New Years: Hong Kong Style

The big day has arrived and all preparation has been made - the streets will be closed from 6.30pm to traffic and endless lines of metal barriers have started to sprout along pavements to allow police and emergency services access to all areas.
I wanted to procure a spot before the crowds set in so decided that mid afternoon would be the best time to start walking towards my chosen viewing spot from the ‘Avenue of Stars’ (This takes about 1 hour from my hotel). Along the route it is possible to ride the authentic narrow wooden tram for $2 (20p) a journey and I would highly recommend the experience as it is cheap regular and heavily used. The wonderful clanking noises that it makes as it goes along are Victorian in nature and the method of payment is simple - get on through a small turnstile at the back or front of the tram then make payment when you get off by depositing your $2 coin in the box near the driver - just be aware that this is the only exit from the tram as the turnstiles at the rear are one way!!
Second mode of transport is the ‘Star Ferry’ another wonderful and cheap form of travel across the bay from either Central pier 7 or Wan Chai to Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon. The old girls make the trip every few minutes and the time before the next departure is clearly shown giving you plenty of time to board and settle into the seats which have reversible backs to allow you to choose your facing for the best views :) All of this is yours for $2.50 (25p)!! Simply magical and the cheapest way to see the harbour… No need to splash out on expensive tours…
Kowloon is an opulent location with the cultural centre, several museums and more gold than you can shake a stick at! Walking around the stores here you are overwhelmed by the wealth being flaunted, Cartier, Rolex, Louis Vouton and Gucci are just a few of the brand names lignin the streets here with huge stores (some of them have more than one!!) which attract a large number of wealthy elite who today have to wait to get in as the stores have security to reduce overcrowding (Clearly these guys have not seen the crowds in John Lewis/Debenhams or H&M as a crowd in Gucci seemed to me to be if there was more than one person per section!!) - Anyhoo they seemed to be doing great business.
By 6pm I had arrived at the Avenue of Stars, watched over by some celluloid covered female Oscar style statue and swamped in several thousand people!! After 5 mins I had found a spot near the barriers in a perfect location to observe the fireworks J It was however 6 hours away!! Luckily there was a large number of people around making the hours pass as minutes, in particular, two Argentine teachers had travelled here for their summer holidays and it was interesting to hear there views on education…
As the evening wore on the police taped off our area to avoid any more people entering and finally cordoned off the Avenue of Stars to more people…
At 8pm we were all treated to the ’Symphony of lights’ a world record breaking light show put on by the buildings around the harbour and set to music - I feel that tonight was one of its largest audiences as most people around me are settled in on newspaper ready for the countdown to the new year. Still it is an enjoyable distraction (Interlude) before the big show. 4 hours to go…
As time counts down to the big event small boats and ships start to float into the best position along the harbour with cheering and dancing revellers upon the decks (This was an expensive option to enjoy the show and to be honest I do not feel their view was any better but at least they had a party and got those on shore involved by calling out to us!)… More time passed and the harbour became a jostling mass of vessels which the police boats did there best to control while the crowds were interviewed by media and given free 2011 inflatable clappers!! The noise was immense… 1 hour to go… the tension builds…
11.59 and the crowd draws in one huge breath and begins to count down, Huge numbers on the financial building tick away the seconds, accompanied by bellowed numbers from the crowd until…
YYYEEEAAAHHHHHH - the crowd goes wild ;)
HAPPY NEW YEAR is announced in a fanfare of lights and fireworks from all along the harbour front. It is a grand spectacle and one which I will not forget - The staggering light show is on a par with London and lasts for 10 minutes. If you are anywhere near make your way here next year and enjoy first hand as watching on TV does not do it justice.
After the show it is time to wend my way back to the Cosmopolitan Hotel… But all the people have the same idea… I am caught in a heaving mass of humanity all trying to get home and I am carried in the human tide towards Kowloon before meeting a small current of people heading for the docks… Soon our little current is once again crossed by a seething mass of people heading to Kowloon Central and the police have blocked our route 0_0 (This is to avoid congestion and to aid the flow of people away from the event and to be honest it works) After 15 mins of waiting we are released from the barriers blocking our route and the human flow of people glides like a wave towards the waiting pier and late running ferries which for $3 take us back to the island and a little stroll home. I make it back for 2am and a well deserved bed!! However, I am still aware that it will be another 6 hours before the guys in London celebrate the same event ;)

Happy New Year to all my readers and may the year ahead bring you every happiness
I raise a toast to you all - Cheers
:)