Mr & Mrs! China adventure - Trip report

[drron]

Thanks.Harbin has now gone on my bucket list.The way it is going I will have to live to 100.:shock:

 

[Keith009]

After lunch we went for a wander through the local shopping malls, first was the trendy mall attached to the hotel with Prada, Hugo Loss, Mont Blanc and many other designer labels - it was a joke really, there would have been 5:1 ratio of staff vs. customers – someone really screwed up their demographic research when building this mall or at least fitting it out with these excessive cost brands – let’s face it, this is a country where the poverty line is set at less than USD$1 per day (then you are officially poor) and the average earning per capita of the agricultural sector in China is USD$1750 per annum!

I think those designer outlets are more for tourists. There's a large luxury tax on everything. I checked out some of my favourite brands in Shanghai and whilst the range is impressive (especially their new Louis Vuitton flagship) the luxury tax is outrageous. I didn't buy anything as no one could tell me whether China had VAT refund for tourists. For this reason even rich locals do not shop at luxury brands at home. They go to Hong Kong for the weekend - tax free.

 

[NM]

Thanks.Harbin has now gone on my bucket list.The way it is going I will have to live to 100.:shock:

I am planning to live to 200 .... so far so good

 

[Keith009]

I'd just finished the entire TR - what a read! Thanks for sharing.

Look forward to checking out the Prada scarf and D&G coat at the next drinks.

 

[mm472]

Put simply, if there's something you can't find out about a planned trip to China that's not in this thread - its simply not worth knowing about

I've been enthralled by this trip report, hanging out for the next update as it's been that dammed good. Really appreciate all the hard work that's gone into writing it.

+1 for these Comments,
This is why i spend WAY to much time on the FF site !

Great work

 

[somebol]

Excellent trip report. I am also sad your holiday is over and there will be no more updates....

 

[oztripper]

Thanks for a great adventure update. On a different note, does anyone know why the fares from TPE to just about anywhere but in particular Hong Kong are so dear?
It`s only a 1.hr 40min flight but the prices seem to start at $300au return.
We are planning a trip with Eva Air this June to NY via TPE and we thought we might take a side trip while in Asia.
Does not seem worth it at the prices quoted. Any advice readers?








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[markis10]

Fares ex TPE are cheap depending on where you are going, TPE-HKG is one of the busier world air routes in the world, to be frank $300 return compares favorably to a BNE-MEL fare.

 

[serfty]

TPE-BKK rt in I (Business) Class can be had for around AUD600.

 

[notzac]

Fares ex TPE are cheap depending on where you are going, TPE-HKG is one of the busier world air routes in the world, to be frank $300 return compares favorably to a BNE-MEL fare.

TPE-BKK rt in I (Business) Class can be had for around AUD600.

Wish I could get MEL-BNE return in I for around AUD600

 

[serfty]

Reopening to enable edits for pictures by OP.