On Reunification Day last Friday (1 July) I didn’t choose to march in a pro-democracy demonstration like some locals, but instead chose to trek along the Ngong Sham stream located in Lantau Island. Because it had been raining a lot in the days before I went on the trek, the streams were flowing with lots of water, making them a delight to walk in.

A big swimming pool at the start of the trek – no, it’s just a water collection pool and no swimming is allowed.

But of course there’s no one around to catch you even if you decide to go in. At the top of the tunnel it’s an old Hong Kong Water Works sign that says ‘HKWW 1963’.

One of the big waterfalls we came across and one of the nicest ones I’ve seen in HK.

The most beautiful and spectacular waterfall I’ve seen in Hong Kong has to be this one called Thousand Layer Waterfall (千层瀑). This four-layered waterfall stretches over 100m and can be seen from the cable car that goes to the Big Buddha in Ngong Ping. The top of this waterfall was close to where we ended our trek in Ngong Ping.

The best part of summer in Hong Kong is being able to stream and coastal trek. I get a lot of joy from being outdoors amid nature. It’s so relaxing to get away from the crowds which is why I love spending my weekends in Hong Kong doing that. Truth be told, I think it’s the mountains, streams and the sea that drew me back to Hong Kong. I love all of this and being near these works of nature makes me happy. I love how easily accessible these beautiful spots are. Well OK, it does require quite a bit of effort to trek there, but still, it’s there to trek to and I don’t have to hop on a plane for this.
Being around nature relaxes me and recharges me for the work week ahead. It creates that balance for me. It’s as if my body goes out of sync if I don’t get some time in to be around nature. At work I never like to stay in and have lunch at my desk. I like going out for lunch to get a breather and take a walk. It’s been hot but I still like going to the park near my office. My colleagues think I’m mad. They can’t understand why I love the sun so much. I can only say I’m a tropical being and love the sun!
Whatever the case, I know I definitely want to live in a place that has lots of greenery and nature. For now, Hong Kong is the spot.