Global travel on a budget ~ long flights, long layovers… the way we roll: We turn long layovers into “micro vacations”.
What can we do in Hong kong in less than 24 hours? What can we do in Chengdu on an 18 hour layover?
Hong Kong ~ First things first: Dim Sum, of course…
As we emerge from our Dim Sum feast, we venture out into the concrete jungle and see what comes our way…And hidden amongst all these tall buildings, in a tiny alley way, vendors are selling fruits and fuschia and cream colored orchids.
Peaches! We haven’t seen, let alone tasted, a peach in soooo long.For all it’s modernity Hong Kong still retains a link with its past ~ traditional Chinese medicine… A “cocktail” of traditional herbs, roots, bark and mushrooms is boiled into a medicinal tea at one of the many medicinal shops we encounter. I (Ben) am instructed to drink the brew, under the watchful eye of the Chinese doctor. (All that walking in airports has inflamed my behind the knee yoga injury which was on the mend, but is now hurting again.)
After a very bitter Chinese medicinal “tea”, we need to come to the rescue of our taste buds. Easy to do in Hong Kong, as there are delectables at every corner. Here, freshly made Japanese mochi (soft rice ball) with all sorts of interesting fillings.Yup, Ms Peta likes her sweet potato filled mochiAnd of course, if in Hong Kong, foot reflexology is an absolute must… Yes please!!Hong Kong’s subway is remarkably easy to navigate. We ride our way to the nightlife district..Homosapien HongKongitis ~Heads down, everyone is engrossed on their cell phones in the subway.We emerge from the under-ground into a blizzard of people and bright signage. This happenin’ neighborhood is thick with throngs of shoppers.
And so our whirlwind layover in Hong Kong for less than 24 hours ends, having covered the fundamentals: dim sum, a good night’s sleep, foot reflexology, and a visit to a Chinese traditional doctor…
Onwards to Chengdu, China ~ we will have less than 18 hours on the ground…
We have never been to China, as we have avoided mainland China so far, for political reasons. But now, here we are. The plane arrives around midnight; enough time to get a good nights sleep, hoping to make the best out of our short stay the following day…
Our first intro to high tech China ~ breakfast in our hotel, a video cam system streams the chefs heating up woks and boiling noodles in the kitchen… (What a fitting anecdotal illustration of a culture which today has taken surveillance to an entirely new level.)Chengdu is famed for its noodles, so of course, noodles it is, for breakfast ~ delicious, if a bit spicy. but then again, we are in Sichuan province.The main reason we selected the Chengdu layover was to be able to visit the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. An hour or so taxi ride brings us to the conservation center. Many of the paths are lined with bamboo ~ one of the prime food sources for pandas, (although not this particular thin variety).And here are the beauties… Pandas here, pandas there, beautiful pandas everywhere.The panda breeding center in Chengdu has led the charge in reversing the trend toward extinction of this magnificent species. To date, the breeding center has grown to facilitate the birth and survival of 650 giant pandas ~ that’s over 10% of the entire global population of about 5000 giant pandas.
These gentle giant pandas are all about their breakfast, and lunch, and dinner. In fact, they eat huge quantities… we are talking about 40kg daily! Bamboo shoots are definitely their preferred delicacy-The Chengdu Panda Center is also working on preserving (and growing) the population of red pandas. Their name is a misnomer in that they look nothing like the black and white giant pandas. The red panda is about the size of a medium sized dog, has a long fluffy tail and unusual rust-coloured fur, with black paws. Awfully cute!
The clock is ticking and our next flight (for the U.S.) leaves in a few hours…
… but we are determined to taste more of the specialty Sichuan noodles and as well are eager to see something cultural and/or of architectural interest. After our giant panda immersion, we dash off to the oldest Buddhist temple complexes in Chengdu.
The Chengdu Wuhou Shrine is one of the oldest temples in Chengdu. Constructed in 221 A.D. the temple was relocated in the year 500, to the “new city” of Chengdu. By then, Chengdu was emerging as a major center of power in China.
