China - never a dull moment!

[Cruiser Elite]

30 mins to complete

 

[Foreigner]

30 mins to complete

Sounds impressive...I'm told by Chinese friends this place has several floors of optometrists/dispensers. They said it is on the opposite side of the airport, away from the city centre i.e. airport is between the city centre and this place. Anyway...will take script with me and see how I go.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

100's of shops over 4 floors I think - you won't be starved for choice.

As I posted earlier I actually purchased 4 pair - I now have a pair of glasses permanently planted in most places I am ever likely to need them - lounge room to watch TV - bedroom to watch TV - car - office - roller bag for travel - and still have a spare pair looking for a home - beats that 'oh cough I forgot my glasses' scenario - and at <$60 / pair to boot.

 

[TheEmu]

As I posted earlier I actually purchased 4 pair - I now have a pair of glasses permanently planted in most places I am ever likely to need them - lounge room to watch TV - bedroom to watch TV - car - office - roller bag for travel - and still have a spare pair looking for a home - beats that 'oh cough I forgot my glasses' scenario - and at <$60 / pair to boot.

Laughed out loud when I read that - been doing same...


.

 

[Foreigner]

Beware taxi drivers at Beijing airport. It looks like a common racket to extort crazy fares. I was asked for rmb280 to downtown which was cut down to rmb120, eventually.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Beware taxi drivers at Beijing airport. It looks like a common racket to extort crazy fares. I was asked for rmb280 to downtown which was cut down to rmb120, eventually.

Never experienced that at either PEK or PVG - did see it at SHA when SQ were still flying into there.

Indeed never experienced it either at any of the major railways stations - generally where there are the huge queuing situations like airports / train stations etc it is not attempted - wait outside a restaurant / bar / touristy market etc and be prepared for them to attempt to skin you.

Simple answer - walk away - grab another - not so easy when you already loaded up boot with a dozen bags etc - but sometimes only solution is walk away.

 

[PLC]

View attachment 19387View attachment 19388


Spotted these 15m long posters (one each side) in XinJieKou metro station (centre of town - largest, busiest station in NKG) and sent the photos to a wine industry contact in Oz. A week or so later a crew were strategically placing stickers on parts of the posters to blank out the naughty bits. Most of the stickers only lasted a few days. High turnover ad-placement area - the posters were gone after about 4 weeks.

Don't worry, it works both ways. A McLaren Vale winery claims (only in China) that the owners' family has been making wine since 1066. Their motto (in China) is "Since 1066, 947 years of family tradition" (translation mine). Funnily enough, they do not repeat the claim here...

But you can get away with anything in China.

 

[jetlagger]

Never experienced that at either PEK or PVG - did see it at SHA when SQ were still flying into there.

Indeed never experienced it either at any of the major railways stations - generally where there are the huge queuing situations like airports / train stations etc it is not attempted - wait outside a restaurant / bar / touristy market etc and be prepared for them to attempt to skin you.

Simple answer - walk away - grab another - not so easy when you already loaded up boot with a dozen bags etc - but sometimes only solution is walk away.

Around Guangzhou City I have experienced problems with unofficial copy taxis masquerading as the genuine article with fast running meters & also change given in copy money.
I am always wary nowadays, particularly at night.

 

[PLC]

Around Guangzhou City I have experienced problems with unofficial copy taxis masquerading as the genuine article with fast running meters & also change given in copy money.

Wow. You almost have to admire that.

 

[TheEmu]

Beware taxi drivers at Beijing airport. It looks like a common racket to extort crazy fares. I was asked for rmb280 to downtown which was cut down to rmb120, eventually.

Never experienced that at either PEK or PVG - did see it at SHA when SQ were still flying into there.

Indeed never experienced it either at any of the major railways stations - generally where there are the huge queuing situations like airports / train stations etc it is not attempted - wait outside a restaurant / bar / touristy market etc and be prepared for them to attempt to skin you.

Simple answer - walk away - grab another - not so easy when you already loaded up boot with a dozen bags etc - but sometimes only solution is walk away.

Usually plenty of dodgy cabs touting for fares as tourists from PVG get off the Maglev at Longyanglu, transferring to the Metro or looking for a real cab. I've also had to dissuade a few taxi touts at PEK before exiting the terminal. The number of blokes approaching to sell dodgy iPhones inside electronics stores in plain view of store security tells me that there's plenty of back-handers going around.

 

[sinophile888]

Around Guangzhou City I have experienced problems with unofficial copy taxis masquerading as the genuine article with fast running meters & also change given in copy money.
I am always wary nowadays, particularly at night.

Thanks for that tip, jetlagger. We will be there twice in November, doing a mattress run staying at each Hilton. We were also there about this time last year, but no problems with taxis from the hotel.

 

[jetlagger]

Thanks for that tip, jetlagger. We will be there twice in November, doing a mattress run staying at each Hilton. We were also there about this time last year, but no problems with taxis from the hotel.

Hilton GZ Tianhe is nice..

Someone I know got duped with the copy money trick out of the Holiday Inn. It's notorious during the Canton Fair.
Apparently the taxi cartel buy the 100 RMB notes for 16 RMB. Significant margins there :evil:

 

[sinophile888]

Hilton GZ Tianhe is nice..

Someone I know got duped with the copy money trick out of the Holiday Inn. It's notorious during the Canton Fair.
Apparently the taxi cartel buy the 100 RMB notes for 16 RMB. Significant margins there :evil:

We usually try to have plenty of change when catching taxis so we can give the required amount to the driver plus a little tip and not need any change. We virtually never carry 500 RMB notes.
We stayed at Hilton GZ Tianhe last time and loved it. This time both Tianhe and then on to Wuhan for a few days and then back to Hilton GZ Baiyun.

 

[jetlagger]

We usually try to have plenty of change when catching taxis so we can give the required amount to the driver plus a little tip and not need any change. We virtually never carry 500 RMB notes.
We stayed at Hilton GZ Tianhe last time and loved it. This time both Tianhe and then on to Wuhan for a few days and then back to Hilton GZ Baiyun.

Great MO.
Look forward to your review of Hilton GZ Baiyun.

 

[sinophile888]

We virtually never carry 500 RMB notes.

I can now reveal that we never carry 500 RMB notes, or , if we do, they are certainly fake. I do all the planning and booking for our holidays, but my husband takes charge of passports, visas, luggage and money. This division of labour seems to work well. Especially as I don't even know the highest denomination of the currency.
My husband has stopped shopkeepers from giving us change in jiao or fen, instead of yuan.

 

[Foreigner]

In one of airport lounges, i was asked to submit passport to access Internet by wi-fi. A number of other lounges didn't require passport.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

In one of airport lounges, i was asked to submit passport to access Internet by wi-fi. A number of other lounges didn't require passport.

Standard practice - welcome to the 'World of Paranoia at the hands of Chinese Authorities'.

 

[whatmeworry]

This report came out last year, but is always worth a chuckle.

Chinese man sues wife after

 

[jetlagger]

Found this interesting signboard in China recently : :shock:

 

[jetlagger]

Also this one..