And we’re off! Almost….

The Epicurious Wanderers are heading off again, and this time our appetites are leading us to Hong Kong and then on to Da Nang in Vietnam.

With apologies to Cold Chisel…

Well the last plane out of Perth’s almost gone
And only seven flying hours, and we’ll be landing in Hong Kong
And there ain’t nothing like the kisses
From a jaded Chinese princess
We’re gonna hit some Hong Kong mattress all night long

We left our heart to the sappers round Khe Sanh
And we sold our souls with our cigarettes to the black market man
We’ve had the Vietnam cold turkey
From the ocean to the Silver City
And it’s only other vets could understand

Hong Kong is a city we have wanted to explore properly for some time—a place of towering skylines, crowded streets, harbour views, bustling markets and, most importantly, an almost ridiculous amount of good food. From delicate dim sum and roast meats hanging in restaurant windows to steaming bowls of noodles and mysterious things served on sticks, Hong Kong seems to have been designed with hungry travellers in mind.

In other words, it sounds like our sort of place. So here we go, Sunday night is take-off time, oh, and we have a plan.

Hong Kong—where the skyline is almost as impressive as the menu.

Day One: Bags Down, Walking Shoes On

Our flight from Perth is due to arrive at around 8.00 am, Monday morning, which means we should have almost a full day ahead of us—although exactly how alert we will be after the overnight journey remains to be seen.

By the time we have cleared immigration, collected our luggage and made our way into Kowloon, it will probably still be far too early to check into our room at the Regal Kowloon Hotel, unless we’re lucky, that is. The most likely plan, therefore, is to leave our bags with the hotel and head straight back out.

After several hours folded into aircraft seats, a gentle wander around Tsim Sha Tsui should be a good way to walk out the inflight stiffness and begin getting our bearings. Although, we have heard that Cathay Pacific’s economy class is pretty good. We will not have a strict itinerary; the aim is simply to explore the streets around the hotel, find the waterfront, investigate nearby cafés and start compiling a mental list of places that might deserve further attention.

Naturally, “getting our bearings” may also involve finding breakfast, an early lunch or both.

This first walk should give us our opening glimpse of Hong Kong at street level: crowded footpaths, restaurant windows, unfamiliar signs, intriguing aromas and more possible places to eat than we could visit in a month. We may be tired, slightly disorientated and carrying the lingering effects of aircraft coffee, but we will finally be in Hong Kong.

The first wander begins. Somewhere along these streets is breakfast, lunch or possibly both.

Once the room becomes available, we can return to the hotel, check in properly and attempt a brief reset. The danger, of course, will be sitting down for too long and accidentally waking several hours later.

Assuming we survive that particular travel trap, the evening will be devoted to the most important piece of research on our opening day:

Where are we going to eat dinner?

We will probably begin with another wander through the neighbourhood, studying menus, peering through restaurant windows and looking for the places filled with local diners. Our normal strategy is fairly simple: follow the aromas, avoid anywhere with someone enthusiastically waving a laminated menu at us, and choose the restaurant where we understand the least about what is happening.

Our first Hong Kong meal could involve dumplings, noodles, roast goose, barbecue pork or something we have not yet considered. There is every possibility that ordering dinner will involve pointing, smiling and hoping for the best.

That is all part of the adventure.

Day Two: Walking, Eating and Hong Kong After Dark

The serious eating begins on our second day with a booked foodie walking tour.

This should provide a proper introduction to Hong Kong’s food culture, taking us beyond the obvious tourist stops and into local eateries, markets and family-run businesses. We are hoping for plenty of stories, plenty of flavour and perhaps a few dishes we would never have been brave enough to order on our own.

We have been advised to arrive hungry. Thanks for the tip, Clarissa!

Challenge accepted.

Research. Important, delicious research.

After several hours of walking and eating, there may be a brief period of recovery before we head out again for the Night Bus Lights Tour.

Hong Kong after dark promises to be a completely different experience. From the upper deck of the bus, we should have a wonderful view of Kowloon’s illuminated streets, towering buildings and famous nighttime energy. It will also give our feet a well-earned rest after the food tour.

Bright lights, busy streets and a city that does not appear particularly interested in going to bed—it should be a memorable way to finish our second day.

Hong Kong after dark—best viewed from upstairs, preferably after dinner.

Ready to Wander

That is about as organised as we intend to be at this stage.

There are neighbourhoods to explore, ferries to ride, markets to investigate and a long list of things we would like to eat. Some careful planning will undoubtedly occur, but there will also be plenty of wandering, unexpected discoveries and last-minute changes based entirely on the smell coming from a nearby kitchen.

Hong Kong, we are on our way.

Bring on the dumplings, the neon lights and the next Epicurious adventure.