One of the notable aspects of this shrine, is the multitude of gold calligraphy on wooden panels, such as this one.
Note the sneakers under the robe, and the nun’s smile as she passes us by during their walking meditation.
Pandas ~ check! Buddhist temple ~ check!
However, we are not leaving for the airport until we taste a variety of the famed Sichuan noodles that hail from this culinarily strong province.
Where there are temples there is usually local food. We follow our noses until we get to a small, packed noodle shop.
No English spoken here, but no need. We see the variety of dishes. We are eager to try as many as we can. There are intoxicating smells coming out of the steaming kitchen next door and in the small dining room, almost every seat is taken with people slurping noodles.All three dishes are spicy as hell. Each one has a different flavor to it. Fire in the shape of a noodle. And yet, we cannot stop eating them as they are so delicious, even though our mouths are on fire.Ben on the left, to the amusement of the local diners who watch as we take our first few bites and the sweat from the fiery spice breaks out on our foreheads. This noodle dish has me positively puzzled. First of all, it’s a noodle dish comprised of but ONE single noodle. One long, long, very long noodle. But, that’s not the most surprising. The taste is a fabulous combination of sweet and sour, but it is all about the consistency which is extremely meaty and chewy (and has the texture of a gummy bear).
I don’t believe anyone can pack more into 24 hours than you two! Pandas, peaches, and noodles – what more can anyone need?
I still can’t bring up the photos for some reason (most likely that I’m a tech idiot) but I can see the videos and read your captions. So I’m filling in the blanks with images of feet and food – perfect, don’t you think?
What a perfect use of your lay over time. I love the pandas! Thanks for the wonderful pictures and video. Those noodle dishes look so good too. Love your hat, Peta!
Thanks Darlene… we thought it was a good use of layover time too. We had a few choices, and we did a bit of research to help us select where we wanted to spend the time on the ground. As soon as we found out about the Panda conservation center, it was a pretty easy choice to make.
Great tour! I
‘m just not sure one of your main reason for traveling was pandas? The last I heard the rainy season was approaching and there wasn’t a solid roof over your bathroom . . . maybe you were looking for indoor plumbing?
Main reason for travelling was to head back to the U.S. to visit our families.
It IS rainy season in Sri Lanka, and we are missing our outdoor shower and bathtub. They are the BEST in the rain! No searching for indoor plumbing necessary…. We like it just as it is thank you.
Wow, you two sure made the best of your limited time there! We just lost our pandas (meaning they had to go back to China) a few weeks ago… I wonder if any that you saw were recently in San Diego?
Probably the pandas came from the conservation center. It boggles our minds though that they would be subjected to being transported from China to California and then back again.. Hopefully the $ gained, help the center to further its mission.
Words to live by — “Where there are temples, there’s usually local food”. Ummm! And to think, you could have just hung out in the airport! Good for you!
A couple of great layovers! I was reminded of a 10hr layover Don and I had in Seoul years ago and there were tours that left right from the airport and returned you there, but I alas I got food poisoning and spent the time in a hotel bed comatose 🙁
I’ve been to HK several times and always enjoy it even if it is a concrete jungle.
Also went to Chengdu and the pandas. So cute! The red pandas are a variety of racoon.
Kudos to you both for eating the fiery hell that is Sichuan food. Alas I would have had to go hungry 🙁
Alison
What a shame to get sick in Seoul. Korean food is one of our favorites and we were just saying that we need to go there some day.
Did not know that the red pandas are a variety of racoon. Interesting. Makes sense as they do look like racoons, come to think of it.
We always try new and local foods (unless they are organ meat or something else massively gross just to even think about, then I will not try. Ben, being French has no qualms about eating brains and tongues and balls. Yuck.
You are so adventurous in every way. That noodle would have defeated me! I am excited to get back to reading about your adventures. I am in between wrist surgeries that have limited my time on the internet. Trying to catch up with you.
Welcome back and hope your next surgery goes well and you recover fast. That sounds challenging. We are trying to catch up with us too…. We have been in the U.S. visiting family for six weeks and had limited time to read other blogs or write our own.
