Just back from the June 28th Enchanted China Trip and it was a truly wonderful and special experience. In part, that is because of the truly great people who I had the pleasure to travel with you all know who you are and you are missed.
This will be far from an exhaustive posting since my body is still badly jet-lagged and my brain is in a holding pattern over Toronto.
A couple of things worth addressing:
H1N1 is for real and I am glad I purchased insurance. I bought one policy to insure my DVC points that I used to pay for the trip and another policy to insure my airfare and provide medical dental and trip interruption lost luggage and assorted other coverage.
We lost one family to quarantine in our first 24 hours and it really cast a pall over the rest of the trip. They turned out to be fine but were only released 7 days later and decided to return home. We really missed you guys and we were all so sorry your trip ended so suddenly. We hope we will run into you on another ABD trip.
After landing in Guilin (I think ) we sat on the tarmac for at least 40 minutes while safety suited medical personnel came onto the plane and tended to a sick passenger a dozen or so rows behind our group who was then removed from the plane. As it turns out, my worst fears were not realized and we were finally released from the plane and allowed to go about our business (though not before writing our names, locations, and phone numbers on the airsick bags that were passed out by the planes crew).
Reportedly, Chinese authorities have begun to quarantine fewer and fewer passengers around a sick passenger but on the other hand, we heard more and more reports during our stay of cases of H1N1 in China. Do what you will but all I can say is that the extra money I spent on insurance brought me tremendous peace of mind and was well worth it. (And no, I do not work for an insurance company nor do I own stock in one.)
Our guides were Daisy and Brian and Kudos to both of them for leading a really well-run trip. Brian was great with the kids and did an excellent job of herding us through difficult obstacles like 5:15 luggage collections and 6:00 AM departures. Daisy was outstandingly bilingual and did a lot of the heavy lifting in interfacing with local authorities and making sure the group got where it needed to go. The two made an excellent team I give both of them very high marks for personality and ability.
A few things to keep in mind:
China in the summer is hot. Really really hot. Bring lots of light comfortable clothing and a lightweight sweater or jacket to wear on planes or buses with lots of AC. Make sure to bring a sun hat and lots of sun screen and you can always buy an umbrella when you arrive to protect yourself from the sun the way the locals do.
Be sure to get out and walk at some point. You will see a lot of china but it is more intimate to get down and walk around versus riding your bus from point A to point B. If you do, you will have a dramatically greater appreciation for the size and scope of the country as well as a better understanding of how the people live. Yes its hot and humid and the air can be a bit uncomfortable but you need to leave the cocoon once in a while and see how people really live.
Shopping is everywhere. You will be told that the best deals in China are to be had in Shanghai and while that may be true, good deals abound everywhere you go. The key is that Time really does equal Money so if you see something you like and you get an okay deal, dont walk away thinking that you will find it cheaper later. You may, but it will also cost you significant amounts of time to try to find the item again.
In Beijing, try the Pearl Market just East of the temple of heaven. They have loads of electronics as well as a wide range of other stuff. The silk market is okay (and more accessible to the China World Hotel) but the vendors there were way too aggressive for my taste.
In Xian, if you go to visit the terra cotta soldiers, you will be told that the gift shop there is price fixed so dont bother to bargain. On the other hand, there is a small mall in the far corner of the museum compound (near to pit three) and many similar items can be had there and the prices are not fixed so bargain away . (Do be advised that there was no toilet paper in the bathrooms however and the place on the first floor that sold it was fixed price. I consider that my admission fee to pit 5!!!)
In Shanghai, we found nice stuff at the Shanghai museum. The exhibits were very good and since the museum was free we did not mind paying fixed prices at the gift shop. We thought the prices were reasonable (if not outright bargains). We also tried the 508 market (I think that was the name ) and that was not bad either. They had a very wide range of souvenirs, clothing, electronics, software, movies etc.
Hong Kong shopping was also good. The tour went to Stanley Market which was a typical souvenir market but there was also some very nice artwork thrown in at a few locations. We happened on some nice little shops in the Central District on the HK side in some small alley between some of the larger office buildings. The night market in HK was disappointing sorta like Stanley Market after subtracting the artwork and adding in some outdoor food. Frankly, the whole city seemed to be a big night market so I am still not sure why the big deal about Temple Street. On the Kowloon Side, we enjoyed the market area that was made up of the ladies market, the electronics market and the sporting good market. Many good deals were to be had in this area and some bargaining could be done and all sorts of merchandise was available. To be honest, the ladies market was a more souvenirs than ladies clothing but it was still fun.
Finally, the box lunches provided by ABD were uninspiring. Make sure to bring snacks with you or buy some of the excellent beef and pork jerky that you will see during the trip (fruit or spicy flavored are both good) so that you always have something with you to eat.
