Ash,
Are you taking pictures with your phone or a 'real' camera?
Are you taking pictures with your phone or a 'real' camera?
It's a different world.....
- Thread starter alia176
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
- Thread starter
- #42
This town is VERY small and I'm guessing that crime is not rampant. I have yet to find a mall or any type of decent quality shopping places. Tourism is not big here.
It's interesting to see small children out and about w/o the presence of their parents in the immediate vicinity. All those bikes parked in the school tells me that the middle schoolers are riding around in this crazy traffic w/o getting injured. The folks here drive very badly and they are constantly honking at other drivers for driving poorly
Traffic rules are merely "suggestions" and they're not enforced. They drive on the right side of the road and have similar traffic road markings but that really doesn't mean much. For example: you come up to an intersection and need to turn left. Instead of waiting on the left turning lane they simply cut the corner and start driving on the farthest left lane which puts you into oncoming traffic who are making a right hand turn from the opposite side. A quick game of chicken ensues and things some how work themselves out. Meanwhile, Pete and I are s***ting in our seats while I try to take pictures.
There are lots of heavy duty trucks hauling all sorts of stuff in the freeway to the job site. People are passing each other in the "no passing" lanes all the time. Red lights are being ignored while the police car sits in the same intersection and watches!
Culturally speaking, the men are more aggressive than women from what I've experienced. While waiting in line to check into the hotel in Shanghai, guys just walk up to the counter and lay out their credit card and ID. Thankfully, the folks behind the counter has an idea who has been waiting and promptly ignores these line cutters and gestures me to step up.
Most of the pics uploaded here are from a camera and they get emptied nightly. Pics for the taxis are being taken by the phone camera for quick access.
Cool write up. Like others, I think I would have to pass on some of the food.
All of the trucks had those rings on the rims in South Korea as well.
Was that last green "jeep" looking thing a UAZ? (Russian Jeep)
At least you are having fun, maybe you can get a trip to the mountains before it is over.
Jack
All of the trucks had those rings on the rims in South Korea as well.
Was that last green "jeep" looking thing a UAZ? (Russian Jeep)
At least you are having fun, maybe you can get a trip to the mountains before it is over.
Jack
- Thread starter
- #44
I'm not really sure and due to the military look of it, I didn't really linger and take good shots. It was one of those hold the camera to my side and take ten shots and hope like hell that one or two shots came out ok!
I'm flying out on 9/22 so no trips to the mountains for me I'm afraid.
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #45
I met a Canadian over breakfast who just arrived last night. He is working for a company that is looking at potential mining sites and taking core samples on top of a mountain about six hours away from here. He will be working at 4,000 meters for the next six weeks at a camp site! After six weeks, he'll have to come down to Golmud to let his body rest at a lower elevation for a week and then he may return to the camp site or he may head back to Canada. Six weeks and no internet.....
Good posts. Its fun to see the time your having. Now that i have kids, I know my parents must of had a real time when we lived overseas. They took us, 3 kids in elementary school, all over Europe and hitting the Asian side if Turkey.
Cool trip, Ali.
G
Cool trip, Ali.
G
- Thread starter
- #48
update 9/20/11
Sorry, I missed couple of days of updates.
I've been enjoying my stay here in Golmud but it'll be time to depart in two days.
Some random pics.
Mamasita put out another fine lunch as usual
Saw this nice JK in the hotel parking lot in the morning:
Not sure what this cap is for
After dinner, we took a walk through an apt complex. The residents cultivate the grounds for flower gardens and they look stunning. It was dark so the pics didn't turn out so well I'm afraid.
In a country that doesn't care of safety, I was shocked to see the workers at the hotel using a fall restraint inside a bucket ladder!
Some of the SUV's have this spare tire helper jack. I guess you put the tire on this jack and then raise it up to match up the lug holes
Sorry, I missed couple of days of updates.
I've been enjoying my stay here in Golmud but it'll be time to depart in two days.
Some random pics.
Mamasita put out another fine lunch as usual
Saw this nice JK in the hotel parking lot in the morning:
Not sure what this cap is for
After dinner, we took a walk through an apt complex. The residents cultivate the grounds for flower gardens and they look stunning. It was dark so the pics didn't turn out so well I'm afraid.
In a country that doesn't care of safety, I was shocked to see the workers at the hotel using a fall restraint inside a bucket ladder!