So much adventure packed into your days. I looooved the pandas especially that they eat 40kg a day. I want to be a panda!! And by the looks of all your eating that delicious food you could be one too🤣
Hahaha Roch. We are almost at panda status after Hong Kong and Chengdu. Yup you got us nailed. Definitely motivated by good food. But 40 kilos of any ONE food, and the same thing every day… that would NOT work.
Yikes! Sleep? You really did get some sleep in there? You two must sleep well on planes, also. Is that so? I’m just beyond impressed how you take advantage of every minute while on a layover, which for many of us would be daunting. I love the foot reflexology break. The food experimentation is wondrous to me. I’d be so scared that my stomach would react (not well) to either the new tastes (those spices!) and perhaps to something not savory in the unknown food stalls. I think in the past you say that you watch for busy food places – if many “regulars” eat there, it must be okay. But still. I’d need mugs of beer after all that spice. :–) The panda sanctuary is marvelous. And the sneakers and smiles of the meditative ones. Glorious. Happy you are statewide again now until the next adventure.
Hahaha… We got two really good nights of sleep, as we selected hotels with super comfy beds. Getting those nights in, helped us make up for the lack of sleep on planes (which ain’t easy!)
In all our years of travel, we have had very few cases of stomach bugs. Yes, we always look for busy food places that are frequented by locals, not tourists. Okay full disclosure: we often choose places, FOR the food! Haha what can I say??
John goes to Chengdu several times a year – Glasgow University has a campus there – and has seen the pandas. I have been once, but didn’t get to see the pandas 😟.
I can’t believe how much energy you both have on layovers! Surely making the best of every minute. And, you are always so trendy and fashionable as well. 🙂 I love the giant pandas, of course, and I’m so glad that their numbers in the wild are growing again…
Every time I see a post of you both, I want to fly to Asia to eat the food – the noodles look delicious and I had to laugh at the “one noodle” dish. I hope you’re having a fabulous time in the US!
Liesbet, the fact that we had two good nights of sleep, one in each place, made it possible for us to make the most of our limited time. Thank you for the nice compliment!
The funny thing about being in the U.S. (and yes thanks we are having a wonderful time with our families), is that when we eat meals out, we tend to go to Asian restaurants more than any other type. I guess we get pretty homesick for Asian food. Nothing like it! We have had dim sum twice, Korean food twice, Thai twice and Vietnamese three times…. !
You guys really make the most out of these “micro-vacations”, and I love how you prioritize food (and foot reflexology). That giant noodle dish is so bizarre but I’m glad it tasted good. We had an 8 hour layover in Hong Kong recently and debated about going into the city. It’s tough sometimes to figure out a cut-off when things would just be too rushed and stressful. In the end we opted not to but ate and window shopped our way through the giant airport (and I got a massage that was great but definitely over-priced).
Ah yes, we do always prioritize food. The way we see it, if you have an 8 hour layover in Hong Kong, that’s 2 hours at the airport to check back in, 1 hour each way by subway, which leaves 4 hours, which is more than plenty to gorge on dim sum AND have a foot massage. Hong Kong is definitely a choice place for layovers given the ease of the subway system which goes direct from the airport into the city and back.
I love long layovers. It not only gives you a chance to get some air, but also get a quick peek into a place you may not otherwise visit. If I stopped in Hong Kong, I’d totally take advantage of the FOOD and hunting down traditional medicine. I had a long layover in Taipei on the way home from Bali and did just that. I so love Chinese medicine. You look great in that hat, Peta.
We have found Chinese medicine in so many different countries, from Dominican Republic to Chicago to Hong Kong. Always a great alternative to regular Western medicine, at least for us.
Thanks.. that hat has been great in all weather, especially rain.
