Clothing
A contentious subject. If you're short of money just put them in a sleep suit and be done with it. Affordable, easy to get your baby in and out of, don't take up much space in the changing bag, are some of the numerous advantages. That just isn't going to happen though is it - you'll want to but some nice clothes. Bear in mind though that they grow awfully quickly in the first few months - blink and some of the stuff you've bought will never be worn.
There's also the decision of whether to buy cheaply, as they'll have outgrown them soon anyway, or better quality, which means that the clothes actually still look halfway decent after 2 washes. We found that shopping for better quality in some of the discount shopping villages did help, but much of the stuff they sell is out of season and you're never quite sure how big your baby will be 3 months down the line!
We found that relatives and friends gave us a lot of clothes. It was very nice of them but beware - their taste is not necessarily yours, and may not suit your child!
Wipes
In the early months we found cotton wool and water to be perfectly adequate. Only later did we start to consider re-usable cotton wipes, but plumped for disposables as they are very convenient and easy to use. I preferred Huggies as they are thicker and tend to keep their moister for longer in the packet. My wife preferred the Pampers variety as they smelt nicer! Look out for BOGOF or even 3 for the price of 1 offers and stock up then.
The Nursery
Don't rush out and get a cot - we found that for the first few months we did not use it, though again your mileage may vary. We co-slept using a Snuggle Nest which we found worked well - our baby hated the Moses Basket, even when placed alongside the bed! The cot purchase can wait until they come up to 6 months old, the point at which WHO suggest they can start sleeping separately,
A changing table is nice to have and makes life easier when a baby is very young, but when they become more active are considered a danger (according to the UK NHS) as its a long way for them to fall. A blanket and changing mat (the one you can get free with the Boots bag in the UK) on a bed does just as well.
Its nice to have matching wardrobes and cabinets, all coordinated with the cot, but trust me, the baby really does not notice or care! Somewhere to organise and store clothes, nappies etc is vital though, as the last thing you want to do when you have a screaming baby at 2 in the morning is ton have to hunt for a clean sleep suit.
Next time we'll take a look at Breast Pumps, Toys and Car Seats
19 July 2011
What You REALLY Need For You New Baby
Eleven months ago we found ourselves proud parents of a little baby boy. In the run up to the big event we found ourselves running around trying to get everything prepared for the big day. I found it difficult to determine what we actually needed and what we did not. As the result of our experiences I've jotted down some of my views of what is essential, what is nice to have, and what you really could do without.
Nappies (or Diapers if talking US English)
OK, the biggy first. Do you go for one of the myriad different types of re-usables or disposables? We went for reusable at first but eventually succumbed to the guilty pleasures of disposables. We found the supposedly waterproof outer liners on the particular brand of re-usables we chose were far from waterproof as our baby grew and began to generate more waste. They are also big and bulky, meaning it is difficult to put on trousers and take up a lot of room in the changing bag (both spare and used nappies). We also found that our washing machine was constantly on the go, using up considerable amounts of electricity. If you do elect to use re-usable nappies, don't bother with all the expensive used nappy systems that claim to trap odour etc. Just get a small plastic bin from Poundshop/Ikea etc with a sealable top. Does the job just as well, until of course you need to open the lid!
Modern disposable nappies are slim and incredibly absorbent. The argument about using up landfill I think is spurious - they're made of paper and cotton and contain biomass once used - they'll degrade faster than anything else in there! You're not using vast amount of energy with the washing machine on, and with the offers that are constantly around you can get them at a reasonable price. Its easy to carry several in a changing bag, then throw them away - you're not carrying a bag of baby pooh around for the rest of the day. If you need nappy sacks, get the economy ones (about 12p for 100 in the UK) in the supermarket. They are well up to the job.
Admittedly it helped that our boy is one of those babies that just sees a full nappy as a bit of extra warmth, so we only go through a handful a day. I'd recommend disposables any day, but, as they say, your mileage may vary.
The Pushchair/Pram
This is one of the big costs a modern parent faces. You can easily spend several hundred pounds on travel systems and the like. An admission here. We have a Bugaboo Bee and we love it. Lightweight, easy to move around shops, takes a car seat on top. We've had several people come up to us to get our opinions of it as they've regretted getting the equivalent of a massive 4x4 when all they need it for is the high street. They current trend seems to be for these massive pushchairs with huge wheels. You just don't need them - they are far to big and bulky. There is the question of going cross country but how often do you actually do that? We've taken the Bee across muddy fields and tracks with few problems. Which leads me to my next point...
