Hong Kong Day 14 & 15: The Final Days of Our Asia Adventure

We made it to the last day of the trip, which felt a little surreal. There’s always that mix of emotions at the end of something like this. On one hand, we were ready to get home, see Tex, and fall back into our normal routine. On the other hand, this trip had been so much fun. Every stop brought something different. We saw incredible places, found ourselves appreciating small details, ate food we’re still talking about, and most importantly, we got two straight weeks together as a family. That’s pretty special.

It was also Alison’s birthday. I had been quietly coaching Madeline to say “happy birthday mama,” and when she finally delivered, it landed. Very cute moment. I also had a surprise ready. Back in Maui, Alison had her eye on a pearl bracelet, and I ended up buying it and carrying it halfway around the world so she could open it here in Hong Kong. Worth it. She loved it and wore it that day.

We started the morning with breakfast in the executive lounge. It was a great setup. Quiet, relaxed, and with really nice views over the city. The selection was a little smaller than the main restaurant, but we had no problem finding things we wanted. They even had a really solid eggs Benedict, which I was happy about.

After breakfast, we headed out to Victoria Peak, which is one of the most iconic spots in the city. It sits at the highest point on Hong Kong Island and gives you those sweeping skyline views you see in photos. We had skipped it the day before because of the rain. There’s not much point going up if you can’t see anything. Today was still a bit cloudy, but much better overall.

To get there, we walked through Hong Kong Park to the tram station. The Peak Tram itself is part of the experience. It climbs at a surprisingly steep angle, and as you go up, the buildings start to tilt in a way that almost doesn’t feel real.

At the top, the views were exactly what we hoped for. We spent the morning just wandering, nothing rushed. We made our way along the walking paths and ended up near Lion’s Gate, where Madeline locked in on the lion statues. She loved them and ran around nonstop. It was one of those stretches where we just let her lead and enjoyed being there.

Eventually, she let us know it was snack time, so we did what we’ve done very well on this trip. We found a local bakery. A few pastries later, she was thrilled. We wrapped up and headed back to the tram. We had just missed one, which worked out in our favor because we ended up first in line for the next one and grabbed the front row. Watching the descent from that seat was a lot of fun.

As soon as we got off, Madeline told us she was tired, and within a couple of minutes she was asleep in the stroller. Alison and I took advantage of the timing and made a decision we felt very good about. We were going back to Tim Ho Wan. We had gone the day before and loved it, so it felt like an easy call and something we didn’t want to miss before leaving Hong Kong.

This time we went to the Kowloon location, which also lined up well with our plans for the afternoon. The process there was the same as the day before. You enter your party size, get a number, and then watch them move through an incredible volume of people with efficiency. It’s part of how they deliver such high-quality food at very reasonable prices. It was fun to see that same rhythm and consistency at a completely different location.

We had a short wait, and Madeline woke up right before we were seated. Perfect timing.

We mixed up the order a bit but doubled down where it mattered. Two orders of the signature baked barbecue pork buns. Still the must-order item. We also got fried egg white spring rolls with shrimp, roselle-infused crispy red rice rolls with shrimp, BBQ pork rice rolls, and stir-fried noodles with soy sauce. Alison went with hot milk tea, I had it cold, and Madeline had water.

It was another great meal. Madeline tried almost everything and put away a surprising amount of food. About half a pork roll and a good portion of noodles. She’s been incredibly open to trying new things on this trip, which has been fun to watch. Going back a second time just reinforced how good it really is.

After lunch, we walked along the Avenue of the Stars, Hong Kong’s version of the Walk of Fame. The energy along the harbor was great. Lots of people out, boats moving through the water, and a completely different perspective of the skyline.

We didn’t recognize most of the names, but we made sure to stop for a photo with Bruce Lee’s statue.

At one point, we came across a giant gold pig statue that immediately caught Madeline’s attention. She wanted a picture, so we stopped. Next thing we knew, a small crowd had gathered, and before we really processed what was happening, one woman stepped in and took a picture with Madeline. We just kind of rolled with it. Everyone was smiling and clearly very excited about her.

After a while, we took the metro back across the bay and returned to Hong Kong Park. The park itself is pretty incredible, especially given that it’s right in the middle of the city. It has waterfalls, koi ponds, gardens, and even a large aviary.

We made our way to the aviary, which took some effort because the park is pretty hilly and not always stroller-friendly. Once we found an accessible route, it was worth it. The aviary is built with elevated walkways that let you move through the space while birds fly freely around you.

