A series of Firsts: India and Xi'an, mainly thanks to AFF

[RB]

I'd also recommend Travelan... I swear by it. Available at pharmacies - take one tablet before eating and (touch wood) have never been sick when eating in developing countries. That includes ~30 days in India. Still exercise reasonable precautions, but have eaten at a wide variety of eating places and the travelan seems to do what it says on the pack. Travellers Diarrhoea Protection

We also used Travelan when in India & were fine. I skipped dinner on 1 night during our 2 trips-I blame myself for not thoroughly wiping the neck of a beer bottle before consuming contents
Re the road toll, I named my trip report "Our driver said you need a good horn, good brakes & good luck to drive in India". Our driver was certainly one of the more conservative on the road but he spends 300 odd days a year driving & has been going over 17 years. We found overall driving habits had improved between our trips and the average age of vehicles seemed much newer.

 

[Pushka]

MrP and son spent four weeks really backpacking it in India. Both normally get some kind of tummy issue when going exotic but neither of them became ill this time - they only ate cooked vegetarian. No salads. No meat. No fish. And only bottled drinks they saw being opened and with no ice.

 

[RooFlyer]

Time to leave India, and to begin the next leg of the trip - to Xi'an, China for the Terracotta Warriors.

A final ride from my tour driver from the Pullman to the International terminal, arriving there at 11pm for a 1:30am departure on Cathay, business class. This was bought using Alaska miles but I could only get this horrendous departure time, and not the other, much more civilised daily flight.

At the entrance to the terminal, army types were inspecting flight documentation. I didn't have it (I should have, as I usually print it all out, but had overlooked it this time). The guy wasn't going to let me though without it. :shock: Fortunately I found something on my phone, and I was allowed into the terminal. Check-in for the CX flight to HKG was OK, although I couldn't check in on my connecting (but separately ticketed) Cathay Dragon flight.

Departure passport control. Sheesh! Guy took forever to decide to let me out of the country! Peering at passport, flicking through pages, peering at his screen. What on earth was the issue? Anyway, I was finally on my way though duty free and a very long way round to the "Plaza Premium" Lounge. I had already been told by CX earlier in the evening that my flight would be delayed to a 3am departure, so it was going to be a bit of a wait.

I had the choice of going to "Lounges A" or "Lounges B"; flipped a coin and chose 'A' and yes, the PP was there. It was pretty basic:



After an hour or so I went for a wander and checked out 'Lounges B' and, to my surprise, found another Plaza Premium lounge there - this one much larger and quite a lot better. A decent food and bev selection.




Revised boarding was at 2:15am, but the crew only went on board at 2:30pm. We pushed back at 3:15am 105 mins late and I was looking nervously at the time. I had just under 3 hours transit time at HKG onto a Cathay Dragon flight, and I knew I had to clear security there and maybe transit to one of the satellite stands. I had managed to check-in on line, thank goodness.

I immediately tried to get some sleep, but not before the crew had tried to 'sell' me breakfast 2 hours before arrival - that was going to be exactly 1/2 way through the cruise (after having left a bit after 3am)!! No, thanks. As everyone was politely declining this offer, they OKed serving breakfast 3/4 hour before arrival. It was OK.





My connection wasn't showing on the in-flight screens, so I asked the CSM about it. Apparently I wasn't on their 'connecting passengers' list, so she sent a request. We were arriving at gate 68 (from memory) - the far end of the terminal, and the Dragoon flight was leaving from one of the inner ones. :evil: Then we were put into a 10 minute holding pattern by HKG ATC. :evil: :evil: Anyway we landed and the doors opened 40 mins before my departure, I shot off the plane and fast walked towards gate 20, via security, which I was lucky to clear quickly. In the end, they were boarding a bit late and I made it just as boarding was starting, but pretty stuffed. And no time in 'The Pier' which was the most annoying part! I was going to shower and breakfast there, before my economy flight to Xi'an. Phooey!

