| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
chris_J2
Joined: 17 Apr 2006
Location: From Brisbane, Au.
|
 Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 1:17 am Post subject: |
 |
|
I was in Beijing last May / June, & it was 36c nearly every day. Kunming will be a lot cooler, as it's almost 2000 metres above sea level. You could get a train from Beijing to Xian, then Chengdu, then Kunming, & on to Dali & Lijiang by bus.
3 days is enough for Shanghai, unless you do day trips to Hangzhou, Tonglian water Village, Suzhou, Putuoshan Island, & Nanjing, etc. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
pugwall
Joined: 22 Oct 2006
|
| Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 2:45 am Post subject: |
|
|
| stevieg4ever wrote: |
i thought i would do a week in shanghai and a week in beijing and when im done in korea ill probably check out east to west for another 2 weeks. i may through hong kong into the mix this summer as well.
im mainly into the historical aspects of seeing a country, relics and monuments etc
| pugwall wrote: |
| stevieg4ever wrote: |
anyone here going to beijing during the summer? it would be good to soak up the atmosphere no doubt. But how are things like travel, accommodation going to be like during that time?
I was thinking of going for about a week and then to Shanghai for about a week after that. |
I think a week in Shanghai is too long and you could get a much better feel for China if you went elsewhere but do what you want to do. If you are there in August try and make the beer festival in Qingdao. |
|
#
You know Shanghai doesnt have that much history as its only 150 years old in its present incarnation (was a fishing village before). If you want more traditional culture must sees are Xian, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Suzhou. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
stevieg4ever
Joined: 11 Feb 2006
Location: London, England
|
| Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 5:50 am Post subject: |
|
|
| well looks like ill have to rethink the china in more depth. Im just not confident about the likes of Thailand and Cambodia during august. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
pugwall
Joined: 22 Oct 2006
|
| Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 4:49 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| stevieg4ever wrote: |
| well looks like ill have to rethink the china in more depth. Im just not confident about the likes of Thailand and Cambodia during august. |
China will be great in the summer. Yunnan province is the most backpacker friendly as its on the SEA trail and has a lot of cool stuff. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
trophft
Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Location: Texas
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 1:42 am Post subject: |
|
|
| pugwall (or anyone else), what is the SEA trail? i googled it but nothing came up... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
chris_J2
Joined: 17 Apr 2006
Location: From Brisbane, Au.
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 1:49 am Post subject: SEA |
|
|
SEA = South East AsIa.
Although I didn't 'do' SEA in any organised sequence, I have been to Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam & Yunnan (China). |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
trophft
Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Location: Texas
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 1:56 am Post subject: |
|
|
| ah. yea i knew it stood for south east asia, but i didnt know if the term "SEA trail" was a specific route that was frequented by hardcore backpackers, or if it was like some sort of secret little-known path through the best parts of SEA, etc etc... thanks for the quick reply by the way! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
the saint
Joined: 09 Dec 2003
Location: not there yet...
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 2:01 am Post subject: Re: Visa |
|
|
| Rumple wrote: |
| I got a Chinese Visa just last week (first week in Jan 2008), and it is 100,000 won for Americans, 35,000 won for Koreans. If you go through a travel agency, they add in a commission (i.e. if you paid 120,000 won, the travel agent gets 20,000). I applied directly to the Chinese Consulate in Busan. I dropped off my passport with my application on a Wednesday, and it was ready for pickup the following Monday. Easy as pie. |
well you can't do that in Seoul any more. You have to go through a travel agency. My wife got the runaround today trying to do it at both the embassy and teh consulate and was told she can't apply independently. The guard at the gate of the consulate let her in to copy the list of travel agencies that they designate for this but it's all in Korean and it took a lot of charm to get that even.
This has been the case since Sept 2007. Apparently the fees should not be more than 20000 (according to the embassy).
Outside the consulate are a gang of adjummas who are reputedly working for these agencies (and some not listed) and will hassle you to take your application. My wife thought better of this (wise ol' gal) but they may well be kosher.
They were offering as little as 10000 commission. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Rumple
Joined: 19 Sep 2007
|
| Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 2:46 pm Post subject: Re: Visa |
|
|
| the saint wrote: |
| Rumple wrote: |
| I got a Chinese Visa just last week (first week in Jan 2008), and it is 100,000 won for Americans, 35,000 won for Koreans. If you go through a travel agency, they add in a commission (i.e. if you paid 120,000 won, the travel agent gets 20,000). I applied directly to the Chinese Consulate in Busan. I dropped off my passport with my application on a Wednesday, and it was ready for pickup the following Monday. Easy as pie. |
well you can't do that in Seoul any more. You have to go through a travel agency. My wife got the runaround today trying to do it at both the embassy and teh consulate and was told she can't apply independently. The guard at the gate of the consulate let her in to copy the list of travel agencies that they designate for this but it's all in Korean and it took a lot of charm to get that even.
This has been the case since Sept 2007. Apparently the fees should not be more than 20000 (according to the embassy).
Outside the consulate are a gang of adjummas who are reputedly working for these agencies (and some not listed) and will hassle you to take your application. My wife thought better of this (wise ol' gal) but they may well be kosher.
They were offering as little as 10000 commission. |
Wow, that sucks. Glad I went to Busan. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
MrMr
Joined: 05 Sep 2006
Location: Korea
|
| Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 7:20 am Post subject: Going to China |
|
|
| Soo Yeon Travel, #409 YMCA Bldg 9 Jongro 2-gu..02 7364324 or 019 216 7792. I've used them twice to get my Chinese Tourist visa. 35,000 plus 3000 won commission and i never booked any transport with them. Very reasonable and the flexibility to drop off and pick up any time during business hours. The manager speaks enough English and the assistant understands 'china visa" |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
CeleryMan
Joined: 12 Apr 2007
Location: Seoul
|
| Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 1:19 am Post subject: Re: Visa |
|
|
| the saint wrote: |
Outside the consulate are a gang of adjummas who are reputedly working for these agencies (and some not listed) and will hassle you to take your application. My wife thought better of this (wise ol' gal) but they may well be kosher.
They were offering as little as 10000 commission. |
Los Koreanos are so focused on making that almighty chedda, this type of middleman hustle can't be taught. I need to get some of these adjumas on my payroll .. damn! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Rumple
Joined: 19 Sep 2007
|
| Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 3:30 pm Post subject: Re: Going to China |
|
|
| MrMr wrote: |
| Soo Yeon Travel, #409 YMCA Bldg 9 Jongro 2-gu..02 7364324 or 019 216 7792. I've used them twice to get my Chinese Tourist visa. 35,000 plus 3000 won commission and i never booked any transport with them. Very reasonable and the flexibility to drop off and pick up any time during business hours. The manager speaks enough English and the assistant understands 'china visa" |
If you paid 35000 then you aren't American. That's the rate for everyone else. Americans pay significantly more. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
