So far, so good. One more week in mainland China.
I had survived the first week of my trip to mainland China. Week #2 would be spent in Shanghai, with the final day of my two-week trip taking me to Hong Kong.
Perks!
As a Hyatt Globalist, the top tier in the Hyatt frequent stay program, I am given the option to check out as late as 4 p.m. on my departure day. You can bet I used every one of those minutes to enjoy my nearly 3,000-square-foot Grand Hyatt hotel suite.
Finally. A conversation in real English.
When it was time to check out of the Grand Hyatt, I ordered a Didi rideshare. While I waited, I had my first true English-speaking conversation with one of the Hyatt doormen. He was an intern from the Maldives and spoke English well.
He was able to provide me with a lot of tips on simply navigating Shanghai and using Didi, as well as China’s Alipay payment system. That conversation was most helpful.
This would be a nice place to stay several nights.
I will be checking into the Alila Shanghai hotel for the next five nights. The Alila is a former Four Seasons property. This hotel is a much more Chinese-themed property. My stays at the Grand Hyatt in Shanghai and the Park Hyatt in Changsha were more traditional Hyatt properties, similar to those I might find in the United States.
I had a guaranteed suite upgrade at the Alila. The interior of the hotel resembles a Chinese, Japanese, or perhaps even Hawaiian theme. I’m probably more inclined to appreciate the big and gaudy hotel rooms. That’s just me! The Alila was more subtle but definitely upscale.
Let’s see what Shanghai has to offer.
I had just one touring activity scheduled for today, but it was going to be a good one. I would be attending the acrobatics show at the Chinese World Circus.
Once again, I scheduled this with GetYourGuide. Don’t worry. That’s how GYG is spelled! The one-hour show had some spectacular acrobatic acts.
The act that I enjoyed the most was when they put a motorcycle and rider in a huge, steel, globe-shaped cage. You may have seen something like this at a county or state fair.
What made this an over-the-top performance was when they started by putting one motorcycle in the cage and then adding one more, and then one more, until they had SEVEN motorcycles in what was a relatively small steel cage. I’ve never seen anything like that before. Most amazing!
I prefer to be on my own.
When the show was finished, I walked outside the arena. I saw a large number of tour buses waiting for their customers. These tour buses were carrying mostly Anglo tourists from what seemed to be Europe, Australia, and maybe even the United States.
As I walked out of the arena, I marveled that I was on my own. I could head in any direction I wanted. I decided to walk a block or two from the arena. There, where the crowds were smaller, I would have the space to order a Didi rideshare drive. I would pay for my ride with Alipay.
I smiled when I imagined that virtually everyone at tonight’s show was now on a tour bus waiting for that last straggling tourist to get on the bus so that they could get going to their next stop.
Meeting locals is the best experience for me.
I was standing on a street corner amongst 10 Chinese people about my age or maybe a little bit younger. They were leaving a dinner restaurant. They couldn’t get over my height. I’m 6’3” tall, which puts me in the 97th percentile for height. I know I’m tall, but I don’t think of my height as being all that unusual. These Chinese folks thought my height was most extraordinary! They wanted to get their picture taken with me and did.
Soon, my driver arrived. I was back at my hotel by 10 o’clock. I took a stroll around the hotel to find a convenience store where I could pick up a couple of food and drink items.
Tesla! In China.
I walked past a Tesla dealership. Since it was so late, the dealership was closed, as expected. I had just read that Tesla’s sales for the whole year in Europe were down by 53%. A Chinese tour guide informed me that Tesla sales in China were declining.
I have now owned two new Teslas over a period of six years. I absolutely love the car itself. However, when a CEO gets involved in politics, I can hardly imagine much good coming out of it. You’re pretty much guaranteed to piss off about half the people doing that. That is certainly the case with Tesla.
GetYourGuide is a valuable touring tool.
I frequently use the online travel app GetYourGuide when traveling in or outside the United States. GYG offers up lots of unique ideas. Their prices seem reasonable. They have been very reliable for me in the past, and they would be in China as well.
Local commentary is the best.
I started today with a GetYourGuide “Alleyways Tour of the Bund” tour in downtown Shanghai. Seeing the sights was fine, but listening to the commentary of our thirty-something female guide was the highlight of the tour.
There were just three people on the tour besides the guide, two Canadians from French-speaking Quebec, and me.
Censorship in China.
I can confirm that Canadians are not particularly fond of the United States at this point. We asked our guide about the censorship in China and whether it was an issue.
