Hong Kong

Even as a kid I wanted to visit Hong Kong. It just seemed exotic to me. I spent a couple of days in Hong Kong before going back to India. Hong Kong's offical name is Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Great Britain handed back control of Hong Kong to mainland China in 1997. "The Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic Law of Hong Kong stipulate that Hong Kong operate with a high degree of autonomy until at least 2047, fifty years after the transfer. Under the policy of "one country, two systems", the Central People's Government is responsible for the territory's defence and foreign affairs, while the Government of Hong Kong is responsible for its own legal system, police force, monetary system, customs policy, immigration policy, and delegates to international organisations and events."

Aside from the oppressive humidity, the other thing you can't miss about Hong Kong is the amount of wealth present. There is a lot of money in Hong Kong. In fact, Hong Kong has the largest number of millionaires in the world. That explains all of the couture shopping such as Tiffany's, Cartier, Givenchy, and Jean Paul Gaultier. I saw more high-end shopping in Hong Kong than Beverly Hills, Paris, London, Tokyo, and New York. Keep in mind these items aren't cheaper in Hong Kong, they are just more plentiful.

Another interesting thing about Hong Kong is that it has its own currency and immigration requirements. For example, I need a Visa to visit China, but in Hong Kong my passport was the only requirement for entry; additional proof of the "one country, two systems" policy.