Originally Posted by
narvik
I thought you wrote you are both meeting up in Japan? You could have organized it for your mother, and given the phone to / or setup her phone in Japan for her.
Maybe I misunderstood, sorry.
She lives in Spain, I live in England, we’ll be meeting in Osaka for a few days half way through her month long visit to Japan. I am carefully spoon feeding her what she’ll need to use in and get around Kansai and Eastern Shikoku, there’s not going to be much head space left to retain information about navigating modern China for a few hours, especially if it’s coming from someone (me) who is also clueless.
Originally Posted by
narvik
If she's with a tour group, she'll undoubtedly get other kind souls to help her out.
Hard to say, but if the tour is long enough, she will likely end up being THAT group member that will end up relying on the goodheartedness of all others who DID bother to get setup before their trip to China.
The trip.com SHA tour group discussed in this thread is the only kind she’d ever consider joining. It’s short, but mainly, it’s free. Hopefully she can join one of the two later tours on her return trip. She’d happily not eat or drink, or even go to the toilet, throughout a full day rather than put someone at an inconvenience, but if something is genuinely and freely offered there is no more enthusiastic receiver (or giver)
As there is no free equivalent to the SHA tours in PEK there is no possibility of her joining a tour there.
Originally Posted by
narvik
AREX sounds so Korean.
You are right. I spent August in Tokyo with my daughter and spent our layovers near ICN. I am easily confused; HEX, N’EX, AREX and now the ABC (whilst I’m buying passes for the ACTV and figuring out how Boston’s Blue Line works). I am dreadful with acronyms and have mussed up.
Originally Posted by
narvik
If wanting to go from PEK to Dongzhimen she'd be using the Capital Airport Express (or ABC: 'Airport Beijing City') part of the Beijing Subway system.
Thank you, that’s the route I had in mind, have used the trip.com portal to get her a room at the HIX (the IHG site demanded Alipay or WeChat for a reservation) I’m sending a local map image of Dongzhimen and where the HIX is by email to her neighbour to print out for her to take with her.
Originally Posted by
narvik
The kiosks should accept credit cards and cash.
Phew! Glad that hasn’t changed.
Originally Posted by
narvik
Please don't tell us she only has Discover or American Express. It will be MC or Visa only.
No, just MC and/or Visa.
Originally Posted by
narvik
Was wondering why there was no question in your OP.
Yes there was: “
What are the limits of Beijing to an elderly foreigner with lifelong research-aversion?” And I then explained that the research aversion meant that she wouldn’t have a connected smart phone.
Originally Posted by
narvik
There seems to be a resistance to any suggestions - I now see where your mother gets it from!
No resistance, I just have a good understanding of the materials I’m working with.
Originally Posted by
IluvSQ
Don't worry - cash is still king.
I am a veteran of over 100 trips to China over the years, and have never used anything but cash or credit cards,
and still do.
This has actually made me feel a little less anxious, thank you!