Shek O or now-I-know-why-we-live-in-HK

Oh I seeeee. That Hong Kong. Why didn't anybody mention this earlier?! After having been rapped over the knuckles by T for sitting around complaining, I set out yesterday morning on what my brother would call an 'agventure', to discover the South Side of the island.

My destination of choice was Shek O. Hong Kong's only beach with waves. It's also on the furthest tip of the island, so it really allowed me to feel like I was breaking new ground. So, off I went. Lonely Planet tucked under arm, flip flops on, enough cash to buy Coke Zero along the way and the book-I-can't-put-down (The girl who kicked the hornet's nest). Now that I think about it, I suppose these would be the things I would take on a desert island.

The trip couldn't have been easier. All I had to do was get the metro for 5 stops (to Shau Kei Wan), dive onto a bus (no 9) that was literally outside the exit and then sit on it until it reached the last stop. Totally blondie proof. I couldn't get lost even if I tried. And I did try actually as I got off the metro one stop too soon, but someone quickly guided me back on. Nice try.

The buses, by the way, are double deckers here. And they drive at break-neck speed, skidding round corners and breaking at stops, as if caught by surprise. I can see the driver thinking, "Damn. Another stop? again?"

Anyway, as we lurched our way to Shek O, the scenery gradually changed from King Kong-esque jungle to Costa Brava prickly-piney-greeny-browny. And then, one last lethal corner, and we toppled out onto this:

Tested the water...aaaaaahh


Thought about how I could be them if I only-I-had-brought-a-bather. Arse


Knew I was in heaven when I saw the beach shop had not one, but TWO of my favorite drinks on earth, ever


And then skidded back home

Note the use of large pictures for this post. Thought they got the atmos across better. Even though I seriously need a photography course or something to stop them looking like 1970s postcards