YOU DON'T NEED A PUSHCHAIR. Wow. Got that off my chest now. Seriously, much of the cost of the pushchairs is to enable them to be used to carry infants at a very young age. Once they're 6 months old and able to hold their head upright a cheap £20 one from a Supermarket will suffice. Up to then you can use a relatively inexpensive infant carrier or sling - a huge selection are available. It keeps your baby close to you and means you don't have to manhandle a huge pushchair around the place and you can go places a pushchair can't, like up STEPS! Once the baby gets too heavy to carry, use the £20 pushchair from the Supermarket or get a backpack baby carrier.
The Changing Bag
This is just a bag with convenient places to carry the paraphernalia that comes with having a baby, from a bottles through foodstuffs to nappies and spare clothes.
YOU DON'T NEED A CHANGING BAG. At least not at first. During the run up to your new arrival you'll get lots of vouchers and offers (in the UK at least). Among these will be one for a baby pack from Boots. Included in this is a respectable looking changing bag FREE OF CHARGE. It even includes a changing mat. This will be all you need for the first few months, until you start needing to carry solid food and bigger clothes. Even then, you have to think, is there a bag that I already have that can carry out that function? Be very careful with this purchase.
To be continued...
Next post will cover clothing, baby wipes and nursery furniture.
Nappies (or Diapers if talking US English)
OK, the biggy first. Do you go for one of the myriad different types of re-usables or disposables? We went for reusable at first but eventually succumbed to the guilty pleasures of disposables. We found the supposedly waterproof outer liners on the particular brand of re-usables we chose were far from waterproof as our baby grew and began to generate more waste. They are also big and bulky, meaning it is difficult to put on trousers and take up a lot of room in the changing bag (both spare and used nappies). We also found that our washing machine was constantly on the go, using up considerable amounts of electricity. If you do elect to use re-usable nappies, don't bother with all the expensive used nappy systems that claim to trap odour etc. Just get a small plastic bin from Poundshop/Ikea etc with a sealable top. Does the job just as well, until of course you need to open the lid!
Modern disposable nappies are slim and incredibly absorbent. The argument about using up landfill I think is spurious - they're made of paper and cotton and contain biomass once used - they'll degrade faster than anything else in there! You're not using vast amount of energy with the washing machine on, and with the offers that are constantly around you can get them at a reasonable price. Its easy to carry several in a changing bag, then throw them away - you're not carrying a bag of baby pooh around for the rest of the day. If you need nappy sacks, get the economy ones (about 12p for 100 in the UK) in the supermarket. They are well up to the job.
Admittedly it helped that our boy is one of those babies that just sees a full nappy as a bit of extra warmth, so we only go through a handful a day. I'd recommend disposables any day, but, as they say, your mileage may vary.
The Pushchair/Pram
This is one of the big costs a modern parent faces. You can easily spend several hundred pounds on travel systems and the like. An admission here. We have a Bugaboo Bee and we love it. Lightweight, easy to move around shops, takes a car seat on top. We've had several people come up to us to get our opinions of it as they've regretted getting the equivalent of a massive 4x4 when all they need it for is the high street. They current trend seems to be for these massive pushchairs with huge wheels. You just don't need them - they are far to big and bulky. There is the question of going cross country but how often do you actually do that? We've taken the Bee across muddy fields and tracks with few problems. Which leads me to my next point...
YOU DON'T NEED A PUSHCHAIR. Wow. Got that off my chest now. Seriously, much of the cost of the pushchairs is to enable them to be used to carry infants at a very young age. Once they're 6 months old and able to hold their head upright a cheap £20 one from a Supermarket will suffice. Up to then you can use a relatively inexpensive infant carrier or sling - a huge selection are available. It keeps your baby close to you and means you don't have to manhandle a huge pushchair around the place and you can go places a pushchair can't, like up STEPS! Once the baby gets too heavy to carry, use the £20 pushchair from the Supermarket or get a backpack baby carrier.
The Changing Bag
This is just a bag with convenient places to carry the paraphernalia that comes with having a baby, from a bottles through foodstuffs to nappies and spare clothes.
YOU DON'T NEED A CHANGING BAG. At least not at first. During the run up to your new arrival you'll get lots of vouchers and offers (in the UK at least). Among these will be one for a baby pack from Boots. Included in this is a respectable looking changing bag FREE OF CHARGE. It even includes a changing mat. This will be all you need for the first few months, until you start needing to carry solid food and bigger clothes. Even then, you have to think, is there a bag that I already have that can carry out that function? Be very careful with this purchase.