She told me that China has an equivalent to everything that is banned/censored in the country, which includes Google, YouTube, Yahoo, and Apple.
She said that because China has every one of those items and more, she and her friends don’t experience any consternation about the “censoring” at all.
The cost of living in China is super cheap.
She told us that, due to China’s extremely low cost of living, she would have absolutely no desire to live in the United States or Europe. Based on my current experiences, the cost of living in Shanghai, China’s largest city, is approximately 25% of what it would cost to live in major cities outside of China.
That was then; this is now.
She said that 40 years ago, when China was poor, there would have been reason to leave. Now, she says China is the “new New York.” It is pretty amazing to be able to ride in a Didi/Uber car for 30 minutes for three or four dollars. Convenience store pricing is approximately 30% of what you would find in the United States.
She told us that Chinese can rent apartments for as little as $200 a month. A very nice apartment might go for $1,000 a month. She loved all the benefits of living in a big city at a remarkably low cost.
I ask a lot of questions.
I quizzed several Chinese people working at the hotel and elsewhere. They all came back with a feeling very much identical to what today’s tour guide told us.
How many tourists do this when they visit China?
When I’m out on these trips, I want to try to see as many unique things as possible. Today I tried something that most people wouldn’t consider a touring activity in China. I wanted to visit Costco in Shanghai!
I figured they might offer some unique visual experience that would make the trip out to the store worthwhile. Maybe they had a “dogs for dinner” offering. You never know, right?
No such luck. I spent an hour in Shanghai’s Costco. I would say that 99.7% of their items were identical to those at the Costco we visit, which is located six miles from our house in Southern California. It was still fun to see Chinese shoppers devouring food samples and strolling up and down the aisles.
My most unique Costco Shanghai experience?
This Costco did offer one situation that I’ve never seen in an American Costco. They were sampling liquors and wines for their customers. I had a shot of Jim Beam on them!
I love me food tours!
My third and final touring opportunity of the day was a nighttime food tour of Shanghai. Carol and I have done food tours in Miami, New Orleans, New York, and Tokyo, among others. They are always fun. Not only is the food fantastic, but it’s also an excellent opportunity to meet others and listen to the guides.
WeChat? For me?
I will tell you that I’m barely hanging on by a thread with the technology required to pull all of this off. A young woman at the hotel by the name of Joy signed me up for “WeChat.” Now I’m using that as my “text message” equivalent, along with Alipay as my Apple Pay equivalent. I usually copy and paste the Chinese address from Google on my iPhone to give to the Didi driver. I haven’t missed any destinations/deadlines yet, but it’s definitely something that requires my full attention.
I’m going to Disneyland!
Today, Thursday, would be devoted exclusively to visiting Shanghai Disneyland. The park was built in 2016.
Disney has parks in six different worldwide locations. Living in Southern California, I’ve visited Disneyland in Anaheim, California, over 50 times. Carol and I honeymooned at Disney World in Orlando, Florida, when the park had only been open for three months. We’ve been back a few times on vacation.
I’ve been to Tokyo Disneyland twice, once with Carol. The same applies to Disneyland Paris in France.
Checking the boxes.
Today, I will check the box for Shanghai Disneyland. Three days later, I plan to visit Hong Kong Disneyland. At that point, I will have been to every Disneyland property in the world. Not everyone can say that. I’m told they are working on opening a seventh location in Dubai!
I like to do stuff just for the experience!
You might think that I am a huge fan of Disneyland. Not really. I find the long lines to be frustrating and unentertaining.
Things were just right.
Today, the conditions were perfect for a visit to Shanghai Disneyland. The weather was gorgeous, neither too hot nor too cold. The park wasn’t very crowded. The logistics were easy to navigate.
The hotel bought my ticket to Disneyland?
I ordered my Disneyland ticket from a hotel staff member. That made things pretty simple. Neo at the Alila Shanghai hotel bought my ticket with his own funds. I wasn’t able to pay him back for two days. You’re not likely to hear about that on the evening news! Thank you, Neo.
Don’t get the bundle of three.
The ticket I ordered included a “bundle of three.” What’s that? A bundle of three is similar to a “fast pass.” I would come to learn that the bundle of three options meant I would receive a fast pass to three predetermined Disney attractions, not chosen by me, in advance. That was OK. The cost of my ticket was approximately $135 USD. I think around $30 of that price was for the bundle of three FastPass options.
