Zhuhai, China – 26-28 April 2024

When I notice the rain has stopped, I make a run from the office just after 4.30pm, on Friday 26 April 2024. Even though I won’t be outside for long I’m more worried about the hole in my shoe, which I really noticed this morning.

I’m heading to Zhuhai, China by boat for the weekend.

On arrival at Macau Ferry Pier in Sheung Wan I follow the signs to Zhuhai (I don’t want to end up on the boat to Macau thank you very much). There is basically no one else around so it’s a clear run through Hong Kong immigration to the boarding gate.

I leave it until the last minute to board the boat. I’m worried the sea might be choppy due to the rain, wind and hail. Fingers crossed it’s not!

We depart Hong Kong right on 5.30pm. The 1 hour 10 minute journey passes by quickly - having something to watch helps. Thankfully it wasn’t too choppy.

Yet again I have more than one person “helping” at Immigration. For the first time for a very long time (perhaps even forever) I’m asked the purpose of my visit. Eeks. I answer business meeting and tourism. A few minutes later I’m asked the same question by someone else. Ok. Same answer. I quickly show them my return boat ticket, which they seem surprised I had. Clearly most people just rock up on the day to purchase the tickets. No not me. In the end I’m through. Phew!

Earlier today I’d taken a photo of the hotel’s details in Chinese.  This helped immensely with the taxi driver.

The whole taxi journey to the hotel I spend trying to get onto my WeChat on my personal phone and fail. Grrrrr. Thank goodness I didn’t have issues accessing on my work phone.

The lady at check-in is super sweet and helpful. When she wasn’t sure of the English words she spoke into her phone then showed me the English translation. I had two separate reservations which made check-in a little more complicated. I had booked tomorrow nights stay a few weeks ago and got a good deal, hence the two separate nights. She kindly upgraded my room tonight to club lounge access as well. Great!

I’m informed happy hour is to 8.30pm, wow! It’s only 7.10pm so I have heaps of time.

I quickly unpack my things - takes all of 30 seconds given I’m here for 2 nights only.

On arrival at the club lounge, which is rather big, I’m the only one here so have the pick of the tables. Window seat it is.

The white wine is Sauvignon Blanc.  That’s a strong no. Onto the red wine I go.  The food selection is not just happy hour snacks, rather proper food.

And relax!

 

 

Saturday 27 April my alarm wakes me at 8.30am. I’m not surprised as it’s been another pretty full on week work wise so not much sleep was had. When I open the curtains there is no rain. Let’s hope it stays like this!

Luckily I come to breakfast when I do! About 10 minutes after being here a staff member goes around each table saying we are closing at 10am. Right. I could have sworn I was told 10.30am when I checked in last night. Hey ho.

I order poached eggs, let’s see what comes out…..

 

There is something soothing about hearing people chit chat around you but have absolutely zero idea what they are talking about.

My friends are in Macau for the day for their daughter’s rugby so I decide to head over there. All going well of course at the border!!!

A taxi arrives a few minutes after ordering one and within seconds we are off to Gongbei Port. I really like the big open spaces, especially compared to the densely populated Hong Kong.

I follow the crowds until I start to see some signs in English. Thankfully crossing the border is much easier than it was coming in last night!

As I walk through to Macau immigration my eyes are scanning for APEC line. Not today. There are people everywhere! I’m clearly not the only person wanting to cross over the border. I definitely chose the wrong lane! We are on the complete go slow. It’s my turn next, I notice in the aisle next to me a man has his HK ID card - I’ll do the same.

I hand over my passport and HK ID card which totally confuses the immigration officer. He tells me I can enter on my HK ID card, excellent. Saves space in my passport!

I arrive into Macau and I follow the signs to the taxi stand. No idea how I’m going to pay as I don’t have cash on me….hey ho! Vanliza has said she has money.

As soon as I get into the taxi I try to put my seatbelt on. The driver immediately tells me it’s not needed. Maybe but I want to put it on. Grrrr it’s not working. Right next thing, do you take card? No, only cash or Weixun Pay (the official name of Wechat pay). Bingo, I have that!

We finally arrive at The International School of Macao and of course my Weixun Pay isn’t working. Grrrrr. I try numerous times on both phones without success. A call to Vanliza has her coming to pay for me!

Jocelyn’s playing in a rugby tournament – under 9’s, mixed team.  The games are 12 minutes long, and at times it’s quite stressful. Some of the parents (of the other teams) are extremely aggressive on the sidelines.

