First Time in Hong Kong (not what I expected) 香港

Summary

In Lizzy's first adventure to Hong Kong, she navigates the cultural and economical contrasts between China and Hong Kong with humor and curiosity. Despite the initial shock of the higher expenses and different systems like currency and language, she relishes her journey through the vibrant city known for its skyscrapers and rich heritage. Her main purpose is to obtain a visa for her business in China, but Lizzy also takes the time to explore and enjoy the unique blend of eastern and western influences in Hong Kong.

Highlights

• Lizzy finds the Hong Kong airport bathrooms surprisingly luxurious! 🚽✨
• Navigating through money exchange and SIM card challenges in Hong Kong. 💸📱
• Realizing the drastic cost difference between Hong Kong and mainland China. 😲💸
• Discovering Hong Kong’s monumental metro system and its fancy features. 🚇
• Sharing fun facts about Hong Kong's skyscrapers and rich culture. 🏙️💡
• Awed by Hong Kong's blend of ancient and modern architecture. 🏛️🏢
• Laughing at expensive taxis and unique experiences in local transport. 🚖😂
• Enjoying the incomparable hospitality of Hong Kong's friendly locals. 🤝💕
• Learning the do’s and don'ts, like not swearing to avoid fines. 🚫🗣️
• Delighting in the vibrant vibe at Hong Kong Sevens and local bars. 🎉🍻

Key Takeaways

• Hong Kong's cost of living is higher than mainland China, so budget accordingly! 💸
• International visitors might face challenges with currency and payment systems. 💳🌍
• Hong Kong’s diverse transport system is both impressive and easy to navigate. 🚉
• The city offers a unique blend of rich culture and high-end modern living. 🏙️🥂
• Locals are incredibly friendly and eager to help tourists, making exploration enjoyable. 😊🔍

Overview

Lizzy's first trip to Hong Kong turns into quite an adventure as she navigates through the city's bustling life. From the moment she steps into Hong Kong, she’s met with fancy toilets, surprising costs, and a whirlwind of British and Chinese influences. Her primary goal is to secure a visa for her budding business venture, though she makes sure to soak up the unique experiences Hong Kong has to offer.

The adventure is fraught with humorous challenges like dealing with different currencies, unfamiliar payment systems, and surprising costs, including an unexpectedly high transport fare that left Lizzy's friend unimpressed. Lizzy's attempt to communicate in Mandarin is another faux pas, highlighting Hong Kong’s distinct Cantonese and English-speaking culture. Along her journey, she dramatizes the juxtapositions in architecture, the expansive metro system, and the quirky local laws like fines for swearing.

Despite the hurdles, Lizzy finds joy in exploring Hong Kong’s rich culture. She shares interesting tidbits about the city's skyscrapers, dynamism, and eclectic food scene. Emphasizing the friendliness of the local people, Lizzy offers her audience insights on enjoying Hong Kong, from hidden gems to tourist traps. Her narrative sheds light on an unexpectedly glamorous yet culturally enriching first encounter with this vibrant city.

