Hiking Plover Cove

This weekend we ventured north of Hong Kong into the North East New Territories and joined a fabulous group hike around Plover Cove Country Park. It took us about 90mins to get there from our central location on Hong Kong Island, using a combination of public transport options but once we were there, it felt like we were a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

The hike was 9km long and took us through mountain valleys, around old fields, along rocky shores and inlets and through deserted villages. It was not exactly tough terrain, but the heat...and the humidity...oh my...lets just say it's a good job it was only rated a 3/10 and not a 9/10! We hiked in the 30+ heat for 4-5 hours, with a break for lunch in the middle and by the time we got home around 5pm, we were good for nothing other than sitting on the sofa with a glass of wine with our feet up, in front of a good movie!

Mirror Falls - A beautiful waterfall...a positive outcome after all the recent torrential rain!

We hiked past an old, abandoned "village" where we visited the ghost houses of Kau Tam Tso...

It really was like one day they just decided to go...leaving behind many personal possessions...

Yes, they really DO have big spiders here....!

Beautiful lush green hills of the New Territories....

Hiking Plover Cove (Part 2)

This was where we stopped for lunch and what a welcome sight it was!

This shoreline was tidal and we had to move quickly because it was a little soggy underfoot...although on the plus side the tide was out...

Just beautiful....

Apparently this was our sobriety test; luckily I didn't partake in any lunchtime drinking though....

Our timing with the weather was fabulous. As we neared the end of the hike the clouds rolled in...and the rain did come...Oh did it come down...!

Thank you Michael Hansen... we will be back....again!

Getting back in the swing of things

I've been back in Hong Kong a week now. The journey was long and the jet lag was harsh. I guess it is a whole 12 time zones between here and Canada and the middle-of-the-night connection in Vancouver probably didn't help the recovery process but finally, I think I am back to normal, or at least as normal as I'll ever be!

It struck me all over again how different it is on this side of the globe. Six weeks away is long enough to forget..at least temporarily, but of course the minute you touch down in this vibrant city you are shocked back into a whole new lifestyle, all over again.

My quiet chair on the deck seems a million miles away...and I was greeted back to the apartment by the very familiar sound of drilling....some things are not so quick to change it seems.

So it appears we have some bonus months here. Our stay has been extended to the end of this year and I'm determined to make the most of it. As it is anywhere on the planet, it is so easy to get complacent and take things for granted once they start to feel familiar, so I remind myself that this is a great but short opportunity to be lived and I'm looking forward to exploring just a little bit more of Hong Kong and if I'm lucky, a little bit further afield too.

Words

I bought a card some weeks ago, just because I loved the words...not because I wanted to send it to anyone. It has been sitting on my desk these last weeks, reminding me to be strong and to heed these words. The card will stay here, but I wanted to take the words with me, so here they are....

Live with intention.

Walk to the edge.

Listen hard.

Practice wellness.

Play with abandon.

Laugh.

Choose with no regret.

Continue to learn.

Appreciate your friends.

Do what you love.

Live as if this is all there is.

Just Some of The Things I'll Miss....

It's almost time to move again. Pack bags, clean up, get organised, think ahead to the winter months. I have mixed feeling as I prepare to depart but it's all part of the plan. I'll be back again before too long.

In the meantime, I know there be some things that I will miss all over again, if not more so this time, given the time I've had to reflect on the differences in lifestyles that I've been living these last few years.

I've always appreciated nature but something has changed. I've noticed how much I need it to Be well and to feel alive.

The solitary walks amongst wildflowers....

The clear view of the moon and the bright blue sky

The quiet, unpolluted waterways

Watching the boats go by...

White fluffy clouds

And my morning tea on the deck in the "fresh" air