Category: Travel

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Travel

A small incident

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Cell phone, or Shou Ji (mobile phone) as being called in China, is a daily necessity in China. Everyone, I mean pretty much everyone from the migrant worker to company CEOs, got a cell phone, because they need to talk to someone. Yesterday, I got into a small incident because I don’t have a cell phone with me.

I went to Shanghai South Railway Station to pick up my wife, because she got my phone, I was without a phone. I waited outside the station as her train arrived. First, I asked a guy who is calling someone if I could borrow his phone for a minute. He was a nice guy and agreed. But obviously my wife did not follow my instruction and went to another exit, while I was anxiously waiting. The nice guy already met his friends and left. I had to ask for help from other “not too nice” people. First I asked a guy who look like a white collar worker, to add some incentice I offered one Yuan (CNY) which in highsight is not a good idea. The guy refused. I went to asked a middle aged lady, she refused too. So I was helpless. I saw a migrant worker who was text messaging and asked the same question. He looked at me suspicously. When I offered one Yuan, he said firmly “No”. I left hopeless, and said angrily “all right, I will offer $50”. That did the trick. The young boy realized I was probablly not a bad person, and he offered his phone free of charge. At the same time, my dear wife showed up and cleared my “falsed guilty”. I appoligized to the young boy couple times.

Afterthought

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Travel

In Shanghai now

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(Update) Yesterday Dec 15 is also a historical day in China/Taiwan relationship: the direct flight, shipping and mail all opened, after almost 60 years of disruption. Expect more mainland travellers to Taiwan, and more Taiwan fruits in China.

(Original) Have some interesting stuff to say about the trip. But I could not connect to my own blog STLPlace. So I am using this backup place.

Couple interesting things:

1) Saw lots of Chinese college kids on the airplane. More and more Chinese parents send their (only) child to the US for high school and college.

2) Hot temper of traveller and flight attendent. The guy behind me got a verbal fight with the Cantonese host (he is a guy). Eventually an American hostess came to calm the customer. I guess American has the older hostess for a reason: they have the patience.

3) Shanghai impression: first impression was not good because I felt the air is dirty at PVG airport and the bus. But once I am settled in hotel and went out for food, I felt at ease walking down the street and I loved the Gui Lin Mi Xian.

PS, just found out this blog is blocked by the GFW, wonder why dont they spend time and energy doing better things?

Categories
Economy Travel

Visit Shanghai

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Amid all these financial crisis, I will fly to Shanghai tomorrow: not to rescue the economy but I will get first hand glimpse on China economy. Shanghai is the economy center of China, just like New York is the financial center of the US.

The mood in the US is not good. The Big 3 car makers are still waiting for the emergency fund from the White House and Treasury. The governor of Illinois is allegedly involved in “selling the president elect’s senate seat”, things we usually heard from developing democracy. This incident also put some clouds on the president elect’s leadership. Leadership? Did we ever see any leadership in this country lately, except bailout the Wall Street guys (Bear, Fannie/Freddie, AIG, TARP, Citi,…).

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CFA Travel

Back from Chicago

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First I would like to say Chicago is freezing cold. I did not spend much time outside, but I did feel it when I was waiting for the bus and train from Midway to hotel (and back). It’s a short trip, 29 hours exactly (4PM yesteday to 9PM today), and the main purpose was taking (retake) CFA I test at McCormick Place, one of the top exhibition center in North America.

Hyatt Regency McCormick Place
It’s decent, although not perfect considering its $179 (pre-tax) room rate. I can hear some noise from the neighbour or the hallway. And the comforter (quilt) in hotels seems always too thin for me. The bed is good (I am thinking buying the Hyatt Grand Bed/mattress now). Two features I found interesing (and useful), the self check out kiosk and the board pass printing kiosk.

fastboard boarding pass print kiosk

CFA test scene

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Life Tips Travel

Expedia Citi Premier Card

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When I was booking the Hyatt hotel at Expedia a while ago, it offered me the Expedia Citi Premier Card.

Expedia Citi Premier Card

I went ahead and did it, to get the $50 off for the first purchase (the hotel booking). They do offer another card, which gives back up to $100, with an annual fee of $75. I decided I don’t want that 🙂

Interestingly, Citi only gave me $2,000 credit limit. I remember earlier this year, Citi gave me $4,000 on the Professional card. Just another sign the bank is tightening the credit (lending).

To be fair Citi is not the worst, JP Morgan appears to be more strict. Earlier this year when I asked them about Home Equity Line of Credit, they gave me a same credit limit as I have now with a rate higher than my current rate. What’s more recently I received a mail from them, they are closing a dormant credit card of mine. I am just curious:

What are the money Treasury give to those banks? Did they put it under mattress?