Chapters

• 00:00 - 01:00: Introduction and Arrival in Hong Kong Lizzy arrives in Hong Kong for the first time and is immediately impressed by the upscale environment, even noting the fanciness of the bathroom. Her visit serves dual purposes: handling visa requirements necessary for opening her own company in China and enjoying the sights and experiences Hong Kong offers. She aims to reduce stress, enjoy the Hong Kong scene, and spend time with friends while familiarizing herself with the city.
• 01:00 - 02:00: Currency and Communication Challenges in Hong Kong The chapter discusses the unique challenges related to currency and communication in Hong Kong, despite its political connection to mainland China. The speaker shares personal experiences of having to use the Hong Kong dollar instead of the Chinese Renminbi, highlighting the difference in currency usage. Additionally, the speaker notes the necessity of a visa for Chinese friends to enter Hong Kong, in contrast to their own experience, reflecting on the distinct passports between Hong Kong and China residents. Furthermore, the speaker expresses surprise that popular digital payment systems like WeChat Pay are not universally accepted in Hong Kong, underscoring the region's unique characteristics.
• 02:00 - 03:00: Understanding One Country, Two Systems The chapter discusses the concept of 'One Country, Two Systems' as it pertains to China and Hong Kong. The speaker mentions the personal need to acquire a SIM card and notes its higher cost compared to China. They highlight Hong Kong's history as a British colony until 1997 when it was returned to China. The 'One Country, Two Systems' principle allows for different economic and administrative systems in Hong Kong, diverging from the mainland systems till 2047.
• 03:00 - 06:00: Traveling to Central Hong Kong and Expenses The chapter opens with a discussion about the unique status of Hong Kong, which was granted 50 years of relative autonomy to maintain its own legal and economic systems before fully integrating with China. The speaker expresses excitement and curiosity about exploring Hong Kong, describing it as both familiar and unfamiliar. They mention their efforts to learn Chinese, only to find that Cantonese and English are the predominant languages in Hong Kong, which adds a layer of challenge and intrigue to their journey. The chapter sets the stage for a cultural and linguistic exploration in Central Hong Kong.
• 07:00 - 11:00: Hotel Room and Cost Comparison with China The chapter discusses the speaker's experience standing in line trying to use the Airport Express to travel to the city center, mentioning cost considerations and making a comparison with China.
• 11:00 - 16:00: Visa Process and Hong Kong Impressions The chapter details the experience of organizing travel logistics and utilizing WeChat pay in Hong Kong. The narrator recounts the process of purchasing tickets to travel to Hong Kong Central, expressing optimism due to their possession of WeChat pay, which facilitates smoother transactions. A brief interaction ensues with a ticketing agent where the total fare for two is confirmed at 170 HKD. The overall impression given is of familiarization with the local systems and planning the travel successfully.
• 16:00 - 21:00: Navigating Hong Kong's Public Transportation The chapter discusses the experiences of navigating Hong Kong's public transportation system, highlighting the use of a specific transit option that cost 160 RMB for two people. The narrator mentions that this option only takes them to the Capsule Center one way, and notes Emma's unimpressed reaction. The high cost prompts a consideration of whether they should get an Octopus card for better convenience and cost-efficiency. The chapter ends with a sense of urgency as they need to hurry to catch their transport.
• 25:00 - 32:00: Final Thoughts on Hong Kong Experience The chapter titled 'Final Thoughts on Hong Kong Experience' involves some personal reflections and logistical details as the narrator prepares to leave Hong Kong. The narrator seems to be rushing to catch a ride or a departure, referencing their luggage and checking the time, possibly indicating a sense of urgency or reflection on the time spent in Hong Kong.

