Been in HK for the better part of 3 days now and unfortunatley it has been a bit rainy. Still, there is plenty to do if you don’t mind getting a bit wet. But that means a lot of the touristy kind of things are out – like parks and outter island tours. I have, however, noticed that the most touristy things are a bit disappointing anyway – the peak tram is not worth waiting in line 45 minutes for.

The first 2 nights I stayed in Mirador Mansion in the Tsim Sha Tsui district of Kowloon. As I mentioned, I was not all that into the energy there. I mean Mirador (like its famous neighbor the Chungking Mansion) is a total dump – an enormous fortress of tiny rooms and dripping air conditioners – but it was TST in general I wasn’t into more than Mirador in particular. In fact I probably found the best spot in Mirador – the Garden Hostel which is unique because of its large common area. But TST feels seedy – like everyone is trying to rip you off. It is like staying in Roppongi, or Wenceslas Square, or maybe Hollywood Blvd.

So yesterday I moved to a new part of town on Hong Kong Island – Causeway Bay specifically, which seems to be the only other part of town that has cheap lodging. Wayyy better. The energy here is local, young, and vibrant. It is to the earlier comparisons more akin to Shibuya, Zizkov, or maybe the better part of Hollywood Blvd. Of course I am now paying around $40US a night for a room smaller than a closet and without windows – when in Mirador I was paying $9.50 for a shared room (but I do have a bit of privacy). And the options for eating, drinking, and exploring are certainly better.

So if you find yourself heading to Hong Kong, may I strongly suggest you book a room on HK Island instead of in Kowloon.

On to Nepal tomorrow!