Luk Keng

Hiking has become a popular activity in Hong Kong as of late, and many people have been trekking to the mountains in the early morning to beat the heat.

I was invited to go hiking, but as it was a bit of a trek there, it was already 10am when we were on the last minibus up to the mountains.

If anyone has been on the minibuses in Hong Kong, they have a lot of history - during the riots in 1967, bombs were planted on buses, and as a result, drivers went on strike to protest the unsafe conditions. People drove minibuses and charged a small fee, and though illegal, it had been allowed to operate, and during the strike, these minibuses kept the city moving. While these minibuses are now licenced, they are known to speed and drive recklessly, with a sensor beeping when 80 km/h is reached, and limited to as many passengers as there are seats.

Although our bus was at capacity, the driver let on an elderly couple who had been waiting for a long time at a stop due to the full buses. They had to sit atop the engine, and along the way we encountered a police stop, and they both had to crouch down in order to avoid incurring a fine for the driver. This couple also commented that we were crazy to go hiking so late in the day - and they were not wrong.






Photobombed by a dog.



We also saw the military on a scavenger hunt - they were all friendly and greeted us. I snapped this shot of them taking a photo for their hunt.





There were a few graves in the mountains, and I stumbled across this one with a dog watching over it. You're never quite sure when you come across a feral or a pet one, so it is best to keep your distance. The dog came towards me as I snapped this photo, so I quickly said goodbye.

There were also an abundance of abandoned houses. I find something very intriguing and beautifully sad about these places, imagining the people who once lived and cared for them.






We ended the day hiking to a community garden, and while they watered and picked their crops, I took the time to wander down the road.






After this, night fell, and I got about 20 mosquito bites in less than 2 hours. I was exhausted after our 10 hour hike, but this is one of my favourite memories, as it was the moment I discovered a new part of Hong Kong I had never seen or imagined.