Fake Holiday Inn near Zhangzhou International Airport, China
Jul 26, 2017, 2:58 am
#46
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: United Kingdom
Programs: AZ Exec, FB PFL, OneWorld Sapphire, IHG Diamond, Accor Platinum, Avis/Hertz President
Posts: 577
Great attitude Frank, as Doc Savage wrote.
Congratulations!
Remember this: Everything is possible! Nothing is allowed!
With this in mind, you will be able to enjoy China to the fullest.
Ciao
U
Jul 31, 2017, 2:33 am
#48
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Shanghai and Bavaria
Programs: Spire RA, 1865 Voyager, Bonvoy Titanium, FB LP, LH SEN.
Posts: 3,104
Calling HI hotels 假日 in Chinese was on the one hand a strike of genius, on the other hand it opened up a wide field of possibilities of perceived "fake" hotels.
Aug 8, 2017, 8:32 am
#49
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: IHG
Posts: 16
Back home safely and glad it is over for the trip. The weather is so hot everywhere this year. It was said that this year is the hottest in one hundred years!!! The air pollution in Shanghai is really bad. I almost passed out walking along the walkway of Shanghai Bund.
I have a few things learned from the trip. 1. Eat what you know unless you really want to experience something new and are ready to get sick. 2. Book hotels directly by using hotel websites or only stay in the hotel chain places you stayed before and have a good experience and do not trust recommendations from the hotel services at any airports. 3. If possible, do not travel during the summer in China. Too many people everywhere and too hot and humid. 4. Be open minded and moves on if you do not feel safe anywhere and stay off side streets and anyone who tries to offer you things or services that are too good to be true. 5. Take airplanes or high-speed trains and do not take slow or sleeper trains. 6. Get a DiDi app and take DiDi riding along for long distance trips within a city or call taxis if short distance. No rides from strangers who offer you a ride. 7. Do not go out alone if you are a single lady!!!
I have a few things learned from the trip. 1. Eat what you know unless you really want to experience something new and are ready to get sick. 2. Book hotels directly by using hotel websites or only stay in the hotel chain places you stayed before and have a good experience and do not trust recommendations from the hotel services at any airports. 3. If possible, do not travel during the summer in China. Too many people everywhere and too hot and humid. 4. Be open minded and moves on if you do not feel safe anywhere and stay off side streets and anyone who tries to offer you things or services that are too good to be true. 5. Take airplanes or high-speed trains and do not take slow or sleeper trains. 6. Get a DiDi app and take DiDi riding along for long distance trips within a city or call taxis if short distance. No rides from strangers who offer you a ride. 7. Do not go out alone if you are a single lady!!!
Aug 8, 2017, 9:17 pm
#50
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Earth. Residency:HKG formerly:YYZ
Programs: CX, DL, Nexus/GE, APEC
Posts: 10,682
Back home safely and glad it is over for the trip. The weather is so hot everywhere this year. It was said that this year is the hottest in one hundred years!!! The air pollution in Shanghai is really bad. I almost passed out walking along the walkway of Shanghai Bund.
I have a few things learned from the trip. 1. Eat what you know unless you really want to experience something new and are ready to get sick. 2. Book hotels directly by using hotel websites or only stay in the hotel chain places you stayed before and have a good experience and do not trust recommendations from the hotel services at any airports. 3. If possible, do not travel during the summer in China. Too many people everywhere and too hot and humid. 4. Be open minded and moves on if you do not feel safe anywhere and stay off side streets and anyone who tries to offer you things or services that are too good to be true. 5. Take airplanes or high-speed trains and do not take slow or sleeper trains. 6. Get a DiDi app and take DiDi riding along for long distance trips within a city or call taxis if short distance. No rides from strangers who offer you a ride. 7. Do not go out alone if you are a single lady!!!
I have a few things learned from the trip. 1. Eat what you know unless you really want to experience something new and are ready to get sick. 2. Book hotels directly by using hotel websites or only stay in the hotel chain places you stayed before and have a good experience and do not trust recommendations from the hotel services at any airports. 3. If possible, do not travel during the summer in China. Too many people everywhere and too hot and humid. 4. Be open minded and moves on if you do not feel safe anywhere and stay off side streets and anyone who tries to offer you things or services that are too good to be true. 5. Take airplanes or high-speed trains and do not take slow or sleeper trains. 6. Get a DiDi app and take DiDi riding along for long distance trips within a city or call taxis if short distance. No rides from strangers who offer you a ride. 7. Do not go out alone if you are a single lady!!!
Aug 8, 2017, 10:02 pm
#51
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Bangkok, Thailand. No longer Palm Coast, FL though still exiled, again, from the Bay Area.
Programs: Only the good ones
Posts: 5,153
Aug 9, 2017, 1:21 am
#52
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 456
LOL. I was thinking the same thing.
But going back to the "lessons learned"... let's be honest. Most of those are common sense when travelling in ANY country. And Shanghai pollution is NOTHING compared to Beijing.
