Four months have passed in a daze, and indeed, it has been a long time since I had a moment to write something after a good rest.
Continuing from last time,
Since I still have over 200 on my Octopus card and 500 in cash, I will definitely meet Hong Kong again this year. (A reason I found for myself)
See previous article
So, taking advantage of the 5 days off, I decided to go again; however, this time, I drove (partially) there (not because the highway is free, right?)
Can electric cars go long distances?#
Actually, I had driven once before, but since it wasn't a holiday, there were many empty charging stations and no traffic jams, so I was a bit uncertain this time.
I prepared to head to the toll station around six o'clock on the evening of the 28th, following the route recommended by the navigation, and I completed my first charging at a nearby charging station:
Since I was indeed afraid of traffic jams, I changed my charging strategy and decided to check for available stations at the next service area when I reached a range of 300km
. Fortunately, it seemed that everyone was predicting everyone else's predictions, so aside from being stuck at the toll station for half an hour, it was smooth sailing all the way.
The longest wait time at any charging station was 5 minutes, as I later found out that the highway wasn't congested. Except for the first charging stop, I only set off for the next service area when I was a bit sleepy, and driving at night indeed requires more rest, which was just the right time to recharge the vehicle.
How much did the trip cost?#
Here, I'll list a table starting from the first full charge:
Time | Driving Segment | Cost | Electricity |
---|---|---|---|
2023/09/28 23:08 | To Shenzhen | 12.66 RMB | 12.3 kWh |
2023/09/29 01:45 | To Shenzhen | 23.71 RMB | 20.8 kWh |
2023/09/29 04:44 | To Shenzhen | 28.59 RMB | 26.4 kWh |
2023/09/29 07:06 | To Shenzhen | 20.73 RMB | 21.2 kWh |
2023/09/29 21:00 | In Shenzhen | 8.92 RMB | 18.8 kWh |
2023/09/30 01:02 | In Shenzhen | 9.81 RMB | 30.1 kWh |
2023/10/02 00:04 | In Shenzhen | 10.54 RMB | 31.37 kWh |
2023/10/02 19:24 | Return trip | 31.39 RMB | 36.11 kWh |
2023/10/02 21:23 | Return trip | 44.98 RMB | 31.13 kWh |
2023/10/02 23:24 | Return trip | 38.73 RMB | 34.3 kWh |
2023/10/03 03:14 | Charging stop | 21.21 RMB | 45 kWh |
This is the final energy consumption data (Trip A). As you can see, charging on the highway is indeed relatively expensive, but the service fees are a bit high, which allows them to build more charging stations! Not to mention, every service area on this highway was equipped with charging stations! Both major stations had 10 charging spots.
Calculating it all, 251.27 RMB, averaging 0.14 RMB per kilometer. This data was collected while running the air conditioning (around 20.5 degrees), basically driving at a speed limit of +5%, with most sections using AP, overtaking when necessary, including city areas. I don't know if you think this is cost-effective;
Since this data was collected under conditions of minimal traffic, I was quite lucky on this trip, avoiding peak times, so this data might not be very representative, but I am quite satisfied. It wasn't like what people say online, driving steadily at around 100 km/h to save electricity; to that, I can only say, if you want to save money, just travel at home 🤪
AP is indispensable#
From my driving experience, the most energy-consuming part is following other cars, followed by turning. I really can't imagine how I would manage to turn at speed limits without AP and not waste so much energy navigating through congested areas.
You only need to take control when you need to change lanes to overtake or when navigating intersections; at other times, you just need to pay attention to the road conditions. (⚠️ Warning: Because there's nothing to do, it can make you very sleepy at night, so don't force yourself to use AP to get through it)
On the highway, AP will also increase the frequency at which it checks if you are paying attention to the road, which is indeed necessary.
Back in Shenzhen#
The last time I came to Shenzhen, I took the train, hard seat!! To be honest, it was quite a hardship. This time, driving took about 11 hours to reach Shenzhen, but I slept quite a bit at the service area and planned well, so I went straight to the hotel to sleep, which was a much better experience than last time.
