Rebecca Wang 王思寧

Hahaha, too true! 😆

Luckily I usually travel between popular locations, so there’s always at least one ☝️ other person on the bus that yells “Ba si zam, m goi!!” loud enough to register with the driver if I’m not being firm/authoritative enough! 🤣

Again, stuff that seems really obvious to those used to it (you can do this in Taiwan as well) but not intuitive, as the cards are more seen as general purpose payment cards vs transport specific.

e.g. I've used my octopus to pay for emergency room visits, bureaucratic document processing etc.

Cash Operating under the Stored Value Facilities Licence, Octopus provides diversified offline and online Octopus payment services to meet customers’ different payment needs.

Yup - many local HK-ers just add value at a convenience store. Walk up to any of the chains listed, give them cash & ask them to add XYZ amount to your card www.octopus.com.hk/en/consumer/... . Useful if taking buses with no MTR station in sight!

(alt. we just have it auto top up/use the app😅).

A new MTR ticket/Octopus purchase map inside Mongkok Station. On the left is a large bright touch screen with the HKU MTR map on the lower panel (for buying single journey tickets) while the top screen shows dual language instructions for adding value to your octopus card. On the right is the machine itself with a coin and bill acceptor as well as a card reader and ticket dispenser. Image source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Octopus_card_machines#/media/File:MTR_Mongkok_Station_Ticket_&_Octopus_machine.jpg

So the default language is a card setting- you need to go to the info desk & ask them to switch it to English .

Why they didn't do that when you first bought the card? Idk. 🤷‍♀️

But yeah, you need to try out the newer machines- So much nicer with all the functions you are pointed out!

Yeah, as @transitsurfer.bsky.social l pointed out, 🔵contactless fare gates aren't typically used & pretty new to the system (think early 2025?).

Used to be Octopus only, 🟣QR code gates started post-Covid.

🐙 still default for most local HK-ers since we use the card elsewhere e.g. apartment access.

Yup, even now it trips me up. 😅

Wonder why they've never gotten around to changing it to match the rest of the network signs?🤔

Tung Chung line - Wikipedia

Headway times of Tung Chung line are massively limited due to several well know issues specific to that route-> even has a whole wiki page section on it!

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tung_Ch...

Some train foamers could prob step in with more stuff (rmbr car # issues?), I'm a humble bug scientist lol. 😆

Green minibuses work like big ones with set stops, fare scanners & everything. 👍

Red mini buses... are a whole different beasts. 😆
Cash only.
No set routes.
Speed limit = suggestion only.
Point A to B ASAP.

Been on one that hit like 100kmh with the speedometer screaming in the background 🤣

Chunyun - Wikipedia

Frequency is typical (limited by bridge), but people # isn't.

You were just traveling on the dying days of HK's CNY/LNY break before ppl gotta go back to work 🤣

Holiday rush is tiny part of literally THE largest global human migration event each year called 春運 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chunyun

Yup, you actually did that correctly. Like I said, efficient unless you do smthing different😆!

Since Tsing Yi is so close, most HK-ers wouldn't take the Express unless it was their final stop ($75 vs $20 for bus, same time) so transfer btwn lines is a pain, but to ground-level transport is easy.

Unless headed to Central, take the buses next time (down the ramp, opp. to taxis)!
Its about a ~1/2 of the cost & will get you to your final destination with much less hassle (no changing transports/lugging suitcases).

Express is REALLY nice, but I only take it if someone else is paying haha! 😜

This is something that definitely needs signage for, esp for int. airport!👍

Stations w/o fare gates are found in some parts of the UK, but just feels... weird to do if you aren't used to it.
You can prebuy ticket at the info desk, machine or online, but as you pay when you leave most just do that.

Haha yup. Those add value machines are like printers - they smell fear & are always down when you need them 😆

Don't think I've used the airport one in years because of it. Family always adds plenty of money on our octopus BEFORE any airport trip so that can just hop on transport after coming back.

Yep, a pretty typical HK experience imo. 😅

Everything works pretty efficiently if you do EXACTLY what planners had in mind, the SECOND any little thing deviates & suddenly problems snowball. 😆

Red minibuses come to mind. Incredible way to get around HK... but only if you know what you are doing!

