Your flight was smooth, I hope?

Oh yes! Smoother than usual, I guess.


Actually, the flight was fine; I just didn't get much sleep.


By the time I got to Hong Kong I was pretty tired, and as soon as Joe showed up, we were off to meet up with his friends, who were celebrating just finishing their semester; here, Joe and I are waiting for the bus to arrive to take us from the airport to the first of many subway stops on the way to meet up with them in Tsim Sha Tsui, one of the downtown districts (and also the site of the Hong Kong street course in Gran Turismo 4, in case you were wondering. I know I was).



Meet the gang:


On the left, Felix, aus Deutschland; on the right, Joe...


...Hampus, from Sweden...


...Jan...


...und Christian (aka Stahl, his last name, which means steel), auch aus Deutschland...


...and Dana.


We ended up getting a karaoke room until 5am.


When we staggered out in the morning, the city was eerily quiet, and amazingly beautiful in the predawn light.




All the scaffolding for building construction here is made of bamboo; apparently, the construction of the scaffolding itself is a major art form.


Arriving at their university, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.  The campus is absolutely incredible, cut right into the side of a mountain that stands at the edge of the sea.


Tai chi-er in the morning.


Approaching the view from the top of the campus.




And here is the view (in a four-shot HDR).