Some of the SUV's have this spare tire helper jack. I guess you put the tire on this jack and then raise it up to match up the lug holes
- Thread starter
- #49
Update 9/21/11 - last day before departing China
This vehicle is very common around here. At our job site, this particular little truck has been very useful in carting around our materials around the job site. It is small and very agile. It appears to be powered by a single cylinder diesel engine and the drivetrain consists of V belt that propels it forward. One of the belt is running the alternator up front. The transmission is located about 1' before the rear differential. While the vehicle is idling at a stop, all the belts keep spinning.
Alternator
Since trees are scarce in China, it appears that larger power poles are made of concrete!
This vehicle is very common around here. At our job site, this particular little truck has been very useful in carting around our materials around the job site. It is small and very agile. It appears to be powered by a single cylinder diesel engine and the drivetrain consists of V belt that propels it forward. One of the belt is running the alternator up front. The transmission is located about 1' before the rear differential. While the vehicle is idling at a stop, all the belts keep spinning.
Alternator
Since trees are scarce in China, it appears that larger power poles are made of concrete!
- Thread starter
- #50
Well, last night was a farewell dinner and the entire crew joined us. We grabbed a large banquet room with a giant lazy susan! The food just goes by and you grab what you want and eat it! I'm not sure how many species of creatures I ate but it was all so good! I think there was a dish of pig's ears that I chowed down on
Business dinners in this culture is very interesting. Lots of raise the glasses and cheers take place. Then, we walk around to the other folks and chink our glass for another round of drinking. Luckily, I've made it known that I don't drink so I didn't have to consume any of the Chinese Whiskey or the warm beer!
So, before I went into our room, I saw large aquarium full of fish.
I think one of those fish ended up on the plate half hour later!
Interesting note: Chinese folks don't have a need for dinner napkins as they rarely get their hands soiled. I've only seen them use their right hand with chop sticks and their left hand doesn't get used. However, a box of cleenex was making it's way around the table.
What to do with the bones that you need to spit out? You simply drop it on the table. They don't provide a separate plate for catching bones or non edible stuff that you need to spit out.
Pics of the food going by!
Folks I worked with these two weeks. These are hard working folks and a pleasure to work with.
This gentleman was the head dude and he worked the remote control for the table rotation!
Returning to the hotel, I notice that there were lines of Landcruisers of all kinds! Dark pics to follow:
People give me the weird looks as I take pics of cars but oh well.
Well, tomorrow I hit the long journey back home. I depart at 12pm on Thursday China time and four planes later, arrive at ABQ at midnight on Thursday! This is a two day flight but I gain a day (14 hours) on the return home.
Business dinners in this culture is very interesting. Lots of raise the glasses and cheers take place. Then, we walk around to the other folks and chink our glass for another round of drinking. Luckily, I've made it known that I don't drink so I didn't have to consume any of the Chinese Whiskey or the warm beer!
So, before I went into our room, I saw large aquarium full of fish.
I think one of those fish ended up on the plate half hour later!
Interesting note: Chinese folks don't have a need for dinner napkins as they rarely get their hands soiled. I've only seen them use their right hand with chop sticks and their left hand doesn't get used. However, a box of cleenex was making it's way around the table.
What to do with the bones that you need to spit out? You simply drop it on the table. They don't provide a separate plate for catching bones or non edible stuff that you need to spit out.
Pics of the food going by!
Folks I worked with these two weeks. These are hard working folks and a pleasure to work with.
This gentleman was the head dude and he worked the remote control for the table rotation!
Returning to the hotel, I notice that there were lines of Landcruisers of all kinds! Dark pics to follow:
People give me the weird looks as I take pics of cars but oh well.
Well, tomorrow I hit the long journey back home. I depart at 12pm on Thursday China time and four planes later, arrive at ABQ at midnight on Thursday! This is a two day flight but I gain a day (14 hours) on the return home.
Thanks for all the photos and the great report! I had an opportunity to work in mainland China for 6 months back in 1979 but couldn't do it because my wife had our wedding already all set up and ready to go. It was tempting though... 32 years later we're still happy together so I guess it was the right choice. 
Thanks Ash! Pretty cool stuff. It's easy to get some preconceived notions about a place without ever having been there. This helps to get a feel for the real place.
Have a safe trip home, Ash.
So if I could sell them dental insurance for like $50/mo and there are like 2 billion of them, that would be somewhere around $100,000,000,000.00 per month... Correct? We gotta find a way to tap that market with some kind of product.
-Mike-
-Mike-
- Thread starter
- #55
My travel nightmare!
