Backpacker's Guide to the Universe

Hello all! Last night here in HK, HK has been a blast really! Heh, that's why I wasn't available as Jon said.

Anyway! Few tips to be gleaned from here in Hong Kong, and from booking the hostels!

Tip #1
Loosely schedule your holiday! Have a rough idea about what you want to do and when! But NEVER plan by timetabling, it's a recipe for disaster especially if it's the first time in the country.

By allowing flexibility, you're allowing plans to spontaneously form. Who knows what bargain might be offered to you (imagine authentic Hong Kong cuisine and no tourist traps, my friends and I walked into one of those Hong Kong Roast Restaurants where there were no English menus, but there was Char Siew (barbecued pork), Siew Yoke (roast pork), snake meat, pigeon meat, and Gai (braised chicken)), THE FOOD WAS AWESOME. the normal ones at least:P) and what you might find out from the locals, or some activity you planned being screwed up because the company closed down! Spontaneity offers a lot more exciting possibilities! By planning, you are trying to encapsulate the experience of a country you are not familiar with - FATAL MISTAKE! Unless of course you know the country very well!

Tip #2
Plan your holiday around number of nights spent in each hotel, and flight timings! Personally, I like to have flights either in the early morning, or at night. I'm sure Jon and Belmond prefer this too!

Flying in the day - If your flight isn't too long, this leaves a lot more time for the rest of the day. Use the time to check in, explore your locales, and who knows maybe start immersing yourself in the local culture immediately! I know my first day in Hong Kong, my mom showed me around the local streets and food. Having no rigid plan (like mentioned earlier) meant that we could walk into whatever place piqued our interest, or whatever restaurant had a long queue (must be good if the locals love it!)

Flying at night - This leaves you the whole day to explore and make use of whatever remaining time you have in the city you're departing from! For example, I'm leaving tomorrow night at 8pm. It still leaves me a full day to have a classic Hong Kong breakfast, see more sights, eat more things (seriously getting mega fat here), and Yum Cha! with my mom and her friends! Also, having a flight at night means you're well placed to just crash once you've checked in (this is easier if the hostel is booked beforehand), because after an entire day out and a plane trip; you're bound to be tired unless you're some energiser bunny. NO worries about not being able to sleep because it's too hot or stuffy! YOU'LL SLEEP!

Tip #3
When in Rome, do as the Romans do.