Kiki Wong
Taking $70, a sleeping bag, a towel, a water bottle and a camera, Kiki Wong embarked on a trip—in her hometown. Her unusual quest was an attempt to answer one question: Is Hong Kong a good place for backpackers? She tells Yannie Chan about her six-day journey.
HK Magazine: Why backpack in your own city?
Kiki Wong: I needed to make a 15- to 20-minute-long documentary for a course... I skipped classes in the first week of April [for my trip].
HK: But you grew up here. How did you lose the familiarity and “re-experience” Hong Kong?
KW: Many people challenged me. “How are you going to travel Hong Kong like an outsider when you know [the] sights and every MTR?” they said. De-familiarizing was to let chance decide my itinerary. Even though I was born and bred in Hong Kong, I can’t possibly know all the different buses by heart! So I would hop on the first bus that arrived.
HK: Where did you sleep and shower?
KW: I spent five nights on the streets. Some nights I slept in the Occupy Central camp under the HSBC building. Once at a pier. It felt most comfortable to sleep inside a 24/7 McDonald’s! I didn’t just rest my head on the tables, but spent the night in my sleeping bag on the sofa. I was so surprised no one shooed us [me and my cameraman] away. In terms of hygiene, Hong Kong’s sports centers have the prettiest bathrooms, complete with hair dryers!
HK: What is hitchhiking in Hong Kong like?
KW: Honestly, the idea of hitchhiking terrified me. But I got my first ride in half an hour and five rides in a day! I expected the drivers to be surprised, but most of them didn’t even ask why. This experience really shattered my original perception of Hong Kong as indifferent and busy.
HK: Have you fallen more in love with Hong Kong?
KW: Some part of the experience confirmed the stereotypes of Hong Kong as bureaucratic and impersonal. A security guard came over within minutes after I laid down on a bench in the park. Apparently it was my lying down that was the problem; it’s alright if I sit up and sleep through the night. But I’ve also met helpful and amazing people who shared their life stories. A former police officer, for instance, spent hours sharing his experience of being undercover in a brothel.
HK: What was the hardest part of your backpacking experience?
KW: The walking, no doubt. Hong Kong doesn’t feel small the minute you start traveling on your feet. I walked all the way from Sha Tin to Tsim Sha Tsui and it exhausted me! All aspiring backpackers: remember to pick a good pair of sports shoes!