Hi Peta and Ben, Yum on the Dim Sum, a favourite for us. Great that you found beauty amidst the concrete jungle. We recently watched a Panda documentary at the Imax Theatre. Part of the filming may have taken place where you visited. Awareness is making a difference. A beautiful and interesting post! I hope Ben’s knee is on the mend:) Erica
I keep trying to arrange a Hong Kong layover for myself, but it hasn’t worked out yet. Lucky for me, I have been to the panda center, and loved seeing those soft, chubby creatures! Great job on your two layovers; I agree with Julie that they are wonderful sneak peeks into another place en route. You used them wisely!
I have visions of an e-book you will write on what to do on layovers at airports around the world. As I mentioned on Instagram the Calgary Zoo has a panda program with China. It has been wildly successful in raising funds for the program. Such a joy to watch them.As to those noodles I think I would like melt from the spice. The description of the meaty and chewy gummy worm like single noodle had me thinking twice about pasta.
Safe travels you two. Looking forward to hearing what the next chapter has in store.
An amazing ‘Micro Tour’. You seemed to ‘do it all’ in 18 hours. I hope that medicinal brew got your knee sorted Peta. My favorite bit was the Pandas. I adore Giant Panda Bears and am delighted to hear of the conservation work being done at the breeding center to reverse the trend to extinction. The video of the trees climbing (or descending) Giant Panda was just marvelous with his adorable gait. I was not familiar with the Red Panda so your video provided a wonderful introduction. You have me longing for some Dim Sum. Missing that here in The Caribbean.
Without those two nights of good sleep (one in Hong Kong and one in Chengdu) we could not have done any of it! We took so many fun videos the pandas that it really was hard to select which to post. That was my first introduction to the Red Panda too ~ which apparently is more raccoon than panda!
I don’t believe anyone can pack more into 24 hours than you two! Pandas, peaches, and noodles – what more can anyone need?
I still can’t bring up the photos for some reason (most likely that I’m a tech idiot) but I can see the videos and read your captions. So I’m filling in the blanks with images of feet and food – perfect, don’t you think?
Travel safely.
Oh Sharon, what a bummer that you can’t see the pics. Have you ever tried to go into our blog from someone else’s computer?
Pandas were definitely the highlight for us!
Peta & Ben
What a perfect use of your lay over time. I love the pandas! Thanks for the wonderful pictures and video. Those noodle dishes look so good too. Love your hat, Peta!
Thanks Darlene… we thought it was a good use of layover time too. We had a few choices, and we did a bit of research to help us select where we wanted to spend the time on the ground. As soon as we found out about the Panda conservation center, it was a pretty easy choice to make.
Peta
Great tour! I
‘m just not sure one of your main reason for traveling was pandas? The last I heard the rainy season was approaching and there wasn’t a solid roof over your bathroom . . . maybe you were looking for indoor plumbing?
Main reason for travelling was to head back to the U.S. to visit our families.
It IS rainy season in Sri Lanka, and we are missing our outdoor shower and bathtub. They are the BEST in the rain! No searching for indoor plumbing necessary…. We like it just as it is thank you.
Peta & Ben
Wonderful whirlwind tour. Thanks.
Thanks Peggy.
Wow, you two sure made the best of your limited time there! We just lost our pandas (meaning they had to go back to China) a few weeks ago… I wonder if any that you saw were recently in San Diego?
Probably the pandas came from the conservation center. It boggles our minds though that they would be subjected to being transported from China to California and then back again.. Hopefully the $ gained, help the center to further its mission.
Peta & Ben
Words to live by — “Where there are temples, there’s usually local food”. Ummm! And to think, you could have just hung out in the airport! Good for you!
Glad you like that! 🙂
Ugh, we spend enough time in airports just catching our flights, so whenever there is enough time to exit, we take it.
Peta
A couple of great layovers! I was reminded of a 10hr layover Don and I had in Seoul years ago and there were tours that left right from the airport and returned you there, but I alas I got food poisoning and spent the time in a hotel bed comatose 🙁
I’ve been to HK several times and always enjoy it even if it is a concrete jungle.
Also went to Chengdu and the pandas. So cute! The red pandas are a variety of racoon.
