There is no end of picturesque walking trails on these islands. The landscapes vary from lush tropical jungle undergrowth to magnificent seascapes interspersed with clusters of urban dwellings, scattered villages nestling among rocky bays. Paths snake between valleys and wind their way around hills. There are birds to find, if one is patient and quiet; various finches, bulbuls, the occasional flycatcher, kingfisher or alexandrine parakeet. The last named probably escaped from captivity and bred locally in the wild over the past decades. There is a colony of them in the middle of the city in Kowloon Park. If you’re lucky, when you climb a few hundred meters to the tops of the hills you will come eye to eye with a black kite, engrossed in its circling, soaring search for small prey.

One comes across dog latrines at intervals along these trails, presumably set up by optimistic bureaucrats to provide a public convenience for the many pet dogs on the islands. Totally unnecessary, since the dogs are too smart to use them. There is a blooper scooper law in place and most dog owners are meticulous in clearing up after their best friends. The dogs are smart enough to know that their owners stroll around with disposable plastic bags in their pockets, so why bother look for a canine toilet when any stretch of street pavement will do?