The Final Goodbye

by Trézanah MacCauley 

I always get this melancholic feeling the day I have to fly back to Auckland. I’m not sure if I’m sad because I’m leaving, or because I have to “face reality”, but even though I’m always happy to be going home and returning to my usual routine, leaving a place I’ve fallen in love with creates an unsettling feeling in my gut.

It was easy to fall in love with the efficient and bustling lifestyle that Hong Kong presented. A close friend of mine, who completed his university studies in Hong Kong, had messaged me during the trip to say that Hong Kong was his second favourite place on earth (with Rarotonga being his first), and I could understand why! Underneath the smog and humidity, Hong Kong really is a fascinating place drenched in rich culture and history.

The final day was spent with everyone basically doing final explorations, shopping trips, and making sure that all our belongings were packed tetris style to utilize our 23kg luggage allowance. The first half of my day was spent lazing in the hotel bed, until I decided it was time to get up and pack all my things. Isn’t it funny that one saves money for personal shopping, only for most of that money to be spent buying gifts for other people? Or is that just me…? Thankfully, I managed to fit everything into two pieces of checked in luggage (thank you, Hong Kong Airlines!), and I figured that I would go and hunt for one last local restaurant to satisfy my lunchtime cravings. Across the road from our hotel was this small dessert place and I indulged in the most delicious tropical fruit bowl with steamed milk custard. If there is one thing I am going to miss about Hong Kong, it is going to be their dessert shops. I treated myself to so many yummy desserts that I know I will start craving them once I’m back in New Zealand *sighs in Cantonese*.

Once our group was all checked out and ready to leave, our amazing tour guide Wendy was there to take us and helped us get check ourselves in once we arrived at the airport. What followed was an introduction to Hong Kong Airlines; a somewhat guided tour through the airport; the meeting of Hong Kong Airline flight and cabin crew; Childish Gambino’s ‘This is America’ somehow being sung at random times so that it was stuck in everyone’s head; a tour through HKA’s Business Lounge; and finally, an opportunity to sit in at the Lounge until it was time to board our flight.

Words cannot describe how amazing this entire trip has been. Kia ora rawa atu to AUT, the School of Hospitality and Tourism, Hong Kong Airlines, our tour guides, Hong Kong Tourism Board, Hong Kong Poly-U School of Hotel Management and Tourism, Helen, Yvonne, Sarah, and to all the students who made this trip worthwhile. I will carry this memory for a lifetime, and I truly encourage future students in the School of Hospitality and Tourism to apply for this once in a lifetime opportunity. You will not regret it!

Until next time, Hong Kong. 多謝~

Day 7 – a letter to myself.

By Callum Denali 

Dear Callum of the past,

I’m writing to you from the end of your trip and what an incredible trip it has been. I’m almost tempted to keep the adventures you are about to embark on to myself as I laugh at just how worried you were to take a few chances and embark on a journey that not only opened your eyes but gave you opportunities that are so beyond a blessing. Aftercall the thing that scares you the most is the unknown and yet here you are taking every opportunity that comes your way and embracing it like an old friend.

Imagine this, you got on a plane for a 13-hour flight and touched down in a country that officially marked the beginning of your whirlwind journey. Your first impressions were to be honest a little overwhelming for a small-town kiwi boy who hadn’t really travelled much further past the Waikato River. To your great surprise you didn’t even get the pat down by security at customs which you were also very worried about.

Hong Kong is a destination of contrasts, where there is a very fine line between traditional customs and the modern world, in the sense that you can be marvelling at a temple that is thousands of years old while admiring the hundred plus floor skyscrapers that surround it. You challenged yourself by mastering all forms of public transport and you’ll be blown away by the city that lies beneath a city where everybody gets from place to place on the MTR train line.

Your expectations were also very wrong, you are 20 something years old and crying while meeting Mikey Mouse. Hong Kong Disneyland smashed your expectations and I think this was your eye-opening moment where you realised you want to be apart of something magical. Something that makes others happy. Going on the rides with your new friends will be something that you’ll carry with you forever and will always bring a smile to your face.

How can I even reminisce about this experience and not bring up your new friends? Each one of them has something amazing about them and I believe they truly made the experience something special. Which then in turn brings me to the part that I have been dreading, the part that we all knew was coming. The Goodbyes. You boarded a plane with a group of strangers and came home with a family of like-minded colourful and vibrant individuals. You must make it a priority to check in on them often.

Now here I am safe and sound in New Zealand writing this letter to the anxious me that boarded the plane a week ago. My advice to you and anybody else who may find themselves reading this. When Opportunity comes don’t be afraid to accept the challenges with open arms and try new things.

From future Callum.

