Site Search:
 
Speak Korean Now!
Teach English Abroad and Get Paid to see the World!
Korean Job Discussion Forums Forum Index Korean Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

Slow boat to China.
Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3  Next
 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Korean Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Travel Forum
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
IrishJen



Joined: 19 Jul 2006
Location: Gumi, Gyeongbuk

PostPosted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 10:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Does anyone know what there might be to do in Qingdao? The boat arrives in the morning, but the only train to Beijing (as far as I know) doesn't leave until the evening. Given that I will be by myself, is there enough to keep me entertained? The alternative is to fly, which isn't going to be too much more expensive.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Masta_Don



Joined: 17 Aug 2006
Location: Hyehwa-dong, Seoul

PostPosted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 10:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

IrishJen wrote:
Does anyone know what there might be to do in Qingdao? The boat arrives in the morning, but the only train to Beijing (as far as I know) doesn't leave until the evening. Given that I will be by myself, is there enough to keep me entertained? The alternative is to fly, which isn't going to be too much more expensive.


Where'd you find train information?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
IrishJen



Joined: 19 Jul 2006
Location: Gumi, Gyeongbuk

PostPosted: Tue Jul 03, 2007 10:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.seat61.com/Korea.htm

And I found it written somewhere else too, but can't remember where exactly.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
pugwall



Joined: 22 Oct 2006

PostPosted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 10:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

nearest boat to BJ is Tianjin one. Only 45 mins away to BJ.

QD rocks out by the way. Goto Le Bang in Hong Kong Gardens, super cool bohemian french bar.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
nudefotographer



Joined: 10 Dec 2007

PostPosted: Mon Dec 17, 2007 5:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

IrishJen wrote:
http://www.seat61.com/Korea.htm

And I found it written somewhere else too, but can't remember where exactly.


Seat61 rocks! Read their information about the train from Beijing to Tibet. Even though the train is symbolic of China's growing domination of Tibet, it certainly looks like a hell of a way to get across the country.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Masta_Don



Joined: 17 Aug 2006
Location: Hyehwa-dong, Seoul

PostPosted: Wed Jan 02, 2008 7:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'll be brief but let me quickly say, the boat sucks. I know Huffdaddy will back me up here. It took four days and three nights to get to Qingdao from Incheon, most of that being stuck a mile offshore staring at the city. There was jack all to do onboard and that time included my New Year Eve celebrations. The reason we were given was due to inclimate weather, which I'm sure was legit, as there were a few dozen boats lined up behind us to use the port, but seemed ridiculous to us. Fortunately the Koreans knew how to party which helped bolster the New Years spirits, but still, the last place I wanted to be stuck was in the middle of the Yellow Sea.

If you go, go cheapest class. Same as second class without the table, chairs and TV.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
huffdaddy



Joined: 25 Nov 2005

PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2008 12:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Masta_Don wrote:
I'll be brief but let me quickly say, the boat sucks. I know Huffdaddy will back me up here.


Sorry, I missed this before. The boat ride was not fun. I got to hang out with a bunch of people and we made the most of a bad situation. But it wasn't how I wanted to spend my holiday.

Quote:
It took four days and three nights to get to Qingdao from Incheon, most of that being stuck a mile offshore staring at the city. There was jack all to do onboard and that time included my New Year Eve celebrations. The reason we were given was due to inclimate weather, which I'm sure was legit, as there were a few dozen boats lined up behind us to use the port, but seemed ridiculous to us.


Pretty much ditto. The staff did a pretty piss poor job of accommodating us. They could have at least opened up the noraebang for more than 3 hours a day. Heck, it should have been free for as much inconvenience as they caused. Also, the sauna and showers seemed to be never open after day 2. On the way back, they never restocked the GS. So there was a total of 1 beer to be had. I bought it, of course.

Quote:
Fortunately the Koreans knew how to party which helped bolster the New Years spirits, but still, the last place I wanted to be stuck was in the middle of the Yellow Sea.


Outside of the boarding and unboarding, the Koreans were cool. Not like the horror stories most people like to tell. I'm still not sure how or why they had several days worth of beer and soju for an overnight ferry ride, but they did. And they were willing to share it.

Quote:
If you go, go cheapest class. Same as second class without the table, chairs and TV.


