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Lamble Banish bland www.unchainedworld.com recommendations@unchainedworld.com GS1150 ADV: Unchained Across the USA blog www.roughguidesintouch.com/lamble
Forums > Global Touring > Hong Kong / China September
| Hong Kong / China September | |
Joined: Jan 10, 2007
Location: Seattle, WA
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I have two weeks in September where I can ride in Hong Kong and China. Any thoughts on bike hire, places to see, insurance issues, places to avoid, the whole gamut of things?
Posted on
07/13/2007 at 12:32
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Joined: Jan 02, 2007
Location: Austin, TX
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Sounds like a fantastic journey to take! Sorry no advice as I passed up my chance to teach in China at a new university. Have you checked the adventure riders site to see who has gone before you? ---------------------------------
Posted on
07/13/2007 at 14:39
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Joined: Jan 10, 2007
Location: Seattle, WA
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Update.
We are sticking to the coastal cantonese area of southern china that is bordered by a range of mountains, which sperate the area from the hinterland. This I believe has created a unique culture, which through the sailing voyages that set out from the area's ports has always been more accepting of foreigners, but isn't a main stay of the tourist industry, due to it's relative isolation from the rest of china.
Has anyone travelled these parts and what are your experiences? --------------------------------- Lamble Banish bland www.unchainedworld.com recommendations@unchainedworld.com GS1150 ADV: Unchained Across the USA blog www.roughguidesintouch.com/lamble
Posted on
08/03/2007 at 15:50
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Joined: Dec 26, 2006
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I think from what I have read is that you can't ride in China. Check on Horizons Unlimited, http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/ Edit. Edelweiss Bike Tours has tours that go into China.
Posted on
08/03/2007 at 19:06
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Joined: Jan 10, 2007
Location: Seattle, WA
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 Widebmw said:I think from what I have read is that you can't ride in China. Check on Horizons Unlimited, http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/ Edit. Edelweiss Bike Tours has tours that go into China.
I've found organised tours, but I'm looking for a hire/ride for a ride around Hainan island and the southern coast of Canton. --------------------------------- Lamble Banish bland www.unchainedworld.com recommendations@unchainedworld.com GS1150 ADV: Unchained Across the USA blog www.roughguidesintouch.com/lamble
Posted on
08/03/2007 at 23:19
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Joined: Aug 04, 2007
Location: San Anselmo, CA
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The organized tours take care of the formalities. I don't believe it is possible for a non-resident to get a Chinese drivers license. The requirements seem to have gotten more complex this year. There are touts who will offer their services in getting what you need, but it just a case of throwing good money after bad.In order to travel in most areas you need a "government" guide (who you pay). To my knowledge there are no organized tours active in the part of China you are thinking of.
Posted on
08/03/2007 at 23:29
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Joined: Jun 02, 2007
Location: Titusville, FL
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My son sent me your link regarding riding in China. From 2003 to 2006 I lived in Tokyo Japan and rode an R850R in Japan for the entire time. During my assignment there I traveled to Shanghai China about one week a month. During this period I also wanted to ride there. I therefore purchased an R1200CLC in China from another executive there who was moving out of the country. I rode it during the times I traveled to Shanghai. I only had weekends and a few extra days here and there so most of my riding was in the country side around Shanghai. I rode on an international drivers license with a motorcycle endorsement, and was insured through my company. I found the rules of the road similar to other countries, but not followed all that well by drivers and other bike riders. I followed the rules carefully since being an American, if I had a problem I would be in more trouble than a local. Also, if you have an accident and hurt anyone, it could actually mean jail time. I was just careful and gave the right of way to everyone. Do not ride in a hurry or when pressed for time. I found everyone else in a hurry and this adds to the probability of problems. I found the experience just wonderful, especially in the remote countryside where locals have seen few American, especially on a BMW motorcycle. They were gracious and worked hard to overcome the language barrier to help out with directions, food, drink, etc. The Japnaese and the Chinese people are hard working, honest, and polite, even though they do not generally like each other very much. This is still generational from the wars between them. Have fun and ride carefully.
