1600 Pandas Invasion in Hong Kong

It's finally here!!! The long anticipation of the 1600 Pandas finally arrived in Hong Kong! As we all know this event is to draw awareness and help fundraising project for WWF. The pandas have all around the world France, Netherlands, Italy, Taiwan, Switzerland, Germany and finally they have arrived in Hong Kong!

The whole city is very hyped about this event. Personally, when I knew about this I wanted to visit the pandas and I couldn't wait any longer. By the time it was June there weren't any news until I found out from my friends that they will be arriving on June 9th.

Credit: 1600 Pandas Facebook

Since the cute pandas have arrived in Hong Kong and spending a few days at the Hong Kong International Airport and The Big Buddha their first event of the day was in Park Island, Ma Wan near Noah's Ark. The image above shows the location where the pandas will have a flash mob pop up and their final destination will be at the PMQ.

I got very excited that the pandas will pop up in Ma Wan from 12:00pm - 3:00pm so, I asked my friend Katherine aka Cooking Meow was interesting of going and she was interested so we decided to go together! We met up and took the ferry from Tsuen Wan West Railway to Park Island.

We walked for a while where most of the people were and you can see where the pandas were from a far because it was so crowded.

The Disappointment News...

The moment we got there it was a little later than 2:00pm... BAD NEWS!!! The panda caretakers were already putting away the pandas!!! On 1600 Pandas Facebook Page, they posted that the flash mob will start from 12:00pm - 3:00pm but by 2:30pm all the pandas were gone. I could just see a hundred left at the beach. Honestly, many people there were really bummed out or even angry because a lot of families bought their children to see it and they didn't get the chance to because the pandas left early than organisers mentioned on Facebook.

Instagram @kitty_cheung

Due to the caretakers have already started taking away the pandas I could just take one shot of them. I was very bummed out and the organisers could have done it better or at least kept their promise on finishing at 3:00pm. There are some comments about the pandas are just here not for the locals but for celebrities and other famous people to promote this fundraiser for WWF, it isn't for the locals here.

As many others like me who went to this event posted a comment on 1600 Pandas Facebook Page asking some feedback on why the flash mob finished early as they announced. Their feedback was pretty simple.

"As we have volunteer got heatstroke during the flash mob under the hot weather, so we had decided to end the activity while mission completed. However, thanks for your suggestion! And we will consider and review our performance further. hope will see you next time!" 

Acceptable? or not acceptable, well it is yours to critic.

Some other situations happened and I think the organisers can address during their flash mob and something for everyone to know & expect when you are at the next flash mob locations:

• No touching permitted on the Pandas. (If you are lucky you may land your hand on one!)
  Honestly, I find this ridiculous! Is there really a rule on it? If yes, please let every one know. Some people are allowed to touch, hug or even hold them and some can't. It happened to me. After asking a few caretakers and got rejected I simply gave up. Some caretakers just simply told me to just go over to the other caretaker and ask!
• Be there EARLY as possible!!!
  Most of the people who got there early were the press. The moment the press were done with filming and shooting the caretakers just took them away.
• Expect least on the situation.
  When you have less expectation on something, you won't feel too bummed out.

The 1600 Panda Flash Mob will continue and their locations are...

1600 pandas has landed Hong Kong! From June 9 to 21, pandas will visit more than 10 Hong Kong landmarks, to give Hong Kong citizens a nudge of surprise. You are welcome to visit the pandas at 5 sites:

Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach (12:00nn – 3:00pm, 10 June, Tuesday)

Clock Tower at Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza, Tsim Sha Tsui (1:00pm – 4:00pm, 14 June, Saturday)

Victoria Park (12:00nn – 2:00pm, 19 June, Thursday)

Tram Touring (12:00nn – 3:00pm, 20 June, Friday)

Statue Square, Central (8:00am – 10:00an, 21 June, Saturday

Information credit: PMQ 1600 Pandas world tour

FYI, the schedule for the flash mob doesn't seem to the accurate. There are so many versions about where the Pandas will pop up so, I think the best way is to follow their newsfeed on their facebook page. 

If you are not into the flash mob or you don't have the time to attend any of the flash mob, no worries! The pandas last stop will be at the PMQ and they will be there from June 25 - July 17 from 10:00am - 8:00pm. For more information about visiting the pandas visit the PMQ 1600 Pandas World Tour website.

Don't forget to #1600Pandas when you spot them!