Refering to our cycling hero Edward, he last updated his journal with a blank entry entitled 'Did he make it?'
Well the guy can read minds, that's been my question since last week!
As time goes on, we'll figure out if he made the ride across T I B E T on a bicycle without a permit and if he is now in the safety of Nepal.
Sunday 29 May 2011
Saturday 28 May 2011
Go Edward Go!
The latest on our cyclist adventurer and vagabond Edward had him traveling across a certain region of China without a permit, employing a maximum risk and minimum cost strategy. He's braver than I am, that's for sure! This part of China starts with T and I BET you that he will make it successfully across right now. Get it? I thought so.
So I received an update from his blog saying that he passed the checkpoint to Mt Everest Base Camp, and potentially went there for an adventure. Not sure yet. I also got an update saying he made it to a town called Nyalam which is barely 30km from the Nepal border. The final town is Zhangmu which is unknown if he reached it there. Of course, there is a checkpoint between the two towns, but this one is easy to cross -- based on travelers reports.
Edward's blog updates don't have any text or photos, they are just place holders. But the fact that the updates occured can mean one of two things
1. He managed to find internet access in some border town
2. He actually crossed into Nepal and is updating the blog from there.
I'm leaning towards #2 because I also saw lengthy text and photo updates from past portions of his blog that he said he would update once in Nepal, and he had to hurry scurry due to the fact his Chinese visa would expire on May 31
Regardless of which outcome occured, we can conclude *for sure* that he must have passed all the checkpoints along the last 300km to the Nepal border which is the most challenging part of the trip. He even posted a placeholder about visiting the Everest Base Camp, so he must have passed that checkpoint too. Any way you look at it, this is astonishing and I'm super curious to find out how he actually pulled this off without a permit in recent months. Mainly because in August, I'm going to be replicating what he did, with slightly less risk mind you --- I'm actually going for the permit.
That all being said, if it's indeed #1 and he hasn't passed the Nepal border, then there is no reason to celebrate just yet. They will quite likely check permits when exiting China through this border, and that's a key reason why I'd want to get one. The time to celebrate and say 'I did it' is when exiting Nepal immigration, going to the nearest restaurant, and ordering a round of beers.
So I received an update from his blog saying that he passed the checkpoint to Mt Everest Base Camp, and potentially went there for an adventure. Not sure yet. I also got an update saying he made it to a town called Nyalam which is barely 30km from the Nepal border. The final town is Zhangmu which is unknown if he reached it there. Of course, there is a checkpoint between the two towns, but this one is easy to cross -- based on travelers reports.
Edward's blog updates don't have any text or photos, they are just place holders. But the fact that the updates occured can mean one of two things
1. He managed to find internet access in some border town
2. He actually crossed into Nepal and is updating the blog from there.
I'm leaning towards #2 because I also saw lengthy text and photo updates from past portions of his blog that he said he would update once in Nepal, and he had to hurry scurry due to the fact his Chinese visa would expire on May 31
Regardless of which outcome occured, we can conclude *for sure* that he must have passed all the checkpoints along the last 300km to the Nepal border which is the most challenging part of the trip. He even posted a placeholder about visiting the Everest Base Camp, so he must have passed that checkpoint too. Any way you look at it, this is astonishing and I'm super curious to find out how he actually pulled this off without a permit in recent months. Mainly because in August, I'm going to be replicating what he did, with slightly less risk mind you --- I'm actually going for the permit.
That all being said, if it's indeed #1 and he hasn't passed the Nepal border, then there is no reason to celebrate just yet. They will quite likely check permits when exiting China through this border, and that's a key reason why I'd want to get one. The time to celebrate and say 'I did it' is when exiting Nepal immigration, going to the nearest restaurant, and ordering a round of beers.
The White Noise Experiment a Big Success
Today's weather: High = 25 Low = 18
Sunny and beginning the warm-up to an impending heat wave this week. It'll soon reach 35 degrees again
Having tried the white noise generator for 3 nights now, it has been quite successful. I'm now going to cross-post this information to the online expat forums in China which have recurring threads where people complain about the noise. I'm also going to bring this experiment into the classroom and use it for a math review lesson on logarithms.
It was all inspired by a powerful air-conditioner in Bangkok that pumped out cool air and white noise at the same time, -thus allowing for multiple days and weeks of restful sleeps while previously living in that large and noisy city. It was then a simple matter of trying to replicate the noise from the air-conditioner in Shanghai without actually having that machine over here. Using a few pieces of basic equipment, the scientific method, and a few tweaks, the experiment is pretty much done.
While it may seem that the Shanghainese are obsessed with noise, and they are happy to live with this racket every day, the government is actually taking the noise pollution problem rather seriously. The government has made some good strides in recent years, particularly the installation of noise barriers along busy highways and railway lines. Also, everywhere you go on busy intersections they have decibel boards set up to record the ambient noise and display a red warning when it exceeds 70dB. They compare with previous years and find that the ambient noise levels are slowing decreasing over time.