Posted on
08/04/2007 at 18:28
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Joined: Jan 10, 2007
Location: Seattle, WA
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Bmwpaul said: My son sent me your link regarding riding in China. From 2003 to 2006 I lived in Tokyo Japan and rode an R850R in Japan for the entire time. During my assignment there I traveled to Shanghai China about one week a month. During this period I also wanted to ride there. I therefore purchased an R1200CLC in China from another executive there who was moving out of the country. I rode it during the times I traveled to Shanghai. I only had weekends and a few extra days here and there so most of my riding was in the country side around Shanghai. I rode on an international drivers license with a motorcycle endorsement, and was insured through my company. I found the rules of the road similar to other countries, but not followed all that well by drivers and other bike riders. I followed the rules carefully since being an American, if I had a problem I would be in more trouble than a local. Also, if you have an accident and hurt anyone, it could actually mean jail time. I was just careful and gave the right of way to everyone. Do not ride in a hurry or when pressed for time. I found everyone else in a hurry and this adds to the probability of problems. I found the experience just wonderful, especially in the remote countryside where locals have seen few American, especially on a BMW motorcycle. They were gracious and worked hard to overcome the language barrier to help out with directions, food, drink, etc. The Japnaese and the Chinese people are hard working, honest, and polite, even though they do not generally like each other very much. This is still generational from the wars between them. Have fun and ride carefully.
Well a big thanks for that info. It looks as though we are in HK for three days (work) then travel to Hainan Island for R&R, rest and riding. The largest city is Haiku in the north and Shinya in the south. I think we are at the tail end of Monsoon season and the island (the smallest province in China) gets wet. Apparently it was only in the 1930s that China bothered about its existance and it's fairly autonomous with primarily indiginous people living there in the hills and mountains in the centre. Business chinese have moved into the coast and developed it, but it's still not a big tourist area.
Let's see what happens when we get there. --------------------------------- Lamble Banish bland www.unchainedworld.com recommendations@unchainedworld.com GS1150 ADV: Unchained Across the USA blog www.roughguidesintouch.com/lamble
Posted on
08/05/2007 at 16:49
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Joined: May 19, 2007
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Best pack your own chopsticks.
Posted on
08/05/2007 at 22:02
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Joined: Jan 10, 2007
Location: Seattle, WA
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I'll take a swiss knife and wittle cutlery as I need it.
--------------------------------- Lamble Banish bland www.unchainedworld.com recommendations@unchainedworld.com GS1150 ADV: Unchained Across the USA blog www.roughguidesintouch.com/lamble
Posted on
08/07/2007 at 17:16
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Joined: Jan 10, 2007
Location: Seattle, WA
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Okay, booked for Sanya and have found a 250cc cruiser-a-like chinese bike an Ishan or something like that. Sanya is a seaside city on Hainan and seems to be a good base from which to discover the island and its mountains. I've discovered that the local delicacy is spit roast rat and that there's a spa where your dead skin gets eaten off your body by fish, as you "relax" in a natural spring. So that all sounds...interesting. --------------------------------- Lamble Banish bland www.unchainedworld.com recommendations@unchainedworld.com GS1150 ADV: Unchained Across the USA blog www.roughguidesintouch.com/lamble
Posted on
08/18/2007 at 13:52
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Joined: Jan 10, 2007
Location: Seattle, WA
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Time flies, as do we this coming Saturday. There are still loose ends that need sorting, but we reckon that they can be dealt with in Hong Kong. For instance although we have letters of introduction, we are assured the Chinese visas are best dealt with in HK. We still have to work out if we want to experience an 18 hr overnight train journey, in case we see interesting things, instead of flying from HK to Sanya in a couple of hours. AQgain local knowledge will be sought.
From the US, there's little in the way of help, although I did get a Brit to find a Yank that is based in Sanya that has offered the bike for a few hundred dollars and a few more for acting as guide. When I tried to get long term medical insurance, being a Brit in the US meant I couldn't buy it because I was in Washington. If I lived elsewhere in the US I could have, so instead of a year's cover for 250 dollars, I've got this trip only, for 150 dollars. I had to join AAA to get the cover, so that was extra too. I also needed to find a Doctor. I've not had one since moving here from the UK. There's a local chap who seems okay and he jabbed the right drugs into the left arm in as satisfactory manor as having a metal tube stuck in you can be satisfactory. Whist the first few days in HK are business, we've found a way to get our work clothes shipped back along with various bits of equipment, so Sanya can be done as Sanya Lite. Minimal carrying, max freedom. Now, I'm an ATGATT sort of rider, but it seems that anything more than gloves and a helmet, will draw unwanted attention, and that those are even rarely used. So I'm in a bit of a dilemna. Strange roads and riding conditions. Unusual traffic behaviour. A different bike and cruiser style (I've never cruisered before) and minimal protective gear , do not a contented rider make. I may need to pack more underwear than usual, plus spare sets of eyes for back of head. I bought a Zumo, and am trying to configure it so I can download maps of Hainan, although technology and I have a love hate relationship, where what I feel should be intuitive, isn't and that frustrates the B'jeezus out of me. To remain Unchained, we selected less luxurious accommodation, opting for a chinese run place, rather than the world brand hotels. It may pay off as it's a bargain in the right location and the Brit I contacted said it was okay too, with a local vibe. If a "local vibe" comprises of multiple legs, or long tails and gnawing teeth, we might rethink our vibe requirements. Other than safety and health, my only real concern is that hope it will all be different enough. I mean dramatically different from the everyday. My biggest disappointment with the US is, that it's not as different as I'd hoped for. China must be weird, it just must be. There has to be a variety of new things I've not encountered. Granted, I expect that as I've found on every continent I visited, the basic requirements for folk are that they have enough to eat, they are healthy, their kids have a future etc...the things all humanity share, but how they go about life I want stark contrast to stimulate senses, evoke deep thought, create lasting memories, promote better comprehension, expand wisdom. I'll keep my postings here and get pics up as time allows.