9/23/11
Let me give you a story of my travel yesterday.
Left the hotel on Thursday at 10:00 am for a China Eastern flight that's set to depart at 11:10 out of Geermu. I got checked in and the airline gives me a boarding pass and checks in my luggage. Wait a min, I'm suppose to transfer to another China Eastern plane in Xi An two hours away so I need two boarding passes. Nope, I'll have to check my baggage out and then get another boarding pass and re-enter the security. As you can imagine, re-entering security at each airport is a PITA. The plane arrives at 12pm and we take off at 1300.
As we're waiting for the plane to arrive, I see people rushing around. Couple of ladies came into the boarding area and started handed out snacks. I'm not sure if this because the plane was running late or they do this all of the time. I was hungry so I bolted for the snacks as well.
Finally, the plane arrived and couple of young ladies in traditional garb got ready to greet some VIP's at the tarmac. You make make them out on the right side of the picture.
We are suppose to make a 20 min stop at Xinin before taking off for Xi An. The plane crew is changed and we all have to leave the plane with our carry on so that they can clean it. I'm suppose to be making my connection at 1700 at Xi An that'll take me to Shanghai. The plane has a delay due to air traffic control for an hour so we sit on the tarmac. Great.
We re-board the plane and take off for Xi An. At Xi An, I missed my connection due to my late arrival, no surprise there. I'm frantically looking for a another China Eastern plane that's heading for Shanghai so that I can make my 945 connection for USA. So, at the advice of a very helpful English speaking gentleman from Singapore, I purchase a ticket from Xi An to Shanghai, one way, for 1740 RMBs ($270). They don't accept international VISA, only Chinese VISA. Right now, it's 610 pm and I am frantically looking for an ATM. Found one, withdraw cash and buy a plane ticket invoice (no ticket). I take the invoice to a counter for CE airlines that's for Urgent call supervisor or some such thing. The invoice is turned in for a ticket but they hold on to my passport because I have to pay the overweight baggage fee. However, you have to pay this fee at another place so I high tail it to that counter. Of course, no VISA, only cash. Another trip to ATM to get cash and I pay the baggage fee and grab my passport.
Then, it's off to the security and super long lines. The farthest line to the left is for last min boarders who need to leave in a hurry. So, I show my ticket to the security guy and he lets me through the short line and I get through quickly. Then, it's off to gate 12 which is nearby and I see a hoard of people crowding the gate and shouting at the gate agent. I thought I was standing in a line for auction or something. Turns out that the plane is delayed to 7:15 departure. At this point, I figure I will not be making my 9:45 connection to the states as it is a two hour flight and I won't be able to pick up my luggage at the other end and still be able to check them into the next flight. So, I'm off to find a restaurant and get a decent meal as the night is turning into a nightmare. At the restaurant, I find my friend from Singapore so we chat and eat. He was in the 82nd Airborn military training camp with the U.S. boys back in Vietnam era at Ft Benning, Georgia! He feels bad because of so much crap I had to go through only to have a delayed flight and missing my connection.
Back to gate 12 and the flight is no longer being shown. I look for an information monitor and it says to go to gate 12. The distance between 12 and 19 is just about a foot ball field so I hightail it there. Gate 18-40 is in another area of the airport that feels like a five ring circus. The noise from all the different PA systems coupled with tiled floors was deafening. There was a food court, a shopping area and of course many gates. These gates open up to the tarmac where you board your bus and get hauled to the plane. Of course, there was another auction at Gate 19 and in front of all the gates for that matter. When I get to gate 19, it says to go to gate 12! So, I return to gate 12 and for a brief moment, it shows my plane to be still at 715 departure. As I stood there, I see it getting moved to gate 19 again and I head there again.
At gate 19, I see the same passengers from France and we are beside ourselves at this yo yo dance. it's 730 and the info board still says departure time of 715. At 740, the info board no longer says my flight # and I'm bewildered. I look around and see that Gate 18 is last call for my flight! What the hell? So, I high tail it there and manage to get on a bus for my plane.
Manage to jump on the plane at 8pm and the plane finally pushes back and proceeds to sit on the tarmac for two hours. Finally, I arrive at Shanghai at midnight to a closed airport. I grabbed my luggage and head for the AA counter and of course they're closed. I call my travel agent and we figure something out. I let her do her thing while I look for a hotel. As of now, she has me ticketed on a China something airline to LAX for $1300 (U.S.). She can cancel it within 24 hours if needed so I have a backup plan.
