Because of this, having an Octopus Card or another local payment method can be very helpful when exploring Hong Kong.
Interesting observation: I see many more people using their phones or Octopus Cards to pay than I see using cash. It is common to complete an entire day of shopping, eating and traveling without ever taking out a wallet.
The price of a bottle of water can vary depending on the brand and where you buy it. Most bottles of water cost between 15 and 30 Hong Kong Dollars (HKD), which is about $2 to $4 USD. I have noticed that convenience stores, train stations and tourist areas sometimes charge more than grocery stores. Because Hong Kong is often hot and humid, it is common to see people carrying water with them throughout the day.
The best meal I had this week was definitely the pork knuckle with rice and Thai milk tea
This week, I listened to my usual favorite genres, Afrobeats and pop music. One of the highlights of my week was going to karaoke with a group of exchange students from around the world. During karaoke, I got to hear music from many different countries, including the UK, France, China and Sweden. It was fun to see how music can bring people together, even when we speak different languages. I enjoyed learning about new artists and styles of music while sharing songs from my own playlists.