Memories in Writing of Last Summer…
Travelling to Asia was never a thought that excited me. At all. All it did was remind me of my high school where hundreds of Asians attended class. They never mingled with the rest of the students, always sat separately in the cafeteria. Basically, I never understood them.
So when my boyfriend suggested we go to Asia, I was hesitant while everyone else I know would be enthralled. I told him I would think about it. However the more I thought about it the more I thought that I did not know what to think. All I really knew about Asia was the impression my high school mates had left on me. Which was not much. So I decided to take a leap of faith and go to this part of the world where everyone is so excited about, Asia.
As usual I did my fair bit of research which I do before I embark on any trip. However I failed to find the ‘cool’ things that are not in the usual Lonely Planet type guidebooks. This worried me.
Then we arrived in Hong Kong. WOW. It was like stepping into the future. High speed trains, skyscrapers encircled by highways, not to mention it’s a shopping Mecca. Every shop imaginable, high-end to high-street. And people are actually walking around with shopping bags from Chanel, Louis V and Gucci. Consumerism all the way.
It’s a city that looks like New York, San Francisco and London with the feel of Los Angeles combined with escalators reaching up to my favourite street in Soho, Hollywood Road. This street is like the shape of a snake on the map, long and windy. Start at the very beginning and walk all the way down, wandering into the side streets as well. You will see everything from local food stands amongst the age old trees to vintage shops where I happened to score a 1980’s Chanel bag in addition to gold drop down earrings inlayed with blue bird feather, a Jil Sander top and customized silk blouses.
After going into shop after shop I happened to stumble upon what I thought was just a frozen yogurt store but turned out to be a concept store started up by four friends. Their concept was to have a store with a frozen yogurt/bar section on the ground floor where people would socialize and a show room/fashion space on the first floor. They had just opened and were glowing with excitement when they were telling us about their adventures while setting up shop on Hollywood Road.
Wherever I went in Hong Kong I felt like I was surrounded by the feeling of something new and exciting was going to happen. Hustle and bustle. I felt as though there was a lot of creative energy everywhere around me. While sitting in café’s I overheard conversations of young entrepreneurs, fashion designers, expats and art dealers alike.
One day while walking around in Soho I saw a guy loading a surfboard into a Jeep. My boyfriend who is a surfer got ‘stocked’ so we asked him where he was going. Big Wave Bay he said. So that’s where we went, Big Wave Bay. The trip was totally worth it but more for the views that for the surf. It was amazing to see how you can take the metro (MTR) for half an hour and end up at the other side of Hong Kong Island, which is full of beaches and green. And so our last day consisted of sun, sea and Long Island tea.
I wonder what’s in store for me this summer..