Summer is a bad time to go ANY tourist destination, anywhere in the world. Try going to Hollywood, New York, Orlando, or similar places in the summer, it really isn't much better. Kids are out of school and families travel. Common sense. Going to or even near the general region of the most populated country in the world is asking to suffer. Once again, common sense. The "shady side streets" in major cities in China are nowhere near as dangerous as similar places in Western countries. There's far less violent crime in places like Shanghai and Beijing... they're more focused on con jobs and selling counterfeit luxury items than violent crime. More profitable and minimal trouble with law enforcement.
Oh and those strangers offering you rides... Haha. They're called "black taxis", basically illegal taxi operations. While I wouldn't hop on them if I were a single woman, I'm male so I've used them many a time. Never had a problem. Once again, more profitable and less trouble with law enforcement than actually robbing or even harming you.
Now bear in mind, this is for major cities only. Outside the big cities it can be the Wild Wild East. There are certain areas well known for just being generally violent.
But going back to the "lessons learned"... let's be honest. Most of those are common sense when travelling in ANY country. And Shanghai pollution is NOTHING compared to Beijing.
Summer is a bad time to go ANY tourist destination, anywhere in the world. Try going to Hollywood, New York, Orlando, or similar places in the summer, it really isn't much better. Kids are out of school and families travel. Common sense. Going to or even near the general region of the most populated country in the world is asking to suffer. Once again, common sense. The "shady side streets" in major cities in China are nowhere near as dangerous as similar places in Western countries. There's far less violent crime in places like Shanghai and Beijing... they're more focused on con jobs and selling counterfeit luxury items than violent crime. More profitable and minimal trouble with law enforcement.
Oh and those strangers offering you rides... Haha. They're called "black taxis", basically illegal taxi operations. While I wouldn't hop on them if I were a single woman, I'm male so I've used them many a time. Never had a problem. Once again, more profitable and less trouble with law enforcement than actually robbing or even harming you.
Now bear in mind, this is for major cities only. Outside the big cities it can be the Wild Wild East. There are certain areas well known for just being generally violent.
Aug 12, 2017, 8:35 am
#53
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: United Kingdom
Programs: AZ Exec, FB PFL, OneWorld Sapphire, IHG Diamond, Accor Platinum, Avis/Hertz President
Posts: 577
Not a chance, this is not true. Even a single lady may go out alone without any issue.
U.
Aug 17, 2017, 5:50 pm
#55
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: IHG
Posts: 16
Too many fake offers! I had a big problem with buying simcard at the airport terminal service station. The simcard worked for a week, then I was asked to go to a service station in Guangzhou only to retake photos. But my then, I left the city already and there was no way I am going back. The photos can not be taken at different city even though it is for the same cellphone company!!!
Aug 17, 2017, 6:31 pm
#56
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Bangkok, Thailand. No longer Palm Coast, FL though still exiled, again, from the Bay Area.
Programs: Only the good ones
Posts: 5,153
I'm not sure why, but when I first moved to China, it was never a problem for me to get a SIM with any of the major providers. I moved away for a few months and had lost my SIM (China Mobile,) and it was a major issue getting a replacement. Special office to go to and tons of paperwork, all to get a new number and SIM.
Aug 18, 2017, 7:57 pm
#57
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: IHG
Posts: 16
I'm not sure why, but when I first moved to China, it was never a problem for me to get a SIM with any of the major providers. I moved away for a few months and had lost my SIM (China Mobile,) and it was a major issue getting a replacement. Special office to go to and tons of paperwork, all to get a new number and SIM.
Aug 19, 2017, 9:29 am
#58
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: IHG
Posts: 16
True, if you know the language and know exactly where you want to go. Hopefully you are not going out to just for exploration.
Aug 19, 2017, 8:12 pm
#59
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: United Kingdom
Programs: AZ Exec, FB PFL, OneWorld Sapphire, IHG Diamond, Accor Platinum, Avis/Hertz President
Posts: 577
I do not go there for exploration, I still have a lot to explore in my own country first. I travel there for business and I do not find it so problematic.
With the latest translators for smartphones is becoming easier and easier to move around.
Younger Chinese are also more used to English and al lot prone to provide genuine help to foreigners.
It is not the kind of jungle we are portraying and with the right mindset it can be a pleasant experience.
U
Aug 20, 2017, 8:47 am
#60
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: IHG
Posts: 16
I do not go there for exploration, I still have a lot to explore in my own country first. I travel there for business and I do not find it so problematic.
With the latest translators for smartphones is becoming easier and easier to move around.
Younger Chinese are also more used to English and al lot prone to provide genuine help to foreigners.
It is not the kind of jungle we are portraying and with the right mindset it can be a pleasant experience.
U
With the latest translators for smartphones is becoming easier and easier to move around.
Younger Chinese are also more used to English and al lot prone to provide genuine help to foreigners.
It is not the kind of jungle we are portraying and with the right mindset it can be a pleasant experience.
U