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Life Tips Travel

Bought air ticket to PVG China

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Friday evening I was checking out the air fare for the planned China trip later this year. And I found aa.com price irresistible: $1000 from STL to PVG. So I jumped on it. With sky high gas price (and jet fuel), this price seems cheap to me. I remember last year I paid close to $1100 for similar air ticket.

So why is the price relatively cheaper? I think one reason is AA needs cash (unearned revenue in this case) badly. Another less likely reason is AA thinks oil price will go down. Separately, I read from news the airline executives wrote an open letter to ask congress to clamp down on the oil speculators, because according to the airlines “oil speculators drove up the oil price”. I see two problems in this argument: 1) Airlines also hedge their jet fuel positions, i.e., they are speculators too; 2) Speculators can cause short term price volatility, but in longer term, it’s the supply and demand determine the price. It seems the airlines executives forgot the Econ 101 here 🙂

Odds and Ends
Here in St. Louis, some churchs are organizing prayers for “lower oil price”. Reminds me in ancient China the farmers praying for “good weather/havest season”. In modern days I have seen people praying for “stock prices going up”.

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Travel

Shanghai budget hotels

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Looking for a cheap but clean (decent) place stay in Shanghai? I revisited this issue and have the following observations.

1) Home Inns, Jinjiang Inn, Motel 168 and Hanting Hotels are not the cheapest. But they offer the best value in terms of location (near metro station or major business center). I have stayed in Home Inns (Rujia) and Jinjiang Inn, they are both good. Motel 168 usually has bigger room, but not as efficent or cozy as the Rujia or Jinjiang. Never stayed in Hanting but they are growing very fast (recently they got another around of VC money, $85 m). Hanting should also be good because its founder Ji Qi is a person into details (hint: he is from Jiangsu province).

2) There are so called “Zhao Dai Shuo”, and their prices are slightly lower compared to the big four. But they are not as nice as the big four. Some have smaller rooms; some need to share the bath room, etc. They will exist in the market as long as there are some customers want to save a little, and their service is not too bad.

3) Hostels: we found this Maggie International Youth Hostel on Tianshan Rd., it was set up in a senior living compound. We checked out the room. Both 4 bed room (50 Yuan per night) and the double bed room (160 per room) are clean. From budget point of view, this is probablly the best deal 50 Yuan can buy in Shanghai.

maggie youth hostel

Categories
China Travel

Consumer Series II: Budget Hotels

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I was on the train from Shanghai to Lan’xi today. The train station was crowded, reminding me of my college days: at one time I was so afraid of stuck in the train during winter break, I told my mom I would stay in the campus.

I saw lots of leisure travellers on the train, some are “stand room only”. Hangzhou and Jinghua are two popular places for leisure travellers. I talked to a family from Tianjin: they took the train to Jinghua. They regret not taking the plane now because the train is so crowded. The difference between air ticket and train ticket is about 1000 Yuan. I heard the airlines lowered some tickets this time due to the launch of the “bullet train” on April 18.

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Travel

Reserve a Room in Home Inns

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There are two ways to reserve a room in Home Inns (Rujia) Or other China Economy Hotels: by phone (400 820 3333 or 800 820 3333) or use the web (or ask your friend as a 3rd way). For Home Inns, my experience is reserve 2 weeks in advance for some of the “hot” locations such as Xu Jia Hui or Century Park in Shanghai. Unfortunately the reservation page is only in Chinese, but I think they have English speaking representatives on the phone. Alternatively you can use Ctrip and search for Home Inns. I used to get RMB 10 off this way.

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Categories
Saint Louis Travel

Cheap air ticket to Shanghai

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AA is doing a promotion of flight from US to Shanghai (PVG). A ticket from St. Louis to Shanghai is just $688 (before tax); the full ticket will be about $850 including tax. There are some restriction such as (from AA.com):

  • Reservations are required. Tickets must be purchased at least 7 days prior to departure or within 3 days of making reservations, whichever comes first, but no later than 11:59 p.m. November 2, 2006 (CST).
  • Fares are valid for outbound travel through February 10, 2007. Return travel must be completed by March 27, 2007.

    • But I think it’s still a good deal. This offer is good for most Midwest and Eastern US cities (transfer at Chicago).

    I remember when I took the China Eastern from Shanghai to St. Louis, the one-way ticket was about $700. Note at that time gas price was about 80 cents per gallon. Now with gas price at $2.00 (after the recent pull back), the air ticket to China is going at the other direction. No wonder the airline companies are not making money. One reason is the competition. Nine years ago there is no direct flight from Chicago to Shanghai. Now we have two daily flights. Anyway as a consumer I won’t complain. I just can not understand the airline stocks went up so much lately. I guess they are still making money 🙂