The view of Central Hong Kong and Kowloon from the Peak is spectacular on a clear day
My work assignment in Hong Kong was intended to last for two years, and on February 14, twenty-five months after we arrived, Jeff and I left Hong Kong with mixed emotions. Our time in Hong Kong was an amazing opportunity to see a part of the World where neither of us had spent much time. I like to refer to Hong Kong as "Asia for beginners," because the significant Western influence there helps to ease just how foreign Asian culture can be for Westerners. The list of things we will always remember about Hong Kong is lengthy and includes the wonderful friends we made, the amazing scenery, the delicious food and the intriguing cultures. We feel incredibly fortunate to have had this opportunity. The video at the bottom of the page recaps some of our favorite memories of our time in Hong Kong.
Exploring Chinese temples has been a highlight of our time in Hong Kong
While neither of us would have been sorry to return to Minnesota for good, a new work assignment emerged for me in London. Whether it was because we weren't ready to return just yet, or simply because our bags were already packed, we decided we would be up for another year of the expatriate lifestyle. Both of us know and are fond of London, so this decision didn't have the same uncertainty that going to Hong Kong had. And we expect that this assignment will only last a year. So after we left Hong Kong, we made a brief stopover in the States and arrived in London in early March. We are currently settling into our new lifestyle and routines here. And as we recall our fond memories of Hong Kong, we look forward to the opportunity to explore and have new experiences in Europe.
This post marks the last one of our blog. I have never thought of myself as a writer or blogger, and I don't even know if a blog is supposed to have an official ending. In fact, I have always thought of this blog as a kind of postcard on steroids that allowed me to write home, brag about what we have done and show off some photos. Trying to keep up the blog over past two years has given me a new respect for those who make a living as writers (and there are a couple of them in my family). In closing, we'd like to say thank you those who have read the blog and especially those who have given us comments and encouragement to keep it going.
Situated on the northeast coast of Australia, Cairns is the primary gateway to the Great Barrier Reef
The three day Chinese or Lunar New Year holiday in early February gave us a few days out of the office and time to reflect back on our January 1 New Year holiday that we celebrated "down under" in Australia. Since we moved to Hong Kong, Jeff has been to Australia several times for business but I've never had the time to tag along. Australia is intriguing to me because its population density is such a contrast to Hong Kong: just 24 million Australians (fewer than the population of Texas) are spread across a continent that is only slightly smaller than the entire continental United States.
A Fish and Chips shop in Cooktown, Queensland
Australians' reputation for friendliness, the prospect of summer in January, and the opportunity to go SCUBA diving on the Great Barrier Reef are all reasons a trip to Australia has been on my list of places to visit during our stay in Asia. With our time in Hong Kong drawing to a close, we organized a trip to welcome 2016 in Queensland, Australia and on the Great Barrier Reef.
The rail station in Kuranda
The Kuranda Scenic Railway climbs 1,100 feet through the rainforest
A statue of Captain Cook in Cooktown
Although Australia is much closer to Hong Kong than to the U.S., it's still a seven hour flight to the city of Cairns, a major tourism hub in Queensland and the shortest direct flight from Hong Kong. Queensland is situated on the Northeastern coast of Australia and is the second largest of Australia's eight states and territories. Because of its low rainfall rate, Australia is generally considered one of the driest places on earth, but Queensland is home to the wettest place in Australia on its far northern coast. Cairns is best known as the jumping-off point for visitors to the Great Barrier Reef, and the city has the feel of a laid-back beach town. But Cairns is also the gateway to the Wet Tropics of Queensland, a World Heritage Site and one of the oldest continually surviving tropical rainforests on earth.
We divided our time in Queensland between the rainforest and the ocean, with two days on land and four days at sea on a small ship cruise. To visit the rainforest, we hopped on the Kuranda Scenic Railway, a historic rail line that runs 21 miles from Cairns to the town of Kuranda. Originally built in the late 1800's to carry freight, the rail line is now used exclusively for sightseeing, providing a scenic and slightly harrowing ride through the rainforest, as it climbs nearly 1,100 feet of elevation and passes through 15 tunnels and across 37 bridges. At the top of the rail line, the village of Kuranda is a bit touristy, but provides interesting historic background on the area and the Djabugay aboriginal people who have inhabited the rainforest for more than 10,000 years.
Jeff considers the warnings along the waterfront in Cooktown
After exploring Cairns and the rainforest, our next adventure involved the five words we never thought we'd say: "We're going on a cruise." Although we have friends and family who have enjoyed many cruises, we had never seriously contemplated one, largely due to my propensity for seasickness and Jeff's general dislike for large crowds. But our research about the Great Barrier Reef told us that the best places for snorkeling and SCUBA diving are beyond the reach of day trip vessels. We decided on a cruise with Coral Expeditions, an Australian operator of small cruise ships in Asia-Pacific.
Our home during a four night cruise over the Great Barrier Reef
Our cruise was a four night trip through the Coral Sea, departing from Cairns and traveling north along the coast of Queensland via Cooktown to Lizard Island, with stops for snorkeling and diving along the Rachel Carson and Ribbon Reefs. During our time on the ship, we enjoyed fascinating presentations by local Marine Biologists and naturalists, wonderful food and time for just sitting on deck to watch the beautiful scenery.
The large deck of the ship was ideal for viewing Queensland's scenic coastline
With only 35 passengers, we never felt crowded, and my supply of Dramamine kept my seasickness at bay. Our final night on the ship was New Year's Eve, and the crew anchored offshore from the town of Port Douglas, enabling the passengers to sit on deck and enjoy an unobstructed view of the fireworks.
Jeff enjoys an afternoon of snorkeling on the Ribbon Reefs
Although our trip to Queensland enabled me to explore a bit of Australia, it was a little bit like dipping one's toe in the ocean, and I am eager to return and explore other regions of the country. But for us, it was a wonderful way to welcome in the calendar New Year of 2016 and prepare to head back to Hong Kong to welcome the Lunar New Year of the Monkey.
