A China Tale

Don’t Buy Luggage from Dongmen

What’s Dongmen (chinese)

Now for those of you that don’t know Dongmen is somewhat of a famous area in Shenzhen. Allow wikipedia to express itself: ne of the oldest parts of Shenzhen, the Dongmen area was established about 300 years ago, leading it to be alternatively known as “Laojie” (or “Old Street”).
The variety of shopping in Dongmen is wider than Luohu Commercial City, but has a similar focus on Chinese-made and counterfeit goods. Beauty parlor services are very popular in Dongmen and the department store Maoye has locations on both ends of the road. Despite being limited to pedestrian traffic, Dongmen can become very crowded on nights, weekends, and holidays, giving it a similar feel to Nanjing Road in Shanghai. Suffice to say it’s a hot spot for everything and anything fake especially clothing items – you purchase by weight not by peice. Now back to the bag!

True Quality Revealed

Granted I expected little of a 100RMB bag but what I got was even worse than those already lowered expectations. Before I even left Hong Kong the bag had already lost one of the two feet designed to allow the bag to stand upright on it’s own. The rubber handles attached to the case also smelled chemically. Upon arrival at New York City (JFK) the 2nd foot had also been lost, two zipper tabs were broken off and the telescopic handle mount had come off. That’s the peice that houses the top of the telescopic roller handle thingy. This made the handle unstable when extended but proved a mute point when the entire upper part of the handle popped out of the bottom spitting a ball bearing onto the floor outside of baggage claim an hour or so later.

This morning after pushing the bag around akwardly using the top rubber handle mounted to the case – my lower back! – the rubber handle broke off on the way down some stairs. I managed to catch the bag before it did it’s impression of a slinky the rest of the way down the stairwell. Now I was dealing with a bag that had no means of holding outside of supporting it as if it were a box with wheels on one corner. This was even more uncomfortable on my back not to mention I looked like a jackass babying this thing along in the Port Authority Bus Terminal. After I had purchased my bus ticket for MA and moved down to the gate I had about 30 minutes to sit down and managed to fix the telescopic arm enough to make it useable if handled gingerly. I also noted that the main zipper had some portions where the teeth where wider appart when closed – great…. – so far they have held together – the beast sleeps below me in the bus now. I pray it can make it all the way to my house before I burn it in a ritualistic fire which will culminate with me peeing on the ashes.

Moral of the Story

DON’T BUY LUGGAGE FROM DONGMEN!! I think you get the point. If your looking for trouble and adventure (in terms of stress and aggrevation) then you’ve found your golden ticket. However if your a normal human being in need of something sturdy to cart your personal goodies around the world – look elsewhere. Spend a little more on something of decent quality – the savings arn’t worth the hassle. I still have the stench of the chemically rubber handle on my hands now. I’m not kidding about the peeing part of my planned ritual burning. The Chinese do have a good saying for this and it goes something like “You get what you pay for,” so be sure to take a moment and think through any impulses to purchase an insanely cheap peice of luggage in Dongmen… and anywhere in China for that matter. Quality is worth paying for here in my humble opinion.

Air China! – You get what you pay for?

How is Air China?

Before I get into it let me lay out the basics for you. I booked a roundtrip flight from Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) to New York (JFK) for just under $800USD. I purchased it through OneTravel.com – for anyone interested I also noted that Airchina.com is currently still running killer special rates to some hub cities in the US out of Asia. I was unable to find the great rate I booked several weeks ago recently through OneTravel – give ChinaAir.com a gander if your in need of a cheap ticket.

Back to the boring stuff! Well I’m still in mid evaluation – I’ll be able to better answer “how good is Air China?” and “Will your plane explode if you take Air China?” when I arrive in New York in the next 20 hours. Assuming I don’t I think you’ll be able to deduce my answer to the second question. I’m still sitting in Beijing after arriving less than 40 minutes ago from Hong Kong. I’m beginning to see you get what you pay for when it comes to China Air. My first flight and this one are being fulfilled by planes on the tarmac – carriers have to rent that terminal space you know!. Passengers are required to trot around the terminal only to find the gate is merely a portal to an extra wide passenger transport bus. The bus will take you speedily along to your plane awaiting somewhere on the vast sea of concrete. Completeing normal boarding proceedures and then stepping onto a bus just doesn’t have the same feeling . Feels like a savings of about 40% on airfare.

China being China

I assume the complaints contained in here have nothing to do with the carrier China Air but rather to do with China. I made my way through the terminal upon arrival here in Beijing to find myself again confronted with an immigration counter. Some folks were filling out arrival cards – a touch of anger fell over me – inquiring further I was instructed to head to another section where a line of international passengers waited for a single customs officer to put yet another stamp on our boarding passes. My flight landed at 11:40, my connecting flight boards at 12:30. It was about 12:11 when I was standing at the back of the line with at least 40 people in front of me wondering what the hell the other people behind me on the same flight were going to do – aren’t we international folk a priority? I flagged down another customs officer and managed to get him to bring me to the front of the line. I then proceeded to run in the direction of the arrows only to find out I would yet again have to stop for stamps and another checking of my carry on baggage. More running and I arrived at my gate in good time.