The way the decibel scale works is that it is relative. Actually, all measurement scales are relative with some calibration to a standard, for example, 0C is when water freezes, etc. Decibels are 1/10 of a bel, named after Alexander Graham Bell. The 0dB is calibrated to a 'standard threshold of hearing', whatever sound intensity that is.
Going back to the last post, if a sound souce (i.e. train) is 100m away, the intensity where I hear it is 0.0001 times less compared to the source. Using logarithms, that is 4 bels less, or 40dB less. So if the train has a 110dB sound at the source, and the Shanghai government can reduce it to 85dB using noise barriers, then I'll pick up 45dB at my location. Using the computer, that's what I'll need to set the noise generator to match at.
Sunny and beginning the warm-up to an impending heat wave this week. It'll soon reach 35 degrees again
Having tried the white noise generator for 3 nights now, it has been quite successful. I'm now going to cross-post this information to the online expat forums in China which have recurring threads where people complain about the noise. I'm also going to bring this experiment into the classroom and use it for a math review lesson on logarithms.
It was all inspired by a powerful air-conditioner in Bangkok that pumped out cool air and white noise at the same time, -thus allowing for multiple days and weeks of restful sleeps while previously living in that large and noisy city. It was then a simple matter of trying to replicate the noise from the air-conditioner in Shanghai without actually having that machine over here. Using a few pieces of basic equipment, the scientific method, and a few tweaks, the experiment is pretty much done.
While it may seem that the Shanghainese are obsessed with noise, and they are happy to live with this racket every day, the government is actually taking the noise pollution problem rather seriously. The government has made some good strides in recent years, particularly the installation of noise barriers along busy highways and railway lines. Also, everywhere you go on busy intersections they have decibel boards set up to record the ambient noise and display a red warning when it exceeds 70dB. They compare with previous years and find that the ambient noise levels are slowing decreasing over time.
The way the decibel scale works is that it is relative. Actually, all measurement scales are relative with some calibration to a standard, for example, 0C is when water freezes, etc. Decibels are 1/10 of a bel, named after Alexander Graham Bell. The 0dB is calibrated to a 'standard threshold of hearing', whatever sound intensity that is.
Going back to the last post, if a sound souce (i.e. train) is 100m away, the intensity where I hear it is 0.0001 times less compared to the source. Using logarithms, that is 4 bels less, or 40dB less. So if the train has a 110dB sound at the source, and the Shanghai government can reduce it to 85dB using noise barriers, then I'll pick up 45dB at my location. Using the computer, that's what I'll need to set the noise generator to match at.
Does White Noise Disturb Others?
The short answer to this question is no, it does not.
Having opted for delivery method #3 of my white noise generator, the next question that came to mind is whether this would disturb others. How’s that for a sense of irony?
Refer to a few posts back, the white noise generator basically involves a computer program that pumps out white noise over a variety of frequencies and amplitudes. This is an idea I wish I had thought of years earlier, but it’s better late than never – and is especially applicable in a chronically noisy city like Shanghai.
Earplugs can still come in handy if the computer is hooked up to a couple of tweeters and large sub-woofers that pump out the white noise all over the spectrum. That is, the sound comes out on external speakers (as opposed to headphones, Iphones, blackberries, etc.) and I wear earplugs while sleeping next to the speakers.
What it amounts to, at least in theory, is that the white noise is gonna be LOUD !!
But hopefully not loud enough to disturb the neighbors. If it does disturb them and they come a knockin’ over, then I won’t be able to hear a damn thing!! This whole argument was explained in the last post, so it’s crucial that nobody gets disturbed by the white noise as I’ll effectively be sealed off from any knocking sounds once the generator is turned on for the whole night or for my afternoon nap.
The irony here is that white noise is still noise, and it may be a form of noise pollution for others who are used to hearing all the noises in Shanghai at night, and not used to hearing white noise from someone else’s apartment next door.
It may be possible that others don’t hear the white noise as white noise, especially the bass.
The bass may come across as a rumbling sort of hum, like an air conditioner. At any rate, I had to test this out, so I cranked out the white noise real loud and stood in different rooms and various outside spots to simulate what a neighbor might hear. Turns out I could barely hear anything, so I think this method is good to go.
Actually, we can use a simple mathematical argument to show that the white noise won’t have much of a chance to disturb others.
From physics, we know that the “loudness” of a sound is really the intensity: the power per unit area, or watts per square meter. We also know that this follows an inverse square law, where the intensity decreases by a factor of 1 / ‘r squared’ where ‘r’ is the spherical radius from the source.
For example, if a subway is 100m below ground and it emits some intensity at the source, then the actual intensity of that subway as I hear it is only 0.0001 or one ten-thousandth of that. Sounds small, but it’s enough to wreck my sleep, especially the damn bass rumbling. So the idea is that my speakers match the intensity of what I hear. If a neighbor is 10m away from my speakers, he will pick up the intensity from my speakers as 0.01 less compared to me. So he REALLY hears 0.0001 * 0.01 = one-millionth of the sound of the subway at source, as generated from my speakers. The hope here is that this is small enough to be negligible.
