Mount Lyford

Since being here we have enjoyed a good few days snowboarding. The snow here is fantastic, an unbelievable improvement from Scottish rock and ice!!

We have hired gear for the full season and I'm quite liking my new smaller board to that I've used before back home.
And we are making the most of our Chill Passes. Got 11 mountains to go explore...........

Our new home on wheels

We have been driving around now in our new home for a couple of weeks and getting settled in. We have named her 'wee midge' since she is such a big beast!!

Life in the van is pretty great, sleeping in DOC campsites on the way, experiencing the great outdoors. I'm getting used to living in the confined space and we have managed to kit her out pretty good by visiting the local eco-shops and recycling centres. Our mattress only cost $10!!!!!!!

Let me show you around :-) Our bedroom..........

 I have made curtains that can be put up at night then taken down when driving as to not block visibility.

 The front cab.......................

Where all our driving time is spent, the seat isn't the comfiest so I've bought some cushions to pad it out, always thinking of the comfort factor lol

 Our kitchen.............................

Pretty small but it has all the essentials.

And of course our extensive outside space!!!













And I can't forget our new mascot, Nessie. For that little touch of Scotland while we travel.

Hong Kong - Week 2

Trip in Hong Kong has finished! We have had a very interesting time with Mr Brodie :-) and also completed some tourist sites.

Witnessed Hong Kong engineering skills...........bamboo scaffolding!!!!! They use it everywhere, no steel in sight.

 Managed to visit the Hong Kong and Kowloon Gardens. A tiny piece of tranquillity surrounded by the chaos of Hong Kong.

 We even took a dip in the public pool, worked out the best hangover cure for Brodie's sore head.

We went up on the old peak Tram to the best viewpoint in Hong Kong. Luckily it was a semi clear day so we could make out the city and Lamma Island through the pollution :-)

We also took a tram ride through the city centre. It was the comfiest and less stressful way of experiencing the chaos without being amongst it.

And I can't not the mention the food..........my favourite part. The things I've tried here have been mouthwatering good, even the take-aways are fantastic. I'll need to learn how to make some of my favourites when I'm back home.

Thanks Brodie for an amazing holiday, I thoroughly enjoyed it and it was great seeing you. Take care!
And goodbye VLT......I will miss you! lol

Symphony of Lights

Last night we went to Kowloon, overlooking Victoria Harbour and Hong Kong Island, to watch the 'Symphony of Lights'. There are several buildings across the water that take part, changing the lights on the sides of the buildings to music. It is a fully choreographed show that happens EVERY night at 8pm.....only in Hong Kong! :-)

Then another trip on the Star Ferry home.

Hong Kong - Week 1

One week over already. Living on Lamma Island is so laid back, that a week has passed by already and most of it has been spent down the pub :-) Brodie is on first name terms with the landlady Joyce which doesn't surprise me.
I'm loving the ferry journeys on and off the island. It is pretty much a free for all, all ferries, container ships, fishing vessels, rubbish barges and small pleasure boats use the same small strip of water and play a game of dodgems to get to Hong Kong.

While being here we have ate so much nice food. Eating local Chinese on Lamma Island is so cheap, we have just been choosing random things from the menu and giving them a taste. If it's rotten it doesn't matter because it only cost £3. But we have been really lucky and only had one or two things we haven't enjoyed. I even managed to find a Japanese restaurant on the island, gives me memories of the gorgeous food back in Falkirk Sumo! :-)

Apart from stuffing our faces and going to the pub, we have managed to tick off some of the Hong Kong tourist musts........we have visited the traditional Hong Kong markets, totally crazy places. You won't believe the things they try to sell, a lot of it just looks like rubbish that we would chuck away, but they fix it all up and sell it on. We visited Stanley market today though and that was more like it, sold tourist nick nacks and clothing. I had to resist buying a lot of stuff since we are going to be living in a campervan soon and so no room for tat.

We took a trip on the Star Ferry, the oldest and cheapest ferry crossing in Hong Kong. It cost 2HKD which is about 15p.

Our plan for next week is to visit the Peak, take the tram ride through main street Hong Kong and visit some of the gardens and aviaries. I'll let you know how it goes!

Lemon iced tea

My new favourite drink, just can't get enough of this stuff.
It's perfect for those sweaty polluted days in Hong Kong.