Woah~ Miles in my neck of the woods?! 😮

Welcome to 🇭🇰! (& sorry your 1st visit started off so crummy 😅)

Lots to say (like others I’ll do it by post), but TL;DR-
yeah unintuitive stuff tho u gotta try out my fav transport ever, the HK tram aka “Ding Ding”🚋! (Star ferry is great too, esp @ night⛴️!)

'bout time! Seriously not a single invert in the original list? 😜For shame...

I mean say what you will about the western one with its goatfish and inanimate objects, at least has 2 with Cancer 🦀 and Scorpio 🦂 haha!

@franzanth.bsky.social makes a good case for the horseshoe crab in this thread, but I'm going with the more photogenic option, cool looking here. 😜

Though feel free to hop in and help us find inverts for the other zodiac signs!

bsky.app/profile/fran...

Saddleback Caterpillar, Acharia stimulea. A reddish brown colored caterpillar covered in lighter colored short spines that look almost like fur. The middle of the insect is bright green and white, almost like the insect is wearing a saddle. Image Credit: Matthew Orwat (https://agrilifepeople.tamu.edu/people/view/36271) via UF IFAS extension (https://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/hort/2014/09/30/watch-out-for-the-saddleback-caterpillar/)

Happy Year of the Horse everyone! 🐎🧧

新年快樂，心想事成！祝大家今年步步高陞,龍馬精神，萬馬奔騰，萬事如意！

Tricky time finding a suitably "horse-y" invertebrate for y'all, but the Saddleback Catterpillar (𝘈𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘶𝘭𝘦𝘢 - photo by Mathew Orwat) is pretty close imo! 🏇

#LunarNewYear #YearoftheHorse #ChineseNewYear #春節 #Bugsky

One can never have too many insects on a bug/invertebrate list !😜

(Totally not biased or anything 🤣)

A fulgorid planthopper with the slightly misleading name Rooster Tail Cicada Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fulgorid_planthopper_(33408985531).jpg

A Passion Flower feather star (Ptilometra australis), a modern crinoid; Halifax Point, Port Stephens, Australia by Richard Ling Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ptilometra_australis_Passion_Flower_feather_star.jpg#mw-jump-to-license

Nah we can do a lot better for a “rooster” invertebrate imo!

I was thinking more like a Fulgorid Planthopper (aka Rooster-tailed cicada) or maybe a Crinoid sp. (aka feather stars) for more of the right look. 🐓🐔

IKR?? Where did the freaking time go?

Still not ready for it to be another sheep/goat year after this too-
Like what do you mean I no longer need to buy new decorations now cus I still have themed new year stuff from the last go around? 🥲

No worries, the new year message still works and is appreciated! 💕

Going to make a horse one soon though! Less mimicry involved (come on nature, you need more horse looking bugs😜) but a more timely horse-y Chinese puns/idioms! 😆

Great minds think alike it seems! 👍 Last year me was already on it haha 😆

Dibs on using the Snake-mimic caterpillar for snake! 🐍

bsky.app/profile/rebe...

Doodle of two frogs sitting in a pot of boiling water. One says, “is it getting hot in here?” And the other is yelling, “stop overreacting!”

a quick doodle about two frogs

Settings > Content and Media > Autoplay Video and GIFs

Turn it off, now.

Same.

(And for those who don't want to give away your phone number/be subscribed to text messages just to have your voice heard, the Senator's office phone numbers work for the form. Just sayin' ).

A lil' Anurognathus cutie to hopefully brighten up your day! 🥰

Fun facts: It's name comes from the Greek for "frog jaw" and it's thought to have used its pin-like teeth to capture insect prey! 📍

*Boop!*

Awww, thank you so much for taking the time to draw something for me & all your fundraising! 🥰

I absolutely love it!😍 So adorable & boop-able! ❤️

Post a photo of an animal that looks Gen-AI but is 100% real.

Easy.
Scorpionflies (Panorpidae family).

(Pictured is a P. helena from Carderock, Maryland - taken by Judy Gallagher www.flickr.com/photos/52450... )

Thanks everyone involved for running such a fantastic #Hymathon2025 yesterday! 🥰

Learned a ton and great getting to know/catching up with hymenopterist from all around the world!

See you all again next year!