New Year's Day

Best night's sleep in ages! May not have gotten to see in the Hong Kong new year, but did make our to the South Australian one. Late breakfast in the dining room and we then headed to the Star ferry terminal where e think we are going to be able to get on the hop on hop off bus, but turns out the tour we considered as starts over on the island. Thanks to the lovely last in the Tourism office she sets us straight so we head to the ferry terminal, get our tickets and set off for the Island where we find the correct starting point for our bus tour. It certainly pays to be a senior here as everything is discounted and we get half price tickets for the bus tour. Even though a number of shops and all banks are closed, there is no shortage of people. The contrast with the have and have nots is marked.

The narrow double decker trams were very cute! The tour is only one way and we didn't want to get off so at about the hour mark, we are back along the water front and head towards the tunnel which will take us mall to the mainland.

The final stop is just across the road from our hotel. We only want a light lunch so head to the nearby YMCA but they are only offering a set menu for today so we head back to our hotel and from the Cafe we use the 'Welcome drink' vouchers for coffee. Julie puts for a Thai beef salad and I choose a crayfish sandwich. Lunch was back in our room and time for a rest with our feet up before we venture out again. Time to make our way to the nearby MTR in the hope I can get us to Mong Kok for the Ladies Night market. No luck at the ticket machines as they are cash only (they don't take$100 which is all I had and J had no cash) or QR code on an app and we didn't have mobile service!. So found customer service and 2 seniors tickets for $7 HK , thank you very much. Found the right platform and 3 stops later we were on the right street to get to the market.

J ended up buying up a storm whereas I bought myself a cashmere shawl! Lots of people and most with no sense of direction but we made our way through the length of the market without injury or incident.

Wasn't at all sure about many of the signs or where they would ever be used. Having managed to coverall the market we decide to attempt to work our way through the crowds back to the MTR. I manage to get our tickets which would never have happened if left to J, as she couldn't pronounce Tsim Sha Tsui without it sounding like Shitzu! We make our way to the correct platform and are soon on our way back to the correct stop. J acknowledged that she had no idea where we were and was simply following me on blind faith. Back on Nathan Rd we are able to work our way through the crowds to our hotel and as it is happy hour, we catch our breath and then head to the middle room bar to our favourite table to settle in. Tonight's dinner is a noodle and beef for Julie while I opt for the club sandwich which was delicious but too much.

We are a bit cheeky when we ask for another drink after our first 2 for 1 offer (has to be the same drink to one person), as the lovely attendant says we can each have a different drink but only be charged for 1 drunk. It clearly pays to be nice to the attendant! Eventually being full of good and vino we waddle back to our room and settle in for a quiet night before lights out. Another lovely day had, and another big day ahead tomorrow.