June 2026 (One Month - One Picture)
Explore Landscapes #116
Finally getting around to recapping my June - just in the knick of time before it’s August, and I’m talking about my July.
View across Hong Kong Island and Kowloon | © 2026 Jon Norris
June 2026 | Hong Kong | Taipei (Taiwan) | Doha (Qatar)
Finally getting around to recapping my June - just in the knick of time before it’s August, and I’m talking about my July.
June was a travel whirlwind. I only slept in my own bed for 6 nights—having had two separate trips to Asia—a trip to the Middle East—and a long weekend in Davis, NoCal.
Life is certainly not dull at the moment—my day job (B2B marketing) is keeping me very busy. By happenstance, I’m writing this while on a Cathay Pacific flight from Taipei back to Hong Kong.
This month’s image is a view looking down on Hong Kong Island and Kowloon from one of the trails that starts at the station on Victoria Peak. I enjoyed 2 days exploring Hong Kong while I was there, despite high temperatures, and afternoon monsoon rainstorms.
First on my agenda was taking the Peak Tram, and I heeded the advice I’d read online to get there early to avoid the crowds. I got a window seat going up so could take in the view. The Peak Tram is Asia’a first funicular railway, now 138 years old, and takes you up to the Peak station at 1,300 ft (396 m). The track is so steep that the buildings you pass look like they are leaning into the peak, with a gradient of between 4 to 26 degrees.
Once up top I made a beeline for Bakehouse, to sample a couple of Hong Kong egg tarts (darn tat) and a matcha latte. As I was early I got a window seat to myself and savored the view, latte and egg tart.
I covered a lot of ground exploring Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and Lantau. I took advantage of the unique modes of transport that Hong Long has to offer - namely the famous Star Ferry and also the double-deck trams (or Ding Dings as the locals call them). I’ll post some images from my Hong Kong trips in the coming weeks.
In between trips my wife and I headed up to Davis in NoCal to celebrate our youngest daughter’s Masters graduation. She’s currently studying for her PhD in Psychology at UC Davis. It was a wonderful weekend and so good to spend 4 days together as a family.
No sooner had we got home than I was heading back to LAX bound for Hong Kong (again) and Taipei before heading to Doha.
Going to wrap this up now as we’re on approach to Chek Lap Kok (Hong Kong) airport and any minute now the crew will be having words with me. Till next time.
