Intrepid adventures in the New Territories.

My students had tests this week, so the whole school officially finished at 1pm on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. On the Wednesday, 3 of my first year girls invited me to go and have lunch with them. I asked if Mr Macauley (Rich) could come too, and so we all went to McDonalds! The girls are really good at English, but also REALLY hyperactive so it was quite hard work keeping track of their conversation for more than an hour, but then they took us on a wander through Tin Shui Wai Park which is really quite pleasant and not particularly far from our school. It was nice to see a bit more of the area we teach in.

Me, Kelly, Clarissa and Summayah in Tin Shui Wai park

On Thursday I decided to go on another Tin Shui Wai adventure, to the Hong Kong Wetland Park, which a pink signpost (they have LOTS of them in Hong Kong directing you towards tourist places) indicated was only 12 minutes walk from our school. The Wetland Park is man-made, but borders on a natural marsh reserve. It was partly built to compensate for all the wetlands that were drained to build new housing in the area, and to educate the local people about the value of the little protected parts that remain. My kids at school had told me the Park was boring and full of mosquitoes, but I was quite pleasantly surprised. The walkways around the park are carefully constructed so you don't really see all the other visitors (although you HEAR the visiting school groups!) and the different areas of the reserve look natural rather than man made. There was a mangrove section which you cross using a floating boardwalk and I got quite excited by being amongst a geography-textbook habitat! I also saw some of wildlife... although not necessarily the most exciting of species.

Little Egret

Crabs in the mangrove mud

Butterfly

Today was my third adventure in the New Territories. I went to the East side this time, to Clearwater Bay Second Beach. I've been meaning to go to a beach for a few weekends, but the weather wasn't too great, or I couldn't find anyone to go with, or I got distracted by going to Disneyland, so today when I woke up and realised it was going to be a bit of a scorcher, I decided to head out alone. I'd never been to a beach alone before, but it was a really relaxing experience. The only downside was that I had to leave all my stuff unattended on the beach while I went for my swim in the sea, but the worry was well worth it when I got to think 'It's NOVEMBER and I'm swimming in the sea!!!!' The beach was a really good place to chill out as it's not got any towns around it and the road is up the hill from the beach and hidden amongst the greenery. It was so lovely to just listen to the sounds of the waves crashing on the floor rather than the traffic and the car horns and the pedestrian crossing beeps that you get in Mong Kok. I must try to go back again before it gets too cold.

Clearwater Bay Second Beach

The soothing sound of waves on the shore

The intrepid explorer chills out on a rock