I used a Didi ride-share to get to and from the park. The cost of the 30-40 minute drive was only about $10 each way. That was super reasonable.
Disneyland Shanghai observations.
During my visit to Disneyland, I observed several things. The Disney staff doesn’t speak much English. If you have a translator on your smartphone, you should be able to get directions and other information just fine. If you don’t, you might have a frustrating day.
I have learned during my foreign travels that if you can’t read the signs, billboards, and everything else, you’re going to be behind the curve. In the United States, you might see hundreds of signs that you can read or be aware of during the day. That information provides you with enough background knowledge to make informed decisions later. That just doesn’t happen in a foreign country like China.
I’m not letting you in!
I did notice that when we drove in traffic, the Chinese are not all that willing to let someone get into their lane. Nevertheless, the people trying to get into a small opening never give up. It becomes a battle of will at that point.
I was reminded that some of the Disney rides are extremely short in duration, maybe a minute or so. I don’t like waiting 20-30 minutes in line for a one-minute experience, especially when I’ve had that experience tens of times.
A good Disneyland surprise.
I was surprised when I walked into one of the Disney restaurants that primarily served hamburgers and French fries. There was NO waiting. I walked up to the counter and ordered my food. I would never have that experience at a U.S.-based Disney theme park.
Wow!
Another surprising observation was that young people, primarily females aged 15-25, wore a wide range of outfits, which, to me, was unusual. I would almost call them costumes. These came with knee-high socks and/or boots. There were some of the most extraordinary clothing sightings I’ve seen anywhere.
These young women, as well as mothers with young daughters, like to take numerous posed pictures. That was going everywhere.
It was a good day that brought back many memories.
My day at Disneyland was a good one. It was typical Disney. When our kids were younger, we would arrive at Disneyland in Anaheim before the park opened. At the end of the day, we would walk back to the parking lot after the fireworks were finished and the park had closed. Those were LONG days but fun days. What made that the MOST fun was simply watching the reactions on our children’s faces. When they had fun, we had fun.
Today, I spent six hours in the park. I walked nearly 8 miles, so I guess I can still do it, but I’m not sure I enjoy it as much.
Following my visit to the park, I walked out into what is called “Disney Town.” This is a series of upscale retailers and restaurants in very modern buildings. I enjoyed a nice American-style dinner of spicy noodles with shrimp and a Singapore Sling!
What is my biggest learning so far?
I continue to observe, both visually and through discussions, the Chinese people. Of course, this is “big city” China. What is my biggest learning? These Chinese people are not significantly different from those in the United States. That’s not the picture the American media portrays.
Listening to some folks, I might think that China’s controlling party is the communist party. It is. That’s true. However, everything I see in China suggests an open society, with people going about their business in big cities, just like at home. Both Changsha and Shanghai appeared to be fully committed to capitalism.
Yes, this is true…but.
It is true that it’s illegal for a Chinese person to use a VPN or access services like Google, Yahoo, YouTube, and Apple News sources.
However, when I speak with several Chinese people, they tell me that’s not an issue at all. They can obtain a VPN if needed, and many told me they already have one. The Chinese alternatives to Google, etc., are just as good as those available in the United States. Several people told me they are on Facebook, which is supposedly forbidden.
I asked many local people if they had any interest in moving to the United States or Europe. None of the people showed much interest in that idea. You don’t see a lot of Chinese breaking down the door to get into the U.S., do you?
The Chinese people told me that the cost of living is so low in China, despite salaries being low as well, that moving to Europe or the United States doesn’t seem like a desirable option at all. I wish that every American who thinks that China is some kind of a police state and that people are restricted from enjoying everyday life could come to China for 10 days and see for themselves.
Three more nights in China.
My trip is winding down. I only have three more nights left after arriving nearly 10 days ago. I’ve had a great time and definitely plan to come back.
I’m not a huge fan of the Chinese-oriented hotel breakfast. The average price for breakfast at a Chinese hotel where I am staying is around $40 per person. As a Hyatt Globalist, I don’t pay anything. That seems fair to me. Tourist prices for “foreigners” are higher than the goods and services used by Chinese nationals.
What’s a Trackchasing Tourist Attraction?
Each day, I’ve tried to enjoy one or more “Trackchasing Tourist Attractions.” A TTA is simply a touring activity of some sort during a trackchasing trip. I try to keep life simple!
Are there any sports I can watch in Shanghai?
