“When in doubt, take a walk” — the belief in wandering around motivates urbanist Sampson Wong and photographer Eric Tsang to start a YouTube channel, where the duo record their walks across different districts. “Pick any spot on the local map and we can anyway find a route.” Their videos serve to open viewers’ eyes to the stunning urbanscape as well as to their bonding with Hong Kong.

“We always say we fxxking love Hong Kong, but what do we really love about it?” Eric says. “Strolling allows you the room to think about what Hong Kong really means to you.” The channel is also a timely reminder of the city’s beauty. “The city has turned upside down now. So how to stay in love with it? One reason is because of its beauty,” says Sampson.

The coronavirus pandemic has no doubt restricted overseas travel for most people, but it has also posed a precious opportunity to promote local tourism. “People have become more and more curious about places that are worth visiting in Hong Kong,” Sampson says. “So, we seize this chance to launch this virtual guided tour, inviting people to take a walk outside and visit places they have never been to. It’s an ambitious project.”

An urban studies scholar, Sampson has shared his strolling experiences through articles and guided tours in hopes to raise awareness for public spaces. “I used to write about new walking trails every two months, but even with pictures attached, they still couldn’t capture the actual experience,” he says.

As the city slows down during the pandemic, Sampson sees it as the perfect opportunity to carry out his project. “People can’t travel so they began reading my old articles about roaming in the city, some of which have over a thousand shares. That’s why I want to develop this project, so I invited my old friend Eric to turn my articles into videos.”

Armed with a camera, a lens and a tripod, the duo take two to three hours for the filming of each video.

Their videos, set against the background music written by their friend Joshua Chiu, follow a wandering protagonist. “We usually choose a starting point and a destination, between which the protagonist can walk freely and aimlessly. How we shoot the scenes depends on what we see and experience,” says Eric, who is also the project’s video editor.

From Lok Fu to Mei Tung Estate in Wong Tai Sin, they are keen to document all kinds of often overlooked spots including footbridges, stairs and gates. Surprising scenes keep popping up during filming, such as an old man passing by with his trolley, people taking shelter from the rain on the pavement, and pigeons flying rhythmically.

Noting the ease of enjoying the unusually uncrowded city, Sampson says, “This Hong Kong is probably once in a lifetime. Even the popular Avenue of Stars has gone quiet. It may be the last few months in our lives where we can enjoy our city.”

Sampson often compares city strolling to walking around a museum. “You always find interesting things and don’t just walk past anything. And when you find something, you keep looking until you discover its story.” Finding Hong Kong’s urban landscape uniquely diverse, Sampson says the city has a lot more to offer, and residents who think they already know enough about the city are usually mistaken.

Much to Sampson and Eric’s surprise, their videos are serving more than the two original intentions. Their trails have offered a guide to HongKongers who are lost as well as foreigners stuck in the city. Eric considers their project an archive for the next generation. “In one to two years’ time, people will look at our videos and see how Hong Kong looked in 2020 and 2021. They’ll feel the same way we do when we watch videos of old Hong Kong.” Their videos have also helped overseas Hongkongers deal with nostalgia. “Some viewers were so moved that they cried over the videos,” Sampson says.

With the whole society being plunged into doubt and many people struggling with confusion and emotions, Eric finds walking a “simple and cost-free” way to re-experience the city. “Our channel may not be able to solve the city’s problems, but it opens a door for people to really look at the happenings in the city,” he says. “We believe that roaming the streets is a free way to feel and experience the city.”

Thinking about why people still choose to stay in Hong Kong despite the turmoil, Sampson maintains that the city is still beautiful. “So why not meet your friends for a walk and discover the hidden gems in the city. Taking a walk is comforting. By sharing this comfort in our videos, we hope to offer people some sort of relief.”

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