Two Systems, One Country

The situation just got me thinking about the arrangement China has with Hong Kong and how little it means to me as it does nothing to change my experience of the two as entirely seperate entities. They have their own currency, their own system of… boarding!! more later

About 5:30pm now GMT +8 – back to the Two Systems rant. Ahem.. I do bump heads on the issue once in a while – some Chinese I meet are a little sensitive about the issue. I try to imagine something of a similar experience in the states – I can’t though – a single country with the infrastructures of two seperate ones, with the systems, language, and customs all their own. It makes me curious about what the point of it is. I’m not educated in these matters so I won’t speculate in any intelligent way. I can only talk of the pragmatic reality – the two are for all intensive purposes seperate countries. In terms of visas, borders, immigration, currency, language, economic system, political system, customs, right side of the road to drive on, etc – they’re all unique from their respective other. You will gain little comfort in HK from your experiences living in China and vice versa. In fact most of the Hong Kong people I know don’t care much to deal with the mainland – especially when it comes to business. I guess you could say I thoroughly appreciate that .

Speculation on Air China’s Cheapness

I’ve been noticing a few things as I looked around inside the cabin of Boeing 747-400. I’m guestimating it houses somewhere in the neighborhood of 625-650 people. 3 seats on each side 4 in the middle (approximately 60 rows), 4 or 5 rows of biz class (6 to a row), and 4-5 rows of 1st class (4 seats per row) + flight and crew staff (can’t be more than 10 right?). The cabin and seating are a little less modern than some of the newer vessles I’ve been on. Sorry no arm stowed, or back of the headrest mounted lcd screens for your personal viewing pleasure. What I’ve been noticing is advertising in places where you’d usually see the carriers logo plastered. For instance the small disposable fabric they velcro to your seat where the back of your head makes contact with the headrest – it has China Citi Bank plastered all over it. The cups they serve drinks in are sporting some Chinese beer brand logo and slogan. The meals they serve also came with a donation envelope for one organization or another. Perhaps there is something behind these things. Perhaps that is part of how they can offer such an affordable rate.

Arrival in New York (JFK)

Here’s where my luck seemed to run out. After getting through customs I had to wait over 2 and one half hours and ended up with 1 of my two checked bags in my custody. That stacked with the 1+ hour lateness of the planes arrival put me in a bit of a pickle. My bus was at 6:15 and it was already about 10’til 6. No more buses to get back to Massachusetts until tomorrow morning – I found out later over a payphone. I had to wait another hour in line at baggage claim wherein I found out my bag would be delivered tomorrow to NYC and then 2 day fedexed to my home in Mass. Most Carriers do next day fexed – Thanks Air China! At this point it was around 7pm local time. I made my way to the nearby counter where a fellow passanger had already summoned a supervisor from Air China (she missed her connecting flight to Mexico). She probably softened the lady up for me but all the same I managed to get a free pass to the nearby Holiday Inn as well as dinner and breakfast for the trouble.

Final Scores!

Overall I had a good experience minus the baggage troubles at the end. They had proper accomodations in place for the situation so I was properly taken care. Though I must warn you if your not accustomed to long flights and are needy in terms of in flight experience you might want to stick with one of the older more expensive carriers. For example the inflight movie never really worked and replayed a short scene from a couple movies several times throughout the 15 hour period – service was also noticably slower than other flights. I had to wait about 30 minutes between meal drop offs and drink+trash pickup. In the end I got from A to B at a very valuable rate no worse for the ware. I would have no problem recommending Air China to anyone looking for a great deal getting from Asia to the US. Let’s hope the way back is less eventful for me than my trip here .

The Land of Plenty

Breakfast fit for a King

My first buffet breakfast back in the states was nothing short of awesome. Fresh whole & sliced fruit including, apples, oranges, cantalope, honeydue melon, watermelon, pineapple, and blueberries. Granola and dried fruits and nuts. Raisins, dried cranberries, almonds, dried apricots, sunflower seeds, and peanuts. Boxed Cereal – such a pain to find in China – Fruitloops, Corn Flakes, Frosted Flakes. Scrambled eggs, breakfast sausages, a mountain of bacon, skin-on homefries, thick french toast with powdered sugar and cinnamon. Bagles, sliced bread, muffins, croissants, and danishes galore. Maple syrup, butter, philly cream cheese, tabasco sauce, ketchup, and whole milk on ice. Orange Juice and coffee were at the table waiting.

