Hong Kong

The other day I opened my bright red diary and sifted through its sketch-filled pages searching for a recipe I knew I had scribbled down in haste, somewhere back when the days were longer and certainly warmer than they are now.  Instead of the recipe, I stumbled upon a bucket list (of sorts) and was surprised to discover that of the 17 things I’d jotted down, 4 of them I’d achieved within 7 months of committing them all to paper.  Of those four, the first I achieved early on in the year when I launched my photography website.  The remaining three I ‘ticked’ off in July, August and September when I packed my bags, rented out my room and took 3 months off work to go and explore the world.

This post (as well as 6 or 7 that will follow it) is thus a result of my travels and is the first in a series which take me to Hong Kong and China, to the UK and to handful of countries in Europe.  First stop, Hong Kong.

Landing in Hong Kong after nightfall is an experience like no other.  The city, framed by the plane window, sparkle’s silver and gold, a handful of precious stones scattered into the South China Sea.  In contrast, viewed on foot in the light of day, the city is a rainbow of colour. Visual, aural and olfactory stimuli challenge the senses and prove interesting subject matter for a curious photographer such as myself.

I awoke on my first morning in Hong Kong, picked a general direction in which to head and let whatever caught my attention steer me through the streets, narrow alleyways and markets.  I bought longans and mangoustines and marvelled at the fresh fruit, vegetables, fish and meat on display.  Over the days that followed I had several yum cha sittings, sampled national dishes and ate at tiny hole-in-the-wall restaurants sharing tables and stories with locals.

However passionate I might be about food I never anticipated how big a role it would play in my travels.  Food, people (friends, family and strangers) and photography were 3 elements which wove their way through my journey making every place I visited so very special in its own unique way.  Watch the journey unfold as I post, and eat my way through China, the UK and Europe.  Next stop Lijiang, Yunnan Provence, China.