Which area has the better girls (in terms of looks & age) on Hong Kong island? I've only been to Fuji in Causeway Bay.

Thanks

What nightmare this must be for those that has to travel during this period.

I just got done sending off a couple friends at the Chang Ping Bus station...after a wait of 4 hours as that's when the bus finally got in!

My friends had to line up to buy the tickets at 7 a.m this morning (somehow, the age of the internet still hasn't caught up for bus travelers from Chang Ping!) and it was for the 17:10 bus ...which left at 21:30!  And for that privilege, they had to pay RMB 580 for a ticket that only costs 220 during the rest of the year.

The bus station was a chaotic sea of the great unwashed with arguments and shouting all over the place, the toilets reeking throughout the whole bus station, people eating all manners of food and just spitting out the bones etc anywhere, kids pissing on the floor nonchalantly and luggage ...OMG the amount of luggage bumping and blocking people...and nobody seemed to mind all that much...guess they're used to all this!!

I can just imagine what the actual trip was going to be like.  I really feel for the Chinese...and they get to do this all over again on the way back!  I read somewhere that they expect over 3 billion journeys during the Spring festiveal...whilst the population of China is approx 1.4 billion only.  Amazing statistics there.

SEAJ

[ Last edited by  SEAJ at 14-1-2012 22:01 ]

At first I thought I had cracked it, as I don't do drugs   And I'm not an adolescent!!

Then I read further, and checked the questions, seems I'm pretty fooked.

Probably gonna have to turn to drugs to get me through my online addiction now, and all because I was dumb enough to check out my stats and realised I hade been on here for a week.

OMG, even now, knowing I have this problem, here I am typing away with a blatant disregard for my own health and safety.

If you want to catch some buses and trains, you have to buy them in advance for Chinese New year. For trains leaving Guangzhou for the North, it could be 5 to 8 days in advance. beware of ticket scalpers.

Nope - in Chang Ping they will NOT allow you to buy tickets in advance - buy them the same day you want to travel....and only if you're lucky to secure one of the tickets available for the day.

As far as ticket scalpers are concerned - they've sort of eliminated this with insistence that you produce an Identity card when purchasing a ticket - but I'm pretty sure there's still some of that going on.  But there's no need for ticket scalpers, the "official Price" is usurious enough - like I mentioned previously, the company raises the prices as the day gets nearer to CNY.

SEAJ

Chinese New Year is about a week from now. I'm sure HK/Macau and China are already preparing for  BIG celebrations of the Year of the Dragon.

I SORTA think that this year, that more talent has up to now still remained in Chang Ping compared to previous years.
At least it seems to me just walking about the streets, checking out a couple SWL BBS's past Friday and hearing a report from a friend of mine who I met up after his KTV session at the Fuaho; according to him, the Fuaho is still at near full staffing that night.

But of course the "full exodus" is probably only gonna start in earnest this week - after the gals' last week-end to make some Spring Festival money. Was chatting with my footy Gal at the Legend (#188 - a real looker IMHO) and she's telling me that even the footy gals will not start going home until this coming week.  BTW RMB 55 (week-ends, 50 regular days) for an 80 minutes footy in a nice classy place including any regular item on the menu, a drink and fruits still makes these footies a great bargain in Chang Ping.

SEAN

[ Last edited by  SEAJ at 17-1-2012 22:23 ]

I absolutely agree that there are always 2 sides to a coin.

Agree that big portion of the WGs in HK are from mainland. But the difference is these girls knows the difference in terms of the clientele. It's a funny human nature, it's like the "when in Rome, do like the Romans do" syndrome. As experienced in Singapore and Malaysia, I noticed Singaporean drivers tend to abide to the traffic rules to the "t" when they are in Singapore, but when some of them get into Malaysia (and as the traffic controls in Malaysia is not as strict as in Singapore), they will have the devil-may-care attitude and drives in a completely different attitude. But I also understand, some of these drivers were originally from Malaysia. So probably due to the fact that the clientele requirements and competition may differ in HK to mainland, the service level has been adapted to suit the market?

