first time in hong kong: need food and hiking tips

I’m finally heading to Hong Kong next week, and honestly, I’m both excited and a little overwhelmed. I’ll have a day and a half to myself before meeting up with friends, and I want to make the most of it—mainly by eating my way through the city and squeezing in a hike or two. I’m staying at the Park Lane near Causeway Bay, so I’m eyeing Ho Hung Kii, Under Bridge Spicy Crab, and Tin Lun Goose for dinner. But here’s the thing: after a long flight, will I even have the energy to hunt down these spots, or should I just wander into the first place that smells good? The next morning, I’ve got a TramOramic tour booked (because who can resist those old-school trams?), and I’m tempted to hike up to Victoria Peak before the city gets too hot. But is it really worth dragging myself out of bed after a 15-hour flight just for the view? And after the tram tour, I’ll be near Western Market—should I go for Kau Kee’s beef brisket noodles, Mak’s Noodle, or Yat Lok’s roast goose? I can’t possibly eat at all three, right? (Or can I?) I keep hearing about Lantau Island, but I’m worried I’ll run out of time if I try to squeeze it in. Is it really worth the trek, or should I just stick to the city and maybe hit up a museum for the air conditioning? And what’s the deal with high tea at The Peninsula—am I just falling into a tourist trap, or is it actually worth it for the experience? One more thing: everyone says you don’t need an Octopus card anymore because you can just use Visa everywhere. But I’m skeptical—has anyone actually tried this? I’d hate to get stuck at a turnstile with a line of impatient locals behind me. I feel like every time I travel, there’s always some little thing that doesn’t work the way people say it will. Anyone else run into this? #HongKongTravel #FoodieAdventures #TravelQuestions #Travel