Beatrix pottering: Bus ferry bus tram bus ferry bus

The fog had lifted this morning - you could see the opposite shore in pin sharp detail for the first time. So it was a day for going up Victoria Peak. After the usual transport shuffle (we're professionals now), and an exciting stop in a Hong Kong emporium to buy me a beautiful dress as part of my birthday present (which I am going to happily carry around for the next three months), we reached the Tram station - and realised that the rest of Hong Kong's tourists-in-residence had had the same idea. But the queue moved steadily, and eventually we boarded the tram.

This has been going up the Peak in various forms since the 1880s, before which the ruling elite were carried up in Sedan chairs, which must have been hard work for the carriers - it is very, very steep. Because you sit leaning back, there is a fun optical illusion that looks like the skyscrapers are all at improbable angles, like something out of a cartoon. At the top, we headed for the viewing platform, past more of Hong Kong's retail opportunities (it's basically a tram stop with a mall built above). Sadly, during the morning the cloud had come back, so the view was obscured. But you could still see the island, harbour and mainland all spread out below, with us towering over the skyscrapers for a change.

Retreating from the drizzle (the weather really wasn't great today) we headed for lunch with a view at a bizarre, but tasty, restaurant that paid homage to the shrimp company set up by Forrest Gump in the film; and back down again, and via another range of transport options (including a local bus this time for 40p each - it's the only cheap thing in Hong Kong), back home. Jemima and I had a fun snack in the lobby cafe (none of us were that hungry after our big lunch), then bath, and bed. The jet lag is slowly lifting (although Kevin was awake from 5am this morning, which was slightly painful); and we are now ready to move on, especially because the weather here has got a bit grim - the sunshine of the Antipodes is calling. But we have one more day before we fly, so we'll see what we find for tomorrow's diversion.