The W20,000 difference may be worth it. Depends a lot on who you roommates are. I was satisfied with steerage, but I also ended up hanging out in the lounge for 16 hours a day as I had nowhere else to sit down and relax. The only thing that kept me sane were the duty free cigarettes I bought the first night.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
lvasia



Joined: 15 Nov 2007

PostPosted: Sun Feb 03, 2008 12:53 am    Post subject: good trip Reply with quote

worth it. boat is fun with a public bath, tv, game room and singing room. trip is about 24 hours that i recall and boat for tianjin goes 2-3 times a week or i believe it did a few years ago.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Rumple



Joined: 19 Sep 2007

PostPosted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 4:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Masta_Don wrote:
I'll be brief but let me quickly say, the boat sucks. I know Huffdaddy will back me up here. It took four days and three nights to get to Qingdao from Incheon, most of that being stuck a mile offshore staring at the city. There was jack all to do onboard and that time included my New Year Eve celebrations. The reason we were given was due to inclimate weather, which I'm sure was legit, as there were a few dozen boats lined up behind us to use the port, but seemed ridiculous to us. Fortunately the Koreans knew how to party which helped bolster the New Years spirits, but still, the last place I wanted to be stuck was in the middle of the Yellow Sea.

If you go, go cheapest class. Same as second class without the table, chairs and TV.


I had a great time on the boat. I have posted a review of my experience.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Darkness



Joined: 12 Oct 2006

PostPosted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 6:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Any updated info on who to contact to leave from Gunsan to get to China?

What's the recommendations on Weihei, or Qingdao?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Rumple



Joined: 19 Sep 2007

PostPosted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 9:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Darkness wrote:
Any updated info on who to contact to leave from Gunsan to get to China?

What's the recommendations on Weihei, or Qingdao?


I haven't been to Weihei, but I had a great time in Qingdao. There's a ginormous shopping area called Taidong and I stayed there. Don't eat at the first Italian place you see. There are lots of ethnic restaurants, and some are really expensive, while others are really reasonable. There was a Mexican place in Taidong that I got lunch at almost daily for $2. Delicious.

Qingdao is special because it was occupied by Germany and has German architecture in houses and buildings near the sea. There's also a Chinese Naval Museum if you're into that stuff, where I climbed down into a PRC Navy submarine, among other things.

I had a blast there.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Patrique



Joined: 04 Oct 2007
Location: Sajik-dong, Busan

PostPosted: Mon Jul 07, 2008 12:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I took the Weidong ferry to Qingdao a couple of days ago. If you're coming from Busan or somewhere far away from Seoul, your best bet is to take the KTX to Seoul, then take line 1 straight to Dongincheon station. I left Busan on the 8:30am train and made it to the terminal with plenty of time. At Donginceon, if you say "Weidong" to the cabbie, he'll probably understand where you need to go - the terminal is a short drive from the station.

Here are some random observations from my trip:
-I went on a Saturday, and there was a currency exchange office in the terminal that was open.
-The boat is clean and nice enough, though a the decor is a bit eighties and dull.
-I was staying in a business-class, 4 bed room which was bigger than I thought. It had a table to sit at and a TV, and curtains to draw across the bed.
-The ferry was pretty empty, overall. I guess July is the off-season.
-It's true the GS24 sells out of the better food reasonably quickly, but there isn't much good food there in the first place. The restaurant is so-so. My breakfast, for some reason, included one egg, six pieces of toast and a pea soup!
-Make sure to bring some interesting stuff to read and some music, because there isn't much to keep you occupied.
-The sauna was closed.
-The stores take Korean and Chinese currency.
-The Qingdao ferry terminal is brand-new, and they keep the few touts there are outside. Checking your passport may take a while because none of the agents seem to speak English. If you're carrying books, keep them in an easy-to-reach location in your bag. The customs guys will see them on the x-ray machine and want to take a look at them. There's a good chance your bag will be opened and half-heartedly checked in any case.

Overall, I'd recommend the ferry. It's way less stressful and more comfortable than flying, not to mention cheaper. If you want, you can arrive in Qingdao in the morning, have a quick look around, and then take the night train to Beijng.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
blurgalurgalurga



Joined: 18 Oct 2007

PostPosted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 10:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

what kind of books are they looking for? Communist Manifesto, fearing you might come in and start a new Cultural Revolution? That'd be an 'orrorshow for the new elites, eh, if people started getting all literal with their assertions of communism?
No, really--what kind of books are they looking for? I don't know a damn thing about china.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
man_of_words



Joined: 18 Oct 2008
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 2:59 am    Post subject: wow Reply with quote

this looks amazing. I think I have to do this ferry ride
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
JFuller317



Joined: 10 Oct 2008

PostPosted: Tue Mar 03, 2009 10:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Anyone know the approximate cost of this ferry and who to talk to about booking it?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Korean Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Travel Forum All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3  Next
Page 2 of 3

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling.
Contact Dave's ESL Cafe
Copyright © 2018 Dave Sperling. All Rights Reserved.

Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group

TEFL International Supports Dave's ESL Cafe
TEFL Courses, TESOL Course, English Teaching Jobs - TEFL International