Before I continue with my photo documentation of the Nei Lak Shan Country Trail hike that my regular hiking companion and I went on last summer, let me first set the scene by detailing how the temperature at sea level was around 35 degrees Celsius that day but a very pleasing 10 degrees cooler up on the Ngong Ping Plateau.
Also, as those who have visited in recent years can readily attest, we got off the bus up there in an area full of people -- but just a few minutes into our hike, we had left the madding crowd behind... so much so that over the course of our hike, we only spied a handful of other hikers -- in fact, other their our own voices, the only other human voices we heard for much of that afternoon actually belonged to those on board the cable cars passing overhead at certain points in our route!
Thus it was that our Ngong Ping experience differed markedly from that of most people up there to view the Big Buddha from a closer distance than we sought to do that day. And now, with those images in mind, behold and savor the sights offered up by the following photographs:-
Also, as those who have visited in recent years can readily attest, we got off the bus up there in an area full of people -- but just a few minutes into our hike, we had left the madding crowd behind... so much so that over the course of our hike, we only spied a handful of other hikers -- in fact, other their our own voices, the only other human voices we heard for much of that afternoon actually belonged to those on board the cable cars passing overhead at certain points in our route!
Thus it was that our Ngong Ping experience differed markedly from that of most people up there to view the Big Buddha from a closer distance than we sought to do that day. And now, with those images in mind, behold and savor the sights offered up by the following photographs:-
One last view of the Big Buddha before wewent around to the other side of the mountain
Two slithery creatures encountered along the trail that my regular hiking companion insisted were big worms
but I thought were snakes (but might allow were
Bogadek's burrowing lizard if only they weren't so rare)
Panoramic view that includes Tung Chung (to the right), the airport (to its left) and Castle Peak in the far distance
Another scenic view -- this one of Tung Chung, the green surrounding area and also the main road
across from it to southern Lantau
Cute graffiti along the trail
Looking back, we found that the mist was enveloping a lot of the landscape
In contrast, the view ahead was clear and bright-- and often jaw-droppingly scenic
Is it just me or do you also see the outlines of aturbaned woman lying down amidst the greenery too? :b
To be continued -- for yes, I have no small amount of remaining photos of this wonderful hike to put up still! :)
8 comments:
Hi YTSL,
Gorgeous photos, can't wait to see the rest of them and maybe to walk this trail someday!
I did this hike, years ago, when Tung Chung was still an old ruined fort, no airport, no new city. It was great.
hi ytsl,
hehehe....I think the rocks look like a big insect trailed by smaller ones......
Hi "A hero never dies" --
Thanks -- and the plan is to get one more batch up next Tuesday! :)
Hi baroness radon --
The Nei Lak Shan Country Trail only officially opened a few years ago. So you must have gone on (parts of?) the trail when it was not yet an official one -- since no airport = pre-1998! :b
Hi sbk --
Interesting take on the rock formation(s) but I still stand by mine! :D
The pictures with Tung Chung are wonderful becase to my mind they show the contrasts of Hong Kong almost perfectly.
I'm interested to know where all the other people went. Obviously not hiking, but did they just go back in the bus?
Hi A. --
Thanks and I know what you mean: there are days when I love going to parts of Hong Kong which feel truly a part of a nature but other days, the hikes where one gets spectacular views that combine nature and human-made landscapes strike me as so wonderfully Hong Kong.
Re the other people in Ngong Ping: they tend to make for the Big Buddha and associated Po Lin Monastery (where, among other things, you can get a substantial vegetarian meal) -- and, these days, also the Ngong Ping cable car (which I have been on once and would recommend) and its adjacent "village" (which I dislike because it really screams "tourist trap").
lovely shots and great post
Hi Sush --
Thanks for visiting and liking the photos and the overall post. :)
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