However, this time, because I had a convenient mode of transportation, I had the opportunity to explore Shenzhen 😍
Super delicious beef hotpot#
The first meal I had when I last visited Shenzhen was beef hotpot. Although I didn't think about it constantly, I remembered it as soon as I arrived; it was really delicious! Although the price is still a bit high, it is genuinely tasty 😋
Paired with a serving of beef fried rice, it was incredibly delicious!!
Heytea LAB store#
Such a large store!
Cake#
When I first tried the Heytea cake, I didn't cherish it, and only after it closed down did I realize that for the same price, I could no longer find cakes of the same standard. 😢
I tried three types of cake, all delicious.
Personally, I highly recommend the Coconut Lava Cake and Succulent Peach Cake; I couldn't recall the flavors of the others due to time constraints and stomach capacity.
If you love strawberries, the Strawberry Mochi Cake is worth a try; just having a few large strawberries on top is satisfying, but unfortunately, the flavor didn't blend well with the cream for me (the fruit's sourness and the cake's sweetness were completely separate upon entry).
Gelato#
Heytea has a great name that fits the brand and can indeed be transliterated like this, but upon seeing the actual product, I was reminded of its true form: Italian ice cream, also known as Gelato.
For someone like me who had never tried it before, I can give a four-word evaluation: truly delicious.
This thing is quite similar to sorbet, but mixed with milk and cream, it has a creamy smoothness rather than the pure fruit slush of sorbet; all the flavors are Heytea's own fruit flavors, and you can tell the ingredients are good. The scoop is quite large, priced at 15¥/scoop, 25¥ for two scoops; given the ingredients and portion, I think it's worth it.
I had a bad experience with the "Mojito Gelato," which was terrible, made me nauseous, and tasted artificial. The others were fine; if you like dairy flavors, you must try the "Cheese Berry Gelato," as Heytea's cheese flavor has always been my favorite.
What preparations did I make for my second trip to Hong Kong?#
Apple Pay Octopus New User Promotion#
First, thanks to Octopus and Apple for such a generous promotion, directly giving 150 HKD; who wouldn't want to take advantage of that?
You can search for "Octopus 150" on Xiaohongshu for related activity details; it's quite easy to take advantage of, but I summarized a few points to note:
- Devices can be reused, distinguished by Apple ID for new and old users.
- One Apple ID is limited to one use, regardless of the device.
- After registration, it takes about 2 days, so you can occasionally check for reward distribution.
So, I wish you a good plan to go to Hong Kong during the promotional period!
Buffet at the Regal Hotel#
The last time I went to Hong Kong, I used the ZA Card, and I found a buy-one-get-one-free promotion, but the information about this place is really strange; I couldn't find the price, and booking required filling out a form on the website, with no other channels for information...
But, thinking about it, the pictures looked decent, and it is a well-known hotel. A buffet that is twice as expensive as in the mainland is still acceptable (I expected around 400 HKD 😥), plus the buy-one-get-one-free deal, so I thought I'd indulge a bit!
Then, on the day, I excitedly arrived, only to find out that it was the weekend, and the price was 740 HKD+ (I don't quite remember; I was so shocked by the price that I left in a hurry, it was really outrageous), and they also charged a 10% service fee on holidays!?
😭 Even with the buy-one-get-one-free deal, I couldn't afford such an extravagant dinner.
It wasn't until I started writing this article that I realized the buy-one-get-one-free deal is only valid from Monday to Friday... I really can't imagine what it would have been like if I had barged in (800 would be 800, just this once) and ended up having to pay 1600.
Free Burger at K11#
New registered members get a free beef burger! I saw some great pictures online, but unfortunately, I got too full and forgot about it, only remembering after leaving Hong Kong 😫
Time to take action!#
With the experience from the last trip, this time going out became less confusing:
- Prepare HKD cash in advance and recharge the Octopus card.
