"It exposed me to a lot of things and I am grateful for those eye-opening experiences. It literally gave my whole persona — a rebirth. I've come to a realization that our uniqueness, even under these lights, is beautiful and we should never ever be ashamed to show it."

 

In the alternate universe I was in, tints of purple and teal gave my Hong Kong nights a different vibe. It felt like a Hollywood movie unfolding upon every step. Every flicker romanticized even the most barren alleys. I looked around me and cars, buses and taxi cabs restlessly roam from every direction.

Seeing the Hong Kong skyline gave me chills. Millions of lights gave the pitch black terrain a surreal look — boats crossing the harbor, car lights streaking like light sabers.

As we walked outside the station, I can't help but be in awe and wonder. Deep inside I was wondering, "Could I also feel this way back home?"
 

The night grew deeper and so was our conversation. In this twilight zone, I was able to think outside the usual. I could picture things in my head about the things I haven't thought of for a long time. It's funny how a simple change of ambiance could give us a different perspective in that specific moment.

 

We crossed a narrow pedestrian lane and passed by taxi cabs with unrecognizable passengers inside. The way the lights hit them gave them this very mysterious, "I have secrets" aura. It's fun to make stories out of these scenarios like they  are real.

I am craving for more stories under the vast dark skies. My eyes need to see more of these dreamy city lights and my soul needs more of these walking in the streets and casual conversations kind of nights.

 

I was saddened when I bid my goodbyes to Hong Kong but I'm glad I chose it to be the first overseas tour of my entire life. It exposed me to a lot of things and I am grateful for those eye-opening experiences. It literally gave my whole persona — a rebirth. I've come to a realization that our uniqueness, even under these lights, is beautiful and we should never be ashamed to show it.

 

Now, I am more than excited to go to a new country and uncover the heck out of it. I am ready to get to know more of the stories that are just waiting to be told. I am ready to experience new things that will grow me as a person. And I can't wait to share these to people all over the world.

"I guess all our best memories will always be like  a dream — magical, surreal and almost unbelievable."
 

The sky was starting to get dark and the winds were starting to get colder. I put on my leather jacket to warm me a little but I wish that I had a coffee to sip. Lines piled up like those on Christmas mornings and I was getting frustrated as it had eaten much of our time. But some divine intervention happened and those who got tickets were prioritized so we got inside within thirty minutes or so.

My luck seemed to have run out as the lines inside have gotten much worse. I kept my cool and waited for our turn. I shifted my attention to anything that could distract me from boredom - people's faces and the displays on the other side of the glass windows.

 

On the way to the top, I can't help but just admire Hong Kong's skyline. There is something surreal about it that makes you forget about things for a moment. I almost forgot that I was standing in the middle of the tram with nothing to hold on to. I was balancing myself whilst the tram's going uphill which was hard.

First stop was Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum. The line was yet again long but I didn't mind it at all. I was just enjoying the moment of being there. When I got in, I was so pumped to check all the amazing figures. They were so lifelike, I swear they look real when you glance over them. I saw some Hollywood a-listers, Princess Diana and even some Asian superstars.










Just before we headed to the top, we made a quick detour to the Pacific Coffee Café where we ate pastries to fill our empty stomachs. The dark chocolate brownie tasted both sweet and bitter which was like that night - the experience was sweet but time made it bitter because it was fleeting. Fast.





The wind was blowing so hard I couldn't get past the sliding doors. After a few minutes of rubbing my palms, I went out and braved the cold. What I witnessed as soon as I walked out of that door was magical. No. It was more than magical. It was almost an out-of-body experience. Like I was in some sort of an alternate world where I am not me and I am not in an ordinary place. I can still vividly remember how pitch black the sky was that night. But the way the lights give it new colors was amazing. It almost started to look like it was colored purple. I stared at it blankly for a few minutes. Then I stretched my arms and imagined that I was holding it all inside. Its amazing how a simple overlooking view could make you feel like the world is in front of you and it is all within your reach. I was not even myself when I took pictures. I was still in that "awed state" I did not even give any damn about getting good photographs.

I soaked it all in for a few more minutes then we decided to eventually come down and see more of the city during night time.



And so we went out and took the nearest station to Central Hong Kong station. Then walked towards the tram. A tram is a also train system with suspension wires hanging above it but the cool thing about it is that it routes in the middle of the streets. Plus, a double-decker train made it more awesome.

We cautiously boarded the train. We did this semi-turn to get inside, another cool thing we did I must say. We then climbed off the spiral ladder to get to the upper floor. We settled ourselves at the back of a couple. We asked them how far was Wan Chai and they politely answered.

We were blinded by the city lights up close. They were shining like diamonds. No. They were more like clusters of stars. We passed by countless double-decker buses and yellow-painted cabs before a stranger told us we were almost on our destination. So we climbed down and got off the tram.

I can't help myself but to stare at it while crossing the road. There's something so classic and authentic about it.

We got so lost finding the shop I was looking for so we decided to eat on the first noodle shop we saw. You'd think that in Central Hong Kong you wouldn't be able to find a cheap shop but we did and it was worth it. We ordered a noodle with dumplings and that time, it was like the most heavenly-tasting food I have ever tasted. Its hot soup warmed my insides which I needed because it was friggin' cold and the salty taste gave me a little more life. Of course, we wouldn't be able to get through ordering without asking help from people who speaks English. We were lucky enough to find two women dressed in business attires chit chatting in English. They helped us through everything that even made the chef giggle. I guess some of the best food stores are discovered unintentionally.





And before we finally go back to our hotel, I made sure that we would be able to visit Oddies Foodies, a waffle shop that is all the hype on the internet. As a self-confessed sweet tooth, a mouth-watering dessert would make my every trip complete.

I saw people lined up for their world-renowned dessert. I tried computing its price and converting it to peso which was expensive. But being here, living this moment, money's the last thing you will consider. You just wanna enjoy everything they offer. So with eyes closed, I ordered an ice cream with eggettes. We started munching on it as soon as we stepped out of the ice cream parlor. We finished off everything before we even reached the next street.









We found our way back to the nearest station and went back home. I dozed off right after I threw myself onto the bed. That was one of the most comfortable sleeps I've had here in Hong Kong. Maybe I slipped out a few loud snores in the middle of the night.

Most of the times, I get to recall everything right before I sleep but that night was different. All of the memories left in me trance that I wasn't even able to recognize that it was happening in the real world. I was still in that alternate world Victoria peak got me into. I guess all our best memories will always be like a dream — magical, surreal and almost unbelievable.

Going to Wong Tai Sin was miraculously easy. We bought incenses from an old man with a disability. I do tend to admire people who keep on pushing through with life despite the challenges. 

Luckily, we were just in time when locals started to pray. I walked across the temple's gate and lit my incense. I closed my eyes, zoned out, and took this time to connect to a supreme deity that's watching over us.