SB and I had planned a day long hike in Sai Kung but then we woke up to heavy rain and had to cancel our plans. By late morning the sky was beginning to clear up and we were beginning to get on each other’s nerves from being cooped up in our small flat so we cancelled the cancellation and started off for a nice hike to Tai Tam and then maybe some shopping at Stanley. There is a bed linen store that I like and I wanted to find some sheets for my parents who don’t think of buying luxuries like high quality bedding for themselves.
Somewhere along the way the plans changed. I think it was at the 1 ½ hour mark when we stopped for water by a stream crossing and I refused to move out of the shade. 90% humidity and 35 degrees (that’s 95 Fahrenheit for my American readers) make up a one-two punch combination. I was a melted blob of agreeable putty when SB suggested that we go off trail and follow the stream where it would be shaded.
I almost changed my mind in the first five minutes because we had to navigate a couple of drops down into mud and underbrush but I figured that we could not get any dirtier so we continued. Ten minutes later we were rewarded for our decision.
We happened upon many beautiful sites: large boulders in pools, intimate bamboo gardens, small waterfalls and abundant plant, insect, and animal species. I will have to rate this as one of my favorite hikes in Hong Kong. It was also one of the most challenging hikes.
At two parts I needed SB to help me. Once I had to drop from a boulder onto his shoulders and once he had to help me down a slope. Height was definitely an advantage. This was also a full body experience. I had to use my hands, arms, feet and core strength to grab, push, pull and balance. There was a lot of use of friction to hoist myself up or down between boulders. I fell once and cut my knee and hands. I strongly suspect this hike would have been much easier if we had done it in reverse.
I would rate this hike as difficult on most days but very difficult on the day we went. It would have been too hot, too humid and too slippery for most of our friends but we may try the hike with healthy friends in the fall. Next time I will also prepare better. I was not dressed appropriately (I was wearing a tank top and running shorts) and was not properly hydrated at the beginning so although we had enough water I still felt lightheaded at the end. As my track coach used to tell us, if you can recognize that you are low on electrolytes you are probably too late to catch up. Prepare, prepare, prepare.
We eventually made it out at the Tai Tam upper reservoir and caught a bus to Stanley but by then I was filthy, tired and desperate to go home.
I will work out the hike on a map for my next post.
SB tried to get a pedicure from the fishes in the pool. Eventually he won them over although the bigger fishes had somewhat uncomfortable nibbles. Then a crayfish showed up and SB decided to end the cleaning.
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