Once it’s all over we relax in the local campus restaurant / bar before walking to Old Taipa town to find food.

As it’s after 4pm the choices aren’t large, so we decide on a pub which serves food.  Sangria and food are ordered!

We put James and Jocelyn in a taxi to head back to Hong Kong then wait for a taxi for us to go in the opposite direction. 




















As the taxi arrives at the border there are people everywhere. And I mean EVERYWHERE! Wholly molley. I’m so glad I’m not alone. Vanliza is joining me for the night. It’s sooooo much busier than it was this morning and I thought this morning was busy. NOPE!

We follow the crowds to Macau immigration, where we join a long but moving line.

We are through - now for China immigration.

As a foreigner I need to go down the foreigner line. We definitely chose the wrong line….talk about a complete go slow! As I get closer to the front of the line I remember I need to complete a form. Aaah. We get chatting to the guy behind us and he asks someone in the lane next to us to get forms when he makes it to the front. Result. Means I can fill in the form now rather than wait to get a form from the immigration officer, then fill in the form. Which would have meant more time in this line!!

When the lady in front of me gets to the counter she’s given a form and told to complete it. She then asks Vanliza to complete it for her.

The immigration officer asks me why I’m coming to Zhuhai - thankfully it was just one question. She then informs me I could have gone down the diplomatic line, ooh thank you. I did know that but we chose this lane because we thought it was moving faster…..

And we are through to China!

We follow the crowds, changing direction as we see a sign for taxi. Perfect!

On entering the taxi I hand the driver my phone with the hotels address. He then starts speaking, nope, not to me. Over to Vanliza. They chit chat the whole way. Every now and again he will try to converse with me, the problem is it’s in Chinese and he’s shouting. That won’t help me sorry.

Thankfully I have no issues with Weixun Pay when we arrive at the hotel. He definitely took us on the tourist route! It’s more expensive than the taxi this morning - but both are still super cheap (especially compared with HK and Macau)!!!

We head straight up the club lounge for wine and food.

 

After adding Vanliza to my room we decide on wine and food in the lobby (as the alcohol had stopped upstairs).

Unfortunately the food takes over an hour to arrive – absolutely ridiculous!!! When it does finally arrive, Vanliza’s soup had very clearly been microwaved.  NO thank you! Both food items are sent back.

Time to head back to the room where we put on face masks. A nice and relaxing way to end a day.

Sunday 28 April I wake just after 8am. It has been a short night! The power in the hotel went off a couple of times, each time it woke me. More sleep is absolutely needed!!!!

Breakfast is nice and relaxed.

Thankfully it’s not raining so we decide to go for a wander around the hotel area. 

 

We return to the hotel to pack up before checking-out. Of course that’s not straight forward but we get there in the end!

Vanliza had earlier researched a couple of different restaurants in a mall, so that is our next destination.

Within what appears to be minutes the taxi is pulling up outside the shopping mall.  Korean BBQ here we come!

 

 

 

As we walk out of the shopping mall there are two taxis waiting - perfect! I say goodbye to Vanliza then hand my driver the piece of paper the hotel did for me earlier (with the name of the pier in Chinese) and bingo, we are away.

Eeks alive, driving along the waterfront the sea is super choppy. It’s going to be a very unpleasant journey back to Hong Kong. Let’s hope the sea sickness tablets work!

The 12 minute drive was nice and easy. On entering the ferry terminal building I ask if there is an earlier boat to HK, no. No worries, I’ll sit and wait.

I definitely arrived too early, but you never do know. They don’t open the departure hall area until 2.25pm (for a 3pm boat). Even then it’s not exactly clear on what needs to happen. Looking around it's very clear I’m the only foreigner…….might make going through immigration nice and easy. Time will tell!

Immigration thankfully goes smoothly as I’m the only person going through the two foreigner lines.

We depart Zhuhai right on time. It’s been a lovely weekend away - being able to cross the border super easily into Macau was an added bonus as well.

Goodbye Zhuhai, Xie Xie for having me! Home Kong here I come.

Shenzhen, China – 19-22 April 2024

It's a bit of a mad dash when the train arrives at Lu Wo Station (in Hong Kong) on Friday 19 April 2024, everyone wants to get out at once.  Ok, off you go.  I'm in no rush!