I asked the hotel staff if any sports were being played in Shanghai. I was looking for maybe a soccer match or a basketball game. Several people spent a considerable amount of time searching for something suitable for me. In the end, they came up with a “tennis tournament” for me to attend this afternoon.
Later in the evening, I’ll be taking a sightseeing boat cruise up and down the Huangpu River. I’m looking forward to that because the skyline of Shanghai, especially at night, is stunning. It’s one of the best in the world.
It was more than a 40-minute drive in heavy traffic to get to the tennis venue. I didn’t mind that at all. I enjoyed observing the local neighborhoods that we passed through. When you can ride in a taxi or rideshare for 40 minutes for six USD, you’re getting a tour right there.
This was a tennis tournament?
The tennis tournament wasn’t much to write home about. The International Tennis Federation sponsored the tournament. That sounded impressive. They played inside a massive indoor complex with about a dozen courts.
I was able to watch a mixed doubles match for players who must have been about 50 and over. In my prime, I probably could’ve beaten these folks. But…. I haven’t been in my prime since the 70s. Everyone thinks they were better a long time ago than they really were!
Remember this one?
Back in the 70s, I still remember watching the Bobby Riggs – Billie Jean King tennis match during a business meeting on the road. We brought a TV into a hotel conference room for that event. I think our business group might have been all guys. Things change.
Today, there was no admission to watch the tennis. I would soon come to learn that this was not the U.S. Open. I was one of only three people watching the match! However, when the tennis was finished, I was able to confirm with a local man who was also watching that this was part of a real ITF tournament. So, there’s that.
A rare China Didi driver who spoke English.
For my return to the hotel, I hopped in a Didi/Uber rideshare. The driver owned a three-year-old Chinese-made BYD electric car. This was the SUV model, and it was extremely nice inside. I was impressed. Of course, in the United States, this brand is not allowed to be sold. I know that BYD is doing very well in countries that accept Chinese automobiles.
I want to talk to everybody, and I do.
I had an interesting conversation with my Didi BYD driving driver. He was really the first driver I could speak to in English. Even then, it wasn’t a perfect conversation.
He was driving a beautiful, Chinese-made BYD SUV. After we figured things out, it sounded as if his car cost about 1/4 of what a comparable Tesla would cost in the United States.
Even though VPNs are banned for Chinese citizens, he told me he uses a VPN every day, as do most of his friends. He goes on Facebook, Twitter, or just about anything else when he wants. That’s the feedback I’ve gotten from every Chinese person I’ve been able to speak to.
One of the drawbacks I’ve observed while traveling the world is that one country is increasingly looking more and more similar to the next. That’s not entirely true, but it’s trending in that direction.
Doing this was for “research.”
I prefer not to eat at American chain restaurants when I travel internationally. I do make an exception to that policy occasionally for “research” purposes. Tonight, I went to a DQ restaurant and ordered a cheeseburger, a chocolate extreme Blizzard, and a Coke Zero. I ate the food in the restaurant while I listened to Taylor Swift rock it out over the store’s speakers. Nope, I don’t want my experience in Shanghai to be the same as a small town in Ohio, but sometimes it is.
I likes me riverboat cruises as well.
Later in the evening, I took a nighttime boat cruise up and down the Huangpu River. I found this tour opportunity using my favorite online travel app, GetYourGuide. There was a bit of a challenge getting my ticket at the boat dock, but it only added to the trip’s intrigue.
I’ve done so many things during my time in Shanghai. They’ve all been great fun. If you come this way, do the river cruise, but do it at night. The skyline of Shanghai is colorful and most impressive. There are so many skyscrapers. You’ll be glad you did.
One more day in Shanghai.
Today was my last full day in Shanghai and my last full day in mainland China. It was also one of the best days I’ve had in a foreign country for a very long time.
It was time to trackchase in China.
Today I would be trackchasing at the Shanghai International Circuit in Shanghai. They were featuring the Formula E racing series. Formula E racing cars are nearly identical to Formula One racers in appearance. Formula E cars are powered by electric motors rather than gasoline engines.
The Shanghai International Circuit was a 66-minute ride on a Didi rideshare from my Alila hotel. The cost was 90 Chinese Yuan or about $12 USD. Can you imagine taking a taxi or an Uber in the United States for a ride of more than an hour for 12 bucks?
This might have been the biggest challenge of the entire trip.
I had ordered my ticket to this race more than a month ago. That was beyond difficult. I didn’t know if it would be easy to get a ticket by just showing up at the race on race day, so I thought I had better order one in advance.
