May 2008

Trains
We caught the fast train from Taishan to Sifang at the cost of Y142 ($23 AUD). The train is clean, comfortable and non smoking. Train tickets can be purchased ten days in advance from the departure city and five days on any stops in between.
We could have taken the all stops train which costs Y34 ($5 AUD) but this train takes 5 hours and is not as clean and comfortable as the fast train.

Taxis
Are very convenient and we used them to go anywhere we couldn't walk to. The flag fall is a little more expensive than Tai'an at Y7 for the first 3KM and then Y1.50 per kilometer after that. You also need to add an extra Y1 to the meter at your destination. Luxury taxis charge a minimum of Y10 within 3 Km and Y1.7/km after that. An extra Y0.4 /km is charged after 10 pm until 5 am.
Taxis are easy to get. Just walk out on to a main street and flag one down. They are impossible to catch during peak hour or on a public holiday. If they don't want to take you to your destination they will just tell you to get out.
The day of my birthday we flagged down a taxi to take us to the spa. At the same time a bus was stopping. The taxi driver was female and had attitude. She's upped the bus driver. I figure the bus is bigger it can go first. We get into the taxi and I show her were we want to go. She puts the metal to the floor and takes off. She squeezes the taxi between two buses. At this stage I decide it is much safer for me to look out the window instead of the windscreen.

Bus
Bus travel is also convenient and most needs can be catered for by the bus 6 Route, however expect to stand because the buses are crowded. Over crowded in fact. Y1 is charged for non-air conditioned bused and Y2 for air conditioned ones.
On May 1 we couldn't get a taxi, Barbara & I were happy to walk, however we had Kwin and Lupy with us and they don't like walking. In fact Chinese find westerners decadent with catching taxi's but are not prepared to walk anywhere! Anyway we caught a bus. Talk about overcrowded. Kwin asked me what buses were like in Australia. I advised buses around the world are all the same but there is no way we would jam this many people on the bus. There was nothing to hold on to. You were packed upright and that was the only thing that stopped you from falling. I think I would rather be in the scary taxi then on the bus.

Apart from the disastrous first night in the dodgy hotel. I loved Qingdao. It is unique, clean, modern and a thriving town. It was like a breath of fresh air. The locals don't spit and the hand is off the horn! Qingdao has a beautiful environment and feel about it.

It was April and a hundred kinds of flowers were in bloom, in many different styles. It has beautiful mountains, the blue sea, the graceful island, the broad beach, a forest and unusual stones. I am so fortunate that I had the opportunity to visit this pretty city of the coast.

It's not often church bells tell the time in Chinese cities. Qingdao is covered by abundant trees- black pines amid the sky and sea. With green and blue as the natural backdrop, red colour stands out as the human creation enhancing the charm of Qingdao, as seen from the red-roofed architecture of various European styles erected during the early 20th Century.

The real charm of Qingdao comes not only from the magnificent architecture but from the shuttered, balcony boulevards, the winding back streets, the seaside promenade and the avenues of luxuriant trees.

A Chinese flag flies next to the clock tower of St Michael's Catholic Church. Red lanterns hang in arches of the imposing facade of the former German governor's residence. 30 Minute taxi drive east of the old town marks a return to modern China. The new CBD has the unmistakable gleam of Olympic Investment. Qingdao is the venue for the sailing events of the Beijing 2008 Olympics. I just hope that they haven't over capitalized.

There are five major constructions for the Olympic Sailing Centre - The Media Centre, The Olympic Athletes' Centre, The Olympic Village, the Administrative Building and Logistics centre. This covers an area of 45 hectares at Fushan Bay.

Beer is an important part of Qingdao life and every corner shop is under its influence. Kegs of Tsingtao and a couple of stools offer passers by a pint of refreshment. But is seems a take-away is more popular and Qingdao is the only place in the world I have seen beer sold in a plastic bag for Y1 ($0.16 AUD)

Qingdao has everything on offer. There is the sand and seafront strolls, castles, pink and white cherry blossoms, the brewery, pubs, nightlife, football, restaurants, a village atmosphere, parks, museums, churches, shopping and temples.

So what did we do? We ditched the diet, we put on comfortable shoes, we wandered at will around alleys, got lost, quaffed the famous local brew, drank the local beer, danced the night away, watched football, shopped and had all of life's luxuries rolled into a weeks holiday.

On Thursday 24 April 08 we are advised that for the May Holiday on the 01 May 08 we will have leave from 26 April 08 to 04 May 08. Barbara and I had planned we would go to Qingdao for the break. We had been to the train station to try and find out when the trains left, how much they cost and how long it took. This proved all too difficult. When we knew the holiday time we took Cathy, Chinese Teacher, to the train station that afternoon. Here we were with our tickets to Qingdao. We were like two excited school kids.

Saturday our train left Taishan station at 2.14 pm. We thought we should leave the campus by 1.30 at the latest so we could negotiate our way at the train station. We got to the train station, found out our platform and waited for the train. This proved a very easy task. We boarded the fast train to Sifang. We were unsure what to expect on the train and were pleasantly surprised. The fast train is modern, clean, non-smoking and very roomy!

We arrived at Sifang at about 5.30 pm. We hadn't booked any accommodation as we were told that there were plenty of touts at the train station who we could bargain with for a hotel room. There was only one tout. He showed us a brochure of this beautiful looking hotel. It had a palatial entrance with a large staircase, traditional Chinese dining room and large clean rooms. He started at Y160. I negotiated Y100 (ie $16)

Proud of our little achievement we waited to be taken to the hotel in the minibus. There were 3 Chinese waiting. Barbara thought this was promising. I had no real thoughts as I have been in plenty of transfers with multiple stops. The Chinese start to smoke and talk in Chinese in the minibus. I know they are talking about us because I understand Audalia (Australia). I open the window to try and get some fresh air.

We arrive at a hotel. It looks OK the Chinese get out and we are told to wait in the van. They had locked us in the van and closed my window that I had opened to try and get some fresh air from the smoking. They were gone for ages. Barbara starts to panic. I tell her that they have looked the doors. She was a little overwhelmed and started to try to unlock the doors. As she was trying to get over the seat to the front seat they come back. Barbara asks them, "Where are you taking us? We just want to go to our hotel." The female rings somebody and puts Barbara on the phone. It's her son and he wants to practice English. Barbara tells him to tell them to take us to our hotel. He asks for her cell phone and she tells him she doesn't have one.

We eventually arrive at our hotel. It looks nothing like the brochure. It is dirty and dingy. We pay for a night and decide that we will find something the next day.