15 May 2010
Walked up the Peak
This morning I decided to return to the Peak. Hong Kongs premier tourist attraction which is a mountain on Hong Kong island that overlooks the skyscrapers. I went there last time on the cable drawn tram and took some photos at dusk.
Today is very misty and a bit rainy, without actually raining, so there will be no view, however given that it felt a bit cool at 9am, I decided to walk from sea level to the summit of the peak.
I am not sure I ever sweated so much in my life.
The lower levels are actually the steepest, and there are still cars around the apartment blocks jutting out of the hills here. The road goes straight up the side of the moutain.
It then becomes a walking track and its fantastic. But steep! I think it took me about 1 hours and 20 minutes from Central station total, which actually isnt too long, 1/2 that time is getting to the actual walking trail itself.
I saw lots of people walking down but no one else walking up.
Once I got to the top I was planning to take the tram back, but I was too sweaty for that, and had too much fun so I decided to walk back down again.
Only one other person was walking up on my way down, and that was a tiny asian girl being pulled up by two large dogs, so this make me feel like a superhero.
I rewarded myself with a massive sandwhich for lunch from the wellcome supermarket which was delicious, made from real bread with chicken tikka and salad.
On the way I passed some sort of segway expo for green living.
A reminder that the way up to the peak is the area of town all the rich people live in. The Balboni stripe is ok, but the white intake vents are horrible!
The start of the walking path.
Theres public toilets on the ascent, but no drinkable water. I immediately bought a pocari sweat once I got to the top.
The view of the lush forest. You can see the predator if you focus carefully.
View from halfway up, obscured by clouds.
Turn a corner and all of a sudden you are there.
Check out how awesomely sweaty I am.
The view from the top reveals no buildings below, just cloud.
Once down again, heres a look at where I came from.
On my way back to Central Station I stumbled across a protest. Asians love a loudspeaker when they protest.