Image credit: Baycrest – http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Baycrest – ?????? License: CC-BY-SA-2.5

Following successful high-speed test runs on 24 December, the latest extension to China’s high-speed network opened to passengers on 26 December 2012.  The average speed over the route is 300 km per hour, with peak speeds of up to 350 km per hour.

The 2298 km line runs from Beijing down to Guangzhou in the south and cuts the travel time from 22 hours (see our article An Epic Rail Journey Across China) down to just eight hours.  While this takes more than twice as long as the same journey by air, the train is cheaper (even if you move up a class) and you get to experience the countryside close-up.

Investment in China’s train service slowed after the Wenzhou accident in July 2011 but has picked up again after the introduction of new safety measures.  More than half of the projected 16,000 km modern rail network has now already been built.

It is planned to extend the line to Hong Kong by 2012 and the underpinnings of the underground West Kowloon Terminus have already been completed.  This is intended to increase competition with the regional airlines.  Despite the large area of the country, there is considerable air traffic congestion over China as the airlines are restricted to narrow flight corridors.  Weather conditions also result in frequent flight delays.

A first-class ticket on the Beijing/Guangzhou high speed line costs 1388 Yuan.  (By comparison, an economy class ticket over the slightly longer Hong-Kong/Beijing route on China Southern Airlines costs 1620 Yuan.)

Image credit: TristanB, August 2004

There are tourist traps in every country that work in pretty much the same way.  We believe in letting your buck go further and in line with that, here are a few suggestions for saving money.

Airport duty free shops

There is no automatic saving in duty-free shops, and in many cases we have found that the prices are the same as in high-street shops.  (In some airports such as Heathrow, direct price comparisons are regularly conducted to ensure that you are paying no more than you would at a shop in the city.)

The bargains that are to be had in duty-free are on articles with high levels of duty, which are generally in “luxury” goods such as alcoholic drinks, and fragrances.  If you are a devotee of luxury goods then duty-free is probably going to work out well for you.

Airline duty free

When you are flying with Emirates and Qatar you have an option to put a sticker on your seat-back top which has a sleeping face, then they will skip you when they come around with the duty free cart.  If you want to save money, that is the way to go.  Airline duty-free prices are not usually all that wonderful because their profit margins are often fatter, but if you know the price elsewhere then you may be able to score a rare bargain by comparing prices.

Tourist attraction curio shops

These are often the worst offenders in charging top dollar.  One way that you can tell if a place is a tourist trap or not is by finding out if the locals buy there.  For instance the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is supported mainly by tourists.  By contrast, however, the Egyptian or Spice Market is frequented by locals buying their spices for use at home.  The quality is spoken of (positively) in hushed tones, and the prices are keen.

If you want to support the local economy by buying trinkets you will often get the same thing from a local supermarket, or even a street vendor, at substantially lower rates than at the shop at the airport.

Of course, you may have forgotten to get gifts for relatives or friends, in which case if you remember in time you can buy them a present at the airport, but then you should be prepared to pay for the convenience.

Restaurants

If you eat the local cuisine you will pay less than if you go for foods that are exotic in that location.  For instance, in Hong Kong there is a wide variety of fare from all over the world.  But even in a touristy place like Victoria Peak you will pay Yuan 50 for Chinese food, and probably over Yuan 100 if you want an Italian-style meal.

The author also experienced this in eating at a German-themed restaurant in Dalian, Northern China.  Expensive!  If you want more bang for your buck, get your teeth into the local cuisine and enjoy what the country you are visiting has to offer your palate.  After all, if you wanted to eat food from home, you could simply have stayed at home!

The key to not being caught as a tourist is to shop and eat where the locals do, where it is safe to do so.

We bought the tickets prior to leaving home, through a tour operator in our home-country who in turn obtained the ticket from one of their agents in Beijing.  A full itinerary was emailed through to us and we were advised that we would get the actual tickets once in China.

Image attribution: ?? Kim S, 2 May 2005

The tickets arrived at our Beijing hotel before we did.  (We checked in very late owing to 45 minutes spent taxiing around the airport before deplaning, and a delayed transfer to the hotel.  Our tickets were waiting for us.)

