Monday - RETURN TO THE PEAK

Although at first it seemed like a drag that our flight is scheduled to leave at ten to one the following morning, it turned out to be more like an extra day of our holiday rather than a day at the airport. Definitely helped by the fact we’d left a visit to The Peak to this morning. Those keen followers of Rankin blogs will be aware that The Peak is the highest point in Hong Kong and is accessed by the world’s steepest (probably – still haven’t checked) funicular railway. OK, we’d been before. But if the view wasn’t enough (and it wasn’t – cheers smog), the Himalayan tandoori food from our favourite Deco Café – Café Deco – certainly was.

Lots of coffee breaks – props to Pacific, possibly our new favourite coffee chain – and some final shopping then back to the hotel for pre dinner margaritas at the hotel’s Waterfront Bar. A lovely way to end our stay. Then, back to where we begun – quick dinner at Sweet Basil Thai and taxi to airport.

Sunday - SHA TIN

Make your own jokes. A day at the races in Kowloon at the fantastic Sha Tin stadium, VIP stylee. Stunning view from our private box and outside balcony, not to mention unlimited food and drink. Iain says: I could live with a wee man filling up my beer glass every time my back is turned (thanks Kermit). For the record, we started well then fell away, just like most of our horses.

Back at hotel in time for a freshen up, some complimentary wine (of course) and a visit to Jewel, a kind of ill conceived concept of a Chinese restaurant based around precious stones (?). Bizarrely, it kind of works. Chicken hot pot was the star tonight. Our last evening proper in the hotel. Much as it seems ungracious to moan when we’ve had such great service and complimentary extras, disappointed both that the cocktail lounge is shut (not for the first time) for a private function and that they couldn’t organise a late checkout. Not, it has to be said, that it ruined our night or our stay.

Saturday - NO PHOTO HAVE A NICE DAY

Bit of yeractual culture today. Took ferry to Lantau to visit the Big Buddha. That is actually what it’s called – a 100ft, 250 ton bronze statue of the popular local Deity. There’s also a Monastery – the Po Lin – which is famous for it’s vegetarian lunch [Dougie – the deluxe lunch is definitely the one to go for]. The hilly scenery of Lantau is very reminiscent of the Scottish Highlands; apparently – we’ve never been. The bus journey down was way scarier than the runaway mine train ride we’d been on at Oceans Park the other day.

Evening dinner at the hotel’s signature Harbour Grill restaurant. It was Andie’s birthday. Andie says: and the girl at the next table is obviously way luckier than me as she got a present from Tiffanys rather than the Argyle Arcade… AND a cake with her name on it instead of a chocolate pudding. Andie’s seafood mixed grill was the class act and a special mention to the turmeric ice cream. Cocktails after in the Whampoa Lounge.

Friday – MACAU-FF

Set off to go to the outlying island of Macau – it’s a gross simplification but think Asia’s Las Vegas – before it dawned on us that, really, half a day was insufficient for the combination of beautiful island scenery and f*** off hotel/casinos. So, having pencilled in a 2008 holiday to Macau, we took lunch in Hunan Garden (Hunanese being Iain’s favoured Chinese cuisine – honestly) then sorted out Andie’s birthday provisions for tomorrow (Iain says: Mental Note: do not take wife shopping the day before Birthday). Took ferry back to other side of Kowloon where we’d stayed on our first visit and visited The Peninsula. Well, it’d be plain rude not to partake of their iconic afternoon tea really, though we had, in fairness, forgotten quite how good it was. We’d also forgotten our plan from our previous visit to Nathan Road – the main shopping street – to wear specially printed T-shirts declaring, “No, I do not want a f***ing suit/bag (Reverse: or a fake watch).” Today was quite unseasonably hot – even the locals seemed to be melting – so opted to stay in the hotel for a couple of (free) glasses of wine in the club lounge and then room service. Good choice as it turned out – up there with best room service food we’e had anywhere.

Thursday - I LOVE SWEET PANDA

Visited Ocean Park, local marine park. With pandas. OK, let’s be honest, we only went to see the mother f***ing pandas. Two adults, two toddlers. Andie loved them and spent a fair chunk of the day looking for a cute T-shirt to express this. Park was pretty mobbed – this being the first sunny day since our arrival – so a barbeque crisp supper for lunch was the order of the day (just like being back at school). Quick freshen up and out to our local French restaurant for dinner. Yes, I appreciate we’re in Hong Kong but the locals take their fine dining quite seriously. And indeed the scran would not have disappointed a decent Parisian bistro, especially the amazing desserts. Being fully acclimatized at last, time for a visit to the Whampoa Lounge, the hotel’s cocktail bar.

Wednesday – NEWLY REFURBISHED RESTAURANT

Made it up for breakfast but unfortunately Andie felt a bit under the weather. Hence abandoned plans to go further afield in favour of a short ferry trip to Hong Kong Island. Lunched at ThreeSixty, a local organic gourmet food place (it’s technically a supermarket but think a bit better than Somerfield). Despite there being not one but two Marc Jacobs shops in the vicinity and various other Andie favourites, credit cards remarkably stayed in purse/wallet (Iain says: Mental Note – take wife shopping when not feeling well). Dined buffet style in the hotel’s Promenade Restaurant. Obviously with Andie still not feeling 100%, she only managed the four courses. And wine.

Tuesday - I WAS COUNTING CARTOON SHEEP

Oops. Either jet lag or the free flowing wine (or most likely a combination of both) caused us to sleep in just a tad today. Well, to 1.30pm to be precise; we checked every clock to make sure that it was indeed 13:30 and there wasn’t some terrible mistake. “Good morning” said Andie to the housekeeping just before we discovered that we had in fact missed lunch. Spaghetti House it is then, local pasta chain, pretty good for what it’s worth. Fortunately we hadn’t planned to do any more than a bit of shopping locally today. Discovered, to our surprise and indeed delight, that our club room allowed us to enjoy free afternoon tea, pre-dinner drinks and so on in the club lounge. Nice touch. Dinner tonight at the hotel’s locally renowned Cantonese restaurant, Hoi Yat Heen. Andie was the winner with the cod. Then back to enjoy the enchanting view from our room. Following a drunken slumber, both awoke at 2:30am and had great difficulty getting to sleep thereafter. Andie counted sheep. Cartoon ones obviously.