Aussie pilots on this flight, as was the Captain on DEL-HKG.

I was seated in the first row of economy, which was fine for the 3hr trip to Xi'an. A visit to the loo at the back got this perspective. No, it wasn't an empty flight, but everyone in the second half of the plane had a row to themselves, so were stretched out. Xi'an airport is big and modern, as you'd expect and in no time I was in the car I had booked though the Sofitel, and were on out way, 1 hour into to centre of Xi'an. It is winter, overcast and smoggy and a depressing first view of the city.

 

[drron]

I'll have to find my old photos of Xian airport in the mid 80s.Definitely not modern then!
Have to wait until I get home though.

 

[amaroo]

Saw an enticing advert in Saturday's Oz for an 18 day trip through India .... coupled with your terrific photos and commentary - I'm seriously thinking about it.

 

[RooFlyer]

My digs in Xi'an for just one night was the Sofitel on Renmin Square, right in the centre of the city. I had intended to get out and walk around, including the old city wall, which is large and prominent, but after my sleepless night and panicked connection, all I did that afternoon was veg in the hotel.

There is an Accor complex, behind a well guarded gate - Novotel, Ibis (I think) and Sofitel. The Sofitel is big!

I checked in, and was whisked up to the Club for check-in (I generally don't like this, but this was better than usual). I was upgraded to a suite (an Accor Platinum perk, plus its low season!) and the room was great:







View attachment 86229




One problem: The aircon was central, and at this (winter) time of year, only heating was on offer. I've struck this a lot in Canada, and I loathe it. The staff were mortified that they couldn't cool the room (it was warm and stuffy), but they sent up a fan, and I opened the windows (and, amazingly, looking out over the Accor complex, it was quiet!! :shock and the night was comfortable.

A nice Accor welcome of drink chit, macaroons and fruit. free wi-fi of course and club access. I didn't take any pics of the Club, but it was good: plenty of drinks and snacks in the evening, plus newspapers etc etc. I was on the 10th floor and the Club was the 11th, and there was a staircase between the 2, which was a nice touch.

The lobby was very Christmas-y:





Overall, big thumbs up to the Sofitel. As it was low season, there weren't many people staying, so I did suffer a bit from 'over service', with staff sometimes standing there waiting for me to twitch so they could help, but it was OK.

I had a (very small) buffet for dinner, then collapsed into bed, ready for the Terracotta Warriors in the morning.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Saw an enticing advert in Saturday's Oz for an 18 day trip through India .... coupled with your terrific photos and commentary - I'm seriously thinking about it.

As interesting as Delhi and Agra are, I recommend Rajasthan if you are going to India, and the opportunity to stay in palace hotels. The Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur (where you can stay) and then Udaipur in general (the lake is spectacular). Lots of places to stay in Udaipur but the Devi Garh (just outside) is great for a few days R&R.

 

[amaroo]

As interesting as Delhi and Agra are, I recommend Rajasthan if you are going to India, and the opportunity to stay in palace hotels. The Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur (where you can stay) and then Udaipur in general (the lake is spectacular). Lots of places to stay in Udaipur but the Devi Garh (just outside) is great for a few days R&R.

This particular trip includes a 7 night train trip exploring Gujarat, and 4 nights in Rajasthan + the usual suspects. India certainly looks like one of the most interesting places to visit.

 

[RooFlyer]

As interesting as Delhi and Agra are, I recommend Rajasthan if you are going to India, and the opportunity to stay in palace hotels. The Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur (where you can stay) and then Udaipur in general (the lake is spectacular). Lots of places to stay in Udaipur but the Devi Garh (just outside) is great for a few days R&R.

That's pretty much what I'm investigating for the next trip, although it may be a year or two off . Also areas to the north, although the south is a different world again and needs attention.

