China

If you're like me, you probably want to know the quickest way to get from the airport to the city center. We booked our hotel on a package tour which included the transfer to/from the airport. For those who are interested in other types of transportation, see below:

The Hong Kong Airport Express may not be the least expensive way to travel to and from Hong Kong Airport but it is definitely one of the most convenient.

The Airport express runs on 12 minute intervals between 05:50 and 01:15, and stops at three stations other than the airport - Tsing Yi, Kowloon and Central.

A one way ticket on the Airport Express is HK$ 100 (approx. $13 USD) for travel between Central and the airport, HK$ 90 between Kowloon station and the airport and HK$ 60 from Tsing Yi to the airport. Round trip tickets which are valid for a one month period are also available at slightly cheaper rates. Children between the ages of 3 and 11 travel for half those fares. The journey takes roughly 25 minutes either way.

What makes the Airport Express so convenient is the check in counters at both Kowloon and Central stations where travellers can check in their luggage and claim their boarding pass from one day in advance up to 90 minutes before departure. Unfortunately for passengers travelling to the United States this service has been suspended on many airlines, due to security measures, and we advise you to check with your airline for any change.

Source: http://www.asiatraveltips.com/HongKongAirportExpress.shtml

For more info, click here http://gohongkong.about.com/od/travelplanner/a/AirportTravel.htm

I'm jet lagged so I've decided to keep my blog entries going.

Macau. Just an hour by ferry from Hong Kong, Macau is another great destination in Asia. We went on a day-trip to Macau (from Hong Kong) and wish we could've explored the island a little longer. I would recommend staying 2-3 days in Macau to really get a feel for the city.

The ferry ride to Macau was quite rough. The waves were crashing, the ride was very bumpy and just about half of the passengers onboard got sick. Not a good start for a day-long tour, but lucky for me, I brought some dramamine along and took it as soon as I got on the ferry.

Here's an introduction to Macau which I got from Lonely Planet:
Macau is a city with two faces. On the one hand, the fortresses, churches and food of its former colonial master Portugal speak to a uniquely Mediterranean style on the China coast. On the other, Macau is the self-styled Las Vegas of the East.

And while that comparison might sound overblown, it’s not. During the past few years charismatic-but-sleepy little Macau has experienced the sort of boom usually associated with cities like Shànghǎi. But rather than skyscrapers and office towers, the construction here is all about Vegas-style mega-casinos and hotels. The reason, of course, is that casinos are legal in Macau, while in China and nearby Hong Kong they’re not.

There is, however, much more to Macau than gambling. The peninsula and the islands of Coloane and Taipa constitute a colourful palette of pastels and ordered greenery. The Portuguese influence is everywhere: cobbled back streets, baroque churches, stone fortresses, Art Deco buildings and restful parks and gardens. It’s a unique fusion of East and West that has been recognised by Unesco, which in 2005 named 30 buildings and squares collectively as the Historic Centre of Macau World Heritage Site. There are also several world-class museums.

Especially if you’ve been in China for a while you’ll also find there is a distinctly different feel to Macau. While about 95% of residents are Chinese, the remainder is mostly made up of Portuguese and Macanese (people with mixed Portuguese, Chinese and/or African blood). It’s this fusion of Mediterranean and Asian peoples, lifestyles, temperaments and food – oh, the food – that makes Macau so much fun.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/china/macau

Here are a few photos from our trip. Enjoy!