Bali myna

Java Sparrows 

Java Sparrows 

Bali myna

Crested Pigeon

Pied imperial pigeon

Purple-tailed Imperial Pigeon

Bali myna

Silver Pheasant

Rainbow Lorikeet

Rainbow Lorikeet

Golden-fronted Leafbird

Madeline loves birds, so she was excited, but also a little cautious. These birds are not shy. At one point, we spotted an Alexandrine parakeet. It was beautiful, and I was taking pictures while Madeline watched closely. Then it squawked at her. That was it. Immediate tears. After that, she kept saying “no green bird.”

Alexandrine parakeet

Pacific Imperial Pigeon

Golden Pheasant

From there, we went to the playground area and let her go. She made friends, ran loops on the slides, and had the time of her life. One thing we’ve talked about on this trip is letting her shape parts of the day, and this felt like a good example of that.

We headed back to the hotel to get ready for dinner. That night we had reservations at Golden Leaf, the Cantonese restaurant in our hotel, Conrad Hong Kong. It felt like a great birthday dinner choice.

We had a few minutes before our reservation, so we walked over to the mall and stopped at Jacadi, one of Alison’s favorite kids’ clothing stores. We found an adorable dress for Madeline, and she proudly carried the Jacadi bag around like it was a prized possession. We also stopped in a bookstore and picked up a local children’s book to bring home.

Dinner was excellent. We ordered a variety of dishes to share. I got barbecue duck, and Madeline kept reaching over to my plate and taking more and more of it. She liked it so much that I ended up ordering another portion after she worked through most of mine. She tried everything on the table. Fish, fried rice, green beans. The only thing she passed on was the fresh spring rolls.

It’s been really fun watching her expand what she’s willing to eat.

After dinner, we went back to the room, where the hotel staff had left a chocolate birthday cake with a candle and matches waiting for us. We sat together, had cake, and watched A Symphony of Lights from our room. It’s a nightly light show across Victoria Harbour, with buildings synchronized to music and lights. It was a great way to wrap up Alison’s birthday.

The next morning came quickly. One last brekkie in the lounge, a slower morning packing everything up, and a few final looks out the window. It’s always a strange feeling knowing you’re about to leave a place you’ve spent so much time in over a short stretch.

We took a taxi to the airport and started the long journey home. About a 12-hour flight, but we were glad we had planned the trip so that each leg moved us closer to home.

The flight went really smoothly. United moved us into a bulkhead row without us asking, which made a big difference since the flight was full and we didn’t have an extra seat. Madeline handled it like a pro. She slept for a good stretch, spent time snuggling with Alison, watched a few shows, and made her usual rounds walking up and down the aisle.

We had a layover in San Francisco where we grabbed some food and reset a bit before the final leg home. By this point, Madeline knew exactly what was going on. This was flight number 27 for her, and she settled in and slept for the entire flight.

When we landed, Blake, Debbie, and Tex were there waiting for us. Tex greeted us with his little stump tail going nonstop and immediately started licking our faces. It was one of those moments that just feels really good after being gone for a while. It was great to be home.

Jet lag hit hard. We got home around 4:30, had just enough time to eat some dinner and start putting a few things away, and then we all crashed around 7:30. Madeline, however, was not convinced it was bedtime. Around 9:30 she was standing in her crib calling out “mama,” “dada,” and “no sleep, no bed.” We were all exhausted, so it hit a little differently in the moment.

Alison took her downstairs for some snacks and a little Zootopia. Around 1am, they came back up, and Madeline ended up in our bed. She actually slept pretty well from there.

I didn’t have the same luck. Jet lag had me wide awake, staring at the ceiling and replaying different parts of the trip.

As tired as we were, it gave me a little time to think about everything we had just experienced. This trip felt like a big one for us. New places, new cultures, new foods, and doing it all with Madeline at this stage of life. She handled it so well. She was curious, adaptable, and fully part of every day. That made the whole experience even better.

We’ll remember the big moments, the skyline views, the temples, the food. But we’ll also remember the smaller things. Bakery stops, playgrounds in new cities, stroller naps, and the way Madeline took it all in.

Trips like this take a lot of effort, especially with a toddler. But they give you something back that’s hard to replicate any other way. Time together, shared experiences, and memories that already feel like they’re going to stick.

It was a really special couple of weeks.