Up bright and early for a 7:30am taxi departure to the Terracotta Warriors site, which opens at 8:30am (actually, should get be there a bit early). The hotel has arranged the taxi and given me a card with the hotel's address and details (in English and ?Mandarin, of course), the taxi driver's mobile number and plate number. The day is cold and smoggy; no problem with the drive out but when we get to the locality, we stop in some side street in a complex somewhere near the TW parking lot. Here I am presented with a guide, cost I forget, but not all that much. Uh-oh, I'm being scammed. I weigh up the situation and decide to accept the guide. I had intended to engage one anyway and although I loathed the tactics, this wasn't the worst thing that could happen; I'd talk to the hotel later! The guide's English was good.




Its exactly 8:30 as we approach the ticket office (left) and there was no-one else in sight at the first ticket gate (middle). You then walk about 200-300m along a path in a park like place presumably to hold crowds) before you get to the second gates. Like all the other barriers, there are smart, army-like uniformed ladies, unsmiling at the ticket barriers.




The sun 'dawned' over the hills behind the complex. Inside the first, largest covered pit is an electronic display which was really good. Various features illuminated, telling the story of the evolution and lay-out of the complex.




Into Pit 1 and there are 6 of us in total, taking in the classic vista across the 230 x 62 m excavation.



And of course here they are.

 

[RooFlyer]

The terracotta 'Army' and the mausoleum for Emperor Qin Shi Huang was begun in 246 BC, when the Emperor was 13. So far three pits have been excavated to varying degrees (more are being explored at the moment) and about 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots and 520 horses have been discovered. in the non-public pits are figures such as acrobats and musicians.

The first pit, and by far the largest excavated to date (Pit 1) was discovered in 1974 when local farmers were excavating a well about a mile east of Emperor Qin's tomb mound. The figures were originally holding spears, horses reins etc, which have rotted away.




One thing I did not realise before my visit was that virtually all of the warriors have been found shattered into numerous pieces. The warriors on display have been reconstructed and the process is on display towards the rear of Pit 1. Originally, the warriors were placed into trenches, and then wooden beams put across the top of the trenches; a matting covered this, and then earth and rocks. As the beams and matting rotted, the debris collapsed on top of the terracotta, breaking it.






As is well known, no two of the faces are the same.




This guy is in a display case and I think one of the few figures found intact.

 

[RooFlyer]

A general ... taller and more elaborately dressed.




Kneeling warrior also in a case, and I learned another thing. Originally, the warriors were painted, often brightly - both skin and uniforms. However, the paint oxidises and peels off the terracotta within 15 minutes of exposure to air. I was told that they have effectively stopped excavations while they try to solve this problem. You can see traces on the back of this warrior's uniform. Check out the patterns on the sole of his shoe as well




In pit 3, we get to see how most of the warriors are found once excavated:




There's a museum on site, a massive granite structure that doesn't hold that much for the public, but there is one special display. In a pit elsewhere, they found a team of half-sized bronze horses, pulling models of the Emperor's chariots:



The bronze horses and chariots are on display, and here the crowds are in evidence. On the right a reconstruction illustration.

 

[Major]

Our guide told us they have found more than 15 mounds spread out over hundreds of acres and will not touch them until they solve that paint problem

 

[RooFlyer]

Got taxi back to the hotel and freshened up and had some snacks in the lounge before the trip to the airport for the flight back to HKG. While in the lounge, I reported the taxi / guide scam to the lounge host. I had a suspicion that the concierge, who arranged the taxi, may have been in on it, but remained silent on that, just allowing the hotel to (hopefully) take care of the particular driver.

Check-out was easy and I was then met by not only the duty manager, but the hotel general manager who both apologised for the taxi / guide thing (I said that wasn't necessary), and we had a nice chat. the GM came from Costa Rrica, but his family lived in Melbourne!

I got upgraded for the drive to the airport (to the Merc) and we whizzed past the old city wall:



Past endless dreary apartment blocks ...




