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.
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.
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.
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