--------------------------------- Lamble Banish bland www.unchainedworld.com recommendations@unchainedworld.com GS1150 ADV: Unchained Across the USA blog www.roughguidesintouch.com/lamble
Posted on
08/27/2007 at 14:18
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Joined: Jan 10, 2007
Location: Seattle, WA
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"Don't worry about the visas, we can arrange those for you within a day".
So were the words of the corporate travel company that Karen's company employ for all their travel, globally. A contract won based on economy of scale and being able to negotiate best rates. Theiving lying bastids. Now it's deadline, these visas are going to cost $500 each. Each! Do you know how much we could have got them for, independently, at the time we raised the question? Take a stab. $300? Not even close. $200? Still a rip off. $100, $50 then? $28 each. $28 dollars! Each!!! Even one day express deluxe, delivered on a satin cushion with silk bows and on the back of an elephant bedecked in jewel encrusted bangles and ridden by a maharaja himself only cost $150. There are online visa companies, who, given sufficient time, will save you a bundle of cash on this service. Learn from our costly mistake and don't trust the corporate money grabbing sheisters, that purport to be working in your best interest. I bet they even get a retainer. It's no wonder that all corporate travel has to be sanctioned by senior directors, perhaps if they looked into it, they'd realise they are getting creamed. I'm very tempted, knowing the asian predeliction to under cut the cost of anything, to wait until we get to HK and buy the damn things there. I bet they'll be $25 each max. I bet there are stalls on the street where you can pop in and get them on the spot. I'll even sit for 1/2 a day in a line to save $850, that would be a good days work. It's no wonder we all have to pay so much for things, when manufacturing companies get ripped off by glorified travel agents under a corporate travel banner. I don't swear but these conning low-life bleeders are £@$^&*(( *****, *&^%(*&^%$<*@£$%£@ing wassocks! It would be all the same if we had to cancel the trip now, because we couldn't afford the visa prices they charge, **^*&^%ing ***&%$ers! --------------------------------- Lamble Banish bland www.unchainedworld.com recommendations@unchainedworld.com GS1150 ADV: Unchained Across the USA blog www.roughguidesintouch.com/lamble
Posted on
08/30/2007 at 20:00
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Joined: Jan 10, 2007
Location: Seattle, WA
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Hong Kong dollars!
