Dear Patrick,
I was pleased to receive your letter after a long time! I am glad to plan your schedule for the trip to Hong Kong. Here are some suggestions. Hope you will like them.
According to your plan, going to Ocean Park on Friday is a great choice. The visitors from both Hong Kong and other countries like to go Ocean Park during weekends and holidays. However, there will be a traffic jam because people who go to work usually drive cars and take buses. Therefore, I suggest you leave your hotel before 9 o’clock. You also avoid leaving too early… Ocean Park opens after 10:30! I’d like to remind you that the food and drinks in Ocean Park are very expensive. Bring along a bag with a secret pocket so that you won’t be caught by the staff members because of ‘Bringing food from outside to Ocean Park’.
There are two main places! The Waterfront and the Summit. (I think you have known it before!) The Waterfront is nearer the entrance but you should visit it later… I will explain to you later!
You can choose to go to the Summit by riding on a cable car or a faster Ocean Express train (That’s up to you!). In front of the exit there is a showing stage. There will be a show. After you go there, you may start your adventure! First, you can ride on a roller coaster. You can also try out the Whirly Bird, the swing which can let you watch the view at a higher place!
At noon, if you and your family feel hot or if it is rainy, you guys can enter the exhibition center which is full of penguins and other animals from the Poles (Sorry, no polar bears!). Then, enjoy the food that you bring along at the bench area.
If you have visited the South Pole Spectacular but still feel very hot, try out the Expedition Trail. It can surely make you wet and cool. If you want to try this, make sure you bring along your rain cover for your backpack and a waterproof coat!
After getting wet, under the high humidity in Hong Kong, you may need to dry yourself up. The Bumper Blaster nearby will be the best choice. However, do you remember what I have said at the beginning? It will be crowded with visitors at that time. I should say, all of the rides will be full of people in the early afternoon until 5 p.m. Under that condition, I suggest you make your way to The Waterfront by Ocean Express. You should not miss the Adventures in Australia with a time limit till September! There is only one Koala bear and it may be your only chance to see it. Ah, you will surely see the Grand Aquarium with a special design. Get into it and you will say the Cantonese. ‘Whoa!’.
You can choose to leave the Park or take the cable car again to the Summit. IT will be a good time for both quitting and playing again. It is not crowded AT ALL!
On the next day, my suggestion is to visit the place,‘Cheung Chau’. Leave your hotel in the early morning! Go for you ‘Check-out’ and store your luggage in the hotel in Wan Chai. You can ride on a tram which the locals call ’ding ding che’. There are a lot of local traditional food items and the bun called ‘ping on bao’. It looks like an ordinary bun but with a red stamp on it. It can bring ‘peace’ according to the locals. There is a great short easy route for hiking. The start is next to the playground on North Cheung Chau. You may search for it on the internet to find out the map and the view. (No shopping place there! Sorry!)
Hope you will enjoy your trip! Write back!
Best wishes
Chris