To be continued...
Next post will cover clothing, baby wipes and nursery furniture.
NZ Move Back On The Agenda
We had almost finalised arrangements for our move to NZ, with a job lined up in Wellington and our preferred area for living reconnoitered. Unfortunately, I then found myself mobilised and in Afghanistan for 6 months. This was an incredible and exciting experience, but it meant that on my return to the UK in 2009 the job situation on NZ had completely changed with the credit crunch. NZ Immigration, quite correctly, declined our application to extend our visas so our dream of emigrating disappeared.
A couple of weeks ago we were sitting in a KFC (I know, but any port in a storm) with grey skies outside and surrounded by the establishments usual unhealthy looking clientèle and my wife turned to me and said - "I miss the cafes in New Zealand". We are now investigating option to emigrate but this time with my wife as the lead applicant, which does mean that she'll have to register as a Physiotherapist with the necessary authorities - a process more traumatic than the Immigration procedures!
Of course the other big change is a little boy in tow...
15 May 2008
Reccie Trip... Number 3!!
It's just over 3 weeks before we yet again take the long flight out to New Zealand, this time visiting Wellington. It's all been rather fraught, with my wife only back from abroad a few days beforehand, then my doing an unplanned job change the day we get back.
What's really complicated matters is that we were meant to be staying with relatives but that's now all fallen through. We've had to book hotel accommodation now - had we known this was going to be the case we may not have planned the trip. At least we'll be staying with other friends and relatives during our stay, including a trip down to Queenstown to go skiing.
While we'll be looking at housing, we may well fend off any plans to buy given the way the market is going.
What's really complicated matters is that we were meant to be staying with relatives but that's now all fallen through. We've had to book hotel accommodation now - had we known this was going to be the case we may not have planned the trip. At least we'll be staying with other friends and relatives during our stay, including a trip down to Queenstown to go skiing.
While we'll be looking at housing, we may well fend off any plans to buy given the way the market is going.
30 January 2008
23 January 2008
Another trip on to NZ
We weren't going to go out to NZ again this year, and indeed we were seriously debating whether to go out to NZ at all, but a recent funeral changed all that.
My father-in-law died out in Spain and we had to get out there in a hurry, as they tend to bury them within 24 hours out there. A relative from a completely separate part of the family had flow out to be there during the latter stages of his illness and it was she who convinced us to go out and give Wellington a try - a city we briefly visited in 2001 but both disliked. She's said she'll show us around the good parts of Wellington.
I may be able to get a job with my current firm in Wellington, and it appears that house prices are slightly lower than our previous first choice city, Christchurch. The special offer currently with Air New Zealand also means we've got a flight down to Queenstown so we'll get some skiing in!
My father-in-law died out in Spain and we had to get out there in a hurry, as they tend to bury them within 24 hours out there. A relative from a completely separate part of the family had flow out to be there during the latter stages of his illness and it was she who convinced us to go out and give Wellington a try - a city we briefly visited in 2001 but both disliked. She's said she'll show us around the good parts of Wellington.
I may be able to get a job with my current firm in Wellington, and it appears that house prices are slightly lower than our previous first choice city, Christchurch. The special offer currently with Air New Zealand also means we've got a flight down to Queenstown so we'll get some skiing in!
27 November 2007
NZ Battle Honour
I took a photo at the weekend of these Battle Honours for HMS CALLIOPE, now a Royal Naval Reserve Uniton the banks of the Tyne in Newcastle. Interesting to see 'New Zealand 1846-47". Must have been during the Maori Wars. A later HMS CALLIOPE was to play a significant part in the beginnings of the Royal New Zealand Navy.
07 November 2007
Strange UK Laws
Strange UK Laws - and how they were ranked in order of ludicrousness in a pole on British TV.
