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To really understand and experience Hong Kong you have to know a bit about its history.  Hong Kong Island was just a few fishing villages perched on the side of a barren rock when claimed by Britain in 1842 after the First Opium War with China. Soon after Kowloon and the outer islands were added, followed by a 99 year lease granted on the New Territories in 1898.  The colony was returned to China on 1 July 1997, and is now classified as a “Special Administrative Region” of China operating under a “One country two systems” principle.

This long period of British influence has resulted in Hong Kong being a tremendous mix of cultures that exists nowhere else on earth. Most people have English Christian names such as Richard Chang or Susan Lu, they drive on the left, nearly all speak English and are extremely co-operative. Hong Kong is very safe both in the day and at night with the police being very evident and helpful. The neon street signs alone will live in your memory forever as will the sites and sounds of the people going about their lives which they seem to do on a 24 hour basis.

The new airport stretching out in the sea at Lan Tau island is simply amazing,  incredible new bridges (At 2.2 km long Tsing Ma Bridge is one of the sites of Hong Kong) span the ocean and are completing the road network making getting around between the islands ever more easy.......................................