blinryMar 6

Today, I'll start walking along the coast of Hong Kong Island, and see how far I'll get! :D

Starting in Western District, which is bustling and densely-populated.

Show threadblinryMar 6
This is 青洲 – Green Island!
Show threadblinryMar 6
The trees are working really hard at reclaiming the city here!
Show threadblinryMar 6
More of these trees that we saw in the last days! It's the Chinese banyan aka "curtain fig". And it seems that it's sometimes actively used to stabilize slopes!
Show threadblinry
"Don't toot!" 😬
Mar 6 at 2:32amWeb
Show threadblinryMar 6

Made it around Mount Davis, and reached Waterfall Bay!

This part of the coast consists of a couple of connected public parks, which feel nice to walk in.

Show threadblinryMar 6
Oh hello! It seems that instead of discarding your deity figure, you can bring them here, and a member of the local community will take care if them!
Show threadblinryMar 6

Other places I've been to: "Oh yeah, the city has a *downtown* area, and there you can find a couple of higher buildings."

Hong Kong: *casually sprinkles 40-storey skyscrapes all over the place*

Show threadblinryMar 6
Made it to Deepwater Bay in the South of Hong Kong Island, the first beach I've seen here. Time for a break!
Show threadblinryMar 6
Tin Hau Temple, which is dedicated to a Chinese sea goddess.
Show threadblinryMar 6

The map I'm following for the "around-the-island trail" denotes a couple of "safe deviations". So far, they seemed to lead around construction sites, for example, and once, to avoid a locked gate (which I realized too late, and which caused me a ~2 km detour. 🤦

But for this one, I'm glad that I didn't follow the deviation, and instead followed the shore!

Show threadblinryMar 6

It seemed like a bit of a gamble: Following the shore could be a really pretty and interesting path (instead of walking along a street).

On the other hand, the path could be impassable, or dangerous.

I also (again) realized too late that the official route would go another way, so it would've cost me time to turn around. I decided to see how far I'd get!

Show threadblinryMar 6
It quickly turned out that it would be an uphill hike. The first few steps were still made from concrete...
Show threadblinryMar 6
...but the stairs quickly turned into a somewhat crumbly (but safely walkable) situation.
Show threadblinryMar 6

So I followed this path up for maybe 20 minutes. At ~22 °C, I was sweating a lot!

A mid-forest crossroads had this beautiful way of marking the different directions!

Show threadblinryMar 6

At one point, I met two people hiking downhill, which gave me a feeling or relief: I would be able to get through there *somewhere*!

Eventually, the view opened up, and revealed the Stanley Peninsula!

Show threadblinryMar 6

I continued on that path, and reached a concrete street again, that led to a water reservoir on the top of the mountain.

That was a neat little sub-adventure! :D

Show threadblinryMar 6
Made it to Stanley!
Show threadblinryMar 6

And just as I was considering my next steps, *these* folks turn up! :'D @robbi5 @ubahnverleih

We had joked about playing "tag" (and I was carrying an AirTag), but I hadn't *actually* expected to be hunted across the island! xD

Show threadblinryMar 6
We're continuing the hike together, following a water collection canal.
Show threadblinryMar 6
The canal continued curving along, and finally ended in a water reservoir. That was a very pleasant, relatively flat path!
Show threadblinryMar 6
We entered peaceful bay, and found this bike graveyard close to a settlement. One person seemed very surprised that three foreigners would pass through here.
Show threadblinryMar 6
OH @robbi5: "No blinry, we're *not* going up there!"
Show threadblinryMar 6

Next, we're following up a dry river bed.

"If it's mapped as a path in OSM, we can walk it"?

Show threadblinryMar 6

Next, we balanced along this pipe... 😱

Just kidding.

We won't actually need to do that.

I think.

Show threadRedGlowMar 6
@blinry "If it's mapped as a path in OSM, we can walk it" is a trap I've fallen into more times than I'd like to admit.
Show threadFionaMar 6
@blinry adventure! 💖
Show threadWalrus 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿Mar 6

@blinry @robbi5

Is that Tai Tam reservoir dam?

Show threadblinryMar 6
@Walrus Yep!
Show threadMartin SeegerMar 6
@blinry This looks like a place where someone is keeping stolen bikes....
Show threadTinxMar 6
@blinry whyy? 😭
Show threadBenjaminMar 6
@blinry I'm really curious about the story behind that bicycle graveyard. How did they end up there? Why are they still there?
Show threadlobingeraMar 6
@blinry Reminds me on "Wale" und "Walwege" in Trentino, Italy.
Show threaddch  Mar 6
@blinry Lovely photo
Show threadToxo77Mar 6
@blinry thanks for taking us with you !
Show threadLotte Is Antifa-scist 🚩Mar 6
@blinry thank you for taking us with you, I really love HK!
Show threadAxelMar 6
@blinry
What I found amazing, is that there is still so much nature in one of the most densely populated islands of the world.
Show threadrobbi5Mar 6
@blinry
Show threadFrank Bennett 🇯🇵Mar 6
@blinry Ah, got it. 魔爪石 is in Hong Kong.
Show threadWalrus 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿Mar 6

@blinry

That was my favourite beach from 1963 to 1966.

Shek-O and Big Wave Bay were also good.

Show threadKevin Karhan Mar 6

@blinry I mean, #Hongkong has been kinda shafted by geography.

  • It's a shame it didn't get released into independence...
Show threadWalrus 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿Mar 6

@kkarhan @blinry

That happened because Thatcher didn't understand the difference between the New Territories, hich were leased, and the Island and Koloon, which were ours in perpetuity.

Show threadKevin Karhan Mar 6
@Walrus @blinry and because she refused to seperate them nor support #Hongkong|ers' Right to Self-Determination …
Show threadJigme DatseMar 6
@blinry Is this the end of the don't toot, or the beginning? I'm confused...
Show threadblinryMar 6
@JigmeDatse I think I may now toot again! =)
Show threadFlounderMar 6
@blinry
Show threadn1k0Mar 6
@blinry @missbullitt "End it"
Show threadCat 🐈🥗 (D.Burch) ⁠Mar 6
@blinry @silvermoon82 終止
Show threadSam ClementeMar 6
@blinry I’m gonna toot even harder now
Show threadnLupo  Mar 6
@blinry No
Show threadDavid BenderMar 7
@blinry
NO TIPPED PITCHERS
Show threadargonautMar 7
@blinry @clive it’s upside down, so it’s “toot” instead.