I had chosen to take the local HK train rather than the high-speed train. That meant I didn't need to go across to Kowloon to get the train.  And I must say it was very easy - around 45 minutes from Admiralty Station. 

I pass through HK immigration smoothly before walking over the sky bridge, across the Sheung Yue River and Sham Chun Rivers, to Shenzhen, China. With my APEC card I’m able to join a separate line. I quickly realise I’m in the slooooow lane. Hey ho.

At last it’s my turn, I hand over my passport and phone (which has my APEC card) and say ni hao. She motions to a form, I smile and think buggar! Ok, time to go to the back of the now longer line and fill in the form. That will serve me right for thinking I didn’t need to complete the form.

Take two. I feel like the immigration officer is brand spanking new she’s beyond slow. I just keep smiling and doing whatever she asks - left hand finger prints only (3 times….), writing in a visa number on the form (which isn’t a visa number…..) and unlocking my phone for her to see my APEC card. After what seems like forever I’m in. Ye ha!

On exiting the station I follow the signs to the Shangri La hotel (which I had been too many many years ago, perhaps in 2008). I thought my best bet would be to get a taxi from there to my hotel. At least someone there would speak English. Rather than trying to get a taxi on the side of the road.

The staff are super helpful, although at one point my phone disappears. They come to my rescue and put me in a taxi, telling me twice that my suitcase is in the boot of the car.

Paying for my taxi doesn’t go smoothly - for whatever reason I need to add my credit card details again to WeChat pay. Finally! Taxi man is paid and can continue on his merry way.

Check-in is nice and easy. I’m informed they have upgraded my room, how lovely.

Wowzers! As I step into my room / apartment I realize they have definitely upgraded me. I basically have a one-bedroom apartment without the kitchen and with two lavatories. Amazing!!

My room gives me club floor access, a treat to escape from the Shenzhen crowds! Cocktail hour starts at 5.30pm so I leave my room 5 minutes earlier. You know, just in case the lifts take forever!

When I arrive almost no one is in here, I choose a seat by the window and relax. Unfortunately the windows are a tad dirty…

It’s been a full on week so I decide instead of going out exploring I’ll have a glass of wine and some food here.

It’s so nice waking up on Saturday 20 April without an alarm. On looking out the window it’s clear we will have rain today. My announcements from HK Observatory app confirm that.

Breakfast is on the 50th floor of the revolving restaurant. The view is impressive!

 

 

After picking up the hotel's card (with the address in Chinese) it’s time to go out exploring. People’s Park here I come.

Maps.me app doesn’t disappoint, I’m now heading in the right direction.

 

 

 

I continue wandering and finally turn down a street that is basically empty, well apart from the many motorbikes and push bikes.

 

 

 

People’s Park is an urban park in the middle of Shenzhen that was established in 1983. It covers close to 13 hectares (32 acres) and is best known for its roses.

Even though there are others around it’s super peaceful wandering around People’s Park. Along the way I come across people exercising, children playing, groups of men playing chess or something similar, a lady doing tai chi , a group singing / playing musical instruments and a few groups having a photo shoot. Hard to imagine I’m in the middle of a massive city.

 

Aah the breeze picks up, good timing as I was beginning to get hot. Just hope this doesn’t mean the rain is coming.

I continue wandering around People’s Park, it really is a beautiful and peaceful place.

 

 

The number of people picks up tenfold as I reach the main streets. I have no fixed destination so decide to head towards KK Mall in the hope of dumplings.

No such luck but I did find a bathroom. So, half successful.

I head to St Regis Hotel (which is attached to the mall) to get a taxi back to my hotel. Hopefully I’ll have better luck with dumplings near my hotel.

Woo hoo my WeChat pay works perfectly this time. A shame the driver got a tad lost. I knew I was close so in the end had him stop and I walked back to the hotel.

I try to bing.com a dumpling place to go too. A couple of places that come up require a taxi (or walking). No, not today! In the end I ask the hotel for a recommendation, much easier! I’m told it’s in a shopping centre less than 5 minutes walk away. Perfect.

In the end I can’t find the place the hotel recommended, or was it more the name of the dumplings to try??! How would I know! I decide on a place and within seconds am being taken to the table.

Two type of dumplings and a sprite are ordered. All of a sudden I’m hungry, not surprising given it’s after 2pm and according to my Apple watch I’ve walked 9.67km.

My waiter is super cute. After dropping off my sprite he shows me his phone - he had translated for me. “I had a table this morning that ordered the same as you”. He then pointed to where they were sitting. We both laughed.

