Dragon's Back (To Back)

It's been awhile.  We'll start catching up in Hong Kong.

Some time ago, Laura had to be in Hong Kong on a Thursday and Friday for work.  We made last minute plans for me to tag along and stay the weekend.  Typhoon Utor put a bit of a wrinkle in that plan.  Booking late, I had a separate flight out.  Utor had hit Hong Kong the day before and was just clearing the area when we were set to depart.  Though Utor didn't cause much damage to Hong Kong, it did wreak havoc on flight schedules and hotel room bookings.  My flight went, Laura's never did.

Lucky to still have a room, I was in Hong Kong solo.  We had planned on hiking the trails through the mountains around the city.  Figuring Laura had no chance of making it down, I headed off Friday morning for perhaps the most famous, Dragon's Back.  About 10am, as I stood on a peak on the Dragon's Back trail, I received a call from Laura informing me she'd be on a flight arriving that evening.

Saturday morning, Laura and I headed off to hike Dragon's Back.  I didn't mind.  It's a beautiful and scenic trail and we were able to find a more scenic decent than I had found the day before.  If you ever have the opportunity to give it a go, it's a 3 to 3-1/2 hour hike and don't believe the signs.  Big Wave Bay is the end of the trail in theory.  Every sign says "Big Wave Bay 500m".  Turns out that just means 500m until the next sign that says "Big Wave Bay 500m".  And even that's not right.  The first 500m seemed long.  I timed the second 500m, it took longer than it should have.  I stepped off the third 500m.  737m by my calibrated stride.

Heading up to the Dragon's Back

The Dragon's Back.  On the southeast end of Hong Kong Island.

I don't know what this is.

I also do not know what this gelatinous sea cucumber looking
 thing is, nor how it made it's way up to the top of a mountain.

Not everybody you come across on a trail can be trusted
to take a quality photo.  This is the better of two.

The town of Stanley on Hong Kong Island

Tai Tam Harbor and Reservoir

Town of Shek O and Shek O Beach

Big Wave Bay.  Looks to be about 500m.

Descending over 1100 steps into Big Wave Bay.

LT taking a break and admiring the scenery while resting
the legs.  1100 steps will leave them a bit wobbly.

Prison with a view.

Rock carving near Big Wave Bay estimated to be 3,500 years old.

Big Wave Bay shark nets "not working" per the loudspeaker
announcement.  They were freely floating, but no signs of Jaws.

Big Wave Bay Beach

The 3,500 year old rock carving is just to the right of that lifeguard shack.

As the name might suggest, Big Wave Bay is a surf town.

Dragon's Back from the road between Big Wave Bay and Shek O.

Shek O Beach

We had to take a ferry, subway train, then double decker bus
up narrow, winding roads to get to Dragon's Back from our hotel.

Laura braved the front seat of the top deck on the bus heading
 down.  A lot of branches hit that window at high speed.  Neither
of us made it down without ducking a time or two.