Well why didn't you say? With 7.7 of them to the US dollar, then that's not quite so bad. In fact it's 7.7 times less bad. Shows how ignorant I am, I thought that HK and mainland China would use the same currency, the Yuan, but appears not. Now today's gripe then. Where has the glamour gone in air travel? When did it go from the black and white era of film portrayal of flight being exotic, I even recall seeing a piano lounge on one plane. How do we now allow ourselves to be processed like cattle on the abbattoir mincing conveyor. Not only that, but I spent most of the evening printing off forms for 'expedient on-line booking'. What next, load your own baggage, fly yourself." I'm busy refuelling the plane at the moment and doing pre flight checks, be with you soon darling. Can you just run a wet cloth over the windscreen?" Flying is tarnished. There's no excitement to it. Imagine if when you booked your holiday, you were told the truth. I don't mean know the truth and accept it, like we all do. I mean, had the hard cold reality pointed out to you. The fact that every airport is on a road repair scheme program for miles around it. That once within the haloed perimeter, they'll do everything possible to send you back off site, swirling roads, crappy signage, taxis that seem to be the only folk with any idea where to go and they'll go even if you are in their way. Parking that costs more than the holiday and is further away from the airport than where you started out from, requiring you to lug your luggage across an uneven parking lot, between cars so tightly packed in that you can't get through, to a plastic shelter designed to channel rain and cold air straight through it, while you wait for a bus that smells of coconut butter and stail bodies, so that you can try and balance your bags on racks not deep enough to stop them sliding off as you go round every bend. That's just outside. Inside the palace of transcontinental travelling torture it's just as bad, if not worse. Dogs sniff your bags and your crotch for whatever it is you secreet about your groin area. You have to queue for an iternity to have your bags taken from you, doing the shackled shuffle like a convict on his way to the electric chair. The maliscious swines even give you false hope by having lines that take you almost to the front, before turning at right angles and heading you back away from the counter, dashing all hope of ever actually making a flight. Then someone who happens to be with the party infront, comes clambering through to be reacquainted (wait until they are at the front for heaven's sake). I've noticed they have staff coming along the lines now, to assist in getting the documentation ready (I did that last night as requested, why do you need me to do it again, plus I'm not like the person at check out, who waits until every item has been processed before spending the next five minutes rummaging around trying to find the card they use to pay for grocceries at the bottom of a bag they've just loadedc up with new grocceries-get the damn things ready). So, you get to the front, only one family ahead. Why then do they always have to be the family with 6 kids, all of whom have some reason for not being allowed on an aircraft? It's always the same, or even worse, they filter another line over to your check in desk. So finally we are rudy face to face. Did you pack it yourself? "Have you got any of these items in your hand luggage?" A gun? "Sure I have an whole arsenal in my hand luggage and I'm going to tell you about it". At this point I could do just as much damage with a finger of kit kat, than I could do with a gun. Trust me, a kit kat finger jabbed in just the right place can cause immense pain. At last, we have depoited our bags and can now delight in the emporium of tax free delights. "Do you know, it's a good job I didn't pack a $1000 Mont Blanc pen, I can get one here, along with bottles of booze that will clank and be inconvenient when and if we get our luggage back" You see it all the time, folk turn up with not a hand spare, then buy more stuff to carry and try and cram into the miniscule space even a midget contortionist would have trouble fitting into, otherwise know as overhead lockers. Heathrow is a joke for this shopping experience. Keen to draw the last pound from your soul they'll sell you a suitcase. A f**ing suitcase! You've just spend most of your adult life in a queue trying to get rid of the suitcases you bought with you and now they try to sell you another. Where will you put it? Over prices beverages and food, in unpleasant stalls, more expensive and inappropriate tat to buy, all these things need to be there to kill the 24 hours you have to spend waiting for your plane. Then before you are prodded into your seat for the next God knows how many hours, the final indignity. Security checks. It's too much. All the glamour of air travel has gone. Your dignity has gone, your money has gone. The only thing that's not gone is you. --------------------------------- Lamble Banish bland www.unchainedworld.com recommendations@unchainedworld.com GS1150 ADV: Unchained Across the USA blog www.roughguidesintouch.com/lamble
Posted on
08/31/2007 at 12:03
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Joined: Jan 10, 2007
Location: Seattle, WA
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It's 5 am. I didn't realise there were two 5 o clocks in a day, but thanks to an msg filled chinese meal (I know..I said Mrs L we'll be in China tomorrow) I'm up with indigestion, with an hour to kill.
Everything is packed. Minimal clothes to allow for the umpteen hundred cables and adaptors that all our electrical devices use. Why not just have one standard set of connectors and sockets for everything, phones, PCs. cameras etc. It can't be beyond the genius of someone to have a power cable and a data cable that just works. I know firewire was supposed to be a solution, but trying to download video to my mac, I was told it wouldn't work because I had a different firewire protocol...who'd want to go and make several protocols for a wire, just so it can stuff up what I'm trying to do? I look at all the IT kit I have and realise that it will never talk to each other. It will never do what I expect or need. It will not be intuitive, because whoever designes these things isn't intuitive enough to be as incompetant as I am when it comes to using stuff. It's techno clutter, that's what it is. Techno clutter that now dictates how we operate and defines our standing in society, the techno savvy and all the others. I recently contracted to a company where I was associated with the IT department. It was huge. But no one spoke normally. It was a jargon joust every time people communicated. My job was to test their work from a user's perspective. Suffice to say, it didn't work as it should have, because the folks putting it together were all the same, the techno savvy, and those using it were...all the others. That cost $ millions in time. All I want is two cables with compatable sockets, for $50 say. --------------------------------- Lamble Banish bland www.unchainedworld.com recommendations@unchainedworld.com GS1150 ADV: Unchained Across the USA blog www.roughguidesintouch.com/lamble
Posted on
09/01/2007 at 08:23
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