I was browsing through my Facebook albums when I came across the photos of a very special travel experience in my life. It was my second international travel and it was very memorable because (1) it was my first international travel after just getting married, (2) the first time I travelled outside the country for a honeymoon, (3) it was mostly DIY, (4) it was a really fresh experience, and (5) I was able to discover more about myself and my husband during this trip.
Back in June 2018, I bid my single life goodbye as I entered the world of marriage. We only had roughly two months to prepare as my husband popped the question back in April 2018. In between the wedding preparations, my husband said that we will travel to Hong Kong after the wedding. I was surprised and excited at the same time! We did our best to manage our wedding expenses well so we can afford to travel for our honeymoon. 😘
We finally arrived! It was an exhilarating experience to be able to travel to Hong Kong. I mean, who would’ve thought we’d be able to, right? ✈️
As suggested by our globetrotting friend named Julz, we bought an octopus card at the airport. This card can be used to pay for our train and bus fares. We can load them anytime at machines available around Hong Kong. 💳
In an attempt to save, we decided to board a Cityflyer bus. We were given a map at the airport so it was convenient. I also got a copy of the MTR (Mass Transit Railway) map so we can get familiar with the train system here. 🚌 📍
The check-in was still at 2 pm so we left our luggage at the hotel and headed out to explore a special place just a walking distance from the hotel—the Hong Kong University. 🏨🏛
We were able to visit only a part of the university because of the long flight of stairs to get there.😅 We managed to visit the buildings and then we discovered there was a museum nearby so we went in. It was one of the places I didn’t really expect my husband to visit. I’m glad he seemed to enjoy it the way I did.
We were famished so we went back to the area near the hotel. We weren’t really good at using chopsticks but we managed to eat at a nearby Chinese restaurant. They barely spoke English but it was good that their menu had English translations. My husband and I forced not to laugh at how funny we must have looked, making a lot of effort while using chopsticks. After our meal, we roamed around stores and came back to the hotel. We managed to check in earlier.
Finally, it's time for my first subway train ride! I was excited because it was my first time to ride on a train—and I’m experiencing this outside the Philippines! (TYL)🤗
I couldn’t help but feel amazed at how a busy railway station exists underground. The best thing about this train station across the hotel was that it was in my favorite color!💜🚝
Our plan for the afternoon was a trip to Tung Chung where we can ride on a cable car to Ngong Ping 360 on Lantau Island. We boarded the subway train and reached the Tung Chung Station where we got our tickets and we went on our first cable car ride. It took some time to reach the destination but when we were arrived, we had another special experience.🚠✋
The place was literally surrounded by mountains and it was amazing how the structures here were built considering the terrain we saw from the cable car.
The Tao Lin temple has a very huge statue of Buddha on top of the hill. There were a lot of people visiting the area. I feel really blessed to be able to reach this place. We spent a few hours exploring and we marveled at the beautiful structures both ancient and new.
We visited shops to buy some souvenirs and we were really surprised to see cows with unique-looking horns. Based on the written information there, these cows freely roam the place along with dogs. They were not to be fed nor disturbed. 🐂
We bid the place goodbye so we can board the last cable car trip back to Tung Chung. We still boarded the train back to our hotel in Sai Ying Pun. We were so tired that day that we bought dinner from the nearby McDonald's and eat at the hotel room. Later that night, some of our friends who were working in Hong Kong came to visit us. We had a few drinks and a lot of talking. Another day was done and little did we know there would be more walking the next day. 😅
Visiting Macau ⛴
Our second day in Hong Kong was our chance to travel to Macau. We learned that it was only a ferry away and there was no need for visa. We rode on the train again. Then we realized we were two stations away from where we’re supposed to go. Good thing the train goes back its track after reaching the last stop. We were able to board the Cotai Water Jet to Macau just in time. ⛴
It felt overwhelming to be in another place for the first time again. We were in Macau and we rode on a tour bus for free. The bus dropped us off at the Venetian Hotel. We walked around after that. I heard that this area is more alive and more stunning at night. One thing we didn’t prepare for was the terrible heat outside.☀️
After visiting hotels and having our lunch, we decided to go to one of the famous landmarks in Macau—the Ruins of the Saint Paul Cathedral. We rode on the bus and we almost got lost.😅 We passed by a lot of stores giving out free samples of their food.😚 We reached the ruins and quickly took photos because the heat was just too much.
We had a little problem going back to the right port so we can go back to Hong Kong. We didn't have an inkling that we couldn't use the Octopus card on the bus.😶 We barely had enough Macanese Pataca (their currency). Still, God sent angels in disguise—two Filipinos who were already in the bus paid for us.👏 We’re so thankful.💜 Before they could even tell us their names, they reached their bus stop.
We came back to Hongkong at around 5pm and we thought, maybe we could go to Disneyland. It wasn’t in our original plan because we were afraid we’d be short of HKD but after our Macau trip, we realized we can still afford to go. So, we took the regular train, then transferred to the Disneyland train.
We reached Disneyland around 5:30 pm and we took a lot of photos. I even went live on Facebook to express my joy and excitement. Disneyland is my childhood dream. However, when we went to the ticket booth, they asked us if we were okay with paying since it will be night time soon and most of the rides will be closed at 7:30. We thought about it and decided not to buy tickets. So, we just got some souvenirs and then took the train back to Sai Ying Pun. I still hope we can come back to Disneyland someday and bring our son along. 🙏 💜
We had a simple yet sumptuous dinner at Café de Coral in Sai Ying Pun.😊
It was our second and last night in Hong Kong. Our legs and feet were so tired but we enjoyed everything that we saw. We also laughed about the mistakes we did like missing our stop, going to the wrong port, not having MOPs to pay for the bus, among other minor setbacks. We slept early so we can catch the early airport bus the next day.
Going Home ✈️👜
Though our stay in Hong Kong wasn’t that long, it was both a meaningful trip and a learning experience. This short stay helped me learn a lot about my husband and more importantly, about myself. I learned that:
(1) Traveling tests your patience. We had several mishaps but I was thankful we managed to turn each argument or annoyance into opportunities to know and understand each other;
(2) Always be on your toes. I realized that if you get lost, quick thinking will help you. Read and comprehend. Look at maps. Ask people; and
(3) Savor each moment. We were blessed to have the opportunity to travel. The memories of this trip were worth more than the money we have spent.
Someday, I'll be back with my husband and my son. 🙏
Thank you for taking the time to read this long post. May all of us be able to travel places and fill our life with beautiful memories. 😊