1. It is illegal to die in the Houses of Parliament (27%) 2. It is an act of treason to place a postage stamp bearing the British king or queen's image upside-down (7%) 3. It is illegal for a woman to be topless in Liverpool except as a clerk in a tropical fish store (6%) 4. Eating mince pies on Christmas Day is banned (5%) 5. If someone knocks on your door in Scotland and requires the use of your toilet, you are required to let them enter (4%) 6. In the UK a pregnant woman can legally relieve herself anywhere she wants, including in a policeman's helmet (4%) 7. The head of any dead whale found on the British coast automatically becomes the property of the King, and the tail of the Queen (3.5%) 8. It is illegal not to tell the tax man anything you do not want him to know, but legal not to tell him information you do not mind him knowing (3%) 9. It is illegal to enter the Houses of Parliament wearing a suit of armour (3%) 10. It is legal to murder a Scotsman within the ancient city walls of York, but only if he is carrying a bow and arrow (2%)
28 September 2007
14 September 2007
Cerne Abbas Giant
Over the August Bank Holiday in the UK we went for a walk around the Cerne Abbas Giant. Debate rages about how old it actually is, but it certainly is impressive!
We headed East out of Cerne Abbas village, then across the fields towards the Giant.
It was a pretty steep climb up Giant Hill.
You can't see much of the Giant from the top of the hill, so we decided to head North, then across the valley floor for a better view.
The area is actively farmed.
Approaching the Giant from the North.
The final port of call was the car park at the bottom of the valley with a great view of the Giant. Homer Simpson was clearly visible, together with a stupid 'Fathers for Justice' protest.
We then return the Cerne Abbas village and had a lovely pub lunch. The Giants Tipple isn't half bad!
We headed East out of Cerne Abbas village, then across the fields towards the Giant.
It was a pretty steep climb up Giant Hill.
You can't see much of the Giant from the top of the hill, so we decided to head North, then across the valley floor for a better view.
The area is actively farmed.
Approaching the Giant from the North.
The final port of call was the car park at the bottom of the valley with a great view of the Giant. Homer Simpson was clearly visible, together with a stupid 'Fathers for Justice' protest.
We then return the Cerne Abbas village and had a lovely pub lunch. The Giants Tipple isn't half bad!
28 August 2007
NZ Photos - No 1
First in an occasional series of photographs from our trips to New Zealand. This picture, which I've always called the 'Inkwell' for obvious reasons, was taken on a tour of the Wai-O-Tapu 'Thermal Wonderland' south of Rotorua on 18 November 2001.
16 August 2007
Te Anau to Queenstown
I've always enjoyed this video on YouTube of the drive from Te Anau to Queenstown. Whenever I've tried this the camera's fallen off the dashboard!
14 August 2007
New Zealand and Hong Kong
I can't believe how long it is since I updated this blog! I was always so conscientious, but as usual work and moving house has really eaten into our time. We have now moved from London down to Dorset, hopefully our last move before we go to New Zealand. Anyway, this update will concentrate primarily on our trip in June to New Zealand. All the 'lessons learnt' I put in a thread on the Emigrate NZ forums.
We flew on NZ 1 from London via LA, landing in Auckland early Monday morning. We collected the hire car from Hertz then straight into town to see if we could check in at the Heritage, which given the hour, we were fortunate to do. We paid a few dollars more for a suite which meant we had a kitchen and, as we stayed in the more modern Tower block, we also got a washer/dryer.
The view from our room at the surprisingly good value Heritage. It wasn't much more than a good motel per night, though parking was extra!
We'd never spent more than a day in Auckland so this time we scheduled a 5 day stopover, just to make sure we weren't making a mistake in deciding to settle in Christchurch. We took a day or two to relax and for me to contact a couple of people I knew from my employer who were in NZ. We had a beautiful lunch up the Sky Tower, though my wife spent most pf the time feeling queasy! She said it was for dis-orienting going to the toilet, coming out and finding you're in a completely different part of the restaurant. It does move very slowly and I was initially convinced we weren't moving at all!
Having spent most of the time looking at housing, we also took a day off to visit Tauranga and Mt Maunganui. Despite it being the NZ winter it was a warm and sunny day and we even managed a quick toe dip in the sea!
We flew on an internal flight to Christchurch on the Friday. As we were traveling on the same itinerary we had the same international luggage allowances. While driving from the airport to stay with our relatives my wife made the decision that she still much preferred Christchurch.
Before the weather turned a bit nastier, I managed to capture some glorious sunsets. These are looking across the harbour from Redcliffs.
We drove back along the top of Summit Road.
We spent most of our time looking at houses, finally deciding on a beautiful house in the hills south of the city. Unfortunately we were outbid, so the search goes on.
Here's a flavour of some of the houses we were looking at (or should I say being shown, as some of them were very obviously pushing our budget!). I just realised, apart from the photographs (now gone) on the Harcourts site, we have no photographs of the house we were after!
