China calling
Mar 26th, 2007 by Peter
After more than 1 year of saving, it seems that I’ll be back in China this summer. It’s been some ride economically, as the whole trip depended on whether I got a big tax return as expected (and planned). Meanwhile waiting for the final say from the tax office (the go being given only a few days ago), we’ve been holding our breath and doe close to the body the last year and a half.
As expected, everything worked out well. So I went ahead and started planning in detail.
I have calculated the trip to be anywhere within 20.000 – 25.000 kr (divide by 5½ to get US$). This includes flight tickets, hotel, gifts, expenses, visa and insurance. For now the price is within budget as I bagged 2 tickets for 11.000dkr (again, divide with 5.5) which is unheard of considering the last tickets from Beijing to Copenhagen.
The downside to the price is a stopover in Amsterdam, but who gives a flying f… at that price. Last year when I looked it would be almost 16.000dkr for 2 tickets.
The plan so far is:
30. June 2007 Departure Copenhagen
30. June 2007 Arrival in Beijing
Then a stay over for a few days to checkout Beijing (the only time we’ll be needing hotel, if lucky). Here we’ll be doing the classical touristy things like: Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Mao’s Mausoleum, Beijing Duck (actually this is one of the most awaited tasks on my part) and perhaps a sightseeing at the Great Wall. If we have time, a tea house will be sought out too, and whatever will spring to mind. I’m open to suggestions.
A few days or maybe 3 later, we will catch a train to Harbin (cheaper, and more exciting than a plane), where we will shift to a bus to C’s home city situated about 3½ hours of drive to the northeast. By then the jetlag should have stabilized enough for me to be smiling, charming, polite and maybe even funny when I meet the in-laws for the first time ever (insert scary scream!)
The 27.-28. of July about one month later we’ll be back in Beijing to catch a plane home to Denmark and then I can lick my wounds. If it goes as planned, it will be an experience to remember for me and a much needed rekindling for C with her family. She haven’t seen them for about 1 year and 3 months by then.
I can’t wait to meet the in-laws, and I can’t wait to get some great pictures and new inputs. Even if it turns out to be a rough ride for a fat foreigner in a provincial town in the north of China. What doesn’t make you stronger, will kill you! ….or was it the other way around? Anyway, I know that if I bite the dust, my body will not be totally wasted in China. Chou Tofu anyone?
If u come to Beijing,I suggest u visit the Summer Palace,I like it more than forbidden City.there r a lake,and many jiangnan style buildings there.it can be fun.the Great wall is a little far aways from the Tiananmen square,maybe it will take u 2 hrs to get there.Of course,u can’t miss it,it’s should be the most famous site of beijing,even in china.
Tnx Ray. I’ll check out your suggestion.
Lille regnefejl tror jeg .. du skriver at man skal gange med 5.5. for at få Dollars .. men du mener naturligvis divider :-)
Jeg skriver det pådansk så kan du holde skindet på næsen for dine kina venner :-) hehe
Syyysh Gregers. :-)
U couldn’t see the pics on my latest post of my blog?Maybe that’s because the pics r located in the my chinese network album.But I think it can be visited in ur country. My flickr photos album storage has been up to the limit.I can’t upload any more pics on it unless I delete some of them.My flickr account is a free one,so it has the 200 photos limitation.so I sign up another one in a very famous chinese website.it has limitless upload,I can store as many pics as I can,it’s totally free.
Anyway,if u still can’t see the pics from that album,pls let me know,I will try to figure out any other idea.
I’ve changed the pics storage location,they r all located in the my flickr ablum.So now,could u check if it works well now?
BTY,can u visit my 163 network album? the address is http://cnleeo.photo.163.com/ I don’t believe it is blocked in Denmark.
Yes, now I can see both those pics and your 163 album.
Denmark have no great firewall, so we should be able to see everything on the net. :-)