- After passing the border, go directly to 711 to ask for Club Sim (58 HKD, with a 20 HKD 711 discount voucher, the data is more than enough).
- Swipe the Octopus card to take one stop to Sheung Shui, then exit to buy an Adult Day Pass (Hong Kong transportation is really expensive).
- Swipe the Day Pass to enter the station and start the journey!
First stop, the first McDonald's in Hong Kong#
At noon, the restaurant was packed, but aside from a few Hong Kong-exclusive delicacies (except for milkshakes...) nothing was as good as in the mainland. That said, Hong Kong McDonald's breakfast is really delicious!!
I was too quick... I only took a picture of the coffee. I've never seen a coffee in the mainland that costs over 20 RMB with latte art 🤣 (McCafe is just a tool for sprinkling powder).
Hot pancakes!!! Delicious!!! They are somewhat like dorayaki, but much softer, and when freshly made, paired with sweet milk/peanut butter, it's really amazing! I sincerely recommend going through customs in the morning to enjoy a delicious Hong Kong McDonald's breakfast; it will truly make your day happy!
Second stop, the sea#
This time, since time was not particularly abundant, I only went to Kennedy Town, but it was just in time for National Day, and the flags were hung up:
There were indeed a lot of people by the seaside, making it hard to relax and enjoy the moment. Nearby public buildings had a Mid-Autumn Festival atmosphere, with rabbit lanterns hanging:
During the day, I also took a double-decker bus:
Third stop, internet cafe#
Yes, due to the high cost of accommodation in Hong Kong... so as usual, I showered and slept in Shenzhen, but this time I planned to spend a night in Hong Kong, following recommendations from Xiaohongshu: internet cafe.
The price is actually quite cheap; an overnight stay (from 20:00 to the next day at 10:00) only costs 88 HKD, and it's in a high-spec area:
Moreover, I must praise one point: Hong Kong has strict indoor smoking bans, so there is no smell of smoke indoors, pure enjoyment 😀.
However, it wasn't what I imagined, like the private rooms in the mainland; this place is truly a premium location... Although it claims to have started in 1999, the software system of the internet cafe is indeed quite outdated... Whether it's the billing system or their game menu, it gives me a feeling that matches what Hong Kong gives me:
A mix of prosperity with a touch of nostalgia and decay.
But I must say, our information infrastructure in mainland China is too well-developed!
Tried Meituan Takeout#
Meituan's company KeeTa has recently entered Hong Kong, so they are offering new users 80-50 HKD discount coupons, so I wanted to give it a try.
However, I must say, the delivery fee is exorbitant, and each order also incurs a 2 HKD platform service fee directly negotiated, and the prices of the food items themselves are also quite high... I thought I could get a meal for 30 HKD, but I ended up spending nearly 60 HKD... enough for a luxurious dinner at McDonald's.
Of course, it was delicious...
When I saw this pile of chicken wings and pork chops, I thought it would be delicious (after all, who can mess up fried food?), but the taste shocked me... this was truly the worst fried food I've ever had... I gave up on the meat... I really didn't expect a place to make fried food this bad (especially the chicken wings).
Well, after a night, I enjoyed a Hong Kong McDonald's breakfast, and then planned to have lunch before heading back to Shenzhen.
Last stop, Hong Kong has gifts#
Old friend, the event isn't over yet; this time I chose a pizza place:
Spent 61 HKD, aside from the pizza and sugar-free Pepsi, please consider the rest.
The pizza was delicious!!
Return trip#
On October 1st, I slipped away at noon, not daring to watch the fireworks; you can search for the day's events, as the Luohu subway station was already at the point of free passage. On the return trip, the highway was also filled with cars going the opposite direction; I really picked a good time 🤤.
Of course, there's still that reason from last time; I still have quite a bit of money left on my Octopus card... so I should see you again (I've been to Hong Kong twice, and I've never been to Victoria Harbour...).