Acculturation and Bus Routes

Recently I was talking to a friend who is a Hong Kong native.  We discussed going to see a tombolo (if you don't know what one is, look it up!) near Sai Kung in the New Territories.
     "Great!"  I said.  "We can take the 92 bus from Diamond Hill, right?"
 She looked at me with something of a surprise that I should know this bus route.  Our conversation soon turned to our lunch plans--a Thai restaurant in Kowloon City.  She mentioned that she thought that there was a mini bus that went there.
    "Yes." I said.  "The 25M from Kowloon Tong.  But it is the bus terminal behind the mall, not in the mall."
Now her surprise turned to amazement.  "So you know where it leaves from??!!"

Knowing bus routes is a measure of acculturation.  We no longer even pay attention along the routes--we know where we are going and board the buses like natives.  We even get on bus routes that we don't know, assuming they will end up someplace that we will know.

The number 2A goes to Whampoa Gardens from Kowloon Tong. You can find the Japanese department store in a ship there, or have very spicy noodles.

The number E22 is the express bus that you pick up at the top of the hill that goes to the airport.  But I've learned that it is also the best route to the cable car that ascends to the Big Buddha--much faster and more direct than taking the MTR with 3 changes.

Bus 9 from Shau Kei Wan MTR stop takes you up to the Dragon Back trail on Hong Kong Island.

Now if you want to have an interesting day, just take the E22 to Tung Chung City Center on Lantou Island near the cable car.  Catch the #11 that goes over the mountains to the village of Tai O with its stilt houses.  From Tai O take the #21 up to the Big Buddha (but it doesn't come often).  And then come back down from the mountain via the cable car and pick up the E22 home.  An alternative is to just take the #23 from Tung Chung directly up to the Big Buddha.

And The Peak--you've got to take the double decker #15 to The Peak.