On our arrival at 2am the hotel was in darkness and the security men were all but asleep.  Not to mention the thick smog enveloping the city which added a certain spookiness to the city streets in the early hours of the morning.

Getting to the station

Our rail journey really began around 8am with the taxi ride from the hotel to Beijing West Train Station.  The driver’s car had a unfortunate tendency to conk out in the middle of heavy traffic every few kilometres, resulting in raised fists and voices from other motorists and a great deal of apprehension on our part.  Our driver took it all in his stride, as though it were commonplace, which in his case it probably was.  Once we got to the station, which is designed to look like a gate, we realised that even finding the entrance was going to be a mammoth task by ourselves.  We therefore offered him extra cash to show us the entrance.  As he had parked in the underground parking, which looked like a modern version of the Hampton Court maze, this was a good idea.

Our driver parted company with us at the entrance with a toothy smile and a wave.  A long line snaked its way to the entrance gate, where an official was checking everyone’s train tickets.  If you didn’t have a train ticket, you could not get into the building, simple as that.

The station

Being Westerners, our documents were simply glanced at and handed back.  None of the questioning we’d seen fellow queue members go through.  We were in the station at last – an hour after setting out from the hotel!  To the left and right were shops selling all kinds of food that one might require on the journey.  Above was a confusing display board, advising departure times in Chinese.  We did not know where to go, as the train terminal is as big as an airport terminal inside, with limited signage in English. 

Looking around for anyone that might help, we spotted a gentleman in a red and black uniform with a leaning-tower-of-Pisa contraption that housed bags on top of it.  I went up to him and enquired if he knew where we needed to go, showing him my ticket.  His response was to hoist my luggage onto the Pisa tower and hold out his hand, indicating two Yuan with his fingers. 

I told my sister that the luggage guy would know where we needed to go, but we had to carry her luggage as his rackety contraption was now too heavy to take any more items.  By now, there were a dozen other folks gathered around whose luggage had also been loaded atop the leaning tower of luggage.  Soon we headed off.  It felt as if we walked miles down corridors.  We passed through two further sets of security, where our tickets were again checked.  Finally, we went down a staircase and on to the platform.  Here, voices were raised between the luggage carrying man and his customers.  It turned out that the argument was because my luggage was taken to our carriage first as we were in soft-sleeper and the rest were in hard-sleeper. 

On the train

The carriage we were ushered into had its own friendly stewardess and was spotlessly clean.  We were in a four berth compartment, sharing with two others.  It was a great relief to find that we had the bottom berths.  Why?  Because the upper berths were not just high being at head height, but only had one step to help one accomplish the acrobatic feat of swinging yourself up and on. 

The toilets were very clean when we first boarded.  However, they had to be cleaned regularly by the stewardess throughout the trip as the floor inexplicably got wet every hour or so. 

Surprise of surprises, the lady sharing with us could speak a little English and we learnt that she was heading to Cambodia.  We chatted and played cards, waiting for the train to depart.  We couldn’t wait to be out of the city perimeter so that we could really see China from the ground.  Pollution blankets the city and one often cannot  see the sun clearly.  Once we were about two hours out of Beijing, we did see some rice paddies and a few trees.  The scenery proved to be a disappointment because it rained from one end of the country to the other.  Along the route we encountered towns with buildings that sported peeling paint or no paint and gaping holes for windows.  It was not the view that we had expected, but did give us an insight into the daily lives of the ordinary Chinese that we would not otherwise have had.

The dining car was quite an experience.  All the tables were crowded even though we went early.  The menu consisted of frozen non-descript pre-packed meals.  Meals are not included in the price and after having a look at what was on offer, we decided to raid our chocolate supply instead.

Slippers are provided free to all soft-sleeper travellers.  This is not just a nice touch, it’s a necessity in a place where throat-clearing, followed by spitting is done every few minutes by one of the passing males in the corridor.  It is a very bad idea to go barefoot.  This aspect, although distressing at times, is practiced in most parts of China, especially up North, and one either becomes paranoid about it, or you stop noticing it after a while. 

A landslide had derailed a train of this very route just two weeks before our arrival, so we slept fitfully.  The rain came down steadily throughout the entire trip.  Also, the lady and gent we were sharing with struck up an impromptu date and chatted way into the night with the light on.

