Nau speak: Hong Kong: Goldfish (Tung Choi) Street & Ladies' Market, 1st night

Hong Kong's Tung Choi street fish market is quite a sight to see.

Beams of fluorescent lights refract off glistening baggies by the hundreds.

Tucked into impossibly crowded alleyways between two overflowing buildings, or dangling precariously from wire racks are countless varieties of fish enclosed in their own personal bubbles of atmosphere, ready to be snatched off and carried home with a lucky collector of aquatic creatures. From turtles and frogs to fugu, there's something for everyone. Walking along, taking in the sights and sounds, it's otherworldly for certain, like stumbling into a scene from Bladerunner.

Shoppers and the curious commingle, bumping shoulders to catch a glimpse at each creature.

Being named Goldfish street, it's only natural to encounter a plethora of the street's namesake. Goldfish are taken quite seriously here, with large, colourful fish being worth good money.

Once you tire of admiring the fish, the Ladies' Market remains close enough to take in the night-time sights. The market keeps going until fairly late, so the streets are still full and bustling into the evening hours. Roast duck is to be found hanging from hooks in many corners, glistening in all it's crispy crackly skinned glory as the fat renders slowly. I also found a smoothie stand where the friendly blender-man encouraged me to drink, drink, drink! so he could refill my cup once it's contents had been demolished. I think I paid a couple bucks for 16-20oz of freshly made fruit smoothie, while similar beverages would cost closer to $7 in Tokyo... his generosity stood out to me.

After walking around for quite some time, I was growing nearly ready to retire, but first; a beer! I stopped in a small watering hole and sat down with a nice cold brew to rest my feet and take in the scenery. Not long after I arrived, this officer walked in and began talking to the barkeep and carding everyone...except for me. Huh. Regardless, I finished my beer and headed out for a quick bite to eat, grateful for not being bothered while doing nothing wrong.

I did take a moment to photograph the toilet before leaving, though. Hope you've got your squat game on point!

Having become used to the less-spice-loving Japanese flavour palette, I misjudged the fieriness potential of a bowl of noodles while ordering at a small noodle shop not far from the hotel. These noodles absolutely kicked my ass on the spice index, which made them nearly inedible for me. A shame, too, because they were really tasty. Unfortunately, my nose was running profusely after getting a third of the way in and there were no napkins. I was rapidly losing any sense of composure and dignity and decided to cut my losses and call it quits before I made an incomprehensible mess of myself.