1 Feb - Morning Trail

1 Feb, 07 – Great morning walk

Despite all the exercise I got yesterday, I still was up at 4:30 this morning. Tried really hard to get back to sleep, but just couldn’t. The gym opens up at 6am, so I figured this would be as good a day as any to get back into the gym routine. To get to the gym I have to cross outside to the other building. When I got outside (it was around 6:45) it was so pleasant. There was a nice breeze blowing & the temperature felt just perfect for a walk outside.

I wanted to head up to uncharted territory. From where our building is, up has trees & down has buildings. I walked to the east along our road until I saw a set of stairs going up. I took them & ended up at the entrance to an apartment complex. I asked the guard if he knew of any paths nearby that would take me up. He said if I headed west down the road, I’d come to Hatton Rd & that will take you to the Peak. Sounded promising. This was a road that I’d never been on. It was all residential. It was about a mile to Hatton Road. Not far up the road it narrowed to a path & was called Morning Trail. This seemed most appropriate. There was a sign indicating 2800m to the Peak. I’m not good with conversion, but I know there are about 3 feet in a meter, but I’ve never known how many feet in a mile, one of those mental blocks I have. So I just looked it up & it's 5280ft/mile, so just over 1.5 miles to the top.

So up I went. It was pretty strenuous & very embarrassing. The path had many people taking their morning walk & many seemed to know each other. Most were older Chinese folks who moved along at a steady pace without seeming to breath hard at all. I was huffing & puffing away & made several stops to catch my breath. Some of these people even were using canes. I took my sweatshirt off & was in shorts & t-shirt, but most of them were wearing jackets & coats, but didn’t appear to be bothered by the steep up-hill climb. I wanted to turn back many times, but said to myself, “what else do you have to do today? There isn’t one reason why you can’t go to the top!” So I continued on. At 1700m the path flattened out & there was a park with fitness areas.

There was an information area & map informing the walker that this was Lung Fu Shan Country Park & fitness area. Lung meaning dragon & Fu meaning tiger, they didn't say what the Shan meant. The fitness area was great, although I didn't use it. Just different stations for working different parts of the body. You see these scattered all over HK in the parks & trails. Maybe another reason they are thin.

It was pretty interesting because there were people everywhere doing Tai Chi, some in groups, some alone. It is a wonderful thing to watch, very mesmerizing. Periodically I’d hear someone yelling at the top of their lungs. I guess this is a part of the morning ritual for some. After their yell they look very calm & relaxed. Many people were walking their dogs & a few cars passed by also. Most people who passed me on the path said a “jo san” (good morning) to me with a big smile. When these folks get away from the hustle of the city, they are very friendly.

I made it to the top with some great scenery along the way. It’s the first time I’ve been to the Peak that it wasn’t packed with people. Nothing was open for business yet, so it was a very different place. By this time it was about 8am.

I checked out a map (they have them all along the way, everything is very well marked) & found a different road to take that looped around the other side of the mountain I’d just climbed. The way up I had taken the south looking path to the Peak, which looks out over the back side of the island. This one was the north side which looks out over Victoria harbor & the area where we live. The view was amazing & I figured out which building was ours. I can’t believe I haven’t taken this path before & I know for sure it won’t be the last time. In fact I think I might get John out there this weekend.

The walk down was easier, but I could feel my thighs burning. I took another detour & saw an old WWII military battery that was down many many steps (which is why I didn’t try it on the way up, better to go down steps than up). When I returned back to the street I took a lower road heading in the direction I thought we lived. As it turns out, I was right, this path is just up the road from our building & I never knew it was there. Since there are no stores in that direction it isn’t a way we ever go. I also found that the University of HK is right there also. I had no idea it was so close. You know where I’ll be hanging out in the next few weeks.!

I got back to the apartment just after 9am. Had a nice breakfast & spent the rest of the day on the computer & reading. I did go out & get the dry cleaning & some groceries. The gym can wait for a rainy day. The Morning Path is going to become a routine, at least a few times a week. If I keep waking up at 4:30, I can do it before John even wakes up. He has just called from the airport & is on his way home. Perfect timing.

Sorry, no photos of my day today, as I thought I was just going to the gym I didn’t bring along my camera. Next time!