Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Hot summer's day hiking sights (Photo-essay)


There are many people in Hong Kong who don't hike in the summer.  I understand where they are coming from -- given that summer temperatures in the Big Lychee regularly rise above 32 degrees Celsius and, when coupled with the high humidity that is a regular feature of Hong Kong summers, can really make for days when one is loathe to venture out of the air-conditioned indoors.

At the same time, my experience of Hong Kong summer hiking is that it often takes place on beautiful days that feature bright blue skies (that may or may not feature puffy white clouds) and visibility that extends for whole kilometers.  And such days include the hot (with a recorded high of 34 degrees Celsius!) but nonetheless pleasant June day which saw my hiking companion and I embark on an enjoyable hike that cobbled together the just 1.8 kilometer long Pak Tam Country Trail, the portion of Section 2 of the Maclehose Trail that lies between Pak Tam Au and Chek Keng, and the short section of Pak Tam Road that links together those two hiking trails...

 The hike started off Pak Tam Road where a previous 

 Spotted along the way: The kind of exotic looking 
tropical flower I find hard to identify but pleasing to look at

 Among the many bugs spotted over the course 
of the hike was this super hairy caterpillar type critter

Is it possible that the hairy critter in the previous photo
would one day turn into a pretty butterfly like this one?

We also came across this baby bird along the hike
that looks to have fallen from a nest above -- and dearly 
hope(d) that it managed to survive that day and many beyond

Lest it be thought otherwise, this hike also was one
that yielded splendid scenic sights aplenty

A zoomed in view of Wong Shek Pier (on the left)
and the surrounding area from higher ground to its southeast

Looking eastwards towards Sharp Peak
from close to the same spot on Maclehose Trail 
Section 2 as at the previous photo

To be continued for one more photo-essay...!

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