We again manged a day off to go and visit Akaroa, via the excellent gallery at Little River. Akaroa is were the French landed to claim possession of NZ, not knowing the British had already done so. They decided to stay anyway.
We took the 'Tourist Route' on the way. Some nice scenery but twisty windy, narrow roads - and in the winter rather icy! Highway 75 is actually quite scenic in itself and is a lot better road.
It was very quiet, not surprisingly on such a dismal day though the weather was forecast to be a lot worse so we were quite lucky.
It is still said to retain it's French characters - by the standards of NZ maybe.
The Britomart Monument marks the spot on 11 August 1840 where a landing party from HMS Britomart "raised the Union Jack to demonstrate British sovereignty to the people on the Janks Peninsula.and the the French Corvette L'Aube which arrived on 17 August".
Towards the end of our time in Christchurch we got rather fed up with constantly looking for houses so went for a days skiing at Mount Hutt. It was right at the beginning of the ski season so only 2 runs were open, but enough for us to have a fun day. There were less than 200 people there so there were no queues! There were stunning views across the Canterbury Plains. Jo, having had a bad fall in France earlier in the year, kept to the Magic Carpet most of the day while I gained confidence on the Green then then the Blue runs. Shame there weren't any Red ones open.
It was definitely quiet, and all the better for it!
The ski complex.
More busy runs - NOT!
The snow blowers we going full tilt in an attempt to open so more runs for the weekend.
The closed runs looked fun.
It sure got a lot darker after the sun dipped below the rim!
The main ski complex and across Canterbury Plain.
The weather was forecast to turn and you could see the fronts coming in. You can see in this shot the narrow, un-sealed road up to the ski area. Chains are a must for non-4 wheel drives.
On the way back to Christchurch I snapped this real 'Lord of the Rings' view!
We flew back via Hong Kong on the way back to the UK. We landed early Friday morning and couldn't believe the heat and humidity after the near zero temperatures in NZ. We tried to check in at the Regal Airport Hotel (again, bargains can be had if you book early enough!) but it was too early - we were so hot and bothered after the overnight flight I managed to get them to let us shower and change in the spa. Just before we were due to join our tour we managed to check in - I expected better of an airport hotel, but I suppose official check-in time was 1400! After a great lunch we picked up people from a handful of other hotels and went to Victoria Peak, a great place to look out over the former colony.
One thing I was really surprised about was how British the place still is. The roads and landmarks haven't been renamed, government departments such as the police and customs have just replaced the crown in the crest with the HK lotus leaf design etc. In fact, there is evidence the local HK Chinese want to preserve the colonial aspect of their history.
We also went to Aberdeen Fishing Village, setting for so many films including one of the Laura Croft series. Apparently the whole afloat fishing village is dying way as the youngsters can have a better standard of living ashore. Our guide reckoned within 10 years it will have gone.
We weren't in HK long enough to try out the floating restaurants. This is where you catch the boats to go out to the restaurants.
They look spectacular.
But from the back they're not so nice!
That night we saw the spectacular Symphony of Lights show which is put on every night at 2000. Several firms and other government organisations have combined to put on a laser light and music show which spans the harbour. The best place to watch it is from the Kowloon side along the waterfront east of the Star Ferry Pier. We then caught the Airport Express back to out hotel - a revelation! Fast, quiet, clean, relatively inexpensive - puts the railways in the UK to shame.
I love Hong King and want to go back for a longer visit. I wouldn't bother getting a tour from the airport either, much better and cheaper to go in on the Airport Express and pick one up in town.
We flew on NZ 1 from London via LA, landing in Auckland early Monday morning. We collected the hire car from Hertz then straight into town to see if we could check in at the Heritage, which given the hour, we were fortunate to do. We paid a few dollars more for a suite which meant we had a kitchen and, as we stayed in the more modern Tower block, we also got a washer/dryer.
The view from our room at the surprisingly good value Heritage. It wasn't much more than a good motel per night, though parking was extra!
We'd never spent more than a day in Auckland so this time we scheduled a 5 day stopover, just to make sure we weren't making a mistake in deciding to settle in Christchurch. We took a day or two to relax and for me to contact a couple of people I knew from my employer who were in NZ. We had a beautiful lunch up the Sky Tower, though my wife spent most pf the time feeling queasy! She said it was for dis-orienting going to the toilet, coming out and finding you're in a completely different part of the restaurant. It does move very slowly and I was initially convinced we weren't moving at all!
