…

(Because I am not a professional writer/journalist/blogger (yet), I am going to just write this halfway before I zip off to work (very unprofessional, as you can see) and leave this piece in progress dangling on the World Wide Web.

Normally such behaviour would call for my dismissal, but hey, I’m not working or whatever. Just give me till Sunday and this will be updated.

Ciao.)

Hang on! De*tails* to come

HRM, jboo and Satsueisha came up with this for backpackers – The Backpack Rat. Thanks for turning up at this rat hole.

This idea’s been in the making for quite some time in HRM’s mind, but finally we have a name – inspired by Snowball’s furriness (Snowball is the other of HRM’s rats).

We will backpack around the world with the lightest loads we can manage, penetrating through countries with our witty writing and observations. Nothing’s in yet, but soon our adventures to Thailand, Cambodia, Hongkong and Hainan island will fill the Backpack Rat with tails tales of fascinating people, places and things.

Details to come soon, we promise.