There is a hotel called Airport Hotel (no lie) that's attached to the airport but it's 1.5 foot field away. Shanghai is a huge airport! I followed the signs to the hotel diligently, until it simply just disappeared! Finally tracked down the elevator to the hotel and go to the lobby to find a room. Room rates are good, $80 which means crap rooms but ok. I sign the docs, they take a pic of my passport and my VISA card is accepted but they can't get the magnetic stripe to work. They punch in the numbers and still can't get it to work. I grab my VISA and leave. I'm not about to give them my debit card!
I grab a taxi to the Ramada Pudong hotel, which is the place I stayed at two weeks ago. The travel agent can't figure out how to make a res - for the night of 9/22nd or the day of 9/23. It's too confusing for her as she is in another time zone and I'm between night and day. I head over to the hotel, about ten min away, and the counter lady says that she is fully booked. I asked her to find me another hotel nearby and she does. Unfortunately, it's 1am and no taxis are lingering. The two that came by to drop off passengers do not want to take me to this hotel. I'm not sure why and a bit puzzled. Is it a bad area? Is too close for the meter to not make much money? I pay 50 RMB
to wake up a sleeping taxi driver to take me to this hotel, only five min away.
The Shanghai Airline hotel is near by and nothing like the five star Ramada Pudong hotel but I ain't complaining. It's 2am and I'm happy not to be moving. After a nice long, hot shower, I hit the sack at 3am. Due to the fact that this is a 1 star hotel (by my rating), I hear bunch of loud Chinese people talking in the hallway at 6:30 which wakes me up.
So, here I sit at 7am typing in this long email and about to head downstairs for my 1 star breakfast and planning out my day.
I'm hoping to drop the luggage off at the airport locker and take the Mag Lev train to somewhere in Shanghai as I have until 9:45 tonight to catch the same AA plane back to the states. I truly hate traveling with check in luggage but due to the myriad tools I'm carrying, I have to lug these things around
Paying excess baggage fees have become a part of life for me during these two weeks.
Sorry, I don't have any pics from this glorious day!
9/23/11
Let me give you a story of my travel yesterday.
Left the hotel on Thursday at 10:00 am for a China Eastern flight that's set to depart at 11:10 out of Geermu. I got checked in and the airline gives me a boarding pass and checks in my luggage. Wait a min, I'm suppose to transfer to another China Eastern plane in Xi An two hours away so I need two boarding passes. Nope, I'll have to check my baggage out and then get another boarding pass and re-enter the security. As you can imagine, re-entering security at each airport is a PITA. The plane arrives at 12pm and we take off at 1300.
As we're waiting for the plane to arrive, I see people rushing around. Couple of ladies came into the boarding area and started handed out snacks. I'm not sure if this because the plane was running late or they do this all of the time. I was hungry so I bolted for the snacks as well.
Finally, the plane arrived and couple of young ladies in traditional garb got ready to greet some VIP's at the tarmac. You make make them out on the right side of the picture.
We are suppose to make a 20 min stop at Xinin before taking off for Xi An. The plane crew is changed and we all have to leave the plane with our carry on so that they can clean it. I'm suppose to be making my connection at 1700 at Xi An that'll take me to Shanghai. The plane has a delay due to air traffic control for an hour so we sit on the tarmac. Great.
We re-board the plane and take off for Xi An. At Xi An, I missed my connection due to my late arrival, no surprise there. I'm frantically looking for a another China Eastern plane that's heading for Shanghai so that I can make my 945 connection for USA. So, at the advice of a very helpful English speaking gentleman from Singapore, I purchase a ticket from Xi An to Shanghai, one way, for 1740 RMBs ($270). They don't accept international VISA, only Chinese VISA. Right now, it's 610 pm and I am frantically looking for an ATM. Found one, withdraw cash and buy a plane ticket invoice (no ticket). I take the invoice to a counter for CE airlines that's for Urgent call supervisor or some such thing. The invoice is turned in for a ticket but they hold on to my passport because I have to pay the overweight baggage fee. However, you have to pay this fee at another place so I high tail it to that counter. Of course, no VISA, only cash. Another trip to ATM to get cash and I pay the baggage fee and grab my passport.
