02/11/2017 - Stopover in Hong Kong

06:50 AM local time in Hong Kong - the airport still seemed very sleepy. Gradually, the shops opened and more and more travelers arrived - it was slowly becoming lively.

Our luggage was forwarded, so we already had one less worry. Except for the worry that they will actually be forwarded and not left somewhere. ;)

'But how do you spend an 11-hour layover in Hong Kong?'

We spent a long time pondering this question. Do we stay at the airport or do we rush into the city and explore this huge metropolis? Theoretically, we could have dared to do it - the visa is issued on-site and the transfer to the city would have taken about half an hour. However, we were not sure for a long time and considered booking a lounge where we could spend our layover comfortably and in peace. - That's what we decided to do. Because neither of us had any experience of how such a long flight would affect us. - Will we be tired? Can we sleep well on the plane? What about jet lag? - We must add that we were already unwell before departure, which was another reason for us to book a lounge.

The lounge wasn't easy to find, which is most likely due to the size of the airport. The long corridors, the foreign language, and the fragments of English made it difficult to orient ourselves.

We found out that we first had to pass through the security checkpoint to get to the lounge area. Full of energy and anticipation, we checked in and found a nice place to stay - right by a window with a view of the runway.

In the lounge, both food and drink, as well as a shower and WiFi, were included.

After utilizing every service to our fullest satisfaction, the lack of sleep finally made itself felt. Our eyes became heavier and we found a larger seating area to close our eyes for a few minutes.

The time passed slowly and we actually just wanted to continue to New Zealand.

Arriving at the gate, it became busier and we realized that the next flight would be tighter and not as comfortable as the last one. Now, we were facing another 11-hour flight to Auckland.

Will these hours pass by as quickly as last time? And will we perhaps regret not going to downtown Hong Kong?