We started with breakfast at The Cupping Room on Wellington St. When I first saw this sign I thought it was a massage place where they did cupping. 

Turns out they did a great breakfast. Avocado on sour dough is big here in HK. Perhaps all the young people are not able to afford houses because they all eat avocado 🥑! Like in Australia. 

Then we explored the streets of Central and made our way to Pier 7 for the Star ferry to cross the harbour. 

Navigation here looks difficult but everything is well signed. There are little blue sign everywhere guiding you around. Central has steep hill so long escalators are installed to get you up the hills without too much sweat! 

All the buildings seem to be connected with walkways so you don’t have to walk down in the uneven streets if you don’t want to – or it’s too hot or wet. 

I’ve never really stayed in Central before and really like it. Wellington St is a good halfway point up the hill between the Pier area and the busy Hollywood St shopping eating areas. 

We caught the ferry across what must be one of the busiest waterways in the world and this little ferry scoots back and forth all day and night. It’s clean and well organised (unlike their beaches!) and the deck hands are dressed in navy style uniforms. 

We made our way to the iconic Peninsula Hotel and decided on a drink in the lobby bar. Well much to Steve’s amusement- or perhaps horror – we were refused entry, as he was wearing sandals! Lovely leather ones, but open toes are not permitted. They do have their standards. 

Back across the windy harbour for lunch in the ICF mall at a cafe we’d found the other day. Then it was check-out time at the hotel. 

We took our bags to Hong Kong Airport express station, so conviently  located under the IFC shopping mall. You can check in your luggage and get boarding passes hours before your flight. Such a great idea. It seems you buy your airport express ticket or have an Octopus card to get entry to the check in area. We didn’t have either but managed to get in the exit gate without a problem. 

Now we were free to have the afternoon at Discovery Bay. Yves came with us on the ferry as he was heading to the airport for a 7pm flight. It’s about 25 mins on the ferry from Pier 3 to this suburb on Lantau Island which is then only a short bus ride onto the airport. 

Discovery Bay is a bit like a film set suburb for people not wanting to live in the hustle and bustle of HK. So you find expat couples with children make up the residents. 

We were visiting Zoe and her little boy Jack. Her mother is an old friend of Steves and we’ve know here since she was a baby. She married Kunal after meeting him in HK where they both had worked for a few years. Now they have a bub and like the change of lifestyle DB offer. Though Zoe did admit missing their friends and the nights out in HK. 

We enjoyed a walk along the beach front which looked beautiful but Zoe said she doesn’t ever swim there as it’s way too polluted! She’s in a ‘ clean up the harbour ‘ group but it’s efforts are the proverbial ‘ drop in the ocean’.

Dinner was at the DB Club which is on the beach and has tennis courts and pools and a restaurant. Very nice. 

Little 3 yr old Jack was full of chat and told us he’d ride us to the airport bus. Something he’s used to with all the relatives visiting from Australia and India. 

We’re used to HK airport but lucky for the lounge with its showers and bar! By midnight we were on the plane ready for sleep as we flew to Rome – via Helsinki.