Kurniawan Hari , The Jakarta Post , Hongkong | Sun, 04/04/2010 9:54 AM | Travel
JP/Kurniawan HariThe baggage claim process is very efficient. I just needed to know the flight number and go to a designated area as shown on an LCD monitor. The conveyor belt is accessible from different sides, so passengers don’t crowd at one point to get their belongings.
After clearing through immigration and getting my bags, I went to a counter to sign up for a public transport vehicle.
While waiting for the bus, I marveled at the modernity of the airport — until I heard a woman’s raised voice in the familiar East Javanese dialect.
“Who would make a phone call in voice that loud?” I thought to myself.
As I turned around to pinpoint the source of the cacophony, I saw an Indonesian woman speaking into her cell phone. That’s right, the loud voice came from an Indonesian.
And soon I realized that Hong Kong, just like Malaysia and Singapore, is a top destination for Indonesian women working abroad as housemaids. They are the women who go thousands of miles from home to make a living for their families, because there is no job security to be found back home.
My admiration for the cleanliness and efficiency of the airport soon gave way to empathy for my fellow Indonesians. Coincidentally, my bus had arrived and I quickly hopped on, relishing the fact that I was away from the loud voice and the unemployment problem at home, for now.
The trip to the hotel was another eye-opening experience. As a first-time visitor to Hong Kong, I was amazed by the infrastructure development in the area once colonized by the British before it was handed over to China in 1997.
The roads are wide and clean. Buses and trucks keep in the left lane unless overtaking. For a moment, I missed the devil-may-care Metromini and Kopaja that rule Jakarta’s streets with their penchant for swerving and careening.
The trip from the airport, located on the island of Chek Lap Kok in the northwest, to the hotel in the Wan Chai district in the south took about 45 minutes.
Along the way, the bus passed by two mega structures: the Tsing Ma Bridge and the Stonecutters Bridge. Tsing Ma, a suspension bridge, is 1,377 meters long, and the cable-supported Stonecutters Bridge is 1,600 meters long.
The two massive concrete towers of the Stonecutters Bridge welcome visitors to Hong Kong. From the bridge, the sea of containers in the terminal below spread out like a Lego mosaic.
Closer downtown, more sophisticated, state-of-the-art infrastructure begins to crop up. From the downtown area, commuters can go about the city on buses and taxis, or hop onto the mass rapid transport (MRT), trams or even ferries if they want to go to other islands.
And just like any civilized city in the world, the sidewalks of Hong Kong are quite impressive. In some places, the footpaths and crossing bridges are raised above the road and connect to office buildings, shopping malls or amusement centers. In some places, the pathways are equipped with escalators.
Hundreds of people pound the pavement at any given time, scurrying in different directions. At every crossroads, people wait patiently for the signal to turn green before striding ahead.
“This city is really developed and everything is in order. It’s impressive,” said a colleague from the Philippines.
For many people, Hong Kong is Asia’s one true shopping paradise. A plethora of consumer goods of all different brands are offered at discounted prices. Rows of shops offer tax-free merchandise. One popular shopping area is Nathan Road in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon Peninsula, where merchants offers special prices for tourists.
Tsim Sha Tsui, or TST, is a five-minute boat ride from the Wan Chai Ferry Pier on the Hong Kong shore. Even though there so many people use this mode of transport, the ferries don’t get crowded as there’s one every five minutes.
As the boat pulls away from the harbor, the breathtaking skyline comes into view. At Tsim Sha Tsui Harbor, an observation deck offers a spectacular view of Hong Kong Island.
Adjacent to the observation deck is the Tower Clock and Hong Kong Cultural Centre, one of the city’s popular destinations for art and cultural programs. For those who plan to visit Hong Kong in April, drop by for a Bruce Lee-themed exhibition.
Lee, the martial arts demigod who died 37 years ago at the age of 32, would have turned 70 this year. The art center will hold the exhibition between March 30 and April 6.
Another exhibition center is of course the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center on Harbor Road, adjacent to the Wan Chai Ferry Pier. The center recently wrapped up an international film festival and entertainment program.
Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum is another option for tourists. Located at the Peak Tower, it is accessible by tram. Another point of interest is of course Disneyland, located halfway between the airport and the city center.
No trip would be complete without a culinary adventure. The massive floating restaurant at Aberdeen is highly recommended. Visitors here will certainly enjoy the choice of sumptuous dinner meals and the accompanying cool breeze.
Hong Kong is home to around 7 million people, but the city has a lot to offer millions more from around the globe.
Have a great time in Hong Kong.
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