China - never a dull moment!

[Cruiser Elite]

And just when you thought fast food is boring!

 

[Cruiser Elite]

I needed to bring home this sample bicycle back to MEL with me - carton size 130cm X 25cm X 55cm Wt20kg - well within SQ's checked baggage limit of 220cm X 75cm X 80cm Wt 32 kg - if I can carry on plane saves me USD550 in courier fees:



So I go to check it in and am asked 'What is inside carton Sir?' - 'Bicycle' - 'OK does bicycle have gears?' - ''Well yes - almost every bicycle has gears' - 'Sorry Sir if bicycle has gears cannot check in' - ' What?' - 'If bicycle has gears cannot check in' - 'Why?' - 'No why Sir - cannot check in' - 'OK so bicycle does not have gears' - 'OK can check in then!'

OMG - China - never a dull moment!

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Gotta love the snacks in CA F Lounge - on the left 'spicy coated peanuts' - on the right 'beef coated peanuts':



Interesting concept huh? Spicy I can believe - beef coated? Whole lotta bull I am calling! Thank god for the plonk!

 

[Cruiser Elite]

@MEL - didn't I read you are off to PVG soon MEL? To all don't forget Security Channel 26 post immig on dep - it's to extreme right one you pass through immig - sign above Channel reads VIP, First and Business Class - VIP includes Diplomats and APEC card holders - when I dep PVG last Tue whilst dep relatively empty intense degree of security checks these days means longer and longer lines so head to 26 - it's a god send!

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Check in at PVG with this carton last Tues aft - carton dims 130cm x 25cm x 55cm Wt 25kg and as you can see BICYCLE clearly stamped on side:



I plonked carton onto check in scales and this is conversation that followed:

Check in Agent: What is in carton Sir?
Me: It is a bicycle.
Check in Agent: Does the bicycle have gears?
Me: Well yes - almost all bicycles have gears.
Check in Agent: Sorry cannot check in.
Me: Why?
Check in Agent: Cannot check in bicycle with gears.
Me: Why not?
Check in Agent: No why - cannot check in.
Me: OK - so the bicycle does not have gears.
Check in Agent: OK can check in then
Me: (Thought only) OMG

I then proceeded to follow the check in agent to the Oversize Baggage check in area because carton too large to go up standard conveyer - they slid it onto conveyer - through xray scanner - all is good - thank you Sir - OMG - China - Never A Dull Moment huh?

 

[docjames]

Gotta love the snacks in CA F Lounge - on the left 'spicy coated peanuts' - on the right 'beef coated peanuts':

View attachment 71304

Interesting concept huh? Spicy I can believe - beef coated? Whole lotta bull I am calling!

You know it's the F lounge - they are the "Good Taste Series".

As opposed to the other series they offer in the J lounge?

 

[Steady]

I needed to bring home this sample bicycle back to MEL with me - carton size 130cm X 25cm X 55cm Wt20kg - well within SQ's checked baggage limit of 220cm X 75cm X 80cm Wt 32 kg - if I can carry on plane saves me USD550 in courier fees:

So I go to check it in and am asked 'What is inside carton Sir?' - 'Bicycle' - 'OK does bicycle have gears?' - ''Well yes - almost every bicycle has gears' - 'Sorry Sir if bicycle has gears cannot check in' - ' What?' - 'If bicycle has gears cannot check in' - 'Why?' - 'No why Sir - cannot check in' - 'OK so bicycle does not have gears' - 'OK can check in then!'

OMG - China - never a dull moment!

Check in at PVG with this carton last Tues aft - carton dims 130cm x 25cm x 55cm Wt 25kg and as you can see BICYCLE clearly stamped on side:

I plonked carton onto check in scales and this is conversation that followed:

Check in Agent: What is in carton Sir?
Me: It is a bicycle.
Check in Agent: Does the bicycle have gears?
Me: Well yes - almost all bicycles have gears.
Check in Agent: Sorry cannot check in.
Me: Why?
Check in Agent: Cannot check in bicycle with gears.
Me: Why not?
Check in Agent: No why - cannot check in.
Me: OK - so the bicycle does not have gears.
Check in Agent: OK can check in then
Me: (Thought only) OMG

I then proceeded to follow the check in agent to the Oversize Baggage check in area because carton too large to go up standard conveyer - they slid it onto conveyer - through xray scanner - all is good - thank you Sir - OMG - China - Never A Dull Moment huh?

Deja vu

 

[Foreigner]

Any AFFers were in China 27 years ago today?

