via joe cheung
It's been half a decade since the travel bug bit me. I was a late bloomer and have been trying to make up for it ever since. I like that I finally make enough money to go to places on a whim. Nothing is more rewarding than being able to see the world. When Joe said he was touring Southeast Asia with a stopover in Hong Kong, I jumped at the opportunity to see HK with a friend. Hong Kong may not have been as high on the list as say, Barcelona, but I knew it would be a city that I could fall in love with. Obviously right?
Strangely enough the first few days left something to be desired. I wasn't sure what was wrong as I listened to Joe rave about the city and the possibilities of living there. Yes, the food was amazing, the shopping unparalleled and the nightlife rocked. Free wi-fi could be found in most public areas, taxis were abundant and everyone knows at least conversation English. But the stir in my stomach that I get from traveling was missing. Jetlag perhaps? There wasn't even a spark of awe as I stared at HK's skyscrapers and impressive skyline. It wasn't until we visited Macau, with its Portuguese architecture and art history, that I understood what was missing. A fellow traveler that I met along the way said, "After awhile most places, while diverse due to location and people, will actually start feeling the same. Common themes appear and it takes a lot longer to get out of the comfort zone."
Next time I come back to Hong Kong, I'd like to explore the New Territories, see the islands around Discovery Bay, ride the gondola in Aberdeen and take in the hiking trails all around the back of the city. That sounds like an awesome trip, doesn't it?