And it's absolutely right that in some of the western countries, people take pride in their job and will try to make sure the job are done well. I guess it has to do with competition as well as reputation. A waiter in the States takes pride because if they do their job well, they know the will be rewarded. Can't deny it's also a fact that most of the waiter in Hong Kong tends to think the job as a stepping stone...but still, comparing to the service you get in China, IMHO it's still good.

Failed trip to PI.  Returned with tail between my legs from HKIA.  Bangkok later this week hopefully...

BTW, love my credit card company.  Got 3k us to spend on foe and hotels due to my cancelled flight!

But have to figure out how that works....

Whats the cause of the flight to Phil being cancelled?

Not sure what happened to our intrepid Just7 - but I just heard my friend telling me about HIS failed trip to Angeles City. And since you're from the PI - perhaps you can enlighten us what you think of this story.

All eager upon arriving at the airport, he was very happy when he saw that there was hardly a line at passport control, although the barrier controls snaked quite a few loops. Seeing this, instead of going in at the proper "entrance" to the barrier control and having to zig-zag through all these barriers, he instead just lifted up the rope closest to where the queue started and waited in line.

Then some official told him to get out and start at the proper barrier entrance instead of what he just did; and of course my friend protested at first, but still went ahead and followed the stupid instruction...and with quite a bit of "attitude"  - Understandable no?

Anyway, upon eventually reaching Passport control, the officer took his passport and stamped it "denied entry" and wrote in big letters ARROGANCE.  Just like that and he had to spend quite a few hours to catch the flight back to Hong Kong.
Welcome to the Philippine Islands!! LMAO!

What do you think?

SEAN

[ Last edited by  SEAJ at 17-1-2012 22:23 ]

Justseven actually pm me and gave notice that he may fly into Angeles City then ride a bus for an overnight stay in Manila.
Sad to know that happened here in the Phil. i really dont know how Clark International Airport operates since i know many Westerners fly in directly to Angeles City via Clark rather than at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport terminals 1,2 and 3.

OMG. Need some senior bros in March. LOL

Philippines Govt afraid of too much terrorists attacks so set out too many irritating, time wasting rules of checking baggages, and applying stricter rules on foreign visitors.
Even visiting the malls and taking the LRT/MRT trains the guards will have bags inspected. this really cause much delays as many people have to fall in line before entry.
I live here so what more can i say to you guys?

ONLY IN THE PHILIPPINES!

[ Last edited by  devilgodspeed at 16-1-2012 16:39 ]

i'm no expert, but on my first trip there, arrived late on Dec 30, 1993. next morning i get the paper to read during breakfast: headline reads "last year: 18 killed, 1800 injured on New Year's Eve."

i'm thinking: oh man, that's awful! then i start reading the story. it starts with: "congratulations Manila, we're doing better than ever!" all day, people are setting off explosives, throwing them AT me, guys with 12-gauge pumps guarding hamburger-joints...next day's news has a montage of kids with blown-off fingers, shredded hands...now, i'm SURE it's gotten better, and Filipinos i work with now wd be as horrified as me, but i spent the last hour of 1993 on the ground floor of a house owned by a friend-of-a-friend. he said at 23:30 he always brings everyone to the ground floor as one year a bullet came down thru his roof. he's got the door open, the street is narrow and across is a row of tropical foliage...being lit by flashes from explosives, bangs echoing...it was like an outtake from APOCALYPSE NOW.

i thought i was in Los Angeles! traveled the country, did scuba in Coron, met some great people, superb scenery, etc.

then two years ago, booked a liveaboard scuba trip with some folks here in HK, we dove Apo Reef off Batangas. the entire ship's crew were Filipino: delightful and competent. by contrast to Thailand, where u gotta tell divemasters again and again to do sth simple, i'd tell the Filipino divemaster ONCE and it'd get done. the site is up for UNESCO status and they take it seriously. superb experience.

but on my last trip, Benigno Aquino Airport (the only airport named after someone shot to death on its tarmac) looked the same as it had in the 90s--Terminal 1 anyway. same mildew...

the rule across the world: never argue or show irreverence to Immig officials. but, denied entry for ARROGANCE?!

