Couchsurfing in Hong Kong

Living in Hong Kong is incredibly expensive. No wonder, more than 7 million people squeeze onto 263 islands with a total area of 1104 square kilometers. The population growth and the limited buildable area have led to the emergence of skyscrapers, land reclamation in the sea, and the increasing cost of housing. A quick glance at the prices on Hostelworld, Booking, and Agoda awaken the urgent desire in me to try Couchsurfing again, especially since I met many nice people in Nepal through it, with whom I still have good contact. So I write more than 20 accommodation requests to different hosts in my desired district of Kowloon. I follow the advice of my previous Couchsurfers to refer to the host's profile and write to them personally and individually. It feels a bit like dating. Presenting yourself in the best way possible, casual, interesting, and authentic. Phew! Most of the hosts I contacted do not respond at all. It's annoying. I can understand that they might be tired of receiving more than 10 requests per day in a megacity like this. But clicking on "Decline" is not exactly hard work. Some of them write back to me politely, saying that it doesn't work out. I am comforted, but my housing problem is still not solved. I just can't bring myself to click on "Book" for a more or less shabby, more or less noisy hostel bed with prison-like ambiance (no joke, 4 bunk beds in 9 square meters without windows) for a lot of money. So I do what Liane recommended in her travel blog Travelstoryteller, I post my trip publicly on Couchsurfing. And promptly I receive invitations for sex, coffee & sightseeing, and salsa dancing. I politely but clearly decline number 1, and keep options 2 and 3 open. In further conversation with Emrah, it turns out that his sightseeing offer also includes accommodation for 2 nights. His profile tells me that he seems to be very easygoing and that 78 out of 78 of his previous Couchsurfers would immediately crash at his place again. Bingo. Bullseye! I landed in Hong Kong and I am a bit speechless by this huge, well-organized but somewhat soulless airport. For the first time in my life, I have to take the express subway just to get to the baggage claim and immigration. How crazy is that? Everything goes according to plan. My baggage is there, I have fresh Hong Kong dollars, I bought a SIM card and the Octopus card for public transportation recommended in the Lonely Planet. As a pro host, Emrah has already briefed me via WhatsApp that I have to leave the airport and take bus A21 towards Mainland Jordan Station/Prudential Center. The bus itself has Wifi, so I can tell him where I am so he can pick me up. Great, why don't we have this? The journey takes 50 minutes and as it gets dark outside (6 pm), I stare out the window. Soooo many skyscrapers that in some places you can't even see the sky. The contrast to Nepal could not be greater. I feel as if I have skipped several centuries and have been catapulted into modern times. I get off at the Pudence Center bus stop and am hit by a wave of humid heat after the icy cold of the air conditioning. Emrah is already waiting for me. His apartment is located on the corner of Jordan/Nathan Street and is incredibly central. It is small, but less cramped than I expected. In addition to space for a sofa, there is a small but nice kitchenette, a beautiful bathroom, and a huge rooftop terrace of over 30 square meters. This must cost a fortune in this location. I am amazed. In Emrah's company, I feel comfortable from the first moment, as if we had known each other for ages. He is 29 years old, comes from Antalya, studied English, and has been living and working in Hong Kong for 4 years now. We quickly agree to cook together and then go on a small sightseeing tour in the evening. He asked me if I would mind if he invited another Couchsurfer from France. Of course, I have no problem with that, the more the merrier. Besides, it's his place and I don't need to wonder if he has any ulterior motives. Armelle lives next door in the Hoho Hostel, which she is not very happy with. She is 50 years old, has 3 married friends, and has temporarily left her life in Paris behind. Couchsurfing is just cool, you get to know so open and interesting people who all love to travel and have something to tell. I help Emrah with cooking. The food is great and after being well-fed, we set off. Nathan Road is a unique mix of traffic chaos with double-decker buses, Chinese neon signs, stylish skyscrapers, hypermodern shops, and absolutely ugly residential blocks. The side streets have a more Chinese vibe.

Around the corner is the legendary Night Market on Temple Street. The entrance is marked by a gate that resembles a temple. The street is lined with stalls. Here you can buy everything from T-shirts, luggage tags, manga figures, phone cases to electronics and all kinds of kitschy souvenirs. However, the prices are tourist prices and you should definitely haggle hard. At the intersections, there are round white tables that are burdened with many bowls of street food, while groups of locals and tourists eagerly enjoy it. It's a shame that we already ate. I definitely have to try it as well. Even though I only like seafood as a zodiac sign and not on my plate.

which is definitely a highlight! I enjoy the gentle rocking, the view of both shores, and the fresh breeze. Unfortunately, we arrive too quickly. In the club, I am tasked with getting the alcohol. Well, that's easy for me. Emrah, being a Muslim, sticks to orange juice, while Armelle and I try cranberry juice with rum. Not bad at all! The music gets louder, hard techno beats interrupt the chart music, and the flickering lights set in. Neither Armelle nor I are into that, so the only solution is another cold alcoholic drink and dancing! We give it our all on the dance floor and have so much fun that we have to run to catch the last metro. At home, I sink tired, satisfied, and slightly tipsy onto Emrah's couch. What a fantastic start! I love Couchsurfing.