Day 6 – A day full of learning and new experiences

By Harrel Rogado

Day six began with 21 sharp looking individuals gathered at the lobby early in the morning. Despite the awareness of the searing heat outside, everyone was committed to looking presentable for the first stop of the day; Hong Kong Polytechnic University, School of Hotel and Tourism Management.

Everything about this University is something I would describe as innovative and very world class.

After a filling lunch at the Langham Mall, we headed to the Hong Kong Board of Tourism (one of our great sponsors) for a tour in one of their six locations around Hong Kong. We were introduced to their role and key contributions towards Hong Kong’s tourism industry, whether it was giving tourists ideas of the sights to see or helping plan big events such as the Rugby Sevens tournament, I was amazed by the many things they looked after.

Following our tour in the Hong Kong Board of Tourism the final adventure of the day was the Symphony of Lights Harbour Cruise. While we waited for the evening to set in we were given the options to go back to the hotel to refresh, or roam the magnificent city. Personally, I decided to see the sights with a few of my newly made friends. Even though we ended up on an observation wheel the view of the city on a wooden boat at night was a far better experience. Onboard the boat everyone had a great time, both enjoying the cruising aboard the boat and the beautiful city skyline of Hong Kong.

After a quick bus ride home hosted by our favorite tour guide, Wendy. Everyone was ready to crash into bed but only after the end of day reflection meeting a few students were eager to have. This was yet another full on day where aching feet were a well worth trade for the new knowledge we gained and great experiences we had. Thank you, Hong Kong, for another brilliant day.

Day 5 – what do ruins, temples, and casinos have in common? Macau.

By Ben Lambourne 

Today was hectic, right from the moment our alarms went off we were rushing to get ready on time.

Macau was set to be our destination for today, with a schedule packed tight with activities and attractions to see, meaning there was practically no time to rest. We took the TurboJet from Hong Kong to Macau, and I’d be lying if I said I found the experience to be smooth sailing. Thankfully, I hadn’t eaten much for breakfast anyway.

After arriving in Macau we met our guide for the day, Constantino, or as he likes to be called, Tino. His facts, advice, and jokes were a key part of what made this day enjoyable. Our first stop was the Ruins of St Paul’s, which was a 17th century church that was ultimately destroyed by a fire. We then followed the street down past various shops selling jerky, biscuits, and more (some with free samples!) until we arrived at Senada Square and were given free reign to do some shopping at one of the many clothing and jewellery shops or market stands.

Lunch followed, and we were provided with a buffet that everyone took advantage of, as most people found themselves gorging on the calamari rings and Japanese fish curry. Tino then took us to A-Ma temple, which was built in 1488 and provides many different prayer forms to the Sea Goddess Mazu. It was incredible to see the ancient buildings and stairways intertwined with the rocks and trees of the natural landscape, as well as the intricacy of the shrines.

Finally, we took a visit to The Venetian, which is the largest casino in the world. It is so huge that it has its own shopping mall, canal (complete with gondolas and gondoliers), and thousands of hotel rooms and conference rooms. The shopping mall even has an artificial sky ceiling and fake European-style buildings all along the area.

It was then a mad dash back to the ferry in the late afternoon after a certain mishap, but thankfully we all made it back on time and I remembered to use my travel sickness pills so the ride back wasn’t even an issue!

A huge thanks to Tino for making this day so enjoyable and run so smoothly! I know that we all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, and would want to return to Macau again one day.

Day 4 – a dream come true!

By Venus Alviola 

Today – all my dreams came true.

The day started with a visit to the vibrant 4-star Marriott Hotel which is just a few minutes stroll from our hotel. A popular spot for visitors – the Marriott Hotel was founded by J. Willard and Alice Marriott and has been lead by family members for 90 years. We hopped on Hong Kong’s classic tram heading towards another gem, which is located in the heart of central Hong Kong – The Mandarin Oriental Hotel. This hotel is a 5-star luxury urban retreat, classified as one of the famous hotels in the world. Ng goi BIHM team for organising this visit and for being our tour guide!

Our group outside the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

After the awesome hotel visits, we [the students] were able to plan how we all wanted to spend our day. Some groups decided to spend time at the Ocean Park, while some explored the city and went shopping. Another group of 10, including myself, hopped on the MTR heading towards the happiest place on earth. Yes, you guessed it – Hong Kong Disneyland!

Touch down to the last MTR station, where we caught a Disney inspired MTR, famous for its Mickey mouse windows and handles. Excitement escalated as we head closer to our final destination. We all have dreamt for this dream to come true, and today was definitely the day. On arrival, we immediately explored the park with smiles on our faces.


Siobhan, myself (Venus) and our AUT lecturer Yvonne Wood, featuring our Disney smiles.