June 3 was the beginning of the end of Tiananmen Square democracy movement protests. The following day protestors were cleared but the crackdown cost so many lives.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Deja vu

OMG Steady - I gotta get off the plonk - sorry.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Get a load of this - I just gotta here here!

 

[hummel]

So been back in Guangzhou/Foshan the past week, using metro and also Uber for the first time in China.

1) Uber going well till today I was going from Guangzhou > Foshan - Should take 1 hour. Nope we had the tiniest of scrapes with another car, proceed to block 3 lanes of 4 lane main highway. Argue, pull over and then drive to some bloke around the corner and take photos of the scratch (that small I thought it was dirt and I didn't even feel it) End result: 2.5hr trip - I have asked for a refund from Uber.

2) Tonight grabbing some things in the mall at Watsons pharmac_. Just minding my own business when I look to the left and see jr taking his nappy off and just doing no1's all over the floor while mum and grandma are buying perfume. I pointed it out to them, they were shocked but still made sure they got the right scent and paid for it - while the staff had to clean up the mess.

 

[mushez]

1) Uber going well till today I was going from Guangzhou > Foshan - Should take 1 hour. Nope we had the tiniest of scrapes with another car, proceed to block 3 lanes of 4 lane main highway. Argue, pull over and then drive to some bloke around the corner and take photos of the scratch (that small I thought it was dirt and I didn't even feel it) End result: 2.5hr trip - I have asked for a refund from Uber.

Yeah, the whole way you sort out accidents in China sux - need to resolve who is to blame and full resolution with payment of said resolution before departing the scene on the day. Let them walk away without resolution, you are accepting no resolution will take place. Physically man handling someone to stay at the scene to allow police to arrive is normal part of course. Police are mediators, they do not determine anything.

Then afterwards, you file claim with your insurance and win or lose depending on how much resolution you gained from the other parties and then what days later your insurance agrees to. Not abnormal for the person not to be at fault to be 5,000RMB out of pocket cause who crashed into them didn't have money and claimed poverty on the day, so after hours you cave to what they are set on all they can offer, and your insurance has interesting opinions of value and liability.

If you are in a crash with any taxi etc in China, 3 hours write off would be normal, and best just try to hail another taxi, resolve any fare with current taxi, and move on to leave them too it. Might actually take losing face pressure off the car you are in by leaving them with no pressures to accept and resolve to get you to your destination and help them in the long run.

 

[hummel]

Yeah, the whole way you sort out accidents in China sux - need to resolve who is to blame and full resolution with payment of said resolution before departing the scene on the day. Let them walk away without resolution, you are accepting no resolution will take place. Physically man handling someone to stay at the scene to allow police to arrive is normal part of course. Police are mediators, they do not determine anything.

Then afterwards, you file claim with your insurance and win or lose depending on how much resolution you gained from the other parties and then what days later your insurance agrees to. Not abnormal for the person not to be at fault to be 5,000RMB out of pocket cause who crashed into them didn't have money and claimed poverty on the day, so after hours you cave to what they are set on all they can offer, and your insurance has interesting opinions of value and liability.

If you are in a crash with any taxi etc in China, 3 hours write off would be normal, and best just try to hail another taxi, resolve any fare with current taxi, and move on to leave them too it. Might actually take losing face pressure off the car you are in by leaving them with no pressures to accept and resolve to get you to your destination and help them in the long run.

Cheers for the explanation. Sort of makes sense in a Chinese way haha

Wanted to jump into another Uber/Taxi but was too far from anywhere for it work properly...

 

[Simo]

I have been to China once and it was a eye opener... Anything that has happened there would not surprise me

 

[michaelj]

Travelling from Nanjing to Wuxi a year or so ago.....our driver caused a very minor accident with another car only a few minutes into our trip. Both cars stopped in the middle of the road, much arguing as above etc. Our Chinese man explained what was going on, so my Aussie mate and I offered 200RMB to other driver (our initiative). Everyone was happy and off we drove. Soon, like only 10 minutes later, we had another minor scrape, but this time our driver was not at fault. Another traffic stopping argument ensued and sure enough the other driver soon handed our guy a few 100RMB. He got back in the car, handed us our previous payment and off we went amidst much laughter and cheering. We were hoping for a few more scrapes along the way.

It certainly made what would normally be a boring trip somewhat entertaining! By the way, this is a true story.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

I forgot to post this little 'tit-bit' - when departing PVG a couple months back I checked bags and proceeded to immig - as I was being processed 2 officer came and grabbed me and asked:

Are you Mr Cruiser Elite?
YES I am why?
Can we please see your baggage stubbs?
Well OK - why?
Your bag is vibrating Sir - we need you to come open your bags please.