Kudos to you both for eating the fiery hell that is Sichuan food. Alas I would have had to go hungry 🙁
Alison
What a shame to get sick in Seoul. Korean food is one of our favorites and we were just saying that we need to go there some day.
Did not know that the red pandas are a variety of racoon. Interesting. Makes sense as they do look like racoons, come to think of it.
We always try new and local foods (unless they are organ meat or something else massively gross just to even think about, then I will not try. Ben, being French has no qualms about eating brains and tongues and balls. Yuck.
Peta
You are so adventurous in every way. That noodle would have defeated me! I am excited to get back to reading about your adventures. I am in between wrist surgeries that have limited my time on the internet. Trying to catch up with you.
Welcome back and hope your next surgery goes well and you recover fast. That sounds challenging. We are trying to catch up with us too…. We have been in the U.S. visiting family for six weeks and had limited time to read other blogs or write our own.
Peta
Sounds like fun makes me think about putting on my traveling shoes. Hummmmm.
Heidi. Put them on! No time to waste 🙂 haha
Peta
So much adventure packed into your days. I looooved the pandas especially that they eat 40kg a day. I want to be a panda!! And by the looks of all your eating that delicious food you could be one too🤣
Hahaha Roch. We are almost at panda status after Hong Kong and Chengdu. Yup you got us nailed. Definitely motivated by good food. But 40 kilos of any ONE food, and the same thing every day… that would NOT work.
Peta
They were great stopovers! Food and pandas – perfect!
We thought so too. Perfect combo of activities before continuing on our way to the U.S.
Peta
Wow! You two made the most of every hour. Thanks for taking us all along on your microadventure – most enjoyable!
Deb
Thanks Deb. Glad you like the terminology of “micro~adventure” ~ I think it works. It’s a thing! thanks for reading us.
Ben
Yikes! Sleep? You really did get some sleep in there? You two must sleep well on planes, also. Is that so? I’m just beyond impressed how you take advantage of every minute while on a layover, which for many of us would be daunting. I love the foot reflexology break. The food experimentation is wondrous to me. I’d be so scared that my stomach would react (not well) to either the new tastes (those spices!) and perhaps to something not savory in the unknown food stalls. I think in the past you say that you watch for busy food places – if many “regulars” eat there, it must be okay. But still. I’d need mugs of beer after all that spice. :–) The panda sanctuary is marvelous. And the sneakers and smiles of the meditative ones. Glorious. Happy you are statewide again now until the next adventure.
Hahaha… We got two really good nights of sleep, as we selected hotels with super comfy beds. Getting those nights in, helped us make up for the lack of sleep on planes (which ain’t easy!)
In all our years of travel, we have had very few cases of stomach bugs. Yes, we always look for busy food places that are frequented by locals, not tourists. Okay full disclosure: we often choose places, FOR the food! Haha what can I say??
Oh yes.. the next adventure.. coming up SOON!!
Peta & Ben
John goes to Chengdu several times a year – Glasgow University has a campus there – and has seen the pandas. I have been once, but didn’t get to see the pandas 😟.
How interesting that he goes there so often. What does he teach? Next time you go, I hope you do get a chance to visit the pandas, it was so joyful.
Peta
Well-used layovers. Mes compliments. 🙂
Well thank you!
I can’t believe how much energy you both have on layovers! Surely making the best of every minute. And, you are always so trendy and fashionable as well. 🙂 I love the giant pandas, of course, and I’m so glad that their numbers in the wild are growing again…
Every time I see a post of you both, I want to fly to Asia to eat the food – the noodles look delicious and I had to laugh at the “one noodle” dish. I hope you’re having a fabulous time in the US!
Liesbet, the fact that we had two good nights of sleep, one in each place, made it possible for us to make the most of our limited time. Thank you for the nice compliment!
The funny thing about being in the U.S. (and yes thanks we are having a wonderful time with our families), is that when we eat meals out, we tend to go to Asian restaurants more than any other type. I guess we get pretty homesick for Asian food. Nothing like it! We have had dim sum twice, Korean food twice, Thai twice and Vietnamese three times…. !