I went to the Formula E website. That directed me to where I could order my ticket. The entire website was in Chinese! It took me forever to wade through that. I received a lot of helpful advice from a fellow on Reddit who had already accomplished what I was trying to do. I’ve been using Reddit more and more lately. It’s a valuable resource, and I highly recommend it.
To obtain my ticket, I was required to provide my passport number. Ultimately, I paid by credit card on the Chinese website. I had no real idea where my credit card number was going, but I don’t really worry about stuff like that. I know far too many people who would never consider doing such a thing. Every day, I do what far too many people would never consider doing. I think that’s what makes my lifestyle so much fun and interesting.
Success! I think.
When a credit card charge of $37 appeared the next day, I knew they had at least charged me for the ticket. At that point, I had no idea how I would get the ticket.
My contact at Reddit informed me that all I had to do was show my passport at the entry gate upon arrival on race day. I was a little leery of that. I was leery of going all the way from our modest seaside cottage in San Clemente, California, to the Shanghai International Circuit without a ticket.
If things didn’t work out, I would be within shouting distance of the paddock area, but they wouldn’t let me in. Of course, that was negative Nelly thinking. I told that thought to run away from my mind as fast as it could. That concern was not warranted. Today I showed my passport, they took a picture of me, and I marched right into SIC.
If you’re not early, you’re late. Thanks GOR for that one.
I was early by about three hours. I roamed around the fan village, had some fried rice, and talked to some racing fans from Finland and Scotland. I marveled at the fact that out of this vast crowd, I didn’t see more than ten Anglo racing fans. I mention that not to sound racist, but to point out how unusual that situation was to me.
My ticket seat location is only a recommendation.
I had a reserved seat, but when I went to that seat location, I didn’t like the view. In the U.S., under those circumstances, I would just look around until I found a seat location that suited me.
Heck, if that approach works at home, it ought to work in mainland China, right? Soon, I had a much better seat location where I stayed for the rest of the afternoon. The fans I met from Finland told me that Formula One gets a crowd of 250,000 when they come to Shanghai.
Two weeks in China for 29 laps.
The Formula E race was scheduled for 29 laps around the 3-kilometer circuit. I came to China 10 days ago. I’ve had a wonderful time touring first Changsha, China, and then Shanghai. Now I was going to see 29 laps of racing, for the reason I came to China in the first place. Nope, there isn’t a lot of trackchasing in these foreign trackchasing trips!
Advice to my fellow competitors.
I would offer this note to fellow trackchasers who only show up at a track to count it. If you come to China only to see a race that lasts for 29 laps and then go right back home, you are a demented buckaroo.
Have others trackchased in China?
Only one other trackchaser in the history of trackchasing has ever seen a race in China. That person is someone named “Carol Lewis.” She arrived in China in 2008 to attend a race in Macau, China. She was spotted frequenting the huge casinos of Macau. Macau is not part of “mainland” China. At this point, I am the only trackchaser ever to see a race in mainland China.
Road courses are not my favorite.
I am not a fan of road course racing from a spectator point of view. Today, I could only see the actual racing from the long front straightaway. Then the cars went out of sight for the remainder of the 3-kilometer track distance. I could watch the large video screens and see what the racing looked like from other parts of the track. If that was the way I wanted to do things, I could have stayed home and watched it on TV. No, I’m not a fan of road course racing.
Today, the Penske racing team was the winner, with driver Nick Cassidy, who hails from New Zealand. Roger Penske’s son, Jay, runs the Formula E program. He stood on the podium as today’s winning car owner while the United States national anthem played. That was cool.
This was my BEST experience of my entire time in China!
I’ve had many highlights on this trip. Nothing will beat what happened to me when today’s race was finished.
I planned to get a Didi ride after the race from the racetrack back to my hotel. As I was trying to communicate that wish to one of the security people, a Chinese civilian overheard my request.
Anders!
Soon, I would be meeting a fellow named Anders, a Chinese national. Anders jumped in and took control of the situation. He had attended the race with his wife and two young children.
First, Anders tried to walk me to a location where a Didi driver would be located. However, with such a large crowd leaving all at once, we couldn’t find a Didi driver nearby.
Anders suggested we hop on the subway and ride it for a couple of stops and then get off. At that point, we would be free of the crowds, and getting a Didi ride would be easy. Anders even paid for my subway ticket!
Just the best.
I was able to get some great photos of Anders, his very cooperative and charming wife, and his daughter and son. Those photos are among the best I’ve taken in recent memory.
