Just know when not to be there

[Valve Bounce]

Recently, on a holiday to HK, our plane arrived at 6.00am and with a good transfer, we were at the hotel by 7.00. BUT our room would not be ready until 10.00 earliest, and nothing was open around the hotel, not their coffee shop nor Delifrance. So we went for a little walk outside the hotel, (an area which I was not unfamiliar with) and we went across the road into a small park where one woman was doing Tai Chi. We then went onto an overpass which would lead us back towards the hotel and were confronted by a man dressed in the robes of a Budhist monk, who wanted to show us some stuff on a piece of paper. I felt very uncomfortable at being confronted head on, and we walked around this guy after gesturing that we were not interested. However, a woman dressed in a udhist nun robes then confronted us head on and wanted to show us some sort of lucky red envellope the size of a postage stamp and which I had never seen before. I told my wife to basically to go for it, and we quickly sidestepped around her; all the while with this guy right on our heels. We decended the steps as quickly as possible, and the guy followed, and we almost broke into a run, and turned left towards the hotel and the guy on seeing where we were headed, decided to go the other direction instead.

I am certain, knowing HK and having witnessed a knife mugging previously, that we narrowly avoided a mugging that morning. I clearly remember the words of my sister-in-law :"Know when not to be there"

[wedge]

Which part of HK are you staying/normally stay? Kowloon is best avoided if possible.

[Roamy]

I imagine every city world wide now has their own central park. Glad to hear you made it through

[wedge]

The problem is that not only is Kowloon a tourist hot spot but a notorious area for triad activity.

[Valve Bounce]

The problem is that not only is Kowloon a tourist hot spot but a notorious area for triad activity.

I am not aware of any triad activity that affects the tourist industry, but that doesn't mean it doesn't. I have been away from HK for 13 years now. The hotel I stayed at was near the convention centre in Wan Chai North, a normally quiet area. It's just that we arrived too early at the hotel, and visited a very quiet park where there was only one morning Tai Chi exerciser.

[schmenke]

Odd. I’ve visited HK on numerous occasions (although not recently) and have never felt uncomfortable walking the streets. Even the Triad activity, as mentioned, does not target tourists.

I’ve been told, however, to be wary when visiting nearby Shenzhen (I have a colleague who was accosted an knife-point there ), or even Guangzhou.

[markabilly]

I clearly remember the words of my sister-in-law :"Know when not to be there"

same for nuclear war.....

[Valve Bounce]

same for nuclear war.....

Sorry, but I can't help you there. If you happen to be where a nuclear war erupts, the only advice I can give you is to put your head between your legs and kiss your ass goodbye!!