We travelled part way on 'the longest escalator in the world'. It is, in fact, a travelator on a steep gradient and is in several parts. It goes downwards from 6-10 am and upwards from 10.20-midnight.

Bamboo is used as scaffolding and is tied together. It wasn't used in just small back streets but on large buildings and to a considerable height.

We then walked to the Man Mo Temple. This very old temple is now dwarfed by the very high rise flats on all sides. There were several altars and a lot of incense sticks and also large incense spirals hanging from the ceiling.

Nearby was a wall with trees growing above and their roots gripping into the wall.

After this we walked along some narrow streets selling dried Chinese foods and medicines.

We took the tram back to the city centre and walked round the Convention Centre promenade which has good views of Kowloom. This was where the handover of HK back to China took place and there was a monument to this event. There had been a graduation ceremony and the students were outside having their photos taken.

We were not being picked up for the airport until 8.30 so were able to watch the light show again but from the hotel side of Victoria Harbour. It really is a very good show.

We are both beginning to feel tired and ready to go home.

Nicely hot and sunny.

The plane was late arriving in Hong Kong and consequently an hour late leaving.

We arrived at Heathrow at 5.20 Thursday morning, thirteen hours after taking off. Mike was there to take us home but Helen, Jessica and Charlotte had also come and it was so good to see them again.

It has been a fabulous holiday, a once in a lifetime event.

Tuesday 24 November

We took a Hong Kong Island Tour which began by going up The Peak by the Peak Tram. This is the world's steepest funicular railway. The buildings beside it looked as if they were leaning. From the top, facing north, there was a superb view of the concrete jungle of Hong Kong Island and Kowloom. Other islands would have been visible if the day had been clear but there was a very visible layer of smog over the area. HK Isdland is 80 sq m and houses 1.3 million people. That and Kowloom make up 80% of the population of HK. The view looking south was very different - it was all trees and almost no houses.

We were surprised at how hilly the island was, and how green most of it was. We were driven down from the top and onto Aberdeen on the south coast. This is a fishing port and we took a sampan around the harbour, passing the huge Jumbo restaurant. We saw a cemetery on a hill and were told that most people are only buried there for 7-10 years, after which they are cremated and the place re-used.

We saw a bauhinia flowering tree. This flower is the city flower and is on the HK flag and a coin.

We were then taken to a jewelry factory where we were given a 5 mins 'tour' of the jewelry making process and then were subjected to high pressure selling in the shop. We resisted.

We then drove past some very beautiful coast line, including Deep Water Bay and Repulse Bay.

We stopped at Stanley and walked round the market. Here we were able to browse and were not pestered to buy.

We finally went back to the north coast and back to the concrete jungle.

In the afternoon we decided to take the Star Ferry across to Kowloom. This costs $1.40 (11p) and takes 5 mins. The water is extremely smelly.

In Kowloom we walked to a shopping area where there were huge displays of Christmas lights.

After that we walked along the esplanade, passed the Avenue of (Chinese) stars hand and foot prints in the path.

Together with a lot of other people we waited on the water front for a Symphony of Lights laser display set to music. It lasted 15 mins and, particularly with the extra lights for Christmas, was a fantastic last night to our holiday.

We then took the ferry back to Hong Kong Island and our hotel.

Lovely and warm but a lot of smog.

Monday 23 November

Today we flew to Hong Kong. Singapore Changi Airport is huge and had some mechanical Christmas decorations.

We arrived early for our flight and were not impressed to be put in the middle, non-window, section of the plane.

We arrived in Hong Kong at 5.15 pm. Once we had located our courier and walked to the bus we had an hours transfer to our hotel so didn't arrive until 7.30 pm.

We had dinner in the hotel restaurant with a complimentary glass of wine (Peter couldn't drink as he was taking anitbiotics) and coffee because the waiter knocked a glass of water over Peter.

Weather unknown - inside most of the day!

Sunday 22 November

Peter's toe was much better this morning and so we went to the Botanic Gardens.

At the entrance there were a lot of sculptures carved out of tree roots.

There were also a lot of bronze sculptures and a granite ball fountain which floated and revolved on the water flowing below it. The concrete pathways had the shape of leaves moulded into them.

The sealing wax palm is the emblem of the gardens. It was very striking with its red stems.

There was a large collection of ginger and related plants. We had not realised that the bird of paradise plant (strelitza) was related to the ginger family.

We spent some time in the National Orchid Garden.