Then, it's off to the security and super long lines. The farthest line to the left is for last min boarders who need to leave in a hurry. So, I show my ticket to the security guy and he lets me through the short line and I get through quickly. Then, it's off to gate 12 which is nearby and I see a hoard of people crowding the gate and shouting at the gate agent. I thought I was standing in a line for auction or something. Turns out that the plane is delayed to 7:15 departure. At this point, I figure I will not be making my 9:45 connection to the states as it is a two hour flight and I won't be able to pick up my luggage at the other end and still be able to check them into the next flight. So, I'm off to find a restaurant and get a decent meal as the night is turning into a nightmare. At the restaurant, I find my friend from Singapore so we chat and eat. He was in the 82nd Airborn military training camp with the U.S. boys back in Vietnam era at Ft Benning, Georgia! He feels bad because of so much crap I had to go through only to have a delayed flight and missing my connection.
Back to gate 12 and the flight is no longer being shown. I look for an information monitor and it says to go to gate 12. The distance between 12 and 19 is just about a foot ball field so I hightail it there. Gate 18-40 is in another area of the airport that feels like a five ring circus. The noise from all the different PA systems coupled with tiled floors was deafening. There was a food court, a shopping area and of course many gates. These gates open up to the tarmac where you board your bus and get hauled to the plane. Of course, there was another auction at Gate 19 and in front of all the gates for that matter. When I get to gate 19, it says to go to gate 12! So, I return to gate 12 and for a brief moment, it shows my plane to be still at 715 departure. As I stood there, I see it getting moved to gate 19 again and I head there again.
At gate 19, I see the same passengers from France and we are beside ourselves at this yo yo dance. it's 730 and the info board still says departure time of 715. At 740, the info board no longer says my flight # and I'm bewildered. I look around and see that Gate 18 is last call for my flight! What the hell? So, I high tail it there and manage to get on a bus for my plane.
Manage to jump on the plane at 8pm and the plane finally pushes back and proceeds to sit on the tarmac for two hours. Finally, I arrive at Shanghai at midnight to a closed airport. I grabbed my luggage and head for the AA counter and of course they're closed. I call my travel agent and we figure something out. I let her do her thing while I look for a hotel. As of now, she has me ticketed on a China something airline to LAX for $1300 (U.S.). She can cancel it within 24 hours if needed so I have a backup plan.
There is a hotel called Airport Hotel (no lie) that's attached to the airport but it's 1.5 foot field away. Shanghai is a huge airport! I followed the signs to the hotel diligently, until it simply just disappeared! Finally tracked down the elevator to the hotel and go to the lobby to find a room. Room rates are good, $80 which means crap rooms but ok. I sign the docs, they take a pic of my passport and my VISA card is accepted but they can't get the magnetic stripe to work. They punch in the numbers and still can't get it to work. I grab my VISA and leave. I'm not about to give them my debit card!
I grab a taxi to the Ramada Pudong hotel, which is the place I stayed at two weeks ago. The travel agent can't figure out how to make a res - for the night of 9/22nd or the day of 9/23. It's too confusing for her as she is in another time zone and I'm between night and day. I head over to the hotel, about ten min away, and the counter lady says that she is fully booked. I asked her to find me another hotel nearby and she does. Unfortunately, it's 1am and no taxis are lingering. The two that came by to drop off passengers do not want to take me to this hotel. I'm not sure why and a bit puzzled. Is it a bad area? Is too close for the meter to not make much money? I pay 50 RMB
to wake up a sleeping taxi driver to take me to this hotel, only five min away. The Shanghai Airline hotel is near by and nothing like the five star Ramada Pudong hotel but I ain't complaining. It's 2am and I'm happy not to be moving. After a nice long, hot shower, I hit the sack at 3am. Due to the fact that this is a 1 star hotel (by my rating), I hear bunch of loud Chinese people talking in the hallway at 6:30 which wakes me up.
So, here I sit at 7am typing in this long email and about to head downstairs for my 1 star breakfast and planning out my day.I'm hoping to drop the luggage off at the airport locker and take the Mag Lev train to somewhere in Shanghai as I have until 9:45 tonight to catch the same AA plane back to the states. I truly hate traveling with check in luggage but due to the myriad tools I'm carrying, I have to lug these things around
Paying excess baggage fees have become a part of life for me during these two weeks.Sorry, I don't have any pics from this glorious day!
Last edited:
Hang in there, buddy! You'll make it home (eventually, we hope).
Amazing Race sounds easier than what you're going through. Hope you get back safe and without more difficulties.
Does the word Shanghai'ed come to mind at this point?
I'm glad it's just my family listening to my hysterical laughing now, instead of my coworkers.