Wednesday, July 29, 2009

China Chikka: What to Take?

Ok, so am preparing for a *cross fingers* trip to China this August....so I am going to begin blogging about anything which may be related to that :-)

For today, I shall sum up what I found on the subject what to take...

Clothes:
Apparently it will depend on when I visit.

For November to March -
  in Northern China - lip balm, down jacket, sweater, gloves, socks, thermal stuff like leggings, sturdy footwear.
  in Southern China - same thing..even in HK (and I can attest to this coz my first trip to HK was a bit cool for me)

in Summer - t-shirts, shorts, loose-fitting shirts or blouses, thin pants or trousers, comfortable footwear

Note to myself to try and bring the following:
  • first aid kit (though am sure most of the items are readily available at Chinese pharmacies)
  • hat
  • deodorant (hehehe! how about "tawas"?)
  • raincoat
  • flashlight (maglite to the rescue)
  • pocketknife (well, my ole Swiss knife will probably be happy to visit China)
  • umbrella (3-fold as usual and hopefully no strong gusts of wind)
  • reading material (on China, so that its useful)
  • wet ones or wipes
  • hand sanitizer
  • towelettes as I sweat like a uhm...Peking pig...
  • face towels
  • Crocs (hopefully its not dusty)
 
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44 comments:

  1. Al Jean :)July 29, 2009 at 9:46 AM

    and don't forget to bring your camera :P

    ReplyDelete
  2. CatH \(^_^)/July 29, 2009 at 9:48 AM

    hehe! siamese twin kaya kami nyan no...
    and Mr. Tripod is my constant boyfriend...close kami *wink*

    ReplyDelete
  3. Tochie **July 29, 2009 at 9:49 AM

    Ey, Cat, grabe daw pollution dun sa China lalo na sa malalaking cities like Shanghai or Beijing. Magdala ka ng pang cover sa ilong and mouth. Baka mahal yun dun at tsaka baka kung ano pa ang mabigay sayo kung bibili ka sa botika nila.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Al Jean :)July 29, 2009 at 9:50 AM

    hahahahahahaha!!! oo nga pala!

    ReplyDelete
  5. CatH \(^_^)/July 29, 2009 at 9:52 AM

    for the first aid kit, I usually bring aspirin or painkillers, antiseptic cream for cuts and bites, band-aids, insect repellant, anti-diarrhea tablets

    other tips I got:
    tablets for nausea and movement sickness (which I almost never get)
    anti-fungal ointment
    gauze bandages
    antihistamines for allergies
    water purification tablets (probably not as I am not going camping)
    oral rehydration solution (pwede coconut?)
    antibiotics

    ReplyDelete
  6. CatH \(^_^)/July 29, 2009 at 9:53 AM

    you mean face mask? hmm..so I would bring a big supply..di ba..every 8 hours dapat i-change yan or was that just for the virus thingie?

    pwede kaya bandanna (para akong ninja) over nose and mouth?

    this is a good tip Chito! thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Virtual TedJuly 29, 2009 at 1:38 PM

    It sounds like a good list. If I can think of some thing to recommend I'll come by and suggest it.

    I hope it works out and you have a great trip.

    ReplyDelete
  8. CatH \(^_^)/July 29, 2009 at 9:44 PM

    Thanks Ted, always a good thing to hear about tips and experiences from other people who've made a trip to China, even if its not Beijing.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Me AnnJuly 29, 2009 at 10:07 PM

    where in china are you going?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Tochie **July 29, 2009 at 10:14 PM

    By the way, if you need to make forex do so immediately upon arrival at the airport. Pero huwag lahat ng needs mo. Just enough for a day or so. Baka kasi maaga ang departure ng day tour and you might not have enough time. Your subsequent forex should be done in banks near where you stay. Take note of them when you first go out. Banks usually have better rates. It is also safer there. Sometimes there are people outside the banks who will approach you and try to convince you to do forex with them offering better rates. (Yes, just like the Manila City Hall fixers, they can recognize foreigners and can guess accurately why they are approaching). My advice is for you to just ignore them. Don't even glance at them. They can be irritating. Besides, they could be passing counterfeit money (Renminbi or it popular name Yuan). Familiarize yourself with how their money looks like (and the amounts). Here's a good link I found: http://www.chinatour.com/currency/currency.htm