We arrived in Guangzhou the next morning, two hours later than the scheduled arrival time.  There was a great sense of camaraderie as the passengers eagerly lined the windows along the corridor to watch our approach into the city.  All in all, it had been a great adventure, our cross country rail trip from Beijing to China’s pearl delta.

Total duration of journey: 24 hours.

Picture credit: ShaMianRen 28 March 2006

In summer, the city streets swelter under the humidity and your skin feels as though it’s gently steaming.  So much so that the author felt a need to pour her bottle of water over her head whilst there earlier this year, to the surprise and amusement of the local bystanders.

Here are a few of what we considered to be essential places to visit in Guangzhou.

Guangzhou Pearl Market

Don’t ask us how to get there, speak to the taxi driver.  Any one will do as they all know where the market is.  Once you are there, be sure not to get lost!  Getting lost is pretty easy as the market is situated in a multi-storey building with the stalls located along rabbit-warren style corridors.  There is so much to see and buy here at a very reasonable price that unless you keep careful track of time you could easily find that you have spent the entire day there.

Most of the pearls are not fresh water pearls and some are of good quality, at a fraction of the price back home.  Drive a hard bargain, because if you’re a Westerner, there is a big invisible dollar sign above your head as far as the vendors are concerned.

Chen Family Temple

This is a must-see for Chinese architecture lovers.  Built in the 1890s, it is a fascinating and beautiful collection of courtyards, sculptures and historic items on display.  There is a nominal entrance fee which includes a ticket that also serves as a postcard with free postage within the borders of China.

There are several little shops selling jewellery (though at less favourable prices than at the Pearl Market), Chinese porcelain, small jade and wooden carvings and other quirky items such as a frog that turns gold when boiling water is poured over it.  The golden frog is available at several different touristy spots in China.

The very attentive ladies at the tea shop that sells porcelain will also obligingly give you a cup of steaming jasmine tea, which is surprisingly refreshing on a hot day in Guangzhou.

Guangzhou trade fair

If your visit is business for the trade fair, then you already know what its all about.  A useful tip that we discovered quite by accident is to trawl the street markets on the final day of the fair.  Why?  Because what was only available as bulk previously, now becomes available to you as a regular customer rather than a retail customer.  So, we bought several purses each at a very good price, whereas the day before we would have had to buy a minimum of 100!  When you’re only buying for yourself, one hundred purses would be rather to many.

Insider hints for Guangzhou

Taxis.  Our best tip for travelling in Guangzhou would be regarding the taxis.  If you can at all avoid it, do not be in a position where you have to take a taxi between 4 and 6pm.  The reason is that there is a change-over of the shift and you can wave all you like, not one will stop.  There are private cars that though that operate ‘under the radar’ as taxis during this time.  They are not registered and are risky as their driving, believe it or not, is even worse than that of the regular taxis.

Heat.  The heat can be really oppressive.  Always carry a bottle of water with you.  Sunscreen is also advisable, though you won’t see much sun as there is an ever-present smog blanketing the city.

Bargaining.  In China there are always (broadly-speaking) three prices: highest is for Westerners, next is for the Chinese public.  The best prices are reserved for people connected with the vendor, with the degree of connectedness determining the final price.  It is expected that you will bargain, irrespective of which group you belong to.  If you have a Chinese friend with you, get him or her to bargain in your behalf.  (But remember that your driver or tour guide is not your “friend” when it comes to bargaining!)

Guangzhou is a vibrant city with lots on offer to shopaholics.  There are many different cuisines to sample, pretty much anything that your palate desires, be it Peking Duck or Irish fare at the Paddy Field (an Irish-themed pub in Guangzhou frequented by foreigners).

Weekend rates

Many hotels offer a lower rate on the weekends, from Friday through to Sunday nights.  The reason?  Hotels in major cities get their regular trade from the business travellers on weekdays and so lower their prices to get higher occupancy on the weekends,

Long stays

A seven day stay is clearly going to bring in more revenue for a hotel than two or three nights.  So, to make it more appealing, they may offer a lower rate.  Or if they don’t, be sure to phone and negotiate.

