Our journey Moscow-Thailand-Hong Kong-Moscow
Our journey Moscow - Samui - Hong Kong - Moscow
For a whole year I lived with memories of our vacation on Koh Samui, and finally the day of a new trip to Asia has come. Like last time, we planned the trip ourselves. In December, we ordered tickets from Emirates to Koh Samui and wanted to stop in Bangkok at the end of the trip, but the representatives of the company made us a very tempting offer - to visit Hong Kong, paying three thousand rubles for two. We were in Bangkok last year, never in Hong Kong, the decision was made - we are flying to Hong Kong. Then we booked a hotel in Hong Kong, and we booked a hotel on Koh Samui last year on the spot for 20 days - this is Maenam Resort - the first coastline - one of the best beaches in Southeast Asia. Friends were waiting for us on Koh Samui, who have been wintering there for the sixth year already and know the island like the back of their hand.
We asked them to rent a cheaper car for us for 20 days and the guys fulfilled our request, Toyota rental cost us 14.000 baht. Well, everything seems to be - tickets are bought, hotels are booked, friends are met at Koh Samui airport by rental car - the journey begins.
At Domodedovo Airport, at check-in, Emirates representatives changed our tickets from economy class to business to Dubai, we were pleasantly surprised by such care for us. Well, what to write about the Emirates business class is just a fairy tale. Super comfortable seats, great food and drinks, attentive flight attendants. The flight to Dubai was a breeze. Then the three-hour docking was also very comfortable, we sat in the Priority Pass, drank coffee and flew again, now on an Airbus A380 high-class airliner, but after the business class everything seemed very modest to me, although the service was also on top.
Since the flight took place at night, I immediately fell asleep and woke up already upon arrival in Bangkok, then again a three-hour connection and a 50-minute flight to Koh Samui. And here it is the long-awaited island meets us with wonderful weather and gentle sea. We have arrived, Savadik. We met with our friends at the Samui airport, got into the car and drove to the hotel. Yes, on the way we stopped at Tesco Lotus, stocked up on drinks and fruits, and ten minutes later we were at the hotel. They met us wonderfully, settled us in our bungalow, I counted exactly 30 steps to the sea. Get dressed and go swimming. The next day we went to see the sights of Koh Samui - this is the Golden Buddha, the goddess Eight Hands, a mummified monk, etc.
It’s just cool with a car on the island, you go wherever you want and at what time you want, so we traveled all that is possible on the island, we constantly stopped by shops, by the way, I had a good shopping in terms of summer clothes - a branded Thai company with a 70% discount, I planned the main shopping in Hong Kong. All 20 days the weather was wonderful, as the hotel stands on the shore, we constantly swam and sunbathed. In our hotel there was a cheap cafe where the food was very tasty, although in Thailand all the food is very tasty, but my husband quickly got tired of restaurant food and he missed homemade food. And here I got, my husband had a birthday on March 7, and our friends gave him a watch and a convection oven. Like every Russian woman, I got up to the open-hearth for my beloved husband. I must say in the air grill you get wonderful dishes from fresh Thai products, and their products are very cheap compared to Russian prices.
I cooked different types of kebabs, duck breasts with mango and potatoes, baked chicken with pineapples, fresh fish in white sauce and seafood in sweet and sour sauce. I remember and salivating. I always made delicious vegetable salads as a side dish, baked potatoes and eggplants. So we ate at 100, either I cooked at home, or we went to a restaurant, the choice was ours. Our friends always came to us for gatherings. And here a small problem arose, since only Germans lived in the hotel, we didn’t please them with our presence, to put it mildly, of course they were restrained, but once they made a remark to us that we were talking loudly for a long time and in their opinion. But my husband knows German well and told them frau is frau, they like to talk and discuss all problems, so they didn’t come to us anymore, but they were clearly not happy.
But we did not pay much attention to them, we rested for pleasure and had fun as best we could. Rest on Koh Samui is just a fairy tale, who knows. The days were running, the rest on Koh Samui was ending, it became more and more sad, remembering that it was cold in Moscow, winter did not want to leave Russia. The only thing that cheered us up was Hong Kong, which we had not been to. We again booked our bungalow at the hotel for March next year, as there are no vacancies in the high season and the Germans constantly charter their accommodation there. We left some things for storage with our friends until next year, and then the day came to collect for a flight to Hong Kong. It is very sad to leave your beloved island, but it's time to go to Hong Kong.