... and a now-you-see-it, now-you-don't power station:





An hour to the airport in moderate to light traffic. I was for terminal 3, dedicated to flights to Hong Kong and Macau only. The airport is large. At the terminal entrance, they let you in in bunches of 8, and do a quick swap of everyone's bags for an explosives test. If, clear, they let you in. it was 2hr + 5 mins before departure. I had checked-in on-line, but they won't give you a BP. Have to front up in person. So I joined the short queue in the CX business lane. the agents were at their desks, obviously waiting for 2:00 to tick over. But then, some guy called all the agents out and off to one side. Seems like they had a team meeting, there and then. Went on for 5 mins or so, then they returned to their counters and check-in began. Through exit immigration and then into a lounge. I actually forget who ran it, but it was a "First Class" lounge and pretty good, for a regional airport. Nice comfy chairs and decent food and bev. I had a delicious beef and noodle dish for lunch





More of the lounge.

 

[RooFlyer]

Flight XIA to HKG was uneventful, and a nice view out the window. Dragonair had just been rebranded Cathay Dragon.




We landed at 6:40; got train, escalators etc; hit the immigration queue at 6:53; out of immigration 6:59; on train to downtown 7:06; train departed 7:07; arrive Hong Kong station 7:33pm; arrive at free H2 bus 7:36pm; bus departed 7:38; arrived Pullman Park Lane at Causeway Bay at 8:00 exactly Hong Kong does Christmas decorations well (sorry for coughpy pics - just out of bumpy (and fast!) bus).




My first stay at the Pullman Park Lane, Causeway Bay and it will be my last. More detail later, but the check-in exemplified things. Behind the counter are bright screens, in full show. What these are meant to do for the guests, I'm not sure; only distracting and disorienting for me. I soon learned that the Park Lane is a 'hip' hotel. Anyone that knows me knows that I am the antithesis of 'hip', so many of the facilities of the place were not targeted for my enjoyment. Besides the silly bright screens, when I enquired about hotel restaurants etc at check-in, I was dismissed with "Its all in the ap." Other than that, I could barely understand the check-in agent.

BTW, my regular hotel in HKG, the MIRA in Kowloon you would also call 'hip', however I've never had any problems there; the Pullman just seemed snooty.

I was initially staying here only 1 night, with a waitlist on SQ flights the next day. However in spite of Cruiser Elite's best efforts, the flights didn't clear, so I booked a second night. The first night was booked under 'guaranteed upgrade' (plus I'm Accor Plat) but I'm not sure if I got an upgrade or not. The 'upgrade' may have been to a renovated room.




Anyway, the room was nice. very white.

 

[RooFlyer]

Time for dinner. Three options I found out.

'Ebb and Flow' - that's the lobby bar, with menu snacks, and a 'no' from me; 'Skye', attached to the rooftop bar - sold out. So I went to 'Playt'. You have to exit the hotel and go into a mall corridor for about 15 metres to enter, and I was going to be shoved into a far corner, until I said 'house guest' and I was (reluctantly, I thought), given a table by the window.

There was an expensive buffet and a la carte. The buffet looked good, including a guy shucking fresh oysters, but at abt A$110, too rich for me. I got something off the menu and a Tsing Tao and was pretty happy. It was far more crowded than these pics indicate.




I would have had some [-]carp[/-] cough fish for sure, if I did the buffet.




After dinner I ventured to the rooftop bar for an aperitif, using my 'welcome drink' voucher. It was full of 'beautiful people', and drunk Anglo business people, making a lot of noise. The snotty little thing behind the bar said they wouldn't take the drink voucher (even for a 'house wine'), and said I should go to 'Ebb and Flow' to use it. I ordered a G&T off a rare passing waiter and when it didn't arrive after 10 minutes, and after I had done some photography, I left.




Back in my room I contented myself by attacking the excellent fruit platter in my room - it was all ripe and juicy and a much better deal than an expensive drink in an unpleasant location.




The morning revealed that my room had great views over Victoria Park at Causeway Bay. The RH pic is the view from the Executive Lounge at breakfast.

