Company Outing - BBQ

Friday's BBQ outing was in Tai Lam Chung. The entire office boarded coach buses to take us to the outdoor area where we enjoyed food, the games were called off due to the rainy weather.

The Essentials for Living/Visiting Hong Kong

This post is geared for people who are either planning to visit or move to Hong Kong. Below is a list options that have made my life a lot easier.

The Essentials:

DISCOVER HONG KONG - this is your all-in-one place to go to get information about the city

Forums - going to the local forums to ask other Expats or Locals questions is a first step for me, remember, use the SEARCH function, as most topics have been discussed thoroughly in the past.

• Geoexpat (mobile app "Geoclicks")
• Asiaxpat

Food - after landing in Hong Kong, I was tired, hungry, without money, and seriously wondering how I would get my next meal. 

• Openrice (mobile app available)
• Tripadvisor (mobile app available)
• Wellcome and Park-n-Shop are the two major grocery store chains in HK

Using the mobile app for Openrice and Tripadvisor make finding food very easy.

Banking - which bank you choose is up to you and your preferences, but Hong Kong is full of banking services and convenience. Branches and ATM's are located almost everywhere and once you have a bank account set up you can take advantage of some of the following tips.

• Free ATM withdrawal for HSBC and Hang Seng customers at each branches ATM location.
• Free ATM withdrawals for account holders of JETCO banks
• EPS - the option to get "cash back" at many merchants in Hong Kong

Transit - Hong Kong is known for it's world class, clean, and efficient transportation. Getting around the city is very easy as long as you have some basic knowledge.

• MTR - the train system in Hong Kong can get me to 90% of the places that I need to go, and for the other 10% I use:
• Minibus, KMB, Citybus - Here is my previous post about the app I use
• Taxi - Take note of the taxi color, this indicates that the taxi only operates in a certain area. Also, if you notice an open taxi zooming past you, odd are it's a Cross Harbor taxi going to the closest Cross Harbor taxi stand.

Housing - Here are two easy to use websites for searching for Apartments, however getting out and just walking around the area you are interested in has proven to be a great strategy for many people I know.

• Squarefoot
• Gohome

Octopus Card - It's hard to put into words how easy life is when you have an Octopus Card here in Hong Kong. Here are some of the places you will be able to use this card:

• MTR and Buses
• Taxis (this is slowly being introduced, so don't count on this option)
• A large number of Merchants (grocery stores, convenience stores, some restaurants)

Nightlife - the nightlife scene in Hong Kong is usually restricted to Lan Kwai Fong or Knutsfor d Terrace, but don't let that stop you from venturing out to other areas and mingling with the locals. 

• OpenBar - this is a very helpful app to see the deals  for the week

HKetransport - Hong Kong's Minibus, KMB, Citybus transit APP

Until recently, using the convenient Minisbus, KMB, or Citybus wasn't much of an option. After being told about this app by my Hong Kong colleague, figuring out the complex bus system is no longer a problem.

The following app has changed the way I travel within Hong Kong! The buses in HK are a great alternative to a long walk during the humid summer months.

Download below:

Android

Iphone

Each bus company will accept coins (use exact change) or Octopus card as payment.


Here are a few screenshots of how to use the app:

After downloading the app, look for "HKetransport"

It should ask for your language preference, if not click the bottom right icon

How click the top option with the white dialog box to get to languages

Select "English"

Now the rest is self-explanatory, enter a location or select current location to use your GPS location

Pomelo Thai Food in Tai Kok Tsui

Grabbed dinner at one of the local Thai restaurants just a few minutes away from the apartment.

Tonight's dinner: Rice and Noodles (R9 & R12 pictured below)

- Seats about 20 people
- Usually a line waiting outside
- Some outdoor seating, which is rare in HK
- 8 to 9 page menu full of great choices
- Everyone around always has something that looks better than my order!

This has become a local favorite for me, and for about 10 USD, this was enough to feed 2 people!

Hidden Garden - Cheung Sha Wan

Found this place randomly walking around the office a few weeks ago.

Today's lunch: Set B - Rice w/ Pork Chop in Tomato Sauce!

Pros:
- Wide variety for the lunch set
- Decor
- Friendly staff
- Food tasted great

Cons:
- Some communication issues
- Very noisy (to be expected during the lunchtime rush)

Additional ratings: OpenRice

Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery - Sha Tin, Hong Kong

On Saturday, April 13th, I joined a few friends on a small hike to the Ten Thousand  Buddhas Monastery in Sha Tin.

Wiki info:

Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery WIKI


Directions:

-Take the MTR to Sha Tin (see map)

-Follow the signs to exit A1

-Continue walking straight out of the exit and follow the ramp down (look for the sign for Government Buildings this way)

-At the bottom of the ramp, you will see an open area with small shops, walk through the middle of this area and continue walking straight until you see the sign for the Monastery.

About the Hike:

It's an easy hike if you are in shape, otherwise you may experience some difficulty with the steep inclines. Fortunately, Golden Buddhas line the path which give you a chance to take a break and snap a few pictures! 

Safety:

As a safety precaution, be careful walking up the steep/narrow stairs and have a bottle of water just in case you get thirsty. They had drinks for sale at the top, but i'm not sure if this is always stocked.

Hours of Operation:

Everyday from 9am to 5:30pm (weather permitting)


Pictures: