Its the end of the year, and that means its Mileage Run time. For those unfamiliar with the term, a Mileage Run is simply a quick trip (almost always a same day return home) that is booked primarily to earn miles in order to renew one’s Airline Frequent Flyer Status for the upcoming year. The idea is to find a fare that offers the cheapest CPM (Cost Per Mile). I’ll spare the details since Mileage Run discussions can turn into Doctoral Dissertations.
The destination tends to be the least important element when deciding where to go. If going to Anchorage, Alaska in February only costs 3 cents a mile, then Anchorage is a great place to visit for 2 hours in February. It is what it is!
In my case I need a few thousand miles to move up the ranks in United’s Mileage Plus program for 2012. My hunt started in early October and I thought it would be Europe again to visit a Christmas Market in a City that I haven’t visited before. As I kept staring at my atlas trying to figure out what city it would be, my eyes kept shifting to Asia and began to focus on Hong Kong. Airfares on United confirmed that it was a good idea to visit Asia so that settled that. Better still, a friend of mine was kind enough to give me a couple of her “Systemwide Upgrades” or “SWU’s” to help me weather the 29 hours of roundtrip flight in Business Class. Later on, United launched a promo that offered double miles for exactly my 2 flights from and to Chicago, so that just sweetens the deal for me. I’ll get twice the miles that I was originally planning on. 15000 miles turn into 30000. Not a bad day even though the bonus miles don’t count towards elite status. So Hong Kong it is for 2011.
Now I don’t claim to be a multi-million mile traveler, but all of my international miles have come from trips to Europe. Ever since I was 5 years old and through to my late teens, flying to Czechoslovakia (The Slovakia side on the most recent version of European maps) to visit the majority of my family was an Annual Rite. I’ve spent many summer breaks there growing up as a kid and still visit on a very regular basis. I’ve even had the opportunity to take Mrs. LufthansaFlyer back a couple of times to the villages that my parents are from so she can visit my 95 year old Grandmother, various aunts, uncles and cousins. Some habits just don’t go away!
In my adult life, my travel habits still take me to Europe ALL THE TIME, so I knew this was an opportune time to do something radically different. At least as far as my travel habits go.
Anyhow, the decision to go to Hong Kong goes against the grain of my travel experience. It goes against my desire to only ever fly Lufthansa when leaving the USA. I even have a tinge of guilt, as if I was “cheating on Europe”. I’m in an exclusive and committed relationship with the continent. What would she think? Would she ever let me back?
A lot of firsts are going to take place by turning left out of the USA and flying West, to get to the Far East. The time has come for me to expand my horizons, put myself intentionally out of my comfort zone, cross the International Date Line for the first time and experience things I’ve never seen before.
Since Hong Kong is 7750 miles from my front door, I thought it deserved more than a mileage run, where I normally land and return home literally on the same plane a few hours later. I thought that a Mileage Jog would be more appropriate. A Mileage Jog becomes a 1-2 day trip, still primarily for the miles, but with a pause to take in a new destination beyond the airport.
So as my plans stand, I will have approximately 1 day in Hong Kong. I’m not counting the day I arrive since I will be landing around 6p, and I’m not counting my departure date since that flight leaves at 11a (and I need time for plane spotting at the airport). So for the one full day that I will be there, I need your ideas…… Where to eat? What do I have to see? Where do I have to go? What can I do in one day? Keep in mind that I tend to be a hit and run traveler. I dont like to spend 2 hours in any one place. So for this trip, museums, galleries, etc. just wont fit the plan. I want to see as many things as possible and within reason given my time frame.
So far, using the power of Google I’ve come up with this Itinerary:
1. Buy something nice for Mrs. LufthansaFlyer
2. Peak Tram for great photos of the Skyline (have to remember to pack tripod…..)
3. ???
4. Eating various Organs from a Skewer
5. Get measured for shirts/suits at favorite shirtmaker (He usually visits USA, I figure to return favor)
6. ???
7. Noodle Shops / Sushi
8. ???
9. ???
10 Buy something nice for Mrs. LufthansaFlyer
As you can see, there are some gaps in my itinerary and this is where your ideas will come in handy. I’m staying near the Expo Center on Hong Kong Island, so I know there is a ton to explore there. I know that I’m a quick train/ferry ride from Kowloon and Nathan Rd. But thats about all I know. I’m sure there will be thousands of options, but only having 24 hours, it doesn’t afford me much time to make mistakes or to miss out on something that is a must do for a visit to Hong Kong.
I’ll sweeten the request. I’ll pick three of the best ideas (specific places, restaurants, etc) from all the reponses (ties for the same idea will be broken by who submitted the idea first). For those top 3, I’ll bring back a modest little souvenir of Hong Kong. Be warned, it may be the Inflight Magazine or Safety Card!! ……But seriously, I’ll bring back a small thank you for your idea. Just send me your idea to my “Contact Me” link on the right side of my page or post it as a comment on this blog entry.
I’ll end the post at this point. I need to go begin my conditioning routine for the upcoming pair of 15 hour flights. Tonight’s routine is 10 consecutive hours of Top Gear………..
