Trip to China - advice

[seanpodge]

I'm a resident of Harbin for about 3 years now (Beijing and Shenyang were too warm!). Don't know much about 5 star hotels, , but there are some general things I do know.

- Don't drink the tap water. It's not safe and no one here does. Bottled water is cheap and widely available. Many people regularly bring a water bottle wherever they go.
- Chinese people don't tend to like cold beverages. Water is often served boiled. Even beer and soft drinks will be served at room/ambient temperature. You could ask for 凉水liángshuǐ (cold water) or 冰水bīngshuǐ (iced water).
- Google is pretty much impossible to access. Sometimes one can gain intermittent access to gmail via the email app on you smartphone or tablet, but I wouldn't rely on it. Only real way to avoid it is with VPN.
- This seems to vary from person to person, but I've never had any major problems with local food. A general rule is that if you can tell that its been just cooked then it should be fine. But that goes for all places, not just China. I trust a meat kebab fresh off the grill much more than a dish that has been sitting in a hotel's bain marie for the last couple of hours, no matter how many stars the hotel has.
- I've never been to Shenzhen, but the food in Beijing will be different to the stuff you get in a typical Chinese restaurant in Australia. Shenzhen cuisine may be more familiar because it is Cantonese, like most Chinese restaurants in Australia.
- Hot pot is a great meal and a good way to eat. Give it a go if you have the chance.
- Outside of major airports, I've yet to see a public toilet in China provide toilet paper. Everyone carries a little pocket sized bag of tissues. Used toilet paper should be placed in a rubbish bin next to the toilet, not in the bowl.
- Just because you're crossing the street when the green man is on, don't expect cars to let you safely cross the street. Same with walking on footpaths.
- Cereal is is very foreign concept in China. The closest thing is oatmeal. If cereal is necessary for you, then plan ahead.
- Also, the idea of food allergies and strict vegetarianism/veganism isn't all that well understood.

Dare I ask how the locals, ahh, 'wipe'?

Toilet paper in public toilets in China is strictly BYO. There are stories of foreigners being caught unawares. Let's just say that a common solution involves socks.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

- Just because you're crossing the street when the green man is on, don't expect cars to let you safely cross the street. Same with walking on footpaths.

True! A safe bet is to pretend cars have the right of way on pedestrian crossings, even with the green man. And assume the only time you, as a pedestrian, has right of way is if a car comes from behind you on a crossing... then it must 'give way' (but because you haven't seen it!)

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

I saw that when Hvr posted and he had clearly been on the turps - there is no 'Xin Tian Di' in Beijing .

Thanks for the clarification CE. I did suspect that it was a crossed wire, but when the recommendation was so emphatic, I thought I ought to check...
J

 

[teamhamsandwich]

Again don't doubt you have found 5 star hotels that have cereal as part of their breakfast, over my past 6 years in frequently visiting China, I am yet to find one 5 star hotel that does in China.

I can assure you that I have had many a cereal breakfasts in 5 star hotels in china.

You can get anything you want in China if you look hard enough. It's just like Melbourne except much, much, MUCH bigger!

 

[Isochronous]

5 star hotels will have a perfectly good Western breakfast. I'm quite surprised by the other comments here.

Credit cards will be fine, although some ships may only take UnionPay and not MC/Visa. AE is not well accepted outside international hotels/upmarket restaurants targeting foreigners.

 

[smit0847]

Is a 65 min connection in HKG on PVG-HKG-MEL on CX/KA a bad idea?

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Is a 65 min connection in HKG on PVG-HKG-MEL on CX/KA a bad idea?

Any flt on KA on HKG/PVG route is a SHOCKING idea - will post more morrow when I have time

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Is a 65 min connection in HKG on PVG-HKG-MEL on CX/KA a bad idea?

I think 65 minutes is pushing it... I'd take the flight before, giving you an extra hour or so - but see the considerations below.

The HKG-PVG corridor is prone to significant delays. Early morning flights can be ok, but if there are any ATC restrictions (and it is usually ATC 99% of the time), you can expect anywhere from 60-150 minute rolling delays.

If it is all on the one ticket, you don't have so much to worry about as you will be protected. However... your options are:

• book a flight an hour earlier (still with the potential to miss-connect)
• turn up at PVG as scheduled and they put you on the next available service if your original flight is subject to delays (space permitting).
• book a really early connection and build at least 4 hours in to your HKG transit.
• or get to HKG on your planned flight and if you miss the connection, be on the next CX flight.