OK, the guy cd have been smoother. but, his money will now go to another country. all his friends will now think twice about visiting the country. there's a lot of good new scuba venues opening up in Indonesia.

maybe Angeles is such a pussy paradise that guys will crawl over broken shards of their own arrogance to get there, but ya know what: Pattaya isn't too difficult to get to either. nobody that i know of has ever been denied entry to Macau for "ARROGANCE" and Hong Kong has plenty of attractions. i've had great times in the 'Pines (and yes, i've been to AC) and other times that weren't so great. the people are great, but the gun-culture is off-putting. the scenery and scuba-diving are world-class, but other things i've experienced...

on that first trip, i developed a routine: in Manila, guys wd come up to u and offer to "change money." if u said no, they'd then offer u something else. soon, if anyone came up to me on the street with whatEVER offer, i'd say to them firmly/loudly/politely: "there is nothing i want from you. NOTHING. do you understand?" they did, and wouldn't bother me again.

but one night in Manila, i was looking for a place to eat (this after almost a week in Coron eating fish-and-rice or rice-with-fish and an overnight ride on an overloaded ferry) and noticed a guy following me. i'd go check out a posted-menu, he'd be behind me, i'd go elsewhere and check another, he was right there.

finally i walked into an eatery that had a hallway-entrance, knowing he'd follow me. before i got to the end i did a 180--the guy almost bumped into me. he was a bit surprised. the following conversation ensued:

"Are you following me?"
"Yes." (points for honesty)
"Well, DON'T. Because, it's, a, really, REALLY, BAD IDEA."
A pause while that sunk in.
"Now leave."

he turned around and flaked the fuck off.

i still don't quite know what to make of the place, but at least i've never been denied entry for ARROGANCE.

JtB

Okay.

Let me just post it in here.  What's the common or perceived method of finish w/ the walk-ins?  It seems like the reports just tell me they finish in some position. Is CIM, COF or on the body allowed like PSE?  What is your preference?

Thanks.

Well all i can say they love to follow foreigners specially the Westerners.
While walking along the streets of Ermita Manila, i'm always mistaken to be Japanese or Korean and those Fil who start talking to me and ask if i wana have fun or do i need to exchange dollars for pesos. They constantly follow me and its very irritating. They'd stop when i say Filipino words and just laugh at them.

as for the denied entry due to arrogance, thats too lame of an excuse and i'm sure it was taken personal and without any basis.

Weather delay in HK for my airline.

Cebu pacific had the same flight and no delay or cancellation.

Had a good time getting money back from the flight...  Then got a bunch of attitude from the girls working the mainland transport table.  Got the police and the manager all up in that ....

Gladly got back to CP and did a three hour footie with my regular.

Heading to Bangkok instead.  Be there Wednesday. Gonna tear it up

what air transport did you booked? sort of blessing in disguise as u got ur money back.

NEVER beneficial.

Almost all immigration officers the world-over have complete discretion to refuse entry to anyone if they "feel" the guy is "up to no good" or whatever.  And their judgement is precisely what they are paid for.  Giving them attitude, even if you are "in the right", is just fucking stupid.  Smile, eat it, enjoy the rest of your trip.  

It's amazing what a smile and a good-natured joke can get you out of.  I once got pulled over by the cops for speeding - doing 85mph in a 55 zone (in the US (Texas) at the time, but on a super quiet, super safe highway stretch).  The Big Frickn Trooper (man, they r HUGE now there!) asks me: "you know the speed limit here?".  "Ummm 55?".  "Yes, you know how fast you were going?".  I reply, very straight-faced, "Ooooh, Faster!  Much faster!!". And then glance up with a "please be merciful smile".   He paused at my honesty, laughed, thought about it.., "alright, slow down, and get otta here.., I radioed your plates ahead, so the next trooper WILL nail you".  Cool!  And thanks!  

As a dumb young man I got pulled over, drunk as a skunk, a mile from my house.  You could see the lights of my home.  He says, "you been drinking?",  "Yeah, a fair bit".  ""Where u going?". "Aw man.., right there!!" (I point to the lights) "Soooo close!!".  "You gonna be sick in my cruiser?".  I reply, "Not if you don't put me in it!  Otherwise, I can't be certain".  He laughed..., and let me go -- and followed me home (I guess to be sure I was telling the truth.  (I was).

Guess I have been a lucky shit with authority figures.  

Anyway, DON'T ever give attitude at Immigration.  It's never a useful approach.