Today I didnÂt do much at all. Yangshuo is kind of a touristy place, which suits me just fine for now. ItÂs a good place to relax, and do nothing. I think I needed that after a few days of really being busy. I ate some good things (mango shake and ham omelette for breakfast, braised pork and stir-fried veggies for lunch, drunk duck and stir-fried mixed veggies for dinner). In fact, I just finished dinner. I chose this restaurant because it has a beautiful view of the town. I’m sitting on the second-floor balcony, overlooking the lake/harbour, which is surrounded by a resort with a pagoda, lit with colorful paper lanterns. In the dark, behind the resort, you can barely make out the massive karst mountains that dominate the town during the day. A street musician below is playing a traditional Chinese string instrument. It’s nice to have a pleasant place to think, because IÂve got some issues to resolve.
First of all, a warning to anyone who might be interested in booking a ferry ticket online from Chu Kong Passenger Transport Company Ltd. DonÂt do it. I booked my ticket a few days ago to get me from Kaiping, China, to Hong Kong. I sent them email asking them how I should collect my ticket. I was informed that the only way to do this was to pick it up at their ticket office in Hong Kong, no later than 45 minutes before my trip. Now tell me if IÂm wrong here, but this makes no sense at all. IÂm booking a trip from China to Hong Kong, and I have to pick up my ticket in Hong Kong before my trip? I tried to explain this to them, and asked if there was any way to resolve this problem, and they said no, thatÂs the only way to do it. Even if I knew someone in Hong Kong who could pick up my ticket and send it to me in China, it would be impossible, since the Chu Kong Passenger Transport Company Ltd.Âs policy is that only the ticketed passenger can pick up the ticket. I asked for a refund, since IÂm obviously not going to be able to get the ticket. The reply from the Chu Kong Passenger Transport Company Ltd. is that unless I pick up my ticket before my trip, I can not get a refund. Does this sound like a scam to you? It does to me! Anyway, if you are traveling to Hong Kong, stay away from the Chu Kong Passenger Transport Company Ltd. at all costs.
Anyway, this leaves me with the problem of trying to get to Hong Kong. I may have to skip Kaiping. ItÂs not easy to get from Kaiping to Hong Kong without taking a ferry. I will have to take a bus back to Guangzhou, then find a bus to Shenzen, and then cross to Hong Kong. IÂve heard the border crossing at Shenzen is unpleasant and congested, so IÂm not looking forward to that route. But skipping Kaiping would be very disappointing for me. ItÂs not far from Guangzhou, where my train will drop me off in two days. More importantly, itÂs near the home of my ancestors. My family would have an ancestral hall in a village close to there that would trace my ancestry back at least 2000 years. IÂve given up hope of ever finding this exact village, because there are hundreds of them in that region, and everyone in my family who would have known where it was is now dead. But, I still want to go get close to it. If possible, IÂll find a bus directly from Kaiping to Shenzen, skipping Guangzhou entirely. Choices, choices. IÂm sure IÂll figure it out. I guess I have to!
I slept late this morning, and I had a long nap this afternoon, during the non-photogenic portion of the day. I only took a few pictures in the evening. This one is a standard Asian sunset.
This one makes me think of my trip.
HereÂs what Yangshuo looks like. ItÂs pretty English-friendly here. Still, most of the tourists are Chinese.
I had a stamp custom made with my name written in a very old Chinese calligraphy style. A calligrapher carved it in two hours.
You can take a bus from kaiping to shenzen …about 3 hours or so. It’s direct, then cross over to HK @ Shenzen. It’s busy but not that bad. you can take a ferry as well from kaiping to hk (we went both ways) ferry is faster, though you might get seasick coming from the river to the sea!! scenic is awesome though,you should be able to buy a ticket at the ferry office at kaiping, no need to order tickets etc. unless policy has changed.
Yes, I think getting in touch with your routs is worth standing in traffic for a couple of hours at the border. I vote for Kaiping 🙂
haha routs.
roots!
ESL!
You already skipped the great wall, don’t skimp out on checking out your village. I sure as hell wouldnt! =P
Ahh thanks to my bro for that info. I’ll be taking a bus to Shenzen. No way I’m giving any more money to that ferry company!