"Blow that Jet Lag Away" a Hong Kong Travel Page by 43beckos

I have visited Hong Kong 3 times now, each after a long haul flight, and have always found HK so vibrant and light, that the jet lag seems to dissapate (at least until my head hits the pillow).

This city is such a mix of the modern, as seen in skyscrapers and electronic shops on Kowloon, along with the traditional, as seen in the Bird and Flower Markets off Prince Edward Rd.

You could never visit HK to relax, but you can certainly soak up some culture.

Given it's history. it is hardly surprising that HK is a fusion of eastern and western influences.

This is none more so than on Nathan Road Kowloon, where modern boutiques and every major clothes store ( eg Gap, Calvin Klein etc), can be found rubbing shoulders with traditional chinese medicine shops and reflexolgists.

This also rolls over into the bars, where traditional chinese restaurants and Karaoke bars vie for customers with Irish Bars and traditional English Pubs, however the most outstanding example of this "fusion " is when you see a modern building site still using bamboo for scaffolding.

It is very easy to forget that this is in fact China, as the people of HK certainly do not seem to be under the same amount of state influence as the rest of China, or maybe it is just not apparent to the average traveller.

Having stayed on both, I have to say I preferred HK Island, as it is a little bit ( only a very little bit ) more laid back than Kowloon and mad Nathan Rd, although it is fair to say that most roads in HK are a bit mad.

The excellent transportation systems in HK along with the relatively cheap taxis mean that it really does not matter where you stay, as they both have their sights to offer, and getting from one island to the other is no hassle at all, and of course travelling between the two islands on the star ferry is a must do anyway.