Solo Travel Hong Kong – 3 years back if someone told me that I would travel alone, they would laugh at me. I just graduated from Med School and it’s been a year since I started backpacking. My first stop was Hong Kong. I followed it up by traveling to Taiwan
The reason is that I don’t really like my shyness and my lack of courage because I behave so differently when I’m with new people. I am a very self conscious person. I always think that it affects my environment and myself. It was time I decided that this aspect of me needed to change. I had the whole idea of solo travel in mind. I run across a ton of travel blogs and it inspires me to travel alone.
Solo Travel Hong Kong
At that time I did not have a passport. Fortunately my mother knew an IAS officer where I applied for a Tatkal passport and bang, the passport was in my hand in 3 days. That’s when I told my parents about my whole idea of traveling alone. As you might expect they are scared. They think I’m crazy or something. But I hold my case strong. I have convinced them and the next big question is where I go. At first I considered Europe, but since I have less vacation days, visa processing time and flexibility, I abandoned that thought. Next thing I consider are the places that offer Visa on arrival and Visa free countries for Indians. After going through my options, I chose Hong Kong as my destination for a week. I got a good price on Cathay Pacific flights even though I only booked them the day before my trip (400$ from Hyderabad to Hong Kong). I booked a 4 bed dorm in a hostel called Urban Pack online.
Solo Travel In Hong Kong
It was midnight on March 16, 2014 when I arrived at the airport. I was a little nervous but at the same time I was filled with excitement. I swear to God, I feel like the stupidest person in the airport as I don’t know anything from filling up the immigration forms and so on. I always have my mom on the phone for help. The plane has very few passengers. I can’t sleep and watch movies and listen to music. After a nearly 6-hour flight, I landed at Hong Kong International Airport. I was happy and my mind told me, “Heck Yeah”. I was one of thousands of Hong Kongers at the airport and the adrenaline was rushing.
It was not an easy trip for me at HK airport. My first hurdle came when I boarded a small train that transfers you to Immigration from the Terminal. I didn’t expect the meter to be that fast. Because of this I lost my balance and dropped my phone. To my extreme bad luck, the screen was broken. But the good thing is that the phone is still working thanks. There was a chinese lady next to me with a baby in her hand. She saw my Phone crack and I realized that and I gave a friendly smile towards her but she didn’t seem to take it unlike our Indian society that might care.
I have Rs. 25000 at this point in my bag and I am looking for converting them. Since I’m not too sure about foreign currency exchange, I decided to convert at the airport without knowing what I would get. That was a bummer. An advice for all travelers – Never convert your money at Airports. You will get the worst prices.
Next I go to Immigration. I filled out my form and gave it to the immigration officer. When he was about to grant my entry, he asked me how I would make a living in India. I told him I was a student. He asked me to show my student ID. That’s where the real problems begin. I forgot my student ID. The immigration officer handed me over to another officer and asked me to follow him.
Hong Kong Travel Guide Blog (itinerary + Budget)
I was very nervous as I walked down the small lane to the main immigration office. All the officers who saw me looked suspicious and then another officer came and took over. I watched a movie before my trip, The Reluctant Fundamentalist. This is a movie that shows the aftermath of Pakistanis after 9/11. The hero has a similar incident and the officer examines him who makes him naked and finally puts his hand up his ass to make sure he has nothing to hide. All I could think was, “God, please don’t do that. It’s not that bad that the officer made me sit in a chair and he sat opposite ready for interrogation.
The officer took my passport and started questioning me. He wrote my Dad and Mom’s name. Asked if I had any siblings. When I said I have a brother, he asked where he went to school and why you didn’t bring him here. Why didn’t you go to Singapore? Why Hong Kong? and so on. I am absolutely exhausted by the questions as you might expect. My cracked phone screen didn’t really mirror him pressing me on that. I told him that I broke the glass right here at the airport but he never believed the story.
He kept asking me to prove if I was really a student. I kept asking him to give me 5 minutes of internet and show him pics because I don’t have any pics on my phone. He asked me what places I wanted to see in Hong Kong. I name a few like Disney Land, Big Buddha. I was so nervous that almost no words came out. Later I told him all the crazy stuff that Jackie Chan is from Hong Kong and I know it. This line worked well for him even as he languished. Then he checked my hand luggage and luckily for me, my mom hid her visiting card. My mom is a professor and scientist and she has her card qualifications. That’s why I love my mom so much. He came to save me. The officer compared the name on the card to my passport and rechecked what I told him and he seemed convinced.
Then the officer went to the office and came back. He asked, “Do you have a girlfriend in India?” I said “no”. Then with a broad smile, he said, “Ok, go one to Hong Kong” and stamped my entry. It was a huge sigh of relief and I couldn’t help but smile. I thanked him and went out to get my luggage. I also had a hard time getting my luggage because my flight was over an hour away and I had to look for it. I asked some workers and it was not good because they spoke very little English. After some searching, I found my lone backpack alone. And I collected it and started moving.
Singapore Travel Blog: Perfect Minimalist Solo Travel 2022
On my way out I reached the Help Desk to ask them which train or bus I should take from there to Tsim Tsa Tsui, where my Hostel is. Then the person explained to me about the Octopus Card. This is a prepaid card and you can use it in Metros, Buses and restaurants like KFC and McD and some places. This is the most useful thing to take. The octopus card also gives you the freedom as a traveler to just get around using the metro instead of worrying about getting off somewhere. That’s why I advise all travel companions going to HK to get the octopus card.
MTR HK, is how it is known and it has extensive and excellent connections. It has many lines and the sign boards and announcements are also in English. So it is an easy economic
I suggest travelers to use this wonderful Website www.discoverhongkong.com. It has a brief description of all the attractions and tells you which EXIT NUMBER to take at the metro station.
TST is the shopping district of Hong Kong with many people and many Banks. That was my first impression. If you are a Russel Peters fan you know what I am talking about. My hostel should be near the TST metro station. But I took a wrong turn and was out of action for 30 minutes. I’m not sure about asking people because it’s my first time and I feel shy or something. So, at last I saw an Indian vendor on the street. I asked him about the place and what he said made me happy. He asked me if it was ok if he told me
