In what can only be assumed to be fear over increased problems related to the Olympic games, China has cut off multiple entry travel visas, and limited them to 30 days. As Journey to Nowhere reports from the SCMP (which stoically continues to charge for online content): Beijing has stopped issuing multiple-entry visas, risking major [...]
China Travel Posts
Mind the gap this Spring Festival
With Spring Festival just a couple weeks away, time to remind any first-time Laowai to be careful as they venture out in what must be the world’s largest annual mass-migration. Despite being one of the larger stories on Chinese-language news channels, little has been mentioned externally about an accident in Wuhu, Anhui, on January 13, [...]
Awww! Romantic Wuzhen
I’m a romantic. I like romatic places. China, in general isn’t. I state my case: Think China, think The Great Wall. Long. Visible from space. Testament to power, fear and a plentiful supply of labour. Kind of pretty in winter in the less frequented sections, I admit. Romance rating: 3/10 Think China, think The Forbidden [...]
The Ultimate Laowai: The Walking Dutchman
Back in June, I posted about The Walking Dutchman, Jans Vroomans. This dude is pretty hardcore. He set out last year, on October 14 (2006), from the Netherlands. His intention was to walk all the way to China, passing through the Ukraine, Russia, and Kazachstan.
Ambitious hey? And here I find it hard to walk to Wal~Mart…
C’mon, let him hold the Torch!
As some of you may have heard, the Olympics are coming to Beijing next August. No, really. And beside colourful rings, fancy logos and a bunch of sickeningly cute paraphernalia, the key imagery of the event has got to be the Olympic Torch. Starting last June the Olympic committee began hunting out the near 22,000 [...]
Beautiful outside, beautiful inside?
As a regular air traveler to and from Beijing, I read with much interest the details of the new Beijing terminal that was showcased yesterday. I have no doubt the “design is gorgeous”. I have no doubt that the “design is world-class.” And since it’s China (quality control anyone?), I’m sure they built it really [...]
1.3 Billion Reasons Not To Travel During May Holiday
Ah, May Holiday – one of China’s shimmering Golden Week vacations. Just a quick little reminder what awaits any laowai silly enough to venture outside and catch up on travel next week. 1.view full post for image 2.view full post for image 3.
Peopleless Panoramas Float My Boat
On my third, and most recent trip, to Shanghai I managed to stumble into a rather simplistic way to view the metropolis’ cityscape along the Huang Pu River without having to navigate the plethora of beggers, touts and tourists that clog up The Bund even in the off-season – never mind a Saturday during one [...]
