Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Having been to a few places now, I thought this trip is the most fruitful one. Minus the weird tasting international cusines, common scenes of the spitted saliva everywhere and the lack of noodles in the menu (I don't quite have a liking for rice dishes), Beijing is not a bad place to start your own business, or even for retirement.
There are many historical sites in Beijing, many not as impressive as what I thought them to be. The Palace is not in any way like what we see on tv, which I find it quite disappointing. But the fact that the Emperor has got like 8,000+ rooms, it shows alot about the authority of the emperor. I cannot imagine my house with 8,000 rooms. I might just got stuck somewhere and forgotten how to go out. Btw, I lost my sense of direction in China. LOL!
Train rides are priced at RMB 2 regardless of distance and most bus rides at RMB 1. They have their own ezlink card known as "yi ka tong" as well. Isn't that cute? I thought it was "yi tong ka" when I first saw the notice. =X Cabbie rides start from RMB 10. I've seen unreasonable cabbie drivers in Beijing as well, majority however, are not too bad. ;) At Beijing, cars turning in/out has priority over pedestrians which can be a little challenging for me when I cross the roads (though sometimes, traffic rules are non-existent, vehicles won't let you cross even if they know that you are going to cross the road), having to watch out for cars coming from 3 directions if I am to cross a T-junction. While underpasses can be a safer option at times, it can be a little troublesome as it is mandatory for all bag carriers (even for small ones) to go through the scanner (for safety purposes) when we pass by the subway station through the underpass.
Because of the length of night time in Beijing, I thought time actually passed too slowly and whined most nights. We did not rush much at all. It's a miracle that we actually managed to keep to our schedule and basically came home with a handful of goods that we are going to sell off. =x
I may have forgotten some presents here and there (I'm sorry). But my main purpose of the trip isn't to shop. The fact that I still have more than RMB 1k at hand right now shows how much we really did spend over at Beijing. =P
At 6am this morning, I reached Singapore, taking a SQ flight. It's always good to take a flight closer to home. On the flight, I already felt much like home. Finally.. *smiles*
Travelling can really be an eye opener. Other than the bit about Chinese history that I should know as a Chinese, I've learnt how the Chinese do businesses. They are very inspiring indeed! But at the same time, a little cunning. You ought to outsmart them when purchasing items. They usually mark up their items for more than 300-400%. Don't listen to them when they tell you that they won't be able to make much money if you were to offer a price - 400% as it may not be true. Stay stern. The fact that you can easily find a second store selling the same item, it's ok to forgo the first one. ;)
Got to get back from holiday mood. School is starting next week, and I just got my confirmed 5th module bid last night. From tomorrow onwards, I'm on a schedule for school almost everyday. mmm.. Anyway, Chinese new yr is round the corner and I have yet to buy any new year clothes. >_<
My aunts are contemplating on going to Macau to visit my cousin some time this yr. Maybe I can tag along if time and money allows me to.
Labels: Travel in Beijing
8:30 PM