Best regards to all of my travelling companions. I miss you guys and hope we will see you on our next trip.
This will be far from an exhaustive posting since my body is still badly jet-lagged and my brain is in a holding pattern over Toronto.
A couple of things worth addressing:
H1N1 is for real and I am glad I purchased insurance. I bought one policy to insure my DVC points that I used to pay for the trip and another policy to insure my airfare and provide medical dental and trip interruption lost luggage and assorted other coverage.
We lost one family to quarantine in our first 24 hours and it really cast a pall over the rest of the trip. They turned out to be fine but were only released 7 days later and decided to return home. We really missed you guys and we were all so sorry your trip ended so suddenly. We hope we will run into you on another ABD trip.
After landing in Guilin (I think ) we sat on the tarmac for at least 40 minutes while safety suited medical personnel came onto the plane and tended to a sick passenger a dozen or so rows behind our group who was then removed from the plane. As it turns out, my worst fears were not realized and we were finally released from the plane and allowed to go about our business (though not before writing our names, locations, and phone numbers on the airsick bags that were passed out by the planes crew).
Reportedly, Chinese authorities have begun to quarantine fewer and fewer passengers around a sick passenger but on the other hand, we heard more and more reports during our stay of cases of H1N1 in China. Do what you will but all I can say is that the extra money I spent on insurance brought me tremendous peace of mind and was well worth it. (And no, I do not work for an insurance company nor do I own stock in one.)
Our guides were Daisy and Brian and Kudos to both of them for leading a really well-run trip. Brian was great with the kids and did an excellent job of herding us through difficult obstacles like 5:15 luggage collections and 6:00 AM departures. Daisy was outstandingly bilingual and did a lot of the heavy lifting in interfacing with local authorities and making sure the group got where it needed to go. The two made an excellent team I give both of them very high marks for personality and ability.
A few things to keep in mind:
China in the summer is hot. Really really hot. Bring lots of light comfortable clothing and a lightweight sweater or jacket to wear on planes or buses with lots of AC. Make sure to bring a sun hat and lots of sun screen and you can always buy an umbrella when you arrive to protect yourself from the sun the way the locals do.
Be sure to get out and walk at some point. You will see a lot of china but it is more intimate to get down and walk around versus riding your bus from point A to point B. If you do, you will have a dramatically greater appreciation for the size and scope of the country as well as a better understanding of how the people live. Yes its hot and humid and the air can be a bit uncomfortable but you need to leave the cocoon once in a while and see how people really live.
Shopping is everywhere. You will be told that the best deals in China are to be had in Shanghai and while that may be true, good deals abound everywhere you go. The key is that Time really does equal Money so if you see something you like and you get an okay deal, dont walk away thinking that you will find it cheaper later. You may, but it will also cost you significant amounts of time to try to find the item again.
In Beijing, try the Pearl Market just East of the temple of heaven. They have loads of electronics as well as a wide range of other stuff. The silk market is okay (and more accessible to the China World Hotel) but the vendors there were way too aggressive for my taste.
In Xian, if you go to visit the terra cotta soldiers, you will be told that the gift shop there is price fixed so dont bother to bargain. On the other hand, there is a small mall in the far corner of the museum compound (near to pit three) and many similar items can be had there and the prices are not fixed so bargain away . (Do be advised that there was no toilet paper in the bathrooms however and the place on the first floor that sold it was fixed price. I consider that my admission fee to pit 5!!!)
In Shanghai, we found nice stuff at the Shanghai museum. The exhibits were very good and since the museum was free we did not mind paying fixed prices at the gift shop. We thought the prices were reasonable (if not outright bargains). We also tried the 508 market (I think that was the name ) and that was not bad either. They had a very wide range of souvenirs, clothing, electronics, software, movies etc.
Hong Kong shopping was also good. The tour went to Stanley Market which was a typical souvenir market but there was also some very nice artwork thrown in at a few locations. We happened on some nice little shops in the Central District on the HK side in some small alley between some of the larger office buildings. The night market in HK was disappointing sorta like Stanley Market after subtracting the artwork and adding in some outdoor food. Frankly, the whole city seemed to be a big night market so I am still not sure why the big deal about Temple Street. On the Kowloon Side, we enjoyed the market area that was made up of the ladies market, the electronics market and the sporting good market. Many good deals were to be had in this area and some bargaining could be done and all sorts of merchandise was available. To be honest, the ladies market was a more souvenirs than ladies clothing but it was still fun.
Finally, the box lunches provided by ABD were uninspiring. Make sure to bring snacks with you or buy some of the excellent beef and pork jerky that you will see during the trip (fruit or spicy flavored are both good) so that you always have something with you to eat.
Best regards to all of my travelling companions. I miss you guys and hope we will see you on our next trip.