China, Korea and a little bit (of Japan) on the side

[Justinf]

As I feared, the room temp was on the warm side with no way of putting air-con on. Thankfully I could open a window snd with temp around 3 degrees outside, that should cool things down.
I headed out in search of a beer.
Walked down the Walking Street, but that contains
As I feared, the room temp was on the warm side with no way of putting air-con on. Thankfully I could open a window snd with temp around 3 degrees outside, that should cool things down.
I headed out in search of a beer.
Walked down the Walking Street, but that contains high-end shops and shopping centres.
Couldn’t find a spot anywhere.
If anyone can help me out, that would be good. Just a place to have a couple of quiet beers.

 

[Justinf]

Decided to call it quits.
Went to 7/11 and stocked up on water and bought a couple of Tsing Taos to have in my room.
AliPay worked fine.
Just checked my bill.
I bought 2 big bottles of water, 1 big bottle of Coke, 2 500ml beers, two microwave meals, and a 200ml bottle of god knows what spirit to have with the coke and it cost AUD$16.
What the? That’s superb.
I have a Forbidden City tour walk tomorrow at 1pm. I reckon I’ll sleep pretty well.

 

[JackMiles]

Just checked my bill.
I bought 2 big bottles of water, 1 big bottle of Coke, 2 500ml beers, two microwave meals, and a 200ml bottle of god knows what spirit to have with the coke and it cost AUD$16.
What the? That’s superb.

Haha, jaysus, that IS good! Let's see. In Australia:

• 2 big bottles of water = ~$10
• 1 big bottle of Coke = ~$5
• 2 500ml beers = ~$12
• two microwave meals = ~$20 (BTW, funny you decided to (or probably didn't consciously decide but just did) switch from numerals to spelling out the number here)
• 200ml bottle of god knows what spirit = ~$20

Total = $67

 

[Justinf]

Haha, jaysus, that IS good! Let's see. In Australia:

• 2 big bottles of water = ~$10
• 1 big bottle of Coke = ~$5
• 2 500ml beers = ~$12
• two microwave meals = ~$20 (BTW, funny you decided to (or probably didn't consciously decide but just did) switch from numerals to spelling out the number here)
• 200ml bottle of god knows what spirit = ~$20

Total = $67

I’m a journalist so style is to always spell out numerals under 10.
But on here, I sometimes slip up.
Honestly when I checked my card statement, I thought $60 easy.

 

[JackMiles]

I’m a journalist so style is to always spell out numerals under 10.
But on here, I sometimes slip up.
Honestly when I checked my card statement, I thought $60 easy.

Yeah, I'm familiar with that style guideline, but don't follow it. At least, not to the letter (numeral) though perhaps somewhat to the spirit. No criticism meant. As I said, it was just funny to me that you switched. I dare say that would be funny and interesting to almost nobody else.

 

[markis10]

A bottle of Ballantine’s or JW Scotch will set you back $12 at Walmart for 700ml. I usually grab a few Tsing Tao for the room at $1.5 each. Wine is still bad price wise, that will change eventually.

 

[Justinf]

Wine is very expensive. A bottle of table wine that you would pay $9 in Aus is $25 here.

 

[Justinf]

Zero would be the correct amount.

I get that tipping in china is not done but apparently tour guides are different?

 

[Justinf]

Was asleep by 8pm, which was 11pm by the old body clock.
And of course I woke up at 5am.
Lazed around in bed for most of the morning before heading out for a walk.
Temperature was 1 degree, but there was a northerly blowing from Siberia that could cut you in half. Wind chill factor made it absolutely freezing.
I met the tour guide for the Forbidden City and at 1pm we were on our way.
Six in the group including me. A couple from Korea, a young guy from the Netherlands (hell of a nice guy), a guy from Mexico who seemed OK, and a bloke from Brazil who was an absolute flog.
After getting our tickets, it was through security and into the City.
This stretch of water was frozen over.



I’m a pretty good judge of character and I could tell early on the Brazilian was a bit of a tool, but it became more and more apparent.
The guide, Maggie, was Chinese and she pronounced ‘lions’ as ‘lines’. Well the flog picked her up on any phonetic mistakes. Yep, he was that kind of knob. Maggie’s English was very good but old mate had some sort of superiority complex.
He was also the one to ask questions, but questions that had already been answered if he’d actually paid attention instead of taking photos when Maggie was speaking. He was always last to meet back with the group, after time, and I was struggling to contain myself.
I kid you not, today was the coldest I have been in my life and that includes -37 in Yellowknife and -30 in Alaska.
It was brutal.
The poor Dutch kid had come totally unprepared clothing wise and I was seriously concerned for him. I had a big puffer jacket, beanie and running gloves and was still in pain.
Of course Mr Brazil was unable to read the room and kept us waiting at each stop. I pulled him aside, told him to look at the freezing people in our group, me one of them, and ‘politely’ suggested he get his head from his cough and thank about others rather than himself.

 

[Justinf]

The Forbidden City was gorgeous and amazing that this could all be done hundreds of years ago.
Maggie’s commentary was terrific.

 

[Justinf]

We saw the Emporer’s quarters and those of his concubines and their eunuchs.
I made a joke about all the blokes on our tour may as well be eunuchs given the weather conditions, but it went right over everyone’s head. I thought it was hilarious.
Here’s our group. Guess which one is the knob, and don’t say the one on the far left because that’s me, although technically you would not be incorrect.

 

[Justinf]

We kept going.

 

[Justinf]

At the end of the tour we were told the gates closed at 4.30pm. It was 4.10pm and the easiest and closest way back to my hotel was to backtrack.
I certainly didn’t expect to grab these pics of a deserted Forbidden City.

 

[Justinf]

My knees have been giving me serious grief over the last 12 months and normally I would have taken a shower and headed out for a beer. I’m would have but the brew pubs are located a taxi or didi ride away and I was spent. There weee steps today but not heaps. Still it was a struggle.
Went to a wine and liquor store a few doors down from my hotel and bought a decent bottle of cab sav and settled for a night in.
Upon returning, some old white guy was screaming at the staff for the Great Wall tour he went on claiming he was lied to in that ‘there were thousands of steps’ and he couldn’t walk them.
I hate people.
My knees won’t enjoy the Great Wall tomorrow, but it is what it is.
I’m getting picked up at 9am so a quiet night in for me.

 

[rbjhan]

We saw the Emporer’s quarters and those of his concubines and their eunuchs.
I made a joke about all the blokes on our tour may as well be eunuchs given the weather conditions, but it went right over everyone’s head. I thought it was hilarious.
Here’s our group. Guess which one is the knob, and don’t say the one on the far left because that’s me, although technically you would not be incorrect.
View attachment 428660

3rd form left?
Oh well the Dutch guy is seriously under-dressed!

 

[Justinf]

3rd form left?
Oh well the Dutch guy is seriously under-dressed!

You win a prize for a correct guess.
It’s a wave. No monetary prizes.

Yeah poor bugger was verging on hypothermia.

 

[Gladstone Tim]

You win a prize for a correct guess.
It’s a wave. No monetary prizes.

Yeah poor bugger was verging on hypothermia.

He was my pick too.

 

[Justinf]

He was my pick too.

You win the runner-up prize.

 

[Justinf]

An awesome Chinese guy just knocked on my door to let me know it wasn’t closed properly.
I like people again.

 

[rbjhan]

You win a prize for a correct guess.
It’s a wave. No monetary prizes.

Yeah poor bugger was verging on hypothermia.

He has that vibe even in a photo!