    ReplyDelete
  11. Tochie **July 29, 2009 at 10:21 PM

    Kung aabutan ka ng weekend (or Sunday in particular), hanap ka kaagad ng simbahan. Usually may maps sa hotel indicating which ones are Catholic and which ones are not. The Concierge can help you with the directions. If it is nearby, say less a kilometer or just a few blocks away. walking would be good - exercise na walking tour pa. And once you locate it, (assuming you are able to do it earlier) daanan mo na and look at the sked to find out alin ang English language mass (para naman maintindihan mo yung homily, hehehe...). Sa ibang simbahan, meron Pilipino language mass.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Me AnnJuly 29, 2009 at 10:26 PM

    aba! bihasang bihasa si tochie ah! mukhang nakarami na sa china!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Tochie **July 29, 2009 at 10:44 PM

    Below is a link on Catholic churches in Beijing. (Alam mo, maganda din mag side-tour ka ng mga simbahan).

    http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Asia/China/Beijing_Shi/Beijing-1024960/General_Tips-Beijing-Churches-BR-1.html

    ReplyDelete
  14. Tochie **July 29, 2009 at 10:49 PM

    Sa mga tindahan naman, kung may oras ka, ikot-ikot ka muna and try to see if there are Filipina sales assistants sa mga stores (imposibleng wala). Talk to them. They like talking to kababayans who are on tour. The usual ice-breaker is "Pilipina ka ba? "Saan ka sa atin?" Then everything else is fair game, alin/saan/ano ang mura dito, etc., etc. They will usually give you tips and if they are allowed, they can give you discounts or bargain prices.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Tochie **July 29, 2009 at 10:49 PM

    Hi MeAnn. Di naman. Konti lang.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Tochie **July 29, 2009 at 11:05 PM

    Baka kailangan mo rin ang Phil. Embassy sa Beijing for whatever, here's the DFA site where you can see all Phil. Embassies, including the one in Beijing: http://dfa.gov.ph/?page_id=74

    Some maps that are available in hotels, indicate the location/address/contact numbers of foreign embassies, including ours.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Tochie **July 29, 2009 at 11:31 PM

    Here's an idea: Subukan mo yung Beijing subway system. It's a good way to go around Beijing daw. English ang notification sa mga stops. And since most of them have been constructed for the 2008 Olympics, siguradong bago yung mga yun. Here's a route map of the BSS:

    http://www.chinese-beijing.com/images/beijing-subway-map.jpg

    ReplyDelete
  18. tunde akingbulugbeJuly 30, 2009 at 7:24 AM

    this is good list!
    have a safe trip!
    tunde.

    ReplyDelete
  19. CatH \(^_^)/July 30, 2009 at 10:26 AM

    Beijing...my calendar states Being in Beijing for the August 17-23..and it looks even that is not enough...no time to go to other places in China...

    ReplyDelete
  20. CatH \(^_^)/July 30, 2009 at 10:26 AM

    thanks Chito...

    isip ko kc, wala bang makunan ng RMB dito sa Pinas? or advise mo puro dollar na lang dalhin ko?

    ReplyDelete
  21. CatH \(^_^)/July 30, 2009 at 10:28 AM

    am glad its not like the dollars...I certainly find it easier to have those differently colored bills...with big numbers..saves me fumbling...

    ReplyDelete
  22. CatH \(^_^)/July 30, 2009 at 10:29 AM

    hehehe! akala ko gusto mo mag-hear mass ako na naka-Mandarin...

    ReplyDelete
  23. CatH \(^_^)/July 30, 2009 at 10:32 AM

    thanks Chito..this is really useful tip now...I actually looked at the bills in my book on China..but I just noticed now that with the coins...its bound to be confusing from yuan to jiao to fen..:-(

    ReplyDelete
  24. CatH \(^_^)/July 30, 2009 at 10:34 AM

    am sure! maganda mga architecture for sure..with the influences..
    what I only read for now was the South Cathedral (Nan Tang)....hay...with so many things to see..I wonder...I shall probably limit to at least one church, one mosque, one palace, one tower, one tomb :-) hehehe!

    ReplyDelete
  25. CatH \(^_^)/July 30, 2009 at 10:34 AM

    Pinoys are ubiquitous!

    one can even find a Pinoy hailing from Butuan in the furthest corners of Iceland I bet! mwhahaha!

    ReplyDelete
  26. CatH \(^_^)/July 30, 2009 at 10:35 AM

    oy, don't be so humble...your tips and knowledge is very helpful to me and other would-be future travelers to China...I am thankful!

    ReplyDelete
  27. CatH \(^_^)/July 30, 2009 at 10:40 AM

    ah, this is good..though honestly, ewan ko lang ha..call me jaded..makakatulong ba talaga Phil Embassy? hehehe!

