[HK; 2015] Sham Shui Po | Yau Ma Tei | Mongkok

DAY 1

Had my virgin trip to Hong Kong during 2015 November, and finally had the time to sort out all the photos and blog! (finally not a Taiwan trip post)

So happy that finally I got myself a good phone that can capture good quality photos! (no more shaky low resolution photos!)

Changi Airport > Hong Kong Airport > Jordan MTR [hostel] > Sham Shui Po MTR [Tim Ho Wan 添好運, Toys Street & Luk Lam 绿林甜品] > Yau Ma Tei MTR [Eat with Me] > Mongkok MTR [Ladies Market & New Town Mall 新の城]

1. Changi Airport > Hong Kong Airport > Jordan MTR [hostel]

Booked the flight slightly more than a month before the trip; rather impromptu. We intially wanted to go for SIA flight, but we kept missing the promotion period. In the end, we went for our Plan B - United Airways.

The flight was super early in the morning, the whole airport was practically empty. You have to self-check in your own luggage(s), but the security was super tight.

It has been some time I last sat a full fledged flight, definitely better than budget. HAHAHA

United Airways entertainment was quite updated, having fun choosing the movies on the flight, but in the end I doze off.

Halfway through the flight, they started to serve breakfast, I think it was around 6am, super early!

But the breakfast was really good, despite it being so cheesy.

Alighted the flight and had to change to the internal train to the immigration.

After clearing all the immigration, we bought our Octopus card and also SIM card! (for the SIM card we just randomly chose a provider, no preference or research done)

 

We did some research on how to get to Jordan MTR, and the cheapest way was to take the bus - A21.

A21 Airport Bus;
HK$33, 50 mins;
http://www.nwstbus.com.hk/pda/routeinfo.aspx?intLangID=1&searchtype=1&routenumber=A21&route=A21&routetype=D&company=5

Our Hostel was near Nathan Hotel, so we stopped at that stop.

What I like and dislike about Hong Kong Street was, everything looks the same. We turned around in circles, after looking like some lost sheeps in the busy street, an old man offered some help in directions. To my horror, we were living so near to the "Massage Shops" aka the Red Light District. Lucky we soon found another route to avoid walking pass the red light district if we need to head back to hostel.

So we stayed in Calvin Hostel, all kinds of rumors in airbnb about Calvin good looks, nevertheless we din manage to see him.

CAlvin airbnb https://www.airbnb.com.sg/users/show/4125106

The room was tiny, but we heard from the cleaner auntie that this tiny room costed a bomb to buy. (Calvin is rich according to the cleaner auntie) Anyway, we do not need to stay in the room 24/7, so a big or a small room will not make any difference, and I just wanted to bring along my friend to experience the joy of staying in hostel.

2. Jordan MTR > Sham Shui Po MTR [Tim Ho Wan 添好運, Toys Street & Luk Lam 绿林甜品] 

Placed our luggage in the room and left the hostel for brunch. First meal in Hong Kong... definitely is Tim Sum. Headed to Sham Shui Po MTR, and to get to the oldest Tim Ho Wan outlet, exit from Exit B2.

We passed by the toy street, and they are selling all kinds of toys to festive decorations.

Toy Street (Fuk Wing Street), Sham Shui Po MTR Exit B2

After 10mins walk, we finally found the Tim Ho Wan sign!!!

Had to wait for several mins, and yay to Hong Kong Tim Sums!

Tim Ho Wan, Sham Shui Po MTR Exit B2;
9 Fuk Wing St, Sham Shui Po;
www.timhowan.com

Me and my friend were first time travelers to Hong Kong, heard all kinds of stories that there will be this legendary tea pot before the food arrives. We were more or less aware that we are suppose to clean the utensils with this pot of tea, but we have no idea how to do so. Hence, we studied how the Hong Kongers clean and copied the same. LOL

Anyway, I think I expected the Tim Sums to be real nice, so it was abit disappointing, nevertheless the porridge was so good. We spent around HKD$100 for this meal, expensive or no?

We continued on walking along the streets to the next stop - desserts!

Luk Lam Dessert is around 3 mins walk from Sham Shui Po MTR Exit D2.

Luk Lam Dessert, Sham Shui Po MTR Exit D2;
77-79 Un Chau Street, Sham Shui Po;
https://zh-tw.facebook.com/LukLamDessert

The mango pudding with pomelo was not that bad, just that it was overpriced. HAHAHA

3. Sham Shui Po MTR > Yau Ma Tei MTR [Eat with Me]

After walking around at Sham Shui Po MTR, shopping for clothes and souvenirs. We took the metro to Yau Ma Tei MTR.

Exited from B1 and walked a distance to find this Instagram worthy food. And we were lost; as in we found the street and anything but no sign of the shop. When we were about to give up, we finally saw the black signboard in the dark night.

Eat With Me, Yau Ma Tai MTR Exit B1;
Shop 8, G/F, Block 2, Tsui Yuen Mansion, No. 2-20 Kwong Wa Street, MongKok
https://www.facebook.com/eatwithmehk

This is the yet-to-popular Instagram worthy food in Hong Kong (my own nonesense). I happened to see this shop in Instagram while I was searching for Hong Kong food, and I told my friend we must try. Not only the food looks good, it tasted good too! Matcha with Red Bean is my favourite combination, with Hong Kong popular street snack Egglet, plus the pretty white brick wall with black-white frames; definitely your next Instagram spot in Hong Kong! (the lightings were so good that selfies turned out to be as pretty as the egglet HAHA)

4. Yau Ma Tei MTR > Mongkok MTR [Ladies Market & New Town Mall 新の城] 

While walking to Eat With Me, we realised that Ladies Market was just nearby. So we walked over to Ladies Market and walked through the one and only lane.

 

 Ladies Market, Mongkok MTR Exit E2

It was so boring. Repetitive stalls over all the place that I was so bored after 5 mins. (Taiwan's Night Market is much more enjoyable) 

We left the Ladies Market within 10mins, and passed by Fa Yuen Street aka the Sneakers Street. Not intending to purchase any shoes/sneakers in Hong Kong, so we swifty walked through.

Sneakers Street (Fa Yuen Street), Mongkok MTR Exit B3

Then we realised New Town Mall is just a stone away from Fa Yuen Street, thus decided to head over there for some shopping therapy.

New Town Mall, Mongkok MTR Exit D2

New Town Mall is something similar to Bugis Street in Singapore. All kinds of clothes everywhere, price wise... average. Cheaper than Singapore but more expensive than Taiwan.

Feeling hungry, but not really hungry, we decided to have sushi for the night.

Maybe the Ladies Market was so boring, that we found the sushi on the conveyor belt boring too. Repetitive Salmon Sushi passing through us, that we yawned right infront of the sushi.

So we ended the day feeling abit disappointed on Hong Kong, excluding Eat With Me's Egglet.

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