The last time I was in Hong Kong I had just stepped off a fifteen hour flight on my way to Kathmandu, Nepal. It was. The beginning of this adventure, and here once again I am at the end. Though at least this time I got to see more than the inside of the airport.
The Hong Kong skyline looks fake. From a distance my mind can’t seem to comprehend the sheer number of buildings that dot this small island. Unlike New York, when you look beyond a towering building instead of seeing into the distance you merely see more buildings, thick and dense they occupy my entire field of vision. It is so strange, it doesn’t appear real. All I can think is, how does this island deal with the logistics of this many people?
Aside from the plethora of skyscrapers, never have I seen so much shopping. On our first day we wandered around Kowloon, not even HK proper and were inundated with hundreds of shops, in dozens of malls. I think I saw five Tiffany’s on the walk to the metro. The upside is since these malls are so plentiful one can use them as a means of transport to avoid having to melt on the sidewalk. Hong Kong in August is disgustingly hot.
Our brief time in the city was spent wandering in search of boutiques and good eats. We started out with dim sum in the morning, followed by an afternoon snack of soup dumplings at Din Tai Fung, a branch of which is located in L.A.! We also had well crafted coffee, wontons, and egg tarts. Mostly, we walked, a lot. We took the star ferry and continued to be impressed with the grandeur of the skyline from across the water. It was a short visit and the mark of our entrance back into the western world. So while I’d say I like Hong Kong, it was always overshadowed a bit by the fact that it would be the last stop. After this, all that lies between us and home is a twelve hour flight across the ocean.
So, how does one sum up nearly five months in Asia? I suppose it could be in numbers.
Plane flights: 15
Bus rides (not counting intercity): 30
Boat rides: 12
Motorbikes rented: 5
Trains: 7
Countries: 11
Sunglasses lost: 4

But all that indicates is that we spent far more time on buses than I’d care to think about.
It’s difficult, to sum up nearly half a year, so much has happened! While I feel I’ve been away such a short amount of time I also feel as if I’ve had years worth of experiences. I’m writing another post dedicated to what what I’ve learned through travel, so for now the best way I can think to sum up such an adventure is simply to say it was wonderful. Through the highs and lows and the unexpected I couldn’t have imagined this trip going any better. I’ve fallen for you, Asia and I can’t wait to return.

Now, homeward bound!