23 March 2010
The peak, and the smog
After waiting as long as possible for the smog to clear, I realised this wasnt going to happen, and since its my last night in Hong Kong, it was time to go to the peak.
This is the most popular attraction in all of Hong Kong, and the main way to get there is on a cable drawn tram. It takes only a few minutes to get to the top but thats cause it goes straight up the mountain, at a maximum angle of 37 degrees, which feels more like 60.
Once you get off the tram, its kind of amazing, theres 2 shopping mall things, but the view is ridiculous.
I took it all in for a while, had a coffee, then set off on a walk.
The walking trails are also fantastic, wide, concrete, with lights, signs, phone points etc.
I selected a walk that took about 90 minutes, all along you get views of different parts of the city, and the other side of the island, the ships in the harbour, and some awesome mansions perched on the mountain. These mansions are somewhat hidden, theres no car access so I presume mainly helicopter. One of them had razor wire and guards in suits around it, but I couldnt get a photo through the trees and darkness.
Once I got back it was nearly dusk, so I headed up to the sky deck viewing area and started taking photos, perching my camera wherever I could to get a long exposure with my terrible cheap camera. The binocular/telescope things made for a perfect tripod.
The annoying part was the japanese tour groups, with their tour leader carrying a flag, all their matching hats, and most had ALL of their luggage in tow, it was ridiculous, but you see it all over the world.
I have done my best to not post too many photos, I took a lot more.
The tram.
People falling out of their seats, a lot of luggage and whatever rolled straight to the back of the tram as it left the station.
The peak skydeck.
The other side of Hong Kong island, you cant tell by the pixels, but theres a heap of ships in all these photos.
Admiring the smog.
The nature walk occasionally comes to a spot like this.
At the end of the walk you turn a corner and realise you are almost back.
People on the skydeck.
The peak itself is not the highest bit of the mountain, its up there somewhere, theres communications towers up there, but its obscured by smog.
Starting to get dark.
If you sit still and just stare, you notice the lights come on all over the place.
Almost dark...shame about the smog.
Still the photos came out pretty good.
Much better than everyone else hand holding trying to use a flash to illuminate all of East Asia.
On my walk home I came to a window with lots of pro photographers, in vests with tripods and lights and everything. I dont care if they are pro or not, I pushed them aside and took a photo anyway, the girls arent dummies (well...maybe they are) they are actual real models.