Three days in Hong Kong and I realized this city is switched ON. Visiting Hong Kong is like entering a video game — bright, colorful lights, fast-moving objects, and you are always on the move. The streets are lined with neon lights and gigantic billboards. The sidewalks are crowded with people scurrying from point A to point B. Double-decker buses barrel down the road like hulking monsters. Even the crosswalks beep at you, with the cadence increasing as the timer is about to expire.
But beyond the frenetic pace, there are things to enjoy at a slower speed — taking a ferry ride across the harbor; riding a gondola up the green, mountainous hillside; strolling through the Jade Market; savoring a few dumplings at dim sum; taking in the incredible skyline; or contemplating the meaning of life from beneath the giant Buddha statue.
Like most big cities, there are plenty of things to see and do in Hong Kong. To get to these attractions, you may choose from many modes of public transportation. We traveled by train, subway, tram, bus, taxi, gondola, ferry and theMid-Levels Escalator, the longest outdoor covered escalator system in the world. I was very impressed with how clean and smooth everything sped along. It was fairly easy for us to figure out (or ask someone) where we needed to go, how to get there, and where to buy tickets. Of course in a crowded city we often had to wait in long lines at the busier attractions. And you have to keep in mind that in many Asian cultures, there is no personal space. People will stand in line with their arm touching your arm, long hair brushing your shoulder, or a huge leather purse jabbing your stomach. It is also very common for people to bump into you as they walk by and not even acknowledge it; they just keep walking. Children were especially pushy when they wanted to see what they wanted to see. I learned very quickly to just take a deep breath and try to get out of the way!
We enjoyed our adventures in Hong Kong, but after a few days I was glad to exit the game.
Kelly and Rhenee were excellent to work with on planning our trip. The logistics all worked smoothly and everyone was friendly and on time. Our accommodations were very good, particularly the incredible Patagonia Camp in Torres del Paine! Our guides on every excursion were outstanding and made the hikes memorable! Overall we had a wonderful trip with incredible memories!
Scott Gibson
1 day ago
Adventure Life is definitely a first-class safari tour company, and our representative was Franny Friesz. First of all, she responded immediately after we contacted Adventure Life. We told Franny that we had never been on a safari, and she was more than eager to offer a mountain of information about the trip. She informed us fully about all the ups, downs, and all arounds! She even prepared a number of packages for us to review -- even after we made changes to the areas we wanted to explore. Friendly, helpful, professional, and extremely knowledgeable -- these words describe Franny, and what a wonderful trip she prepared! We couldn't have asked for better service than Franny of Adventure Life. We HIGHLY recommend her and her outstanding company! Bon Voyage!
Prima Burke
2 days ago
The staff at Adventure Life made planning my family's trip to the Galapagos Islands as easy as possible. They listened to what we were hoping to experience and made thoughtful suggestions about how to accomplish our vacation goals while meeting the needs of travelers ages 17-76! They patiently answered questions and follow up questions in the months leading up to the trip. They helped us trouble shoot and customize the trip in every way possible. The logistics involved in traveling from Boston to the Galapagos are innumerable. The Adventure Life staff helped us arrange every detail and the team they assembled in the Galapagos was tremendous. I have never done a trip this big before and after working with Adventure Life this time--would not hesitate one second in working with them again.
Jennifer Howard Schroeder
3 days ago
Kevin got right on our request and had us booked within the week