First Time in Hong Kong (not what I expected) 香港 Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 hi everyone I'm Lizzy and welcome to Hong Kong this is my first time in this amazing City I mean I've been here for 5 seconds and the bathroom already is just way too fancy for me but yeah so I'm here for my Visa if you guys didn't know I'm opening my own company in China so I need to leave the country and do a Visa here in Hong Kong so a little bit stressful but then I'm also here for the Hong Kong s and just have a good time with my friends and kind of see what this city country is all about like
• 00:30 - 01:00 that's the part that really boggles my mind is I've been living in China for more than six years and Hong Kong is a part of China but it really doesn't feel like it because before I came to Hong Kong I literally had to go draw money because in Hong Kong they used the Hong Kong dollar where in China they use Chinese REM and be and my I didn't need a visa where my Chinese friends they had to get a Visa they have different passports than Hong Kong people so it all just feels really strange to me apparently my wichat pay isn't going to work everywhere here so yeah it's just
• 01:00 - 01:30 really weird I have to get a SIM card right now and I heard it's way more expensive than in China so we're just going to figure these things out together because I honestly also don't know but yeah like China and Hong Kong it's like a one country 2 system kind of thing because Hong Kong was a British colony up until 1997 when they got handed back to China that sounds a little bit rough but yeah so then China was like okay you guys have until 2047
• 01:30 - 02:00 so we give you 50 years to kind of have your own legal systems economy all those kind of things and then you're part of us again so I'm so excited to explore it's like an unknown where it should be a known right and also here I've been learning Chinese but now I can't even use it because here in Hong Kong they speak Cantonese and English so yeah anyway let's go explore and yeah let's figure this out together let's go
• 02:00 - 02:30 [Music] so right now I'm standing in a line I'm going to see if I can use this Airport Express trying to go to the center maybe it will'll be cheaper right let's see it says there I can use
• 02:30 - 03:00 wichard pay so that's at least a good sign let's see can we just buy a ticket then go to the center okay Hong Kong Central for two person single Journey yes the capital center right yeah Capital Center 170 for two that's a gr discount pay together okay thank you okay oh do you have the WeChat pay we're going to try oh okay okay
• 03:00 - 03:30 [Music] oh works okay guys so we just got this it literally only takes us to the capsu center one way we paid 160 R&B for two people Emma is not impressed um so yeah guys so far that's damn expensive but maybe we should get that octopus card we need to run are we going to make
• 03:30 - 04:00 it run run run run run get up here okay oh they have place for a luggage maybe just stand here right okay let me check a little it how does it look nice nice we just get off so it is A4 to 12 right now let's see how long it takes us
• 04:00 - 04:30 Emma just said she doesn't even pay this much per year in China so so far we have a very unimpressed Chinese o nice view okay let's see let's hope we're going to the right place in the first place right yeah oh wow premises
• 04:30 - 05:00 so this is just absolutely ridiculous this Metro is way too big I mean it's fancy yeah it has like the AC's and everything but this Metro session look it's just crazy but I'm going to give you some facts about Hong Kong and we're going to see if these things are true guys I'm he in my really small and expensive hotel
• 05:00 - 05:30 room here in Hong Kong now it's been a fun but long couple of days I'm here having a good time with my friends but I still have to post videos for you guys and even though I love it it is a hassle sometimes when I'm traveling around but that's why I'm so thankful for today's paid sponsor wondershare fur they make it so easy for me as a content creator to post good quality videos without spending hours on editing
• 05:30 - 06:00 now it's a very powerful and affordable video editing software that makes it easy for anyone to create high quality content without breaking the bank when having editing tools like ful Mor it simplifies the editing process so much not only can you use ful Mor just like a standard video editor was cutting and editing a video timeline but what really sets them apart and makes them the
• 06:00 - 06:30 absolute best is their built in audio to video so here you just upload any audio that you have and AI will automatically detect key highlights and generate short video clips with subtitles you can even upload a custom talking Avatar of yourself or anyone else by uploading an image so I'm so thankful that there is an app like FM
• 06:30 - 07:00 guys respect your time and download fur desktop don't spend hours editing on other apps Okay click the link in my description below and download fur today first one is that Hong Kong has the most skyscrapers in the world no jokes it has more skyscrapers than New York City guys over 9,000 buildings taller than 14 stories that's crazy another fact they
• 07:00 - 07:30 have more rolls-royces per capita than anywhere else in the world no wonder they so expensive here Hong Kong has the highest number of rooll royes per person in the world that shows you how many rich people live in this country well City my bad another thing is MK tea no way Hong kongers drink more tea than the British people no way that is true so
• 07:30 - 08:00 yeah they say locals love milk tea so much that Hong Kong style milk tea is even recognized as part of the city's cultural heritage can we get on [Music]
