View of both the Big Buddha and Ngong Ping 360
from the Nei Lak Shan Country Trail
On a beautiful blue sky day like this, I was so glad
to be able to be out hiking in green Hong Kong :)
The mercury was forecast to rise up to 33 degrees Celsius (91.4 degrees Fahrenheit) in Hong Kong today. As it turns out, the Weather Underground of Hong Kong website showed highs today of 36 degrees Celsius (96.8 degrees Fahrenheit) in Sheung Shui and 34.6 degrees Celsius (94.28 degrees Fahrnheit) in Happy Valley, consistently one of the hottest parts of Hong Kong in the summer.
On very hot weather warning days like this, few people want to go out hiking -- but I did so! More specifically, I decided that today would be a good day to go up to Lantau's Ngong Ping Plateau and hike the Nei Lak Shan Country Trail that is among my favorite Hong Kong hiking trails once more -- because, among other things, the Ngong Ping Plateau is consistently 8 to 10 degrees Celsius cooler than the rest of Hong Kong.
I'm not sure how many other people realize this about the Ngong Ping Plateau. In any case, there were long lines for the bus as well as cable car ride up to Ngong Ping at Tung Chung today. But after the friend who joined me on the hike today and I went through a side exit of the super artificial 'Ngong Ping Village' and headed out to the Nei Lak Shan Country Trail, we didn't see more than 10 people for the next three hours or so.
Imagine, if you will, bright blue and sunny skies but also some puffy white clouds overhead and a pleasant breeze, kilometers and miles of beautiful vistas, and much quiet for the most part -- and you'd get an idea of our hiking experience this afternoon. Frankly, on days like this, I really do feel quite a bit of bliss -- at being in Hong Kong, and being able to be out enjoying this side of life in the Big Lychee that it is such a blessing to have. :)
6 comments:
Hi YTSL! Glad to hear you enjoyed the hike! And was it really much cooler???
Hi The Fragrant Harbour --
I'd estimate that it was at least 5, maybe even 10 degrees cooler up on the Ngong Ping Plateau than down below. And the breezes helped quite a bit too. :)
It sounds lovely!
I'm realizing that I was there almost exactly 2 years ago. Can you believe it was so long ago?
Hi Alejna --
It was lovely! And wow re your Hong Kong trip having been almost exactly 2 years ago. Time flies -- when you're busy as well as having fun, doesn't it?
Gondolas flying above the trail. Sounds familiar, that's what I experienced when hiking Ngong Ping 360 rescue trail. Wait...is this the same trail as Ngong Ping Plateau?
Hi Anonymous --
The Ngong Ping 360 Rescue Trail and the Nei Lak Shan Country Trail are different trails -- both of which I've hiked -- but they do intersect for a few hundred meters. And yes, that section where they intersect is on -- or at least approaching -- the Ngong Ping Plateau. :)
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