Order of the feast

I started off with a plate of eggs and a couple breakfast sausages – just had to give them a try, it’s been so long! – a handful of blueberries and 3 slices of thick french toast dosed gleefully with syrup – I’m not kidding about the gleeful part. After that I went for a bagel, o how I have missed thee good sir bagel! They had a handy bagel splitter that I used before toasting it to a golden crisp and smothering it in cream cheese. I savored every bite of the cruchy outside chewy inside creamy covered goodness. At this point I also opted for a 2nd glass of orange juice. I gave myself a moment because my next move was going to be for the granola and dried fruits and nuts – healthy cereal – that meant milk – milk doesn’t go so well with orange juice in my tummy. I gathered the granola, each variety of dried fruit and the nut trail mix in my bowl and added some more of the fresh blueberries at the fruit bar before drowning it all in fresh milk. It only lasted a few moments at the table before I devowered it.

Recovery

I didn’t gorge myself – which took some will power – but I was pretty full when I left. Felt pretty good to hit so many of these foods that I’ve missed while being abroad. Made me eager to catch up on the rest of the edible goodies I’ve been without in China. Just wait till I get my hands on a T.C. Lando’s Philly Cheese Steak – sure the juices from the meat can be so plentiful at times that it reduces the bread to little more than a thin sheet of white paper around an forarm thick cylinder of meat in the center – but the pallet wants what the pallet wants. Moving is of secondary importance when I encounter that bad boy. I guess I should be more greatful for the plentifulness which we receive here in the states – sometimes I forget about it. Then again maybe that’s just the endorphines talking .

Homeward Bound – A night in Hong Kong Airport

Trouble at Huang Gang border

A big unhappy face for the start of my long journey to Massachusetts from the motherland. After getting through something akin to a panic attack (normal for me – triple rechecking my list of things that I packed – knowing full well that I will remember something at some point – at which time I’ll be unable to do anything about it) I hopped on a taxi to the Huang Gang border and was informed at the information counter there that the direct vans that take you across both borders (see my previous post about getting my passport stolen for more fun info about this border) directly to the airport were closed for the evening – so much for my 24hour assumption. The lady behind the counter went on about some smaller car I could take that could arrive in 10 minutes if I would like, she said what I thought was 78rmb. I agreed and then began to ponder how it was possible for an irregular (special) arrangement to drive a single person to the airport would come in at half the price of a scheduled multi-person minivan carting up to 6 people across to the airport at one time during regular business hours. I grabbed one of their flyers and wrote down in Chinese what I believe to be the price she had just said. She proceeded to write in English “seven hundre….” that’s the point when I started with the eye rolling and the frustrated “wayyyy too expensive” faces. I shot my dad a phone call and rerouted myself to Tsuen Wan in Hong Kong where I would take a taxi to the Airport. I still got the counter girl’s name card out of it – all Chinese – going to make the first ice breaker call a little akward. ;-p

The immigration dude gave me a little grief, but I suppose it is to be expected when you hand them two passports – hehe. Then the face masked ladies at customs thought they’d have a look in my large bag. I got noticeably agitated – she complimented my mandarin in an attempt to appease me – I played along. I Should probably be mad at myself – they NEVER check bags there – and faking an important phone call and blathering on in English into your cell phone while marching forward is enough to foil any attempt even the bravest of personnel would try to stop you with. You’ll find Chinese have a difficult time with dealing with non-compliance – think deer in headlights – then mix in the “duh” face – add a little head scratching – there you go!

Hong Kong – Faster, Cleaner.. could you get your arm off my..

The bus and taxi ride weren’t so eventful – save the socially obtuse fellow sitting next to me on the bus who refused to keep his body and person in his own seat. I exerted an akward amount of pressure on his arm until he readjusted. 10 minutes well spent. The taxi driver was refreshingly… personable. Helped me with my bags and seemed to have something of an interest in English brewing – he was listening to some English music in the car and did his best to start up a conversation with me in my mother tongue. His energy me in a good mood but I was lazy to continue the conversation beyond “I’m going to America.” Crime of distraction I suppose. I calculated based on his displayed taxi license card that he had been working as a cabbie for just over 6 and a half years. I wondered what his life must be like in Hong Kong then of how expensive things are here. I started counting the ticks on the meter and quickly valuating it back to what I usually pay in Shenzhen (mind you the most expensive place to take a cab in all of China!). My feelings of wonderment were overturned with the anger-filled disgust that always accompanies unnecessary deductions from my wallet.

I’m now sitting in the airport contemplating which direction would most likely house a vending machine or small 24 hour shop where I could purchase some water. The man whistling the Christmas song on the intercom strolling down the walkway to my left isn’t helping. I’ve been parched the last two hours. I’ll report more later!

O, almost forgot, about the “Homeward Bound” movie reference. I just thought of that movie when I wrote the blog post name . I did like that movie though! – give me a break ok I was young – ger than I am now. Talking well-trained animals had an effect on me – what can I say.