Peta
You guys really make the most out of these “micro-vacations”, and I love how you prioritize food (and foot reflexology). That giant noodle dish is so bizarre but I’m glad it tasted good. We had an 8 hour layover in Hong Kong recently and debated about going into the city. It’s tough sometimes to figure out a cut-off when things would just be too rushed and stressful. In the end we opted not to but ate and window shopped our way through the giant airport (and I got a massage that was great but definitely over-priced).
Ah yes, we do always prioritize food. The way we see it, if you have an 8 hour layover in Hong Kong, that’s 2 hours at the airport to check back in, 1 hour each way by subway, which leaves 4 hours, which is more than plenty to gorge on dim sum AND have a foot massage. Hong Kong is definitely a choice place for layovers given the ease of the subway system which goes direct from the airport into the city and back.
Peta
I love long layovers. It not only gives you a chance to get some air, but also get a quick peek into a place you may not otherwise visit. If I stopped in Hong Kong, I’d totally take advantage of the FOOD and hunting down traditional medicine. I had a long layover in Taipei on the way home from Bali and did just that. I so love Chinese medicine. You look great in that hat, Peta.
We have found Chinese medicine in so many different countries, from Dominican Republic to Chicago to Hong Kong. Always a great alternative to regular Western medicine, at least for us.
Thanks.. that hat has been great in all weather, especially rain.
Peta
Hi Peta and Ben, Yum on the Dim Sum, a favourite for us. Great that you found beauty amidst the concrete jungle. We recently watched a Panda documentary at the Imax Theatre. Part of the filming may have taken place where you visited. Awareness is making a difference. A beautiful and interesting post! I hope Ben’s knee is on the mend:) Erica
Ah yes dim sum is a family tradition for us and our sons and we search it out all over the world. But being in Hong Kong, made it rather easy!
Interesting that a Panda documentary was shown at an Imax Theatre. Glad to read that awareness is making a difference.
Peta
I keep trying to arrange a Hong Kong layover for myself, but it hasn’t worked out yet. Lucky for me, I have been to the panda center, and loved seeing those soft, chubby creatures! Great job on your two layovers; I agree with Julie that they are wonderful sneak peeks into another place en route. You used them wisely!
Lex, hopefully you will get your Hong Kong layover. We have been fortunate to have a few under our belt now and each time we discover something new.
Peta
What wonderful work the panda conservation center is doing. My mouth is watering looking at all the delicious FOOD you’ve enjoyed.
Jude
Thanks Jude…
I have visions of an e-book you will write on what to do on layovers at airports around the world. As I mentioned on Instagram the Calgary Zoo has a panda program with China. It has been wildly successful in raising funds for the program. Such a joy to watch them.As to those noodles I think I would like melt from the spice. The description of the meaty and chewy gummy worm like single noodle had me thinking twice about pasta.
Safe travels you two. Looking forward to hearing what the next chapter has in store.
Sue, we love the idea of an e-book about what to do on layovers and we will put that on our never ending “to do” list!
So great to make that connection between the zoo in Calgary and the panda program in China.
Thank you…. Oh yes, we would love to know what our next chapter has in store, as well. Work in progress.
Peta
An amazing ‘Micro Tour’. You seemed to ‘do it all’ in 18 hours. I hope that medicinal brew got your knee sorted Peta. My favorite bit was the Pandas. I adore Giant Panda Bears and am delighted to hear of the conservation work being done at the breeding center to reverse the trend to extinction. The video of the trees climbing (or descending) Giant Panda was just marvelous with his adorable gait. I was not familiar with the Red Panda so your video provided a wonderful introduction. You have me longing for some Dim Sum. Missing that here in The Caribbean.
Without those two nights of good sleep (one in Hong Kong and one in Chengdu) we could not have done any of it! We took so many fun videos the pandas that it really was hard to select which to post. That was my first introduction to the Red Panda too ~ which apparently is more raccoon than panda!
Ah yes… dim sum!
Peta