Goodbye Hong Kong, Hello Sydney

Whilst I enjoy Hong Kong, I was actually quite glad to be getting on the way to Sydney. It still felt like we were 'in transit' at that point. So, we packed the bags, headed to Hong Kong Station (a remote airport luggage drop off for want of a better description) and decided to head over to Tung Chung in an effort to get to the Po Lin Monastery, or more specifically, the Tian Tan Buddha. Whilst living in the UK, I did flirt briefly with an interest in Buddhism as they seem to have some pretty sound values but never really explored it enough to be honest. It seemed kind of logical to head over there and check the place out. To set the scene, it is built in the middle of nowhere (Lantau Island to be specific) and involves crossing a lake, over some mountains and there we are! To add a tourist touch, they have actually built a cable car which takes about 20 minutes, and made it seem somewhat like a theme park feel, calling it Ngong Ping. A very scenic ride, no doubt even more impressive for those with head for obscene heights. Anyway, cutting to the chase, the place was simply amazing and it is very hard not to get caught up in the idea. We saw a small theatre production (Walking with Buddha)about the progress of Buddism, toured through the area and then took the large walk up the 268 steps to the top. We of course went inside and later, down to the Po Lin Monastery. It was a remarkable place inside although by this point, we were getting rushed to head for the airport. We purchased a few souvenirs and left the area for a 30 minute wait for the cable car. The only downside of the whole thing was that we were so rushed. Hopefully one day we will get a chance to return. As we left I purchased Buddhism for Dummies. Hopefully this time I will find the time to read it!

Until next time, Keep Safe.