The South Lantau Country Trail west of Pak Kung Au (Photo-essay)

The first year that I moved to Hong Kong, a friend I met through Hong Kong movies -- but came to realize is a major hiking enthusiast -- took another friend and me on an enjoyable -- even if longer than we had anticipated -- excursion along the section of the South Lantau Country Trail that lies east of Pak Kung Au.  Indeed, I had such good memories of that trail that a few years later, I decided to take my then regular hiking companion (who's since returned to Canada -- *sob*) along the same scenic trail on her birthday. 

Some months later, we decided to finally check out the part of the same trail that lies west of Pak Kung Au -- and since it's on the shorter side, continue hiking along a portion of Lantau Trail Section 10 and, for good measure, Section 11 too.  The result was another enjoyable hike -- one that offered up some beautiful views and also lots of spottings of cool flora and fauna; at least a couple of photo-essays worth in fact! ;b

Flower or not, I reckon this spiky looking thing

is worth a photo -- and more than just one glance!

 Mere minutes from Tung Chung Road, the trail looks 

rugged and the surrounding countryside unlike what 

many people would expect to find in "Asia's World City"

A view that takes in part of Tung Chung Road (on the upper 

left  hand corner) along with part of the southern Lantau coast

With just a bit of imagination, doesn't this look like

a collection of alien hands reaching out and upwards? ;b

The view was hazier than I would have liked -- but there's 

enough visible still of the Cheung Sha beaches to realize

how beautiful as well as long they are

It's difficult to see where the sea ends and sky begins, right?

Along the section of the trail that leads pretty

steeply some 250 meters downwards without 

much of a leveling break

With views like these, my hiking companion 

and I just could not stop for a moment or two

to enjoy drinking it in :)

To be continued... :b