We arrive in Hong Kong early morning weather warm but grey and misty.
Getting our bags and clearing customs was a breeze only the tiniest of queues for immigration.
The shuttle bus took us straight to our hotel but our room was not ready. We went to Starbucks for a coffee and being so close to the harbour we had a walk along the promenade. Hong Kong skyline even more impressive than 30 years ago. Huge towering buildings and the little star ferry bobbing in the harbour.

Eventually checked in room ok for a city hotel.

Both of us were feeling the effect of jet lag and the feeling that we had lost a day somewhere not helped that back home is 8 hours behind so they were still on the day before.

After a well needed kip we go out. The streets are full of bright lights, cars, people hustling and bustling along. Everyone appears in a hurry very different to the meander earlier. We are just off Nathan road in Kowloon which is a shoppers paradise. We were looking for a camera having damaged the other one with the dust from the desert. Armed with the details of what we wanted we started looking for a bargain. There did not seem to be too many around but there was certainly loads of camera shops.

We started to speak to one. Once you walk in to a shop it is difficult to peruse what they have you are a bit of a captive. They want you to sit down they give you all the chat wanting to know where you are from how long you are here. Then they only show you what they want you to see.

This particular shop had the model we were looking for in the window, all looked good. They seemed to want to do a deal as well. So Tom negotiated what appeared an amazing price. The guy took our money all done in the space of a few minutes but where was the camera. He told us they had gone to get one. After about 10minutes the salesman started showing us a different model asking why we were buying something old. Strange this model was new back home. He persisted giving us a demo of a small camera which we said we did not want. He carried on with better deals all more than double what we have paid. Showing us the difference of the displays as the one he wanted to sell was full HD. I could no longer compare the 2 cameras as for some reason, He had taken the battery out of the one we wanted and would not put it back. The situation was all getting a bit tense and still no camera. In the back ground was someone else struggling to understand something, loudly proclaimed they had been ripped off.

Then came the bomb shell. He asked why have we bought a Chinese camera with the menu only in Chinese. Inferior lens and no warranty. Tom and I looked at each other a bit gob smacked. I was sure what I had looked at was in English but of course you can switch icon only which it could have been. This was obviously no good for us so we asked for the international version then told this was not available. It was looking like we had just spent a couple of hundred pounds on the wrong thing, we were not happy. The Ozzie at the other counters was getting very loud. He kept pushing the other camera which we again said we did not want. We want our money back. He started to tell us he had spent money getting the Chinese version for us so this was not possible. For a short time I thought we were going to have to leave with nothing but as quick as that thought crossed my mind he said if we bought something from us he would refund the camera. £4 for some batteries was what we agreed. He voided the transaction we left the shop. Outside we stood stunned had we just had a very unpleasant experience but a lucky escape. We will not know until the credit card statement comes in.

We had been recommended a Chinese restaurant called joy of food. Brightly lit restaurant which could seat 100 people or more. The challenge was to order something we recognized so back to the staple sweet and sour prawns BBQ ribs. Not the best Chinese we had had but we were so tired I don't think we cared.