• 08:00 - 08:30 Subway we made it guys first views of Hong Kong Maya it's like these buildings and then a mountain over there oh jeez wow guys Maya talking about Maya talking about Maya if you swear
• 08:30 - 09:00 here and someone reports you you have to pay a fine if you feed the pigeons if you eat in the subway you pay a fine you pay a fine for a lot of things here in Hong Kong it's a little bit too organized like I'm only allowed to walk on this side of the road and yeah but anyway we're figuring it out look at this cool bus it's like a proper tour bus
• 09:00 - 09:30 oh man these buildings look so cool like they're old but they look really nice want to take so many pictures already food still got to figure out what specialities they have here I haven't even figured that out yet I'm too worried about my Visa first after I get my Visa then we can party and have a good time oh no way this tour bus is on a
• 09:30 - 10:00 rail here in the middle guys by the way China does not have this so that's why it's like so amazing for me to see how cool crossing our first [Music] road to be honest I honestly feel like a bigger tour is here than in any other
• 10:00 - 10:30 country and let me tell you why because this is kind of part of China so I want to really see the similarities and already I can see how different it is which is just ridiculous so that's why I'm so shocked at least in other countries you like expect right like India and uh Sri Lanka and barley but here you're like you don't really know what what to expect oh here's a line even outside look how full is this restaurant
• 10:30 - 11:00 guys let me go in get my Visa I'll talk to you later fingers cross guys I got all my papers everything's ready let's go get a Visa look at how small is this room no way okay at least I have a look at this
• 11:00 - 11:30 TV small bed okay at least I can fit on here this isn't even a cupboard what is in here come check the bathroom can both of us run in here even the toilets over here you can't come in look the toilet shower this okay it has everything we need at least we got towels and um an AC apparently they say so guys guess guess how much I paid for this
• 11:30 - 12:00 1,600 R&B for three nights guys that's more than 500 R&B per night is ridiculous in China I can definitely get a fivestar hotel for this price okay I've got a kettle okay you know what First Impressions expensive guys expensive you know what my Visa wasn't right so I quickly got to upload some stuff so stressful and then just going to go have some fun at the Sev so let me upload FL and L on my small bed see if
• 12:00 - 12:30 my AC works look how old is that AC oh yeah yeah okay guys see you soon can we eat one [Music]
• 12:30 - 13:00 [Applause] [Music] [Applause] guys after traveling in Hong Kong now for what 3 4 days I feel like I'm like a local around here now so let's let's take a normal Subway no more running around no more chasing different lines that I don't know where to get to because I know exactly where we're going right now
• 13:00 - 13:30 so before I end this video let me show you what a normal subway ride is so we have to go to the Central Station right now which is the biggest station okay so here you literally just click so I just want to go to Central so you click on Central and then adult multiple I want two adult tickets $10 and now I'm going to put in the cash
• 13:30 - 14:00 a 10 we have a 10 okay so here's a 10 putting it in hey that's literally it see I've mastered it now guys I'm not running that much like I did in the beginning so literally all I'm going to do now I just tap my card here please enter and here we go this is your normal everyday Metro that
• 14:00 - 14:30 people are using right so as you can see many more people like are sitting can stand guys have realized Hong Kong is so clean really like look at the floors here and I mean and I mean so many people live in this city and then literally so easy when you get out you just put your card in go through and that's
• 14:30 - 15:00 it obviously you saw that ticketing machine that I used but most actually have these ones so it's exactly the same you just press where you want to go and you pay [Music]
• 15:00 - 15:30 okay guys so as we wrap up this video let's talk about what you can and can't do in Hong Kong firstly which had pay does doesn't work for foreigners here it
• 15:30 - 16:00 only works if you have a Chinese ID okay if you want to have the best time of your life go to the Hong Kong sevens but also bring probably your whole year salary because it's so expensive we literally paid like 300 Hong Kong dollars for 2 lit beer so yeah it was very very expensive but water of time and then we went out to long quong that's where everyone has like a good time also again bring another year salary if you want to go there but other than that it was really nice if you do want to like use your payments use cash
• 16:00 - 16:30 or use a Visa or Mastercard and yeah definitely come here don't be like oh I've been to China so I'm not coming to Hong Kong Hong Kong is very very different than China Hong Kong is like rich rich ERA with like skyscrapers but then always like also like really old apartment buildings right next to the skyscrapers but yeah it was probably the best time exploring here because when I went to other countries you know what to expect but coming to Hong Kong I honestly did not know what to expect and I didn't have to
• 16:30 - 17:00 get a SIM card so if you do have a Chinese number you didn't need a SIM card and also the Hong Kong people are so friendly guys I cannot exaggerate that enough like two or three times we're walking down the street and so many people were just like helping us we look lost probably and they just helped us immediately so definitely do that do the Peak Tram go to the harbor and yeah just explore what a beautiful place so if you want to know anything else comment below and yeah I'll see you guys in the next video thanks for watching