It's a 3 hour flight from Bangkok to Hong Kong. And again, the handsome A380 was waiting for us, the travel time flew by very quickly.
Here it is grandiose Hong Kong meets us with its bright lights, colorful advertising, tall buildings - in general, it took our breath away. Our hotel was located in the old town on Nothan Road, where we rented an apartment of 60 sq. m very stylish and comfortable in all respects - studio + bedroom and large bathroom. But it should be noted that Hong Kong is a very expensive city compared to Thailand, and it will be expensive to relax there comfortably, but it's worth it. The Chinese are very restrained compared to the Thais, no one smiles at you and does not thank you for the purchases made, the contrast is quite large, other people, another country.
Before we got to Hong Kong, we shoveled the entire Internet about Hong Kong, we had all the printouts with us - this is the subway map, the route map of the A21 bus, we got from the airport to the hotel on it, the map of the airport itself, with the exact location of the ATM that we needed, selling an octopus - a card that can be used to pay in all modes of transport, except for taxis, as well as in all fast food outlets, visiting Victoria Peak and on the cable car, etc. We also printed out the location of all the sights and shops of interest to us. In general, we armed ourselves with a full program, especially since we do not know English and Chinese. But by the way, we communicated and navigated without problems. We had little time for Hong Kong, only three days, but we wanted a lot - to see all the sights and do some shopping. The next morning we took the metro to the island to visit Victoria Peak.
from where you can enjoy a breathtaking panorama of Hong Kong.
After Thailand in Hong Kong, it was cold, I actually froze and we went to the outlet to buy warm clothes. Shopping in the outlet went off with a bang, in addition to clothes, I bought myself 2 branded handbags and branded sunglasses. My husband is turned on all the latest electronics, so we visited the center on Apple Island, where we bought an Air macbook 30% cheaper than in Moscow and as a gift ipad2 for our money for 12.000 rubles, the third was only by appointment. We also bought two iPhone 4S with our money, 20.000 rubles each. All equipment is Russified and with a world guarantee. Near the outlet there is a cable car to the Big Buddha, but we were not lucky, it has been closed for repairs for two months. After shopping, I really wanted to eat, but I didn’t have the strength to go to a restaurant.
We made it easier, in the outlet in the basement there is a huge grocery store, where we bought Peking duck, real delicious sushi, vegetables, fruits, juices, wine and went to the hotel to wash our purchases.
I noticed that Hong Kong, like a magnet, began to attract me, to interest me, and I wanted to walk along its streets more and more, breathe its air, admire its architecture. The next day we went for a walk to the embankment, constantly stopping to take pictures at interesting buildings and hotels. Very good pictures turned out when on the embankment in front of us stood a majestic island with its skyscrapers against the backdrop of mountains and the sea. We got on the ferry at berth 2 and sailed again to the island, never ceasing to admire the Hong Kong stone jungle.
After walking on the island, we returned to the old city by subway and got off at the Moncock station, exit C, I wanted to buy myself fashionable branded sneakers, and there is a street of sports shoes, yes, a whole street. The choice is huge, the eyes run wide, the prices for branded items are high, but still cheaper than in Moscow. Having bought myself 2 pairs of shoes, we turned onto another street and stumbled upon an Optics store, where I decided to check my eyesight and buy myself reading glasses. It was cool to explain on my fingers what I needed, but the doctor and the seller understood me and I bought super-cool glasses with cool optics, once again emptying my husband's wallet. Pleasantly tired of shopping, we went for a walk around the old city with a purely Asian flavor. But this spirit of Asia has its own charm. I noticed that in Hong Kong the population is dressed very stylishly, even the elderly look neat and fashionable.
In general, Hong Kong was very impressive, but it is not possible to see everything in 3 days, although we spent twelve hours every day in the city. We concluded that we want to return to Hong Kong again next year. Preliminary travel route - Thailand - Hong Kong - UAE. Travel time March, duration - 30 days. Goodbye Hong Kong, I'm not saying goodbye to you.
We return home to Moscow with our beloved airline Emirates. All flights are flawless, and again a surprise - a flight from Dubai to Moscow in business class. Relaxing on the plane, you understand what a chic trip it was, what wonderful people surrounded you and how many positive emotions you received for the whole year.
Goodbye Thailand, goodbye Hong Kong we will see each other soon, in a year…