Travelog 2: Sheung Wan avec Lonely Planet

So call me Lucy Honeychurch. Give me my room with a view and let me go gallivanting around the place like a woman possessed.

What do you mean you haven't seen A Room with a View? I've been modelling myself on Lucy Honeychurch for ages. She's been my hero for decades. (If you haven't seen A Room with a View, hunt it out - it is British cinema it its quirky Maggie Smith and Judy Dench before they were aat their international megastars best).

Unlike Lucy, my room does not have sweeping views of the Arno in Florence, but a construction site next to the market lanes of Mong Kok. It is not the middle of summer, so I don't get to wear cotton and linen. It's a drizzly, overcast day and I'm glad I brought my denim jacket with me. There is no George waiting either  - which is both a pity and a blessing on so many levels. A blessing as I get to explore this remarkable city on my own terms. A pity, yeah, well we won't go into that.

So, it's just me and my trusty little Lonely Planet pocket guide, the equivalent of Lucy's Baedeker, which up until now, hasn't let me down.

The worst thing about discovering a city on your own is working out what to do and where to go first. This took a bit of courage, mostly due to not really knowing how to navigate the transport situation. I shouldn't have worried. Hong Kong does public transport very, very well. It's cheap, quick, reliable and people follow the rules - like no eating on the trains or trams. Like who knew?  The MTR is great. Once you have your Octopus card, the city is at your fingertips. HKD10 (a bit under $2) to ride the trains, HKD3 to ride the Ding Dings.

The Ding Dings - a small, quaint tram network that runs around the island. They're a bit dilapidated, a bit odd looking being both double decker trams which probably only hold 40 or so people, but they run up and down the island regularly. The sort of remind me of the Knight Bus in Harry Potter.  My first stop was to hop on a Ding Ding and take a ride out to Kennedy Town, along the waterfront. They're a great way to have a look at a city around. You climb on. Tap your Oyster card when you get off. Simples.


(From the Ding Ding window)

After the Ding Ding adventure, it was time to get some bearings. And find some lunch. Eating with the locals is fun. You never quite know what you're going to get.

Going with my plan of things to do every day, I made my way to Man Po temple, by way of a chat with some friendly locals and a trio of three small dogs, Pretzel, Pudding and Popcorn. The dogs' owner had the most awesome plummy Oxbridge accent. Pudding the Pomeranian gave wonderful cuddles.

Solo travelling tip: If you're in need of a short conversation, find a dog owner walking their dog - nine times out of chat, they'll give you the time of day.

Man Po is a wonderfully atmospheric place, filled with incense and flames and offerings. I want to go back and have another look. There was a school group and a film set there when I was there and there is nothing that takes away from exploring a temple like a dolly grip having a hissy fit.



A wander down Cat Alley to look at the antiques. Found some jade trinket sown the way, in particular, a small old jade Kuan Yin - a favourite goddess of mine which I can take travelling with me.

When I look back at yesterday I don't think I've done that much, but scaling the streets, wandering around, looking in shop windows, watching people go past. The people watching here is fantastic.

After returning to the hotel for a rest and a lie down, it was back out into the streets of Yau Ma Tei and Mong Kok to find some dinner. The concierge recommended a noodle place  in the back alleys out near the Ladies Market. It was a sound recommendation. Lovely food, not too much of it and dirt cheap.

A roam around sneaker street and the market had me back at the hotel around 10 pm with a new pair of Converse runners in my possession.

This place never seems to sleep. It's great. I have no idea where all the people come from, but it's fabulous.

So now, after a lazy morning, where I made yet another rookie mistake - when you think you're buying milk for your tea and you end up getting yogurt - joys of not knowing any Chinese at all, I'm going to head out into the drizzle and explore Tsim Sha Tsui and take the ferry over the the island.

At least it's not hot. The only thing the drizzle is stopping me doing is going up to the top of Victoria Peak. There isn't much point in doing that if you can't see anything.

Onwards, I say.

(By the way, Plastic Mancunian - I see why you love it here)

Today's song - The Ting Tings - in recognition of the Ding Dings that roam the streets of the island.