Eat at Bo’s Innovation. Another Michelin Star Restaurants with unique dimsums. Dim sum will never be the same after the visit! They have a pretty good and affordable lunch menu.
I would take the bus round trip from the airport to Kowloon: there is a rail link but the rail goes through tunnels and the under side of bridges, so the view was much better from the bus, especially when crossing some of the great bridges. Take the Star Ferry from Kowloon over to Central, on Hong Kong Island. The ferry ride, very inexpensive, is a great intro to view the spectacular setting of Hong Kong. From Central, take the tram up to the peak to look down on Hong Kong. The sweeping view, from a high peak down to a skyscrapers studded metropolis, is awesome. Then you can reverse the process and return to the airport with the same modes of transportation. In between, lots of shopping can be done in Central and Kowloon.
Two words: Star Ferry
Forgot to mention the dessert joints in HK. It’s a must have for me when I visit. It’s da bomb!
http://www.hongkonghustle.com/food/473/hong-kong-desserts-hui-lau-shan-moon-kee-tsui-wah-saint-alp-hk/
Go to the tallest hotel in the world; the Ritz Carlton HK at least to have drink at the bar. So you can say you have been to tallest hotel in the world and OZONE is on the 118th floor tallest bar in the world as well!
http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/HongKong/Information/Default.htm
http://www.cnngo.com/hong-kong/visit/ritz-2-017129
Australia Dairy Company – and trust me, you will live it…
High Tea at the Peninsula.
Is the missus coming along? If yes then she’ll love it 🙂
No, this time she isnt coming along. something about being in the air for 29 hours and on the ground for only 36 didnt appeal to her. Can you believe her? 🙂
If you are looking for something to do on your arrival go have some cocktails and watch some horseracing!
1) Macau style noodle shop. I can’t remember the place I went to (got directions from a concierge in HK Mandarin Oriental), it was a hole in a wall, but with amazing noodle soup
2) Lan Kwai Fong – an interesting street/area to go out if you are young.
3) Ferry ride to Macau. Might be tough for you to do because it takes an hour each way.
4) HK Times Square. Same as in NYC, except in HK
5) Central aka business district – 10x more hectic than NYC (never thought it was possible)
6) Soccer game at HK university stadium (in the hills)
7) Tram
8) Harbour cruise
How about a half-day-trip over to Macau by Speedferry? You could take a cab from the ferry port there to the old Fort – very historical – or walk along the side streets of old town for some gorgeous portuguese influenced chinese food.
You could even extend your daytrip to the PRC, crossing into Zuhai for the afternoon (72h visa available at the border – no passport photo needed – for about 20 US$).
Take the peak tram UP the hill….BUT take a bus DOWN the hill! Also do your best to get on the bus first/early so you can get a seat up top (two decker bus) and near the front so you can see out the window! The ride DOWN the hill is pretty scary at times and you get a much longer time to enjoy the view than you do with the tram!
Symphony of lights at 8pm is awesome. They light up all the major skyscrapers into a massive orchestrated light show. Best viewed from the Kowloon side Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront. You could also time yourself to be on the cross harbour ferry that time.
http://www.tourism.gov.hk/symphony/
Siberian Vodka Room is pretty cool (pun intended) if not authentic HK
http://www.hongkongbarsclubs.com/central/balalaika.html
Also on the way to the Peak you could go on the worlds longest escalator trip up the levels.
try the noodle shops and dry seafood shops at Sheung Wan/Kennedy Town.
take a tram ride to Kennedy Town and back to Central (2.50 HKD/way,) cooler if at night.
Go over to TST for the day and night views of HK harbour.
going to NP360 takes a while and expensive.
go to Wong Tai Sheen to see the buddhist temple and have your fortunes read.
go via cha chaan tan (hk style food stall.)
go to a night market in Mong Kok.
-will provide email if I won anything 🙂 I rather take a pound of mochi from hong kong snack store. 🙂
ee pro a t g m a i l.com
If this was me, I’d find a place to stay in Central (Financial District). Lan Kwai Fong is a great hang out with lots of expats in Central. Since you’ll be arriving in the evening, it’ll be a good place to enjoy the night scene. http://www.lankwaifong.com/index.php?page=home
The airport express takes you straight to the Central station. The next morning, I would check out of the hotel and go to the Peak, take pictures of the skyline overlooking the harbor across to Kowloon. After lunch, I would head towards Ngong Ping 360 and ride the cable car to the Giant Buddha. http://www.np360.com.hk/html/eng/front/index.asp
Since Ngong Ping 360 & the Giant Buddha is next to the airport, it would make it easier to get to your flight home. Also, Hong Kong Disney is nearby there. That pretty much covers most of the major landmarks of Hong Kong in your short stay.
-Enjoy.
Ko
btw, I’ll be visiting Hong Kong in December with my family.
When will you be in HK? I’m doing an extended mile run Asia as well. Beijing and Hong Kong on DL Metal.
Looks like the first week of December at this point.