If you are on separate tickets, the 4+ hours in HKG is a good idea.

Bottom line: if arrival time into MEL is critical, allow 4 hours connection HKG. If time in PVG is more critical, book the ticket and take any delay ex HKG.

 

[smit0847]

Any flt on KA on HKG/PVG route is a SHOCKING idea - will post more morrow when I have time

Oh come on - its only a 2.5 hour flight! How else am I supposed to get from HKG-PVG using my QF points?

I think 65 minutes is pushing it... I'd take the flight before, giving you an extra hour or so - but see the considerations below.

The HKG-PVG corridor is prone to significant delays. Early morning flights can be ok, but if there are any ATC restrictions (and it is usually ATC 99% of the time), you can expect anywhere from 60-150 minute rolling delays.

If it is all on the one ticket, you don't have so much to worry about as you will be protected. However... your options are:

• book a flight an hour earlier (still with the potential to miss-connect)
• turn up at PVG as scheduled and they put you on the next available service if your original flight is subject to delays (space permitting).
• book a really early connection and build at least 4 hours in to your HKG transit.
• or get to HKG on your planned flight and if you miss the connection, be on the next CX flight.

If you are on separate tickets, the 4+ hours in HKG is a good idea.

Bottom line: if arrival time into MEL is critical, allow 4 hours connection HKG. If time in PVG is more critical, book the ticket and take any delay ex HKG.

The options at the moment are either a 65 min transit or a 150 min transit. Obviously the the 150 would be far more sensible. This is both leaving PVG early evening connecting to the midnight HKG-MEL departure. I actually wanted to leave PVG early the next morning and then do the same day MEL-HKG flight but no flights leave PVG early enough to make a same day connection because I'd like to do a CX long-haul J day flight for a change. I could fly up PVG-HKG the night before to then take the next morning HKG-MEL but I dont want to pay for a HKG hotel lol.

Id actually be quite happy if we chose the 65 min transit, missed the HKG-MEL flight and they put us up in a hotel overnight to take the following morning HKG-MEL flight but thats making a lot of assumptions about loads, policies etc.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Oh come on - its only a 2.5 hour flight! How else am I supposed to get from HKG-PVG using my QF points?



The options at the moment are either a 65 min transit or a 150 min transit. Obviously the the 150 would be far more sensible. This is both leaving PVG early evening connecting to the midnight HKG-MEL departure. I actually wanted to leave PVG early the next morning and then do the same day MEL-HKG flight but no flights leave PVG early enough to make a same day connection because I'd like to do a CX long-haul J day flight for a change. I could fly up PVG-HKG the night before to then take the next morning HKG-MEL but I dont want to pay for a HKG hotel lol.

Id actually be quite happy if we chose the 65 min transit, missed the HKG-MEL flight and they put us up in a hotel overnight to take the following morning HKG-MEL flight but thats making a lot of assumptions about loads, policies etc.

Your travel insurance would cover the hotel if you missed your connection in HKG. I'm not sure CX would cover it if it was an ATC delay.

CX day flight? I'm not sure if there is anything much to write home about. I did one recently (HKG-MEL)... meal service (breakfast) was over within 55 minutes of take-off. Then there was nothing except IFE or sleep until the pre-arrival meal about 2 hours out.

You can get reasonably good hotels in HKG for around AUD100 a night... if you really want to experience the day flight however.

Cruiser Elite was simply referring to the delays regarding KA (which equally affect CX), although any KA A320 service should be actively avoided! Flight time is rarely anything approaching 2.5 hours... it's usually anywhere between 1hr50 and 2hrs20. But ground delays (after you have boarded) can push that out, meaning choice of plane is important (no fun being stuck in their A320 without IFE). My record from time of boarding to arrival in Hong Kong is just under 6 hours

Of course with KA/CX you can get exit rows for free.

 

[smit0847]

Your travel insurance would cover the hotel if you missed your connection in HKG. I'm not sure CX would cover it if it was an ATC delay.

CX day flight? I'm not sure if there is anything much to write home about. I did one recently (HKG-MEL)... meal service (breakfast) was over within 55 minutes of take-off. Then there was nothing except IFE or sleep until the pre-arrival meal about 2 hours out.

You can get reasonably good hotels in HKG for around AUD100 a night... if you really want to experience the day flight however.

Cruiser Elite was simply referring to the delays regarding KA (which equally affect CX), although any KA A320 service should be actively avoided! Flight time is rarely anything approaching 2.5 hours... it's usually anywhere between 1hr50 and 2hrs20. But ground delays (after you have boarded) can push that out, meaning choice of plane is important (no fun being stuck in their A320 without IFE). My record from time of boarding to arrival in Hong Kong is just under 6 hours

Of course with KA/CX you can get exit rows for free.

