travelwith3bubs

Travel Tips, Family Friendly Holidays and Life in Hong Kong

Category: Life in Hong Kong

  • The Hong Kong 7’s – A New Era in Rugby

    The Hong Kong 7’s – A New Era in Rugby

    I am writing this fresh off a big weekend at the Hong Kong Rugby 7’s. My first Hong Kong 7’s was 30 years ago at the Hong Kong Stadium. This year the tournament moved to the new Kai Tak Stadium. It is an impressive structure with the option for the roof to be open or closed. I had not appreciated that when the roof is closed there is air conditioning! A game changer for Hong Kong’s humid weather.

    Hong Kong 7’s at the New Kai Tak Stadium

    Previously the site of the old Kai Tak airport and located on Kowloon side. This is a change from the previous Hong Kong Stadium which was on Hong Kong side. A great encouragement for visitors to head to the Dark Side!

    The Good

    • A clear, close view of the pitch.
    • Aircon if roof closed. I actually preferred the roof open although clear blue skies would have been a treat. Instead we got grey skies pretty much the same colour as the grey roof!
    • Lovely outdoor area and the Village was great. Lots of games and prizes for kids and seating areas with tables. 3 special booths – Veuve, G&T’s and Whispering Angel!

    Improvements

    Things I hope they improve on for next year

    • Food. Limited options and under catered. Queues were long and service was very slow. Running out of rice at an Asian venue is just embarrassing.
    • VIP/Corporate Access. So many access points were restricted to VIP guests. Because of this Joe Public had to circumnavigate the stadium just to find an entry point. On the flip side, access to some corporate boxes required going through back of house. Dodging trolleys of food and service staff was slightly bizarre.
      Also there were several bottle necks particularly in the west stand. Cordoning off even more walkway space for VIPs was unnecessary and again inconvenienced Joe Public.
    • The Sound. Not great with the roof open. So it will be interesting to see how they manage with Coldplay coming up.
    • Car drop off/pick up. This needs to be much clearer and requires more signage. Currently it seems everywhere is illegal to stop or be collected!

    The easiest way to get to the stadium seems to be by train. Why they made two stations equidistant from the stadium rather than one close to the stadium is beyond me.

    Overall – Hong Kong 7’s at Kai Tak Stadium

    The Venue is definitely an upgrade from the Hong Kong Stadium. Obviously teething issues are to be expected for the first time. Because of this we can’t be too critical. Despite the issues I am already looking forward to next year’s Hong Kong 7’s!

    Thanks for reading and if you like sport, I highly recommend attending a Hong Kong Rugby 7’s.

    Shareen

    travelwith3bubs

    © 2025. All content and photographs copyright (c) 2025 travelwith3bubs. All rights reserved.

  • Study Abroad – Tips Learned from Mistakes Made!

    Study Abroad – Tips Learned from Mistakes Made!

    This blog is for those with children planning to study abroad in the UK. Hopefully these random tips will come in handy when you’re getting ready to send them off.

    Study Abroad – Visas

    study abroad oxford england
    Photo by Artem Zhukov on Pexels.com

    Many people use agents to arrange all the paper work. Being a thrifty type, I like to think if you can read you can do anything yourself. This is not always the best decision! If it seems straightforward then by all means go for it. But if you don’t have the time, or acceptance is not always a given, then ask the experts.

    Paying Extra for Priority and Express

    Again, I like to think that if one has time one does not need to pay extra for fast track. This is absolutely the wrong thinking! Always pay extra and have the peace of mind when your application is approved in days rather than months!

    Student Fare

    Always get your travel agent (or yourself) to book student airfares. Not only will they get a discount but they will also get extra baggage allowance. This is most helpful in their first year when they have a ton of belongings to cart over. Students are usually all seated together too.

    Amazon is your Friend

    Try and order as much as you can online and have it delivered to their accommodations. This saves packing and trying to source items on arrival.

    amazon logo
    Photo by Sagar Soneji on Pexels.com

    Study Abroad – 4 Must Buy Items

    Vacuum and Wipes

    Coming from Asia we take cleaning seriously! On moving in day we wiped down all surfaces and vacuumed carpets, curtains, bed and chairs! Buying a stick vacuum cleaner is really handy and doesn’t take up much space.

    Mattress Topper

    A mattress topper makes a huge difference to the comfort of one’s bed. For most students this is a must have item. It looks thin on delivery but expands to a decent level of comfort.

    Hangers and Hooks

    Student accommodation will probably not allow sticking items on walls or drilling holes. Over the door hooks are very useful for hanging towels, hats and other miscellaneous items. Space saving hangers are also useful.

    Vitamins/Berocca/Panadol

    For university students in preparation for Freshers Flu make sure they have a stash of over the counter medicines. Even if they don’t get sick in their first week they will inevitably catch something later.

    Studying abroad is an exciting and wonderful experience. It also comes with challenges and unknowns. University education in the UK is fantastic and will be a most memorable time of their lives. If your children do choose the UK they should embrace all that is on offer.

    Thank you for reading and best of luck!

    Shareen

    travelwith3bubs

    © 2025. All content and photographs copyright (c) 2025 travelwith3bubs. All rights reserved.

error: Content is protected !!