February
12 February
Clio and I walk to the Mui Wo waterfall. On our way we see a Greater Coucal, one of a pair which I’ve seen around here before. It’s a large bird with a pitch black body and rust brown wings.
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We explore the waterfall, it’s still and peaceful here,
the water is hardly flowing.
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On our way home we walk back through the old gateway, it’s been
decorated for Chinese New Year and is looking bright and festive.
We pass the herd of cows walking head to tail. The cows used to be farm animals and now they roam around Lantau freely.
24 February
Today I prepared to achieve one of my bucket lists. To run from
Mui Wo to Tai O over Sunset and Lantau Peak. It’s a calm,
silvery grey morning.
I stop for the view over Pui O on my way up Sunset Peak. There are splashes of silver sunshine on the water between the islands. I walk into cloud, it’s cool at the top with a light wind blowing up and over the top of the mountain. Heading back down I test out my new poles, they’re great for those big stone steps.
As I start up Lantau Peak, I pass several groups making their way up
and bump into friends.
The seven year old Josiah is going up the Peak for the first time.
“It’s the Everest of Lantau!” I say and we walk together for a short while. I love the views of the rolling hills and mountainside on my way up and ascend back into cloud at the summit.
The run down to Ngong Ping brings me out of the wind onto the sheltered side of the mountain. I stock up on water in Ngong Ping and head down the road to the trail. It's a beautiful trail with soul refreshing views that meanders down to Tai O. I cross a stream,
flowing gently in this dry season, the sound of water fills this glade.
I pass a house, hidden away in the hills, far from anyone. It has an
exquisite garden with a large pond with a zig zag bridge. It's being
restored today.
I descend down the extremely steep track into Tai O and walk on the pier along the mangroves to finish off my wonderful day out in the Lantau mountains.
28 February
The air is full, saturated with bird song. The sky is silver, covered with light cloud and the rising sun infuses it with pastel yellow and peachy pink. There are two Little egrets in the tree, watchful of their world from their tree lookout.
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The red whiskered bulbuls land in the TV antennae just for a moment. High above the swallows swirl and dash, hunting for their breakfast. I hear a flit of wings above my head. It’s a large bird but I can’t identify it from this angle. It could be a heron, I can’t be sure. I watch as it flies towards Butterfly Hill and lands in the Tall Tree. Butterfly hill is forested but there is one tree that is taller than all the rest and it’s a favourite with the birds. I can see it from my living room window and often see birds coming and going from it.
The rumble of the ferry engine vibrates in my stomach and the
constant churn of the sea from the propellers makes a path in the
sea to show where we’ve been. The sea is a clear jade green and
the sun is warm with pastel blue skies overhead. Spring is coming.
We pass huge tankers and a cruise ship. The tanker has two crane
ships busy unloading containers filled with merchandise and people’s belongings. The system is working like clockwork. The sea is lively but the only white water is from the wake of our ferry or passing boats. The hills are misty and indistinct. The cars move over a geometric bridge, a lifeline of this busy city.
The ferry ploughs on, between the islands. Green Island, Sunshine Island, Kau Yi Chau, continuing to Hong Kong Island to berth at Central Pier, entering into another world. A world of crowds, lights, bustle, commerce. But at the end of the day, I’ll take the ferry home, watching the lights of the city flash and sparkle and give way to the still darkness of the sea until the lights of Mui Wo welcome me home. Back to Mui Wo, back to peace and space and the wide open bay with still waters surrounded by friendly hills and overshadowed by Lin Fa Shan.