As we rode the train, we messaged back and forth, sometimes using a translator on WeChat. WeChat is the equivalent of WhatsApp, and WhatsApp is the equivalent of texting in the United States. You do text, right? I have a friend who told me years ago that “texting was just for girls.” Yes, I have some unusual friends.
Anders and I both agreed that it was unfortunate that the governments of our two countries don’t get along very well. As Anders pointed out to me, we can still be friends. It’s pretty cool when I go to a faraway, in so many ways, place like China, and a local says that to me and also buys my subway ticket!
I will point out that I am treated perfectly fine everywhere I travel in the world. I have visited many countries that are not on the United States’ Christmas card list. Nevertheless, that doesn’t hurt my relationships with people. That has never happened.
My ride back to the hotel took about an hour, due to heavy traffic. Traffic is slow in Shanghai. It isn’t helped by the roads having a stoplight about every three blocks.
Capitalism.
I wrapped up the evening by walking across the street from the Alila hotel to a very modern, upscale shopping mall. From what I’ve seen, there’s a lot of money in Shanghai if the Rolex and Prada stores are any indication.
Don’t forget to reward yourself.
Oftentimes, when my trip is coming to an end and I’ve seen my last race, I will treat myself to a lovely meal. I did that tonight at a place called “Ren.” I had lobster pasta, lobster bisque, chocolate fudge cake with vanilla ice cream, as well as a daiquiri and a “snow Colada.” I think the bill was about $60 USD. That dinner probably goes for two or three times that in the States. It was a nice reward to celebrate my trackchasing success for the day.
Really? For me?
When I returned to my suite at the Alila hotel, I found two large gifts that had been given to me by Joy, the woman from the Alila Shanghai hotel with whom I had worked with throughout the week.
She’s from the Philippines and speaks excellent English. I learned that she had been away from home for one year, from her husband and young son. Earlier today, I told her that I wanted to treat her and her family to a day at Disneyland in Shanghai. She had never been and agreed to take me up on my offer once the family finally unites in about three months. I truly hope she does. I like to reward people who do their job well with something special. I do that as often as I can. I consider it simply paying things forward.
Time to get it together.
I spent the rest of my time in my hotel room tonight, preparing everything for tomorrow. I’ll be out the door at 6 a.m. for a one-hour drive to the Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG).
My ambitious plan was to fly up to Hong Kong as part of my “Transit Without Visa” program. Assuming I arrive on time at 12 noon, I plan to visit Hong Kong Disneyland. It’s been a great trip, and it’s almost over, but it’s not over yet.
China wants me to leave.
Today, I had to leave Shanghai. I’m not exaggerating. I had to leave mainland China!
Recall, I was using one of China’s newer visa types. It’s called the “Transit Without Visa” program. This is not a “visa” because I am only transiting through China. Words mean something, right?
To use my 240-hour allowance to stay in mainland China, I had to start in country “number one” and enter mainland China from there. Then, when I was finished with my maximum 240-hour visit, I had to fly to country “number two,” which, by definition, had to be different from country “number one.” That meant that China itself was in the middle of the trip to countries number one and two. Hence, I was “transiting” through China. Only creative minds could think of stuff like this!
Taiwan, Macau, and Hong Kong are not China?
It turns out that China-controlled locations, such as Taiwan, Macau, and Hong Kong, are considered “regions” rather than China for the 240-hour “TWOV” program. Any of those regions would qualify as country number two in my example.
That being the case, I decided to fly from Shanghai to Hong Kong, concluding my transit in mainland China. I grabbed a flight on Hong Kong Airlines for 100 bucks from Shanghai to Hong Kong. That price included bags for a nearly three-hour flight. What a deal. I told you that China is highly affordable, except perhaps for foreign tourist hotels like the one I was staying in.
My flight was departing at 9:15 a.m., which meant a wake-up call at 5:30 a.m. from the Alila Shanghai hotel. This was the only morning that I had to get up earlier than usual. Of course, I didn’t like that, but sometimes on trips like this, things have to be done in a particular manner.
My flight was uneventful. Those are the best kind. I landed in Hong Kong at 12 noon. I went to get my checked bag. I hate checking bags. I do very few things that I hate.
My bag didn’t come off the carousel that I was expecting. All kinds of visions of not having that bag went through my mind, but as I asked more questions, I found that the bag had gone to a different carousel. Soon, I was reunited with my belongings.
Hong Kong Disneyland.
