Job Discussion Forums

dajiang · Joined: 13 May 2004 Posts: 663 Location: Guilin!

You'll get used to it.
actually i didnt mind the hardness of the board you're lying on, in fact it's supposed to be healthier as well.
I minded the plastic wrapping they never seem to take off their matrasses.

actually, they never take plastic off anything that's out of a shop. ive even been in a city bus with its chairs still packed in its original wrapping.

Anyway, yeah i think ive seen that foam stuff you mentioned. Where exactly im not sure anymore. By the way, sometimes you do run into a nice matras. And pillows are usually good. It's more in cheaper hotels and areas that you find yourself sleeping on nothing but wood.

I must say though, it's heavenly to come 'home' and sleep in a soft bed after a few years of China. That sensation alone might be worth to go over to China and sleep like they're used to sleep there. Just keep reminding yourself not to jump into bed too enthusiastically.

Good night,
Da Jiang

nolefan · Joined: 14 Jan 2004 Posts: 1458 Location: on the run

I've seen my fair share of bad thin matresses in china but I have also seen a couple of nice thick ones like the one we have in our appartment. I think most people just take it for granted that thin is in and don't bother asking about a better/other one.

Blue Marlin · Posted: Wed Dec 22, 2004 10:10 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the reply. I think it is worth pampering myself, so will bring
one of these overlays with me when I come (unless it is relatively easy
to buy one over there).

hesterprynne · Joined: 16 Sep 2003 Posts: 386

I have yet to find eggshell foam here. Maybe in the biggest cities you could? There are mattress pads but they are not what you are used to.

kev7161 · Joined: 06 Feb 2004 Posts: 5880 Location: Suzhou, China

I have a nice set of box springs and a very thick mattress (maybe 12"). It is still hard as a board. My body has adapted however and my back rarely hurts like it used to back in my "soft" mattress days.

There are some pictures on the wall of one of my class's rooms still covered in plastic. The pictures and frames are ugly to begin with, but that plastic makes it look extra "trailer-trash-ish".

Blue Marlin · Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2004 8:36 am Post subject:

Thank you hesterprynne. I may have to pay the extra fee
for excess baggage to get a good night's sleep!! Very Happy

kev7161 they must have been watching one of the early episodes of
"The Nanny" (with Mandarin subtitles)... you know the one where she
ends up going home to her mother and sits on the lounge which was
covered in plastic? Laughing

Old Dog · Joined: 22 Oct 2004 Posts: 564 Location: China

You can get the most wonderful mattresses here if you are prepared to pay the price. Mine, bought after testing many, proved to be the most wonderful mattress I've ever had and was described in the shop as a "healthy for your back" mattress. It's a really high-quality, inner-spring, soft but firm. It's so good I am usually counting the days out of China before I get back to it.

But if you don't want to spend big money and you can't stand the Chinese bare board, then try the second best mattress I've ever had. (In relation to the bare-board mattress, I'm convinced that the Chinese must not have hip bones.) This is a traditional Chinese frame into which is woven, criss-cross, a stout cord of some kind. Cover this with a couple of layers of that cotton matting that makes do for everything related to sleeping here and you've got a pretty good bed to sleep on. It's not hard and contours itself without sag to the body. The frame wouldn't set you back much since they are so common and the cotton matting was about 35 yuan each last time I bought them. This may sound primitive but, believe me, this set up is good.

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

You will not like foam covers or foam mattresses here, especially in the hot season!

Western-style mattreses are something of a novelty here, so some come imported; I bought one of them and am fairlysatisfied with the softness and the breathability of it. But in summer, I overlay it with a bamboo cover - cool, with holes that allow air to pass through.
That's about the best you can get.

Chinese get used to hard beds, and I agree it is better for your posture. What I don't like about Chinese beds is that they inevitably look as though they had been used by hundreds of people before you - and they probably have, without ever having been thoroughly cleaned. Ditto for their bed covers - no sheets provided, just a flimsy cover.

Blue Marlin · Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2004 12:07 pm Post subject:

Hmmmmm... it seems I may be better off trying out what is
provided and go shopping when I get there. Anyway, it is all a part
of the adventure! I look forward to hearing some further comments
before I make up my mind.

Jolly · Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Posts: 202

I agree that you will probably get used to a HARD bed -- and enjoy it! I remember the first time I sat down on what was to be my bed for a year. I said I wouldn't be able to stand it (I have the egg shell thingy at home). Well, I was wrong! It didn't even take long for me to like the bed! I've never seen the egg shell thingies in China. Good luck finding one.

One suggestion, if a nice big bath towel is important to you, bring one. My school told me all towels were furnished. That was true, but the bath towel was the size of a dish towel. Also, face cloths. They do have them in the shops, but to be on the safe side, bring one. You can also find decent bath towels. It may be a while until you get to the shops, so bring a bath towel!

Surprised

Blue Marlin · Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2004 11:29 pm Post subject:

Tks, Jolly. I do like a large sized towel to mop up the water, so will bring
a beach towel! Cool

The Great Wall of Whiner · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 4946 Location: Blabbing

I'm a comfort zombie I suppose.

I went to one of those camping/army/outdoors type shops that sell BBQ's, tents and backpacks. Picked up a few air mattresses for 150 RMB.

Very comfy indeed!

Might want to look around...

extoere · Joined: 23 Feb 2004 Posts: 543

Blue Marlin: If you're interested in foam, there's a relatively new product on the market called "memory foam," approximately 4 inches thick, which comes in Queen and King sizes. It's quite superior to anything, including "eggcrate" or "eggshell" foam. Unlike all other foam, it does not lose its shape or springiness. Atop almost any mattress, it's the most comfortable bed you'll ever sleep on --- if you like soft. It's dense and comes in a vacuum sealed package, available at Costco, if that particular chain is accessible for you; other places, I'm sure. Cost is about $200 U.S. Not sure of its origin of manufacture, probably the West. Pillows? The best seem to be the down pillows made in China almost exclusively for import. The best. I always take one to China and give it a friend when I return to the U.S. And bath towels, except in the good hotels, are a bit difficult. Decent ones I found to be outrageously expensive and not as good as the really good "bath sheets" (very large, thick bath towels, 72" X 36"), made in China almost exclusively for import to Western markets. These, you can find in many Western outlets.

Generally, though, one can nominally adjust to whatever's available.

good luck,
ex

Kurochan · Joined: 01 Mar 2003 Posts: 944 Location: China

Hi --

Where will you be in China? If you're in a big city, you may well be able to go to Ikea and buy a matress pad. I remember them being relatively expensive, but they should last -- I think they're guaranteed for five years. I've also seen plain old foam ones -- they're cheap, about an inch and a half thick, and last for like five months. They tend to flatten out, even if you make an effort to rotate them or give them time to regain their shape. I've never seen the eggshell type, though.

Oh -- also, in big city or upscale department stores, look for products made by the HK company SinoMax. They may well have the kind of mattress pad you're looking for, but I bet the price will be really high, by mainland standards, anyway.