July 2nd, 2008 | categorizilation: all categories,China
I love cross cultural communication. What I thought I ordered was pork and cabbage. What I got, was pork, and cabbage. But when the mis-communication only costs you an extra 0.50 Euro, I’m not about to start complaining.
On the order of business today was booking a hotel for my visa application. On Expedia.com I booked a random US$50 a night hotel in Shanghai for five days. The cancellation fee for the booking is US$27, so essnetially for US$27 I hope that I have fulfilled the Chinese visa application requirements in Hong Kong. I will be cancelling the booking as soon as my visa is issued. Rude for the hotel staff, but I feel that I have no choice.
The Chinese Embassy in Hong Kong‘s website has given me some slight cause for concern today however, in stating the following:
NOTICE
(2008/04/13)
Visa applicants are increasing in a large number and need longer waiting time in the visa office recently. If you don’t reside or work in Hong Kong permanently, you are required to apply Chinese visa from the Embassy or Consulate-General of Peoples’ Republic of China in your resident country. You are welcome to China for tourism, business, visit of the Olympic Games.
Not the greatest of statements for me, but I’ll try all the same. You can’t expect someone who hasn’t been home for 2.5 years to fly home, get the visa, and then fly back.
Also, I have written some articles for www.skatefurther.com, a great global long distance skateboarding website. One article is a route information sheet for skating in Xinjiang Province in China, and other other is a day in the life on the road.
Hi Rob,
Thanks for your previous advice about the visa situation in China. Are you going to Hong Kong because you can not get another renewal in mainland China?
Looks like I will need 2 visa renewals through my travels in China. I'm not looking forward to battling the bureaucracy.
Love the site man.
Cheers,
d
Damien,
I have already had two renewals, and that is the limit. Since thing change all the time, I can't be sure of this, but unless you're in or close to Beijing, visa renewals should still be easy enough.
Rob
The food looks delicious.
I enjoyed reading about your encounter with the French cyclists. They've certainly got it easy, with no heavy packs or the need to suss out accommodation etc. So wonder they can do the distance in half the time you did! Also, as you comment, being on the go ll the time means missing out on people contact, and, where there is great scenery, missing out in having a good look at the country they're passing through.