The major plan for the day was to visit Hong Kong Disneyland. I’ve mentioned in the past that Carol and our family have been to the Disney Anaheim park location well over 50 times. Carol and I honeymooned at Disney World in Orlando, Florida, when the park had been open for only three months. Disney World opened in 1972. I’ve been to Disneyland in both Tokyo and Paris a couple of times, and Carol was there as well. Just a couple of days ago, I went to Shanghai Disneyland. Now I was completing the “six-pack.” I can say I’ve been to Disneyland at all six of its resort property locations, with the final one being in Hong Kong.
Chinese and Hong Kong money are not the same.
Upon landing, I discovered that my mainland Chinese Yuan currency would not be accepted in Hong Kong. Hong Kong uses the Hong Kong dollar. The exchange rate between the Yuan and the Hong Kong dollar is almost one-to-one but not quite. I made a quick visit to a money exchange shop at the airport to get just enough money to get me by.
Blue, Red, and Yellow.
China has taxis that come in colors blue, red, and yellow. Someone along the way told me that the blue taxi was cheaper. I have no idea why, but that was a good enough recommendation for me.
I soon found a blue cab and was reminded that they drive on the left side of the road in Hong Kong, probably due to their British historical influence. Of course, the cars are right-hand drive.
My taxi driver drove about 90 miles per hour to Disneyland. He came to a skidding halt right at the front entrance of the park.
I still had all of my luggage, meaning a 22-inch rolling bag, a good-sized soft-sided computer bag, and a bag full of gifts for Carol and others.
What would I do with my luggage while I was in the Disney park?
Advanced research informed me that I could store my luggage for a fee of HK$150, approximately $20 USD per piece. To save money, I checked only my larger bag at the first luggage location. I carried my computer case and gift bag into the park and stored them in one locker for a cost of HK$150.
At this point in the trip, I don’t worry about “small” expenses like these because they pale in comparison to the overall cost of the trip. Do you feel me?
Buying my Hong Kong Disneyland ticket.
My next step was to buy my ticket to the park. A one-day ticket was HK$669. Just use a 7:1 exchange rate to convert Hong Kong dollars into U.S. dollars. The price for a senior was reduced to $499. I picked up one of the old person’s tickets.
Are you a senior?
When I began to enter the park, the ticket taker noticed I had a senior ticket. Her first statement to me was in a somewhat aggressive tone: “Are you a senior?” As if to imply, I might not be. I told her I was.
She asked me, “How old are you?” I told her I was 76. She replied, “OK, I’m going to trust you.” Then I asked her how old you needed to be to qualify for the senior ticket. She said, “60.” I took that as an extreme compliment because she seemed to be serious throughout the entire conversation! I had a similar discussion with a Didi driver who couldn’t believe my age. Maybe these Chinese tourist workers are just trained to blow smoke up people’s skirts.
Horrid. Just horrid!
Today’s weather was horrid. Horrid with a capital H. It was hot and it was humid. I don’t like hot and humid weather. Did you hear me? I don’t like hot and humid weather.
I live in San Clemente, California. We have no humidity. We have no bugs, tornadoes, or hurricanes. We have almost no rain. Our high temperature ranges all year from 67 to 77. There’s a reason SoCal real estate prices are next level.
Today’s weather, when the sun was out, was like an extreme blast furnace. It got a little bit better when the sun went behind the clouds. On the other hand, when I entered a gift shop or one of the attractions, the air conditioning brought the temperature down to about 55°. You could hang meat in those buildings. No exaggeration here.
I paid an extra HK$600 to get a fast pass for eight different attractions. These included rides like Hyperspace Mountain, Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars, and Frozen (that’s me about with several of my closest Chinese coaster friends.) In this weather, and given that I only had about six hours, I didn’t want to spend most of my time standing in line. I soon discovered that when I looked at things a little more closely, most of the FastPass attractions I had purchased were for roller coasters.
I already told you I am 76 years old. I am a white male. I was definitely not in my peer group riding on Hyperpace Mountain or any of the other attractions. But I rode everything. I was doing it. I surmise that if I were at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, there wouldn’t be that many people of my demographic on Space Mountain either.
Clint Eastwood.
I subscribe to what Clint Eastwood once said. Today, Clint is 95 years old. What did Mr. Eastwood say? When asked about old age, he said, “When the old man comes calling, I just tell him to get the XXXK out of here!” That’s what Clint said.