CX dont put J pax up in a hotel if their inbound KA delay causes a missed connection on the same CX J itinerary?!

Im no so worried about KA delays inducing boredom - I have my tablet and can happily pass the time watching things I want to watch rather than hoping there's IFE and it has something I want to watch. A delay in the lounge versus onboard doesnt make much difference to me.

The only reason I say I want a CX J day flight is because so many of my J flights are overnight which while efficient, means I usually sleep the whole way (Im often woken up on descent). While I do arrive very rested, I feel like the J experience is a bit wasted if you skip all the meals and everything else and just sleep #firstworldproblems I do love the CX J 1-2-1 pods though - so private and snug.

Anything over about 2 hours in an airport I get bored - I had about 3 hours in HKG last time I was there and convinced HWMBO to lounge hop through the Wing, QF lounge and the Bridge. Even that got a bit boring - I could have happily spent the whole time in the QFlounge. So if I book the 150 min transit I wouldnt mind if there was an hour delay leaving PVG.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

CX dont put J pax up in a hotel if their inbound KA delay causes a missed connection on the same CX J itinerary?!

CX is pretty good at handling missed connections... it seems (per google) that CX may accommodate you at the airport hotel if there is no other way for them to get you to MEL in a timely manner. However - since you will have travel insurance anyway, either way you're covered.

As for KA - they are good - better than CX on the same sector for soft product... however the A320 is a total exception and should be avoided at all costs. No IFE and a very tight seat pitch. There is no pleasure in that aircraft.

 

[smit0847]

CX is pretty good at handling missed connections... it seems (per google) that CX may accommodate you at the airport hotel if there is no other way for them to get you to MEL in a timely manner. However - since you will have travel insurance anyway, either way you're covered.

As for KA - they are good - better than CX on the same sector for soft product... however the A320 is a total exception and should be avoided at all costs. No IFE and a very tight seat pitch. There is no pleasure in that aircraft.

Is the J seat pitch on the A321 as bad as the A320? The short connection option is an A330, the longer connection is an A321 (A320 service no seats available).

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Is the J seat pitch on the A321 as bad as the A320? The short connection option is an A330, the longer connection is an A321 (A320 service no seats available).

I think the all A321 has the new regional business class seats now. But the A330 is a better all-round experience.

 

[PLC]

As for KA - they are good - better than CX on the same sector for soft product... however the A320 is a total exception and should be avoided at all costs. No IFE and a very tight seat pitch. There is no pleasure in that aircraft.

On my last trip to China (HKG-CTU-HKG) I had my nicest OW Emerald greeting while flying economy on KA. Nicer than anything I have ever had on QF (or CX). Unfortunately it was on the A320...so not the most comfortable flight (and the little kid running up and down the aisle, cheered on by the cabin crew, did not help).

 

[MEL_Traveller]

speaking of weather/ATC delays out of PVG - I was checking a booking on CX tonight and noticed an advisory for HKG-PVG and vv.

Looking at departures from PVG this seems to be one of the worst days I have seen.

First 5 flights today all more or less were on time. But after that it went down hill pretty quick.

The scheduled 1505 arrival into HKG landed at 1737, the 1545 arrival will limp in at 2056, the 1605 arrival is cancelled, the 1705 arrival is now scheduled at 0108 (an 8 hour delay), the 1905 at 0152, the 2015 at 0231, and the scheduled 2105 arrival is now expected at 0307. The last flight of the night is cancelled.

I can't recall ever seeing it that bad :shock:

 

[teamhamsandwich]

CX Lounges in HK are worth the extra time.

 

[clazman]

Finally have my itinerary,

CX136 to HK
CX5896 to Shaghai
2 Nights at Ritz Carlton - Pudong
China Southern 3558 to Shenzhen
2 Nights Grand Hyatt Shenzhen
CX171 Home

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Finally have my itinerary,

CX136 to HK
CX5896 to Shaghai
2 Nights at Ritz Carlton - Pudong
China Southern 3558 to Shenzhen
2 Nights Grand Hyatt Shenzhen
CX171 Home

As long as you're not flying on a Wednesday!! (KA896 is operated by an A320)

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Crikey claz - Pudong is a long way from Beijing? We might need to give you a new list of things to do!

But at least now you will get to go to Xin Tian Di!