The 962

Each week, I make the trek into the busier part of HK, and to get back home, I have many options. Like I've said before, using the buses here is a bit like doing a math problem. Your solution is arriving home, and there's several ways to get there.

My favorite route is to take the 962 bus. I pick it up in Central, and I prefer it because I don't have to change buses. It takes me all the way home, and takes about an hour.

Let me tell you about it.

I find my way to Connaught Road in Central, and look for the McDonald's. My bus stop is just outside of the restaruant. I line up with many others at the curb, awaiting the arrival of the black and yellow, two decker bus. It's a busy bus stop, so buses and taxies come and go frequently. I see a black and yellow bus turn the corner, and scan the digital read-out on top to see if it's mine.

No. Just the E11. I'll wait some more.

I survey the variety of nationalities surrounding me. Many Filipinos, Chinese, a few Westerners. I hold my bag close as people on the crowded sidewalk bustle by.

Now my bus is coming. I take out my small coin purse that has my Octopus (public transportation card) hidden within. I push my way through the throng of people, and step onto the bus, scanning my purse (it can read the card within) and moving into the bus. The top is usually more spacious, so I climb the tightly wound stairs up. I find a seat and settle in.

In keeping with what most Chinese do on public transport, I stick my earphones in, turn on my little red ipod, and choose a playlist. The bus ambles through a few more stops in Central, which is on Hong Kong island, picking up a scattered number of people. Then we head into the tunnel, taking us off the island and onto the mainland, into Kowloon.

Out of the tunnel, I look out the window to my left and I can see the harbour spanning before me, brimming with boats of all sizes and shapes. Soon we are passing the shipyards, where a multitude of cranes set 40 foot containers onto waiting ships. The containers are so big, and stacked so high as far as you can see, that the 18-wheeler trucks look like toys in front of them.

On my right, we have left the skyscrapers of Central for the skyskrapers of Kowloon. Some are brand new, others are much older, and the difference is obvious. There are small clusters of trees and other greenery interspersed between buildings, roads, and people. Glimpses of mountains peek through the cityscape.

Back on the left, we have passed the shipyards, and we are now crossing one of many massive suspension bridges that straddle the islands. I can somewhat make out the mountain ridges on Lantau Island across the water, though they are barely visible through the haze of pollution and the grayness of rain clouds that have plagued us for weeks. I look down, and see tugboats chugging through the water. A little further on, there are several fishermen fishing off a concrete post in the water that they clearly had to swim to earlier. More fisherman line the craggy beach as we come off the bridge and back to the mainland.

Soon we lumber through the Ysing Yi (pronounced 'Ching Yee') tunnel, and at the other end we are officially back in the New Territories. We cross another suspension bridge, and land back on the mainland.

The bus winds through roads, and more greenery comes into view as development hasn't destructed the NT as much as it has other parts of Hong Kong. I can still see the ocean on my left, but more and more trees now crowd my view.

There are apartment buildings and other structures lining the streets. We make more and more stops now that we are off the highway. I am almost home.

We drive through some more roundabouts, and I see the sign for Gold Coast Phase 1 up ahead. Just a few more stops.

After we depart the stop before mine, I ring the bell, collect my things, and head down the stairs. The bus rushes to a halt at the next bus stop, opens the doors and I jump off. The bus pulls away with much noise and force, and I walk down the sidewalk, cross the road, and I am home.