OMG - WTF - so I wander off with officers out a side door where they have my 2 bags sitting all alone - about 5mtrs away you can hear the vibration - imm I thought electric shaver has turned on and causing vibration sound - but when opening bag we discovered it was electric tooth brush that has turned on when pressing against something in toiletries bag - god it was causing a din:



Security officers pissed themselves with laughter - my heart palpitations slowly calmed - gotta tell you - when approached by security staff and asked can you come check your bags with us it just aint good for your health!

 

[mushez]

Travelling from Nanjing to Wuxi a year or so ago.....our driver caused a very minor accident with another car only a few minutes into our trip. Both cars stopped in the middle of the road, much arguing as above etc. Our Chinese man explained what was going on, so my Aussie mate and I offered 200RMB to other driver (our initiative). Everyone was happy and off we drove. Soon, like only 10 minutes later, we had another minor scrape, but this time our driver was not at fault. Another traffic stopping argument ensued and sure enough the other driver soon handed our guy a few 100RMB. He got back in the car, handed us our previous payment and off we went amidst much laughter and cheering. We were hoping for a few more scrapes along the way.

It certainly made what would normally be a boring trip somewhat entertaining! By the way, this is a true story.

My understanding is most are - like 99% are - settled for 500 RMB or less. The whole settlement of to get to a final figure is a national sport - and guess more points gained for the more other motorist you inconvenience in the process. Likewise, most not at fault persons are still left forking out to fix their damage, as often is a shortfall in insurance. But then, if it was on your 10 year old car, and you know the automatic write-off is required of it when it is 12 years old - it is not that hard to accept - and some small fender benders can bring an early end to a car's life.

And yes, any car in China older than 12 years, is technically written off and must be scrapped under Chinese Law . . . . . . . or goes to some very remote province and location where the police can be bribed annually to temporally forget the age rule when they see it.

 

[mushez]

Booked yesterday a flight BNE-SHA 28-31st July - getting withdrawal symptoms. $840 booked in Y with CZ - cause 2 x 23kg baggage allowance. Cheaper (and hello what forum are we on) than the $1,400 to TNT (& duty) up 46kg of goods and ship back another and different 46kg of goods. If I get converted to CZ or regret and miss EK via SIN & MU onwards we will see - somehow I think I will be sucking it up and use it as a remind myself of why I value my EK status and have a low expectation of CZ - but SHA-CAN is scheduled to be 787, so that will be my first 787 flight. I still plan to try MU when they launch direct BNE service from ..... now delayed to December 16, but will be Daily at this point now.

 

[lowan74]

Booked yesterday a flight BNE-SHA 28-31st July - getting withdrawal symptoms. $840 booked in Y with CZ - cause 2 x 23kg baggage allowance. Cheaper (and hello what forum are we on) than the $1,400 to TNT (& duty) up 46kg of goods and ship back another and different 46kg of goods. If I get converted to CZ or regret and miss EK via SIN & MU onwards we will see - somehow I think I will be sucking it up and use it as a remind myself of why I value my EK status and have a low expectation of CZ - but SHA-CAN is scheduled to be 787, so that will be my first 787 flight. I still plan to try MU when they launch direct BNE service from ..... now delayed to December 16, but will be Daily at this point now.

Enjoy your flight on CZ. You do need to reset expectations somewhat after being used to airlines like QF, EK, SQ, MH etc in Y. CZ is somewhat basic. However, I generally find them much better than MU. Living in Beijing currently I tend to travel CA or HU by first preference, then CZ, then others..

 

[mushez]

Enjoy your flight on CZ. You do need to reset expectations somewhat after being used to airlines like QF, EK, SQ, MH etc in Y. CZ is somewhat basic. However, I generally find them much better than MU. Living in Beijing currently I tend to travel CA or HU by first preference, then CZ, then others..

Oh - I know. My last CZ flight was two months ago, BKK-CAN-SHA - which I had a 6.5 hour delay in CAN for flight to SHA, so total transit blew out from 3 hours to 9.5 hours. I have quite a good idea what I am in for. Last did BNE-PVG with CZ back in 2011 - which was twice then, and after then doing via SIN with overnight stop overs. But then I am going into (well will try) with a fresh mind to see if CZ can blow me off my feet by delivering better than my very low expectations.

Seriously considering grabbing a Footlong Sub in BNE prior to boarding, to eat during the flight instead of what they choose to serve.