Having spent most of the time looking at housing, we also took a day off to visit Tauranga and Mt Maunganui. Despite it being the NZ winter it was a warm and sunny day and we even managed a quick toe dip in the sea!
We flew on an internal flight to Christchurch on the Friday. As we were traveling on the same itinerary we had the same international luggage allowances. While driving from the airport to stay with our relatives my wife made the decision that she still much preferred Christchurch.
Before the weather turned a bit nastier, I managed to capture some glorious sunsets. These are looking across the harbour from Redcliffs.
We drove back along the top of Summit Road.
We spent most of our time looking at houses, finally deciding on a beautiful house in the hills south of the city. Unfortunately we were outbid, so the search goes on.
Here's a flavour of some of the houses we were looking at (or should I say being shown, as some of them were very obviously pushing our budget!). I just realised, apart from the photographs (now gone) on the Harcourts site, we have no photographs of the house we were after!
We again manged a day off to go and visit Akaroa, via the excellent gallery at Little River. Akaroa is were the French landed to claim possession of NZ, not knowing the British had already done so. They decided to stay anyway.
We took the 'Tourist Route' on the way. Some nice scenery but twisty windy, narrow roads - and in the winter rather icy! Highway 75 is actually quite scenic in itself and is a lot better road.
It was very quiet, not surprisingly on such a dismal day though the weather was forecast to be a lot worse so we were quite lucky.
It is still said to retain it's French characters - by the standards of NZ maybe.
The Britomart Monument marks the spot on 11 August 1840 where a landing party from HMS Britomart "raised the Union Jack to demonstrate British sovereignty to the people on the Janks Peninsula.and the the French Corvette L'Aube which arrived on 17 August".
Towards the end of our time in Christchurch we got rather fed up with constantly looking for houses so went for a days skiing at Mount Hutt. It was right at the beginning of the ski season so only 2 runs were open, but enough for us to have a fun day. There were less than 200 people there so there were no queues! There were stunning views across the Canterbury Plains. Jo, having had a bad fall in France earlier in the year, kept to the Magic Carpet most of the day while I gained confidence on the Green then then the Blue runs. Shame there weren't any Red ones open.
It was definitely quiet, and all the better for it!
The ski complex.
More busy runs - NOT!
The snow blowers we going full tilt in an attempt to open so more runs for the weekend.
The closed runs looked fun.
It sure got a lot darker after the sun dipped below the rim!
The main ski complex and across Canterbury Plain.
The weather was forecast to turn and you could see the fronts coming in. You can see in this shot the narrow, un-sealed road up to the ski area. Chains are a must for non-4 wheel drives.
On the way back to Christchurch I snapped this real 'Lord of the Rings' view!
We flew back via Hong Kong on the way back to the UK. We landed early Friday morning and couldn't believe the heat and humidity after the near zero temperatures in NZ. We tried to check in at the Regal Airport Hotel (again, bargains can be had if you book early enough!) but it was too early - we were so hot and bothered after the overnight flight I managed to get them to let us shower and change in the spa. Just before we were due to join our tour we managed to check in - I expected better of an airport hotel, but I suppose official check-in time was 1400! After a great lunch we picked up people from a handful of other hotels and went to Victoria Peak, a great place to look out over the former colony.
One thing I was really surprised about was how British the place still is. The roads and landmarks haven't been renamed, government departments such as the police and customs have just replaced the crown in the crest with the HK lotus leaf design etc. In fact, there is evidence the local HK Chinese want to preserve the colonial aspect of their history.
We also went to Aberdeen Fishing Village, setting for so many films including one of the Laura Croft series. Apparently the whole afloat fishing village is dying way as the youngsters can have a better standard of living ashore. Our guide reckoned within 10 years it will have gone.
We weren't in HK long enough to try out the floating restaurants. This is where you catch the boats to go out to the restaurants.
They look spectacular.
But from the back they're not so nice!
That night we saw the spectacular Symphony of Lights show which is put on every night at 2000. Several firms and other government organisations have combined to put on a laser light and music show which spans the harbour. The best place to watch it is from the Kowloon side along the waterfront east of the Star Ferry Pier. We then caught the Airport Express back to out hotel - a revelation! Fast, quiet, clean, relatively inexpensive - puts the railways in the UK to shame.
I love Hong King and want to go back for a longer visit. I wouldn't bother getting a tour from the airport either, much better and cheaper to go in on the Airport Express and pick one up in town.
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