Although it poured like cats and dogs, it did not stop us from having fun. Some of us, including myself, walked in the rain aiming to get on some indoor rides, like Space Mountain at Tomorrowland. Soon as the rain stopped, it was time for us to have a go at every ride. It was so much fun! We all felt like kids again. We also bought the iconic Mickey waffles with chocolate and maple syrup on the side (seen above), as well the Disney doughnuts (seen below). Delicious!

 

We were also in a mission for some Disney stickers in which are usually given by Disney workers. We felt like kids treasure hunting throughout the park. Some groups met the King and Queen of Disneyland – Mickey and Minnie Mouse, as well as other characters.

 

Grace & Callum

Grace & Callum goofing around

After hours and hours of fun, we headed to the shops for more shopping while waiting for the night parade – the We Love Mickey light show was phenomenal. To top that off, we ended our Disney experience with the famous a night parade which was a blast. At this point, we left Disneyland as how we entered – ecstatic. My dream to visit Disneyland Hong Kong came true and will forever be remembered.


 

Day 3 – an experience for the books!

By Grace McGillivray 

Day 3 was an experience for the books. Wendy our tour guide has made the tour incredibly interesting so far – throwing us facts left and right. Our drive to Lantau Island, our destination for the day, was an educational experience learning about the Giant Buddha and the Po Lin Monastery. Interestingly the face of the Buddha is made up of 2kgs of gold, you learn something new every day.

Upon arrival, we had a 25 minute ride on the cable car to where the Monastery and Buddha were. A ride that gave us the most incredible breathtaking views of Lantau, thankfully it was a good day. As we arrived at the destination it was ‘Happy room’ time, in other words, bathroom break – ‘Happy room’ being a local saying I’m sure some of us will take back home, I definitely will.

Enjoying the cable car ride through the countryside

We first went to the Po Lin Monastery, first impressions being that the architecture was very intricate and colourful. Entering the worship area stood 3 gold painted clay Buddha’s representing the Past, Present and Future lives. Offerings such as fruit, incense and flowers each symbolise a different gift such as generosity and wisdom, also were within the temple.

Monastery on the left, Giant Buddha on the right – view from the cable car.

Finally for what we were all anticipating, the 268 stair climb to view the Giant Buddha up close and personal. Although packed with locals and tourists from afar, being so close to a monument with such great meaning behind it was an incredible experience. One I am sure we won’t forget.

A rest stop up the stairs to the giant Budha for a quick selfie with the crew.

Lunch was also a cultural experience like no other. We enjoyed a traditional Chinese meal where waiters placed multiple plates full of different foods on the Lazy Susan, for us all to share together. To end our time touring the destination we had a look around Ngong Ping Village before catching the cable cars back to the bus. Overall, the experience was a breathtaking highlight for most of us and I highly recommend the experience for any future Hong Kong travellers!

Me with the Buddha. 

Day 2 – the lucky temple and ladies market, how to bargain!

By Rebecca Evans 

The culture of Hong Kong was alive today!

The activities that we experienced today were organised by the Bachelor of International Tourism Management students. We wanted to find places that would showcase the culture of Hong Kong. This lead to our first stop of the day, Sik Sik Yoen Wong Tai Sin. A well known Temple in Hong Kong.

In order to get there, we had to navigate our way through the MTR transport system. This was easy due to the simplicity of the network which was a bonus.

We arrived at the temple in Wong Tai Sin which left us amazed by the number of local people who go to pray for good luck and fortune. Some of our students had their fortunes told at the temple as well which they found to be a great experience. A 15 minute MTR ride from Wong Tai Sin Temple, we went for a visit to Nian Lin Garden which was beautiful and full of history.

 

Ashley in front of Wong Tai Sin temple.

We split off into two groups for lunch; both groups being able to try the different traditional food. I had sweet and sour prawns with crispy thin noodles in Tsui Wah, which fuelled my tummy for the rest of the day. It was worth it.

During afternoon and evening, we headed towards Ladies Market, Sneaker Street and Temple Street Markets, where we tested our bartering skills to get some bargains!

 

A few of us, including myself, had our eyes drawn towards some branded items. Herschel, Supreme, Fjallrave Kanken, you name it – ladies market has it all. Sellers would offer high prices for fake items, but never pay the full amount and bring the original offer as low as you can for at least $100 HKD down. The funny thing is that if the seller is not willing to pay your offered price, then walk away – this is a tip. The further you walk, the seller would yell out and lower the price and only turn back when the seller agreed to your offer price. We found this experience fun and addictive at the same time. Some of us may come back for more during their free time. Sneaker street was another adventure. We hunted for cheaper pairs of shoes but ended up not purchasing any. It was crazy how there are three or four branches of Nike and Adidas stores positioned in one street. Temple street was another opportunity for us to bargain – More shopping! But sellers seem to be stricter to their prices in comparison to ladies market, but we still managed to get some bargained items.

