Trip to China - advice

[clazman]

I am surprised at CX running out of mains. Never experienced this before in J.

First time for me as well......

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I am surprised at CX running out of mains. Never experienced this before in J.

First time for me as well......

I'm wondering if there was a more general catering problem (failure to load one of the listed choices), or alternatively, the crew may have been a bit tardy in replacing choices which had been taken from the trolley (they usually go back to the galley to replenish these fairly frequently).

 

[Cruiser Elite]

MEL face facts - CX are just a dodgy operation - your recent efforts to defend them make the efforts of some of the QF devotees here who continually defend the indefensible look somewhat amateurish!

(MEL - see the smilies? That was a joke)

Clazman - you missed some really important issues in your quick report:
1. How did you find the cereals in the 5* hotels?
2. You need to rave and rave about the Maglev - what an experience - you didn't actually originate from City - it commences at Longyang Rd in Pudong which is basically cente of never never land - but that is a side issue - how was that shudder when you passed the other Maglev going in the other direction both at +400kmh?
3. Did you go see the old guys playing Jazz in Peace Hotel? If not you missed Shanghai's best feature
4. How did you go with the 'hocking and spitting'? Now that is an experience isn't it?
5. Pity you flew internally and not high speed CRH train - I have not taken domestic flt in 5 years now - CRH trains only as never such a thing as a delay - they leave on the minute every time and 300kmh soon eats up the distance.
6. China with all its strange little quirks really is infectious - NEVER A DULL MOMENT IN CHINA.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

MEL face facts - CX are just a dodgy operation - your recent efforts to defend them make the efforts of some of the QF devotees here who continually defend the indefensible look somewhat amateurish!

It's ok, I'm learning from your efforts to defend SQ's back-to-back short flight sectors with hardly any time to sleep

 

[Cruiser Elite]

It's ok, I'm learning from your efforts to defend SQ's back-to-back short flight sectors with hardly any time to sleep

One day you are going to sleep forever MEL - why waste precious hours in this lifetime?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

One day you are going to sleep forever MEL - why waste precious hours in this lifetime?

No... probably just a different schedule to yours... I'm pretty much at events straight from the airport until the next morning, so arriving after a good sleep is essential.

 

[clazman]

I'm wondering if there was a more general catering problem (failure to load one of the listed choices), or alternatively, the crew may have been a bit tardy in replacing choices which had been taken from the trolley (they usually go back to the galley to replenish these fairly frequently).

When I asked for the meal and was told sorry they had run out, the fa went back to the galley and also checked the other serving trolley and was very apologetic

 

[MEL_Traveller]

When I asked for the meal and was told sorry they had run out, the fa went back to the galley and also checked the other serving trolley and was very apologetic

That's a shame. I guess it must happen sometimes

 

[clazman]

MEL face facts - CX are just a dodgy operation - your recent efforts to defend them make the efforts of some of the QF devotees here who continually defend the indefensible look somewhat amateurish!

(MEL - see the smilies? That was a joke)

Clazman - you missed some really important issues in your quick report:
1. How did you find the cereals in the 5* hotels?
2. You need to rave and rave about the Maglev - what an experience - you didn't actually originate from City - it commences at Longyang Rd in Pudong which is basically cente of never never land - but that is a side issue - how was that shudder when you passed the other Maglev going in the other direction both at +400kmh?
3. Did you go see the old guys playing Jazz in Peace Hotel? If not you missed Shanghai's best feature
4. How did you go with the 'hocking and spitting'? Now that is an experience isn't it?
5. Pity you flew internally and not high speed CRH train - I have not taken domestic flt in 5 years now - CRH trains only as never such a thing as a delay - they leave on the minute every time and 300kmh soon eats up the distance.
6. China with all its strange little quirks really is infectious - NEVER A DULL MOMENT IN CHINA.

Sorry won't happen again

1. Yes breakfast bars have cereals and a awesome selection ... Beats anything I have seen in oz
2. We had to take the maglev a second time as the first time we only got to 300 and on investigation there is a sign saying they only do the 430 at certain times. The shudder at 430 was awesome....
3. sorry missed this one
4. Only saw this happen once in Shenzhen by the Hong Kong border
5. Next trip we will do internal trains
6. Escorts / hookers in the hotel lobby ... Surprised me, always said hello as you walked pass but never hassled you


Will upload some photos when I get to my PC

 

[The Other Tom]

Personally I would stay away from the local places to eat. Hygiene standards aren't always up to par. And while you're at it, don't drink the water or eat uncooked foods (salads, for example).
Your guide can probably steer you to good places to eat.
Most Beijing hotels will offer tours of the Great Wall. Put that first on your list. The Forbidden City is secondary in my opinion.

 

[Pilgrims Progress]

If you want to go to Shenzhen to Hong Kong the quickest and most efficient would be to use the subway. You can catch the subway in Shenzhen to Luohu. You can then cross the border and then catch the Hong Kong MTR at Lo Wu and go anywhere in Hong Kong.

 

[smit0847]

SHANGHAI experts:

I need to get from Hanzghou to PVG next month. We are overnighting at a PVG airport hotel and flying out to HKG the next morning. From my research there are two affordable transport options: a direct, 3 hour bus, or a train to SHA and then either a bus or a train from SHA to PVG.

I would happily take the direct bus to limit any hassles however they seem to stop quite early in the day (16:30/17:00 or 17:30 depending on where I look). They run a lot later from PVG-Hangzhou I guess because few people overnight at PVG. This would mean we would be at the airport hotel as early as 19:30 which is not ideal as there's very little to do at airport hotels and itll cut out a fair chunk of our limited time in Hangzhou.

I'm considering taking the less convenient option of train to SHA and then bus to PVG purely because they run much later. This says the SHA-PVG bus only takes 60 mins Shanghai Hongqiao Airport Shuttle Bus: Lines, Service Hours, Fare, Stops

Is that correct? That seems remarkably quick? If we do this option we'd probably get the train from Hangzhou to SHA about 19:30 and then the SHA-PVG bus about 21:00.

 

[teamhamsandwich]

Best option would be train to Shanghai Hongqiao station, and then cab/uber x to pvg airport hotel from there. A first class train seat is about 120rmb ($25), and the cab will probably be about 300rmb. ($63). The train is about an hour, and I would allow about 90 minutes to get from Hongqiao station to Pudong Airport.There are plans for the maglev train to go all the way from Hongqiao to Pudong airport! Looking forward to those days!

 

[smit0847]

Best option would be train to Shanghai Hongqiao station, and then cab/uber x to pvg airport hotel from there. A first class train seat is about 120rmb ($25), and the cab will probably be about 300rmb. ($63). The train is about an hour, and I would allow about 90 minutes to get from Hongqiao station to Pudong Airport.There are plans for the maglev train to go all the way from Hongqiao to Pudong airport! Looking forward to those days!

Thanks but that wasnt really my question. We are in no rush- we want to leave hangzhou as late as possible.

Does the bus from SHA to PVG only take an hour?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Does the bus from SHA to PVG only take an hour?

That's probably about right - freeway most of the way (if not all the way). The airport bus from PVG to Jing An late night took me around 25 minutes. Jing An to SHA is about 20-30 minutes. So putting the two together will give you about an hour give or take.

 

[smit0847]

That's probably about right - freeway most of the way (if not all the way). The airport bus from PVG to Jing An late night took me around 25 minutes. Jing An to SHA is about 20-30 minutes. So putting the two together will give you about an hour give or take.

Perfect- thanks