The first bite of the pan-fried dumplings and I’m in heaven. YUM.

I had thought when they arrived at the table that I won’t be eating them all. Hmmmm. They are extremely light and nowhere near as dense as I’ve had before.

Not the best xiao long bao I’ve had….in fact I’d probably say they are the worst I’ve ever had. So disappointing.

 

I walk back into the hotel just before 3pm. Time for a shower and relaxation.

Just before 5.25pm I leave my room. I’m on the slow boat to England stopping at soooo many floors!

When I get to the club lounge it’s a lot busier than it was last night. I manage to grab the last table with a power outlet.

I grab a soda water, glass of wine and a couple of spring rolls. I’ll do some of my life admin before coming back for other food.

Goodness me you need to get in quick here, if not the food all goes. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen this happen.

After a while the place empties and returns to quietness (well apart from the thunder). Perfect. I manage to get through a lot of my to do list - so much easier when you don’t have the normal distractions when at home (WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, you-tube and the list goes on).

I wake just after 8am on Sunday 21 April 2024, it had been a short night. My a/c machine keep switching itself on and off which was waking me each time. Far from ideal.

I decide to head out for a short walk, really to clear the cobwebs and wake up properly. With the streets quiet (there is next to no one around) and the temperature low it makes for pleasant wanderings.

As I walk back into the hotel there is a big group waiting to check-in. Well that answers my question on whether I go to my room first or straight to breakfast. Floor 50 here I come.

As I get into the lift there is a man arguing with one of the hotel staff - he is saying breakfast is on the 2nd or 3rd floor, she is saying no you need to go to the 44th floor then onto the 50th. He is adamant he’s right and said that’s where he had breakfast yesterday. Extremely unlikely unless it was a private room for 1. Complete douche bag, bye bye then. He gets out on the 3rd floor and we continue.

Guess who I see on the 50th floor around 5 minutes later. Silly man!!

Aah the amber rainstorm alert has just come up on my phone. Time to get cracking and get outside before it completely buckets down!

As soon as I walk outside I notice umbrellas everywhere. It’s only spitting so I decide to get cracking. Unfortunately that doesn’t last long the heavy rain begins!

I wander around the streets and at times undercover where possible. One positive of the rain is there are less people around.

 

 

 

I have a brief stop at the hotel before heading off to the mall near my hotel. I’m on a mission to purchase something but having zero luck so far!

The mall is unsuccessful. Hey ho.

Man alive it’s absolutely bucketing down!! So much so the drains are having a hard time keeping up with the amount of water.

Back at the hotel a lady at the front desk helps me order online. Bingo! How the fun task begins of how to pay her. Another mission that doesn’t end well!!! In the end my friend’s father pays her. Next time I come to China I must bring cash.

As soon as I enter my room I realize my sneakers are soaking. Definitely won’t be going outside again today. This rain is crazy!

I order Shrimp wonton soup for lunch while listening to the person-less piano play soothing music (which thankfully drowns out the rain that keeps falling outside).

It really is amazing how much you get done when you don’t have any distractions!!!!

I get chatting to a couple in the lounge who arrived in China today for one month. Nice to be able to speak without having to reword what I’m saying.

My alarm wakes me at 6.20am on Monday 22 April. Absolutely more sleep is needed!!! The a/c machine kept me awake again. Very annoying.

Check-out is super smooth. Getting a taxi was not that easy. I’m told 7.30am is peak time.  Interesting as the streets don’t appear busy and there is next to no one else around in the lobby. As long as the rain stays away, I’ll be fine.

Bingo, they have a taxi. And I’m off. It’s been a lovely little getaway, made so much better that no airports were involved. Off to work I go!

Ooh my, I’m so glad I left the hotel earlier than planned. Traffic is bumper to bumper….. As I get closer to Luohu Station it’s not about the traffic, rather the works on some of the roads which means traffic is reduced to 1-2 lanes only.

Immigration takes a little longer than usual due to the fact my photo doesn’t appear on my APEC card. Very very strange as this has never happened before! And of course I can’t get online. In the end a supervisor comes over, takes my passport and asks me to follow her.  Within minutes I’m told all is good. Phew!

Wowzers I am definitely not the only person crossing over the border! It’s so much busier than I expected it would be. With that in mind I decide to pay the extra (zero idea how much!) and sit in first class.

Goodbye China, until next time.