 

[RooFlyer]

Although I found many drawbacks with the Pullman, the Exec Lounge was very good. Good food & bev during the evening 'happy hour' and good attentive staff (including, I discovered later from jojen, one guy who was really good at the Langham, but who left when it became the Cordis).



So, I had a free day, with nothing planned. Hong Kong is one of my favourite cities in the world for this. I've visited many times, and seen just about everything I want to see, but I never have any problem in just mooching about. As it happens, there was something new - the Observation Wheel down by the ferry terminals. I rocked up on opening, and TKWIA - got a cabin to myself (actually by necessity - they have to spread the sparse pax out at the start). All the cabins are aircon. For adult price of HK$100 (abt A$18), you get three rotations, which is probably enough.






Then the Star Ferry, of course, and some Christmas window shopping in one of the Kowloon malls, making my way to my favourite place in Hong Kong - Kowloon Park. The Mira hotel used to be my main hang-out in HKG, and its right opposite this large and mainly tranquil park (its actually rather Singapore-esque in its lay-out and functioning). Waterfalls, ponds, birds and lots of trees ...

 

[RooFlyer]

Another look at Kowloon Park.




Back to the hotel; there is some sort of festival on at Victoria park. An interesting twin-hull cruiser in the harbour. Anyone recognise it?




I wanted to check out the sky garden on the roof of the hotel. Unfortunately there was a private function there which was scheduled to go to 11pm (and then clean-up the guy added helpfully, in case I dared to intrude there late) and I couldn't get up to the floor, so I went out to the SkyBar again.




On asking, I was told that there was another function in the SkyGarden again in the morning, so I wasn't able to see it at all. This is one of my top pet hates in hotels - they 'sell' the guests their facilities, and then they sell them again to private parties and deny guests the use, without notice. Dinner was a nasi goreng at Playt and then, just to be spiteful, I used the 'welcome drink' voucher in the lobby bar, as I wasn't allowed to use it at the skybar.

I have taken a set against the Pullman Park Lane. Having just come from Sofitel in Xi'an and Pullman at Aerocity, Delhi, this place rates a zero from me as an Accor Plat. Without that, I may as well go back to the Mira in Kowloon - much better located and MUCH more personable service, even without status.

 

[RooFlyer]

Off to the airport next morning. Check-out continued my bad impression of the Pullman - the check-out guy got confused about the security deposit I had left on check-in and wanted to cancel it and make a new charge, which is always a sill practice. However, immediately on stepping out the door, my day improved as the H2 shuttle bus pulled up just as I walked out . A queue at check-in at Hong Kong station, so straight onto the train (I'm HLO). Suites check-in not open at HKG (I guess sensible people in suites don't arrive too early!). Very long line at exit immigration.

The SQ F lounge is small-ish, but well laid out with a good buffet as well as an a la carte selection and waiter service.





The little work stations in the RH pic are a feature of most SQ lounges and are brilliant. Compact, private, allows you to either work on the laptop or even have a drink in relative privacy.




Ah. The ride has arrived, a little late. The HKG-SIN route must be very popular in suites. This was the leg that never cleared for the day before and so I had to fall back on my long booked suites flight, this day. The SIN-SYD leg in suites the day before did clear about 6 days before the flight, but because the HKG-SIN leg didn't clear, I couldn't use it.




I cost a new camera I want - Sony HX90V - as I do at most D/F. As at Doha, the "D/F" price at HKG is more expensive than the Australian retail price.

Anyway, we board about 40 mins late. I tried a panorama of the suite, but it didn't work all that well:





Conventional shots. The cabin was almost full. And when a couple asked for their kids - apparently travelling in J - to be able to sit in the unoccupied suite, its there.

 

[LadyC]

The kids were allowed to sit in F? Seems very unlike SQ to allow that unless it was actually an upgrade?

 

[Pushka]

It's extremely annoying when advertised and publically available rooms are booked for private functions but evening and next morning would blow a fuse.