International hike appreciation on a beautiful high visibility day (Photo-essay)

Many years ago when I was living in the US, I used to go hiking around Christmas time with a Slovenian and Mainland Chinese couple -- and their very American young son -- who I'd regularly spent a week or so with in California around that time of the year.  And over the course of my time in Hong Kong, I've enjoyed hiking with friends from a variety of national and ethnic backgrounds, including local Hong Kongers as well as those who originally hailed from Germany, Singapore, Canada, the USA, Britain, South Africa and elsewhere.    

To be sure, I do realize that it's not for everyone.  But it's also true enough that I've enjoyed seeing how bowled over by the beauty of nature -- and Hong Kong in general -- so many people get when they venture out into the great outdoors of the Big Lychee.  And on one beautiful high visibility summer day out in Tai Lam Country Park, I must say that the highlights of the hike for me actually may have been the enthusiastic reactions that the young friend from Nepal who went on the excursion with me had upon catching sight of some cool critters and stupendous clear day views enroute from the Twisk Country Park Management Office in Tsuen Kam Au to Lin Fa Shan and then down from there to Tsuen Wan's Allway Gardens... ;b   

The views aren't always green when 

one's out hiking in Hong Kong... ;b

 

Rest assured though that one's surroundings really are 

(green, I mean), and pretty idyllic also! :)

 

Casting one's gaze closer to the trail can result in 

spottings of cool critters such as this grasshopper

 

 What's this spider doing on a leaf rather than a web?

 

And yes, I'd ask the same question of the arachnid pictured above!

 

As for this critter: my question is more along the lines 

of "What on God's green earth is it?!" ;O

 

At least one knows that one day soon, this caterpillar

is going to turn into a butterfly... ;S

 

Still some ways to go before hike's end... but you already 

know how wonderful we felt it was already, right? ;b