Regular readers here know that in 2015 I had a wonderful opportunity to visit Hong Kong twice while VT was on a work assignment there. Not living as a tourist was a great experience in itself. While travel was a part, the best was getting to see the city up close. Experiencing it on its good and bad days. Halloween or pollution, the welcoming of new year or the rains that kept the city quiet.
The brightly lit city, the strong infrastructure and the culture drew me to it.
So here are 7 things that you can do in Hong Kong but not in India.Â
- Using a train to cross terminals in the airport.
- A walk in the vegetable market without stepping on cow-dung.
- Surfing on the high-speed internet at the airport that beats the one in most Indian offices.
- Getting on conductor-less buses where people drop the exact change or swipe Octopus(don’t worry, it’s just a card).
- Miss constant honking on the roads.
- Waiting for traffic signals to cross roads and not run for life.
- Wearing what you want without people looking at you with surprise.
If you love to walk, Hong Kong will give you ample safe pedestrian space. Food that most people worry about is easy to find – from fine dining restaurants to delicious tiffins that can be delivered to your office or home. And many more such things.
If you have visited Hong Kong, would you agree with me? And if not, what do you think about this country?
This is post #2 of the 2nd edition of #BarAThon.Â
happiness and food 
Point number 2 is unimaginable in India, a vegetable market without cow dung. We are so used to the music of honking that I want to know how could you even enjoy honk free roads? Didn’t you miss the music? 😀 ;P Not running for life while crossing roads and perfect walking pavements, I miss that in India.
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Ha ha! I know.
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Interesting. I think all these will take ages to come to India. And 7th probably never in our lifetime.
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Lol! True that 🙂
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I think it is going to take ages to bring all these in India. 🙂
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True that.
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I haven’t visited HK but read several features into the life and pictures of apartments remind me of Mumbai. I love big cities with a soul. Last Sunday only, I was telling someone that I wouldn’t mind working there for a year at least.
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If you get a chance, it will be fabulous. I loved the city.
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Honking! Yes I could do without that please. My city Kochi is far better. I had been to Coimbatore and Oh my! People have one hand on the horn forever. The streets ring with horns and nullifies the whole purpose of it!
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Ha ha! I know.
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Seeing a different city, that too not as a tourist is an interesting and fun way to know the place and the culture. Enjoyed reading your insights.
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Thank you Neha!
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Lol…the 7 things you described could pretty much be anywhere else in the world other than India 😛 Not that I’ve travelled to many places but I can vouch for Australia, US and Canada 😛
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lol! Those countries are way ahead.
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I sincerely need to make more trips in my life… this kind of place would really be on my bucket list simply because at the end of the day, I have never experienced such luxury as a grown up!
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If you get a chance, try 🙂 it’s fun!
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Have been to HK and stayed there for quite sometime. I absolutely loved the weekend treks and night shopping market plus the way infrastructure is organized. Awesome place to bec
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Totally agree. The treks were awesome. Thanks Akshata.
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Point number 5 resonates with me perfectly. In my personal list, I would add open bars that let you drink on the roads, that’s crazy. 😉
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Ha ha! That’s sure crazy!
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I have friends in Hong Kong, and I’ve heard a lot of good things about the country from them. Hope to visit soon! 🙂 Not stepping on cow dung & escaping the cacophony of people honking on the roads sounds almost blissful!
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Plan your travel. It’s just so good 🙂
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What?? No cow dung? Every self-respecting vegetable market has to have some at least or else how do we get that perfumed breeze? No but seriously, Hong Kong sounds like a great place for a vacation.
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Self respecting? Ha ha. Funny that was. It’s best for a quick vacation from India.
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You can do 2 and 7 in Shillong. But yes, I wonder why we can respect traffic rules abroad but not back home 🙂
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I wonder that too.
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Experienced the same when I was in London. Wish we get to it in India too.. atleast the honking part.
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I know. That will be awesome. Thanks Lata.
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I’ve not visited Hong Kong but hey, you can visit my Bhaji Gully in Mumbai and not step over cow dung too! But I agree that you can’t do the other six and many others too!
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Haha! I need to see your bhaji gully now. Thank you Sunita!
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Even in SL and Bhutan, our immediate neighbours the cars stop at the Zebra crossings to allow pedestrians the right of way. But of course, their population is minuscule compared to ours. With zero infrastructure and exploding vehicular traffic, this is a dream. As for the rest? Some of them are possible, I think, like no cow dung or high wi-fi at airports. Loved this for the theme 🙂
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You had me at the fast internet! 😉
Hongkong has been on my wishlist for a while now and your post makes me want to go more than ever! Also, that is an awesome pic!
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It was the same in Manchester (UK) too. Must say 5, 6 and 7 really can get me going on how things may never ever change for us!! Understandably, a lot of people who’ve seen the ‘other’ side, as you so well described here, crib about life in India!
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Well, I hope to visit both one day despite the cow dung and traffic. I did have to chuckle, though, at the running for your life. I have seen movies/pictures and thought it could be just a stereotype. I guess it is not!
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Eep for having to run for your life to cross the street! Do you think it is slowly improving, or is it still a bit scary!?
I’d love to visit HK for the food, but it is always interesting to hear how it is to actually live there for a while!!
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