A loose translation of a proverb a man told me at a party this past summer:
The further you travel the more you learn*.
The Chinese character for the kind of knowledge you can gain from traveling is the same character used to describe the kind of knowledge you acquire from books, he said.
After arriving in Beijing Dec 3rd, having boarded the first leg of the trip on December 1st, I caught up on lost sleep and laid low to let my new reality sink in slowly. I was glad to have a slow and easy month at Dave's place. It was an ideal situation and I am grateful for this extra comfort.
The studio was not inhabitable upon arrival. Luckily, I had Dave's place to stay while I began to transform my studio to a live work space. In the process, with set backs like frozen pipes and no water or heat, I had a good reason to leave for a little while, giving these loose ends time to be resolved. The month of January is a slow month here because it is the build up to Chinese New Year. Things are quiet, people are away. Priscilla's visit came at a good time in terms of a good time to get out of Beijing for a while.
That said, planning travel in China close to the Chinese New Year is a real challenge. Priscilla came to continue some work on her project shooting "Fortune: The Retail Landscape of China." It took us down the coast to HK and southern China. In the span of just over 2 weeks time. The back end of January, which due to Mercury in retrograde, slowed progress on many levels. So why not travel with an old friend and start my exploration of other parts of China.
We jam packed half a dozen or more Malls and commerce related sites into this trip, while I focused on try local restaurants and habits & ways of life for the locals. Sadly, my point and shoot ran out of power and I had forgotten the reserve! It was just me, my Holga, and a little HD video camera this time around. Each of my cameras serve a different purpose. They are meant to capture different things, so there is a lack of daily routine documentation. So, I appologize, but I think I got some interesting stuff on flim and video. TBD...
Cameras are added weight and bulk. Its part of the problem of traveling. Add a laptop and camera to the clothes and shoes and winter into spring range of clothes...it adds up. All in all, Priscilla and I did quite well with two bags on wheels, our camera bags, and the occasional shopping bag. I definately have a few new travel tips under my belt.
1) Bring less and hand wash as you go. purchase a good pair of rubber gloves and a small bottle of detergent for delicates. (or just use the hotel soap)
2) Purchase travel size of your favorite toiletries. Hotels most often have shampoo, but not always conditioner or good body soap. While traveling familiar products with familiar scents will reduce over all stress.
3) Have a couple good collapsable bags. They come in real handy and are eco to boot!
4) Anticipate room needed for the odds and ends you pick up along the way.
5) Be prepared and have all your liquids and gels in one or two bags. When traveling by train it doesn't mater, but you know the rules for plane travel...
6) Do your homework ahead of time, so you don't wait too much time once you've arrived to figure out what you want to see and where you want to eat. I'm all for keeping your eye open for a tempting unknown which might pop up, but dont count on it!
7) Know your best options for getting and spending cash. Know how to not get killed with fees.
Its all in the small print, but it can save you a load of money in the long term.
Itinerary/Plan for "Fortune":
Jan 8
Depart Beijing on overnight train to Shanghai (Z7 7:44 pm)
Jan 9 - 10
Shanghai, Shanghainese spoken.
Old House Inn
No.16, Lane 351 Huashan Lu, Jing An
near Changshu Lu, Metro Line 2 Jing'an Temple Station
华山路351弄16号
近常熟路,地铁2号线静安寺站
6248-6118
Dinner at Citizen
Fabulous European style bar/cafe. Ambiance, clientel, and food, well worth the trip.
Dinner at Kareen's (Full Moon)
Good Indian, but not something to go out of your way for.
Jan 11
Depart Shanghai to Yiwu (D685 7:25 am) 2 hour fast train
Jan 12 - 13
Yiwu: Commerce City
Snow Peak Hotel
Jan 14
Depart Yiwu by plane to Shenzhen (CZ 3875 10:25 am)
Jan 14 - 17
Shenzhen Special Economic Zone (3 nights), Mandarin spoken.
Century Plaza Hotel
Window of the World
Jan 17 - 22
Hong Kong, Cantonese spoken.
Bishop Lei House
4 Robinson Road, Mid-Levels, Hong Kong
香港羅便臣道四號
(852) 2868 0828
Chungking Mansions (TST Kowloon side)
Star Ferry
(852) 2868 0828
Chungking Mansions (TST Kowloon side)
Star Ferry
Jan 22 - 25
Guangzhou (3 nights) aka Canton, where Cantonese is still spoken widely.
Grand Palace
Jan 25
Fly back to Beijing (PEK) from Guangzhou (CAN)
Jan 26, 2009
Chinese New Year
Legend-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Where we stayed
Highlights of the trip