Operators and travel agents

Travel agents that have a national presence and tour operators are able to negotiate discounted rates with hotels due to their larger buying power.  Even though you may have found a good price on the internet, be sure to check what rate an operator can get you.  Sometimes their rate may be the same but it could include, say, breakfast.  Or the rate could be even lower.

The price you get via the Internet may often be best for hotels in the United States, but in other countries such as China an operator will frequently beat rates obtained, because of the way business is done there.  (Some Chinese operators are online but there is no guarantee that they quote their best price there.)

Negotiate

Phone and negotiate.  We aren’t just suggesting calling and asking, “what is your best price”?  You need to try harder than that.  Get a comparative price at a different hotel chain that is of the same standard as the one you want and then ask them to match it.  In many cases they will.  It’s a tough economy out there today and everyone wants business.

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Here are some of the must-sees that we suggest if you’re stopping over in China’s capital.  And if you treat people respectfully you will find that you leave as friends.

Great Wall

The wall of China is without a doubt a Great wall.  It is justifiably a source of national pride in Chinese citizens.  If you want to be able to tell your grandchildren that you have seen one of the world’s most amazing feats of engineering then you must clearly visit the wall.  Plus, you must get grandchildren.  Borrow some if necessary!

Standing on so much history – literally, gives one a feeling of awe.  Many of us suppose the wall to be one continuous wall across China.  This is not the case.  Different sections of the wall and different walls were built at various points in history and in some instances old walls were given a new look and reinforced.  The sections are not joined up.  The Great Wall is made up of many walls.  In Beijing, there are six sections that can be visited, the most popular being Badaling.

My surprise was how steep the stepped sections are, and how dizzyingly tall the wall is.  When you have climbed the wall you can pose for a commemorative photograph and get a certificate indicating you have ascended the wall.  If you are a Westerner you may likely be badgered to be photographed along with locals.  There is nothing ominous about it – they just welcome strangers.

The Forbidden City

At the heart of Beijing is an ancient walled city consisting of 980 wooden buildings, showcasing Chinese architecture that has influenced many other Asian countries. The complex boasts 600 years of Chinese Imperial history as the political seat of the country.  The Forbidden City continued in this role until 1912 with the abdication of the last Chinese emperor, Puyi.  If you visit the City as part of a guided tour, you will find it to be quite rushed and you will get through the main parts in about an hour.  Should you wish to read the stories of each artefact up on display and wander around at leisure, you will need half a day at the least and do it as an independent traveller.  This is a definite must-see.

It is easy to imagine oneself in a different era when wandering through the Forbidden City and indeed a friend of mine doctored a photo that I took to make it look like it had been taken a century ago.

Summer Palace

The man-made Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake make for a tranquil setting.  Except that is, if you happen to be visiting on a national holiday as we did.  Then it is a colourful chaos: very busy with little children running amuck, hawkers trying their best to sell postcards at inflated prices, tour guides waving their coloured flags in the air to keep their groups together and a general babble of lots of people talking at once.  Amongst the hubbub you may find it interesting to wander down the Long Corridor or take a scenic ride on one of the dragon boats that operates on the Lake.  The marble boat, the zenith of ostentation can also be visited.

The above three well-known sights can be done on a tour that almost always includes a visit to the ‘Jade Factory’.  The reason for our quotes is that this is really a small tour of a jade factory rather than the jade factory.  Obviously the intention is to get you to buy the jade goods on sale, including jewellery and sculptures.  Another frequent inclusion is the ‘Silk Factory’.  Same story as the jade factory.  In saying that, we did buy a fabulous silk cushion that folds out to serve as a blanket.  It has a beautiful Chinese design on it.

Beijing is a good value-for-money city with lots of clean and affordable accommodation.  Getting around the city is fairly easy, although we strongly suggest you carry a English-Chinese phrase book.  This proved invaluable in aiding communication when our toilet flooded the first night.  (Some of the toilet designs are predisposed to overflowing and even upmarket accommodation does not necessarily have western-style plumbing fixtures.)

As far as language is concerned, you will find that (despite the efforts made to train people in the service industries around the time of the Beijing Olympics) only the rudiments of English are spoken, and by few people .  That said, the official signage in English is generally quite good.

Look out for our upcoming article on Guangzhou, gateway to China’s pearl delta.