    ReplyDelete
  28. CatH \(^_^)/July 30, 2009 at 10:41 AM

    this is the best..I hope its easier to navigate and not get lost in all entrances and exits etc....I think I may skip the buses...thanks Chito!

    pano kaya..may pass rin ba for the train?

    ReplyDelete
  29. CatH \(^_^)/July 30, 2009 at 10:41 AM

    Thanks Tunde...

    and not to forget, all the helpful people who have contributed to the tips and tricks for traveling to Beijing or China...!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Virtual TedJuly 30, 2009 at 2:09 PM

    Hi Cat,

    Don't worry to much about it. Almost everything will be in Yuan. While I was living there and when I visited last time it was very rare to see fen and I only dealt with jiao when I was grocery shopping.

    ReplyDelete
  31. CatH \(^_^)/July 30, 2009 at 10:36 PM

    hmm..it would be nice to collect a fen or two...from all of my trips, I keep souvenirs of some of the currency of the country I visit...

    thanks for saying this, for a moment, I was imagining myself having an impatient shopkeeper wait for me while I was busily trying to distinguish the coins to pay up, or counting coins which were given as change *sheepish grin*

    ReplyDelete
  32. che c",)July 30, 2009 at 10:43 PM

    dont worry chito, nakapag practice na si cat dito sa manila hihihihi. im sure she'll adapt to the place immeditely.

    ReplyDelete
  33. che c",)July 30, 2009 at 10:45 PM

    wow!grabe ang tip ni chito!!!it will be a great help for sure!

    ReplyDelete
  34. CatH \(^_^)/July 30, 2009 at 10:49 PM

    hmm...how about renting out bikes and going around some parts to the nearby places while riding these contraptions?

    wag lang yung biskleta with 3 or more seats, baka ma-upend tayong lahat...hahaha!

    ReplyDelete
  35. CatH \(^_^)/July 30, 2009 at 10:50 PM

    hehehe....I wonder which is more polluted...baka naka-gas mask na ako don...

    ReplyDelete
  36. Rocky EspritJuly 30, 2009 at 11:00 PM

    hala ka, Cat... baka kapaplano mo nang dadalhin, maiwan mo yung toiletry bag.. hahaha!!! Kami kasi, pag nag-travel, kahit sa Pinas, tig-isang backpack lang kami ni Jorge, walang luggage (wala ring pasalubong.. ay!) basta dala ang toothbrush :)))))

    ReplyDelete
  37. che c",)July 30, 2009 at 11:32 PM

    therest dito na bibilhin hihihihihi

    ReplyDelete
  38. che c",)July 30, 2009 at 11:34 PM

    we tried that already in thailand.We rented a bike and thought we'll visit a nearby falls which was about 2km away from where we're staying.Ayun--medyo hilly pala yung way kaya di pa nangalahating kilometro--lawit na dila namin hahahah.We forgot to rent the bike na appropriate dun sa daan.we ended up having a thai massage na lang.

    ReplyDelete
  39. che c",)July 30, 2009 at 11:35 PM

    dollar na lang siguro tapos magpapalit ka na lang sa airport.

    ReplyDelete
  40. CatH \(^_^)/July 31, 2009 at 9:05 AM

    55555! yung toiletry bag ko may laman na yan usually...I just replenish it when I arrive home from my travels...so that when the time comes for me to be on a trip, just grab it and go...I usually spend more time sa clothes part if its cold weather, otherwise, I have a set of pang-trip na clothes na (kaya nga siguro pare-pareho suot ko sa pictures in different countries hahaha!)

    Naging ganon ako, coz before I used to travel around the Visayas and Mindanao area of the Phils for Sara Lee...abah..lenchak!..isang beses tlaga, yung toothbrush ko was the one left behind!
    yung toothpaste meron! so finger-brushing! hahaha!

    ReplyDelete
  41. CatH \(^_^)/July 31, 2009 at 9:05 AM

    oo, eh China pa...we could practically go there without anything except our passports and money and just buy everything there..e lahat made in China..

    ReplyDelete
  42. CatH \(^_^)/July 31, 2009 at 9:06 AM

    LOL! picture na lumawit ang tongues!

    ReplyDelete
  43. Rocky EspritAugust 2, 2009 at 12:09 AM

    you got it babe! :))))

    ReplyDelete
  44. Rocky EspritAugust 2, 2009 at 12:14 AM

    Ahahahaha!!! Ayan ang sinasabi ko... :))))

    ReplyDelete

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