Hong Kong part two

The next day I decided to go to one of the smaller islands and look around. I chose Cheung Chau because it said there were some ancient rock carvings. Well, the rock carvings were actually just one rock and one carving, but the island was nice to walk around anyway. There were some nice beaches and it was certainly very peaceful. Then I went to Aberdeen to see the giant floating “Jumbo” Chinese restaurant. It was really dirty and unsafe looking, so I didn’t go on it. Then I went to another shopping and dining district, and after went to the harbor to watch the “Guinness World Record Winning” light show. I would liken it to someone with a synthesizer, a flashlight, and a laser pointer. Not really impressed.
For my last full day, I decided to take a trip to Hong Kong Disneyland. It is very small compared to the one in California. But they had Space Mountain so I was happy. There were no crowds, so I practically walked onto each ride. I also saw some shows, which I usually don’t have time for. I lucked out and caught the tail end of the Chinese New Year’s celebration. The Disney characters were all dressed in Chinese outfits and they had a special show with lion dancers. Then I stayed to watch the fireworks show. That night I stayed at the Disney Hollywood Hotel. It was beautiful! After staying at that hostel for 3 nights, I relished the space, big bed with down pillows, and hot water. The grounds were also really nice to wander around in after a big buffet dinner. I wish I could have slept in, but I had a plane to catch bright and early the next morning.
Overall, I liked many things about Hong Kong. The food was wonderful and very diverse. Transportation was very easy and convenient. At the beginning of my trip I got an Octopus card that worked on the buses, subways, and even ferries between the islands. The shopping and dining areas were great and quite beautiful. Almost everyone speaks English, so it was easy to communicate, and most of the people were friendly and helpful. Some things I didn’t like were the crowds of people, the feeling of being in TJ with people coming at you from all sides pulling on you and pleading with you to buy things. About half the places I saw were really clean, and the other half were really dirty. My hostel room was pretty clean, but the building and halls it was in were atrocious. Next time I would like to see more cultural things like temples and Buddha’s.
It was certainly a great experience for me. I am glad I went, and even though traveling can be a little scary to travel alone, I still love seeing new places and experiencing new things.