You might think that because I’ve been to Disneyland so many times, I am a huge fan of the park. Not exactly. Maybe I was the first 10-20 times I went. Then I quickly grew tired of standing in line on hot days.
Getting the six-pack.
I made all those visits to see the smiles on my children’s faces. That put a smile on my face. Now, today in Hong Kong Disneyland, I was there for one reason. To get the six-pack!
I drank at least four 24-ounce bottles of water and a couple of Coca-Cola Zeros. I had to pee about every 20 minutes, but at least the toilets were easily accessible.
By the time I left the park at 8 p.m. It was still extremely hot and humid. The only thing that had changed was that the sun had gone down. Will I ever go back to Shanghai, Disneyland, or Hong Kong Disneyland? I would only do it for one reason. To see the smile on Carol’s face.
When it was time to leave, I grabbed all of my luggage out of the Disneyland lockers and summoned a taxi.
I tried to grab a blue taxi, but as it turns out, at least this is what I was told, that only a red taxi could take me to my hotel. Fine enough. Off I went and soon found myself at the Hyatt Regency Hong Kong Tsim Sha Tsui hotel in downtown Hong Kong. The taxi bill came to HK$207. That wasn’t bad because we had driven a long distance.
Suites are better.
This is a 12-day trip. I have stayed in a Hyatt hotel every night of the trip. Tonight’s Hyatt Regency would give me a hotel suite upgrade. This meant that for all but one night, I had a suite of varying sizes and uniqueness. The Grand Hyatt Shanghai gave me the largest suite by a factor of a couple. The Park Hyatt in Changsha, China, gave me the room that I probably enjoyed the most.
This has been a great trip. Pretty much everything that was planned came to pass, and without too much consternation. Of course, I always look at these trips through rose-colored glasses.
See for yourself.
I would make this comment. For people who listen to media sources that tell you that China is a controlling country of its population, I would have to disagree.
I spent time in two big cities, Changsha and Shanghai. I observed the people. They looked as free as anybody in Omaha or Tallahassee. I watched the adults with families. They were as loving to their children as anyone I’ve seen. Perhaps the government does things that America doesn’t like. However, from what I could see, the people are happy living in China and have no great desire to leave. If the people were poorly treated by their government, do you think that would be the case?
I questioned people about the “restrictions” of not being able to use a VPN or access Google, Yahoo, and YouTube. In every case, they told me it was no big deal. They had the Chinese equivalent of those things and could access VPNs, allowing them to get on Facebook, just like my nearly 3,000 friends do every day.
I don’t engage in politics, but I will make one general comment. Everybody, and I think that includes 100% of the “everybodies” I talked to on this subject who were from China, South Africa, Hong Kong, the UK, and Norway, had a very similar belief about the United States and our current situation. I’ll leave those unmentioned feelings up to your imagination.
On my last day in China, I slept late and had breakfast at the Hyatt Regency Hong Kong. It isn’t easy to compare one upscale Hyatt hotel breakfast to another. Today’s breakfast might’ve been the largest. I suspect they had 20-25 employees working to make everything extra special just in the kitchen/breakfast serving area. This was impressive. However, I can only eat so much.
When I arrived at my hotel last night, I was too tired from the withering weather conditions at Hong Kong Disneyland to do much. Hong Kong is a very vibrant city to see at night with all its lights. I wasn’t up for it.
One last morning walk.
This morning, I took a one-hour walking tour in the neighborhood of my hotel. There were many interesting things to see, but once again, the weather, with its intense heat and humidity, was simply absurd. I guess California’s beautiful weather has spoiled me. I don’t want to spend any more of my life in humidity and heat than I absolutely have to.
Get on the flight, sit there until the plane lands, and then get off.
This afternoon, I grabbed a flight from Hong Kong to Los Angeles. The scheduled flight time was 13 hours and 35 minutes. I was most pleased to garner a business class seat.
I’ll relax a little, drink a little, eat a little, and probably watch some of my Netflix shows on my iPad during the flight. I might also work on a few of these travel reports.
The time difference between Hong Kong and Los Angeles is 15 hours. Recall, just before this 12-day trip to China, I spent two weeks in Japan with Carol. Japan has a 16-hour time difference from the United States. It’s going to take me a while to get used to that once I return to Southern California. This is especially true when, just three days after my return, I travel down to Leon, Mexico, for three days to attend a race and experience the local Mexican culture.
As always, thanks for reading along. I hope you have nearly as much fun reading as I have doing.
万事如意
再见
Randy Lewis.