All in all, the day opened us up to many aspects of the culture within Hong Kong. It was an unforgettable experience and has changed our perspective of the Fragrant Harbour. We look forward to more adventures!

Thank you for today Hong Kong!

Day 2 – touch down in Hong Kong.

By Samantha Lett

Well… what a start to the trip!

Meeting at the airport late on a Thursday night our group boarded our plane and flew to the early hours of Friday morning – arriving on the other side of the world.

Although the flight was long, the result was spectacular! A huge thank you to Hong Kong Airlines for providing us with good food and good entertainment to help survive the trip and sponsoring us on this once in a lifetime opportunity!

The view from our Hong Kong Airlines plane as we came into Hong Kong.

We all made it safe and sound and ready to start the rest of the journey!

From the Airport it was off to the tram, at a 27-degree angle up Victoria Peak to look over the city – what an amazing view and a great chance to see our surroundings. Next, on our adventure we took a trip on the local sampan (water taxi) around the harbour and saw how the rich and poor live on the water, one side is luxury yachts and the other fishing boats loaded with rubbish including some unique smells radiating off them.

Aboard the sampan.

This was followed by a brief trip to a jewellery factory where bespoke jewellery pieces are designed and created. The Stanley markets followed with stalls selling everything from decorative chopsticks to handheld fans.

The final destination was our hotel and an absolute relief for tired feet, early to bed and ready for day two. AUT students can match the heat at Uni but can’t in the 30degrees of Hong Kong, who knew?

Our group, feeling exhausted in the hotel lobby.

Day 1 – Kiwi’s Airborne, En Route to Hong Kong

By Jessica Kadarmia

I’m ditching the winter blues for one blissful week and trading in beanies, heavy jackets, raincoats and scarves in favour of sunglasses, shorts, tee shirts and summer hats.  The itinerary for the tour is jam-packed with so many interesting sights to see and things to be explored.  I am most looking forward to visiting the Po Lin Monastery and seeing the iconic Giant Buddha, the catamaran ride to Macau and shopping until I drop at the many bustling markets across Hong Kong.  I cannot wait to meet the people and experience the rich culture, history and food that Hong Kong has to offer.  I feel so privileged that the people of Hong Kong would be so gracious in sharing their little part of the world with me for the next week.

Time has really whizzed by. It is hard to believe that this journey began only two short months ago when I found out that I was selected to go on this exciting tour to Hong Kong.  Fast forward and now it is the night before departure and it seems like I have a million and one things that still need doing! A last-minute load (or two) of laundry, a trip to the laundromat to dry said laundry, a supermarket venture and a quick catch up with friends and family.  Packing seems like such a chore and I am left wondering about the existence of those magic little elves I remember reading about as a child and wondering where they are when you need them! Unfortunately, wishful thinking will not get my bags packed so I had better get back to it!

Our group shot in Auckland, me in the middle above the sign – wearing a scarf no less!

I invite you to come along with us on the 2018 AUT Hong Kong Study Tour and “Embrace the World” as we embark on the trip of a lifetime.  Watch this space to be kept up to date as we make unforgettable memories and document our travels and experiences of Hong Kong along the way. So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, haere ra, zàijiàn and goodbye, we’ll be back before you know it!

#hkaAUTembracetheworld
          

 

The journey begins before you leave

Thanks for joining us! We are 18 [excited] AUT Tourism, Hospitality, Event Management and Culinary Arts students who are about to embark on a week-long journey of Hong Kong.

We will be updating this blog daily with our travels, highlights and experiences.

I never travel without my diary one should always have something sensational to read. — Oscar Wilde

The exchange programme; “Embrace the World” was made possible with support from Hong Kong Airlines and the Hong Kong Tourism Board, and gives AUT Tourism, Hospitality, Event Management and Culinary Arts students the chance to immerse in a new cultural experience, enriching their understanding of the tourism and hospitality industry.

We’ve been very busy planning an exciting itinerary for the week – and it’s busting at the seams! Which I’m sure some of us might be after indulging in some of Hong Kong’s local cuisine. Stay tuned for what delicacies we will be sampling – a trip to the night markets (planned for day two) is sure to reveal some weird and wonderful options. We’ve heard about the famous Birds Nest Soup – not sure if anyone is game enough to try it! Watch this space!

An interesting fact about Hong Kong is that it is the world’s most vertical city, with two hundred and ninety-three buildings higher than five hundred feet — sixty more than second-place New York City. A highlight for us all will definitely be the opportunity to see this impressive city’s skyline at night and watch the “A Symphony of Lights” show while on board a harbour cruise – set to take place on day six. Note – we might not be vertical as Hong Kong after the seven full-on days of travelling!

Well, it’s hard to mention all the highlights in one blog post, so those are just a couple of tasters as to what to expect from this blog. We look forward to you joining us on our journey!

#hkaAUTembracetheworld