Translation of gratis

There were no lights on the highway and hardly any cars, but quiet a few motorcycles and funnily pedestrians walking on the emergency lane. There was a tropical atmosphere in the air, I liked it.
The information we receive by hearing other people's stories, by watching TV (which is not an objective source of information) or by listening to the local radio generates a big responsiveness in us.
Honk Kong was intense. We liked it on the one hand, but after coming from South East Asia, it seemed a little boring to us. What I mean is that it is more Western and less exciting for us.