Another less complicated way to look at it is that when the neighbor hears both the subway rumbling and my speakers simulating this, the sound he hears from the subway is 100 times louder than from my speakers. Viewed this way, the speakers should be negligible for him relative to the subway.
We can also use logarithms and decibels to explain further, but I think I’ve bored you with enough math already.
The point here is that the white noise from the speakers doesn’t have to be very loud at all, just enough to match the intensity as I hear it from some distance ‘r’ away from the source of the nuisance --- in this case the rumbling subway or train carriage.
We’re not exactly putting on a rock concert in my apartment here.
Having opted for delivery method #3 of my white noise generator, the next question that came to mind is whether this would disturb others. How’s that for a sense of irony?
Refer to a few posts back, the white noise generator basically involves a computer program that pumps out white noise over a variety of frequencies and amplitudes. This is an idea I wish I had thought of years earlier, but it’s better late than never – and is especially applicable in a chronically noisy city like Shanghai.
Earplugs can still come in handy if the computer is hooked up to a couple of tweeters and large sub-woofers that pump out the white noise all over the spectrum. That is, the sound comes out on external speakers (as opposed to headphones, Iphones, blackberries, etc.) and I wear earplugs while sleeping next to the speakers.
What it amounts to, at least in theory, is that the white noise is gonna be LOUD !!
But hopefully not loud enough to disturb the neighbors. If it does disturb them and they come a knockin’ over, then I won’t be able to hear a damn thing!! This whole argument was explained in the last post, so it’s crucial that nobody gets disturbed by the white noise as I’ll effectively be sealed off from any knocking sounds once the generator is turned on for the whole night or for my afternoon nap.
The irony here is that white noise is still noise, and it may be a form of noise pollution for others who are used to hearing all the noises in Shanghai at night, and not used to hearing white noise from someone else’s apartment next door.
It may be possible that others don’t hear the white noise as white noise, especially the bass.
The bass may come across as a rumbling sort of hum, like an air conditioner. At any rate, I had to test this out, so I cranked out the white noise real loud and stood in different rooms and various outside spots to simulate what a neighbor might hear. Turns out I could barely hear anything, so I think this method is good to go.
Actually, we can use a simple mathematical argument to show that the white noise won’t have much of a chance to disturb others.
From physics, we know that the “loudness” of a sound is really the intensity: the power per unit area, or watts per square meter. We also know that this follows an inverse square law, where the intensity decreases by a factor of 1 / ‘r squared’ where ‘r’ is the spherical radius from the source.
For example, if a subway is 100m below ground and it emits some intensity at the source, then the actual intensity of that subway as I hear it is only 0.0001 or one ten-thousandth of that. Sounds small, but it’s enough to wreck my sleep, especially the damn bass rumbling. So the idea is that my speakers match the intensity of what I hear. If a neighbor is 10m away from my speakers, he will pick up the intensity from my speakers as 0.01 less compared to me. So he REALLY hears 0.0001 * 0.01 = one-millionth of the sound of the subway at source, as generated from my speakers. The hope here is that this is small enough to be negligible.
Another less complicated way to look at it is that when the neighbor hears both the subway rumbling and my speakers simulating this, the sound he hears from the subway is 100 times louder than from my speakers. Viewed this way, the speakers should be negligible for him relative to the subway.
We can also use logarithms and decibels to explain further, but I think I’ve bored you with enough math already.
The point here is that the white noise from the speakers doesn’t have to be very loud at all, just enough to match the intensity as I hear it from some distance ‘r’ away from the source of the nuisance --- in this case the rumbling subway or train carriage.
We’re not exactly putting on a rock concert in my apartment here.
Selling the Yamaha, New Transport Stats
After more than a year of excellent operation and serving me well, it's time to sell off the Yamaha YBR-125cc bike. If all goes well, I'll get 4500 RMB for it, that is half the purchase price, but will settle at 4000 RMB no lower. For an unregistered motorcycle, this is a fair price, and the buyers would surely be made aware of the risks.
The last few days of test-commuting from my new house in the semi-suburbs (Minhang District to be exact, near the Lianhua Lu Carrefour) have revealed an interesting fact:
Line #1 trumps the motorcycle.
Of all subway lines in Shanghai, this particular line is the most efficient which makes sense as it's also the most heavily used.
That fact, however, only applies for direct runs to/from downtown without any subway transfers. If a subway transfer is involved, say interchanging to Line #4 in order to get to work, then the motorcycle wins out again.
As mentioned before in this blog, subway transfers in Shanghai are not convenient as you have to walk long distances and the system is not designed to facilitate timed transfers. In other words, the probability of *missing* the next train increases if you've just gotten off the first one, which explains why locals bolt from the doors and run if they're trying to make a connection. It gives a whole new meaning to the word RUSH HOUR which applies in a very LITERAL sense!!!
Even so, line #1 from my new place to downtown takes 20-25 minutes which is far better than the 45 minutes it would otherwise take on a bike during heavy traffic.
Unexpectedly, even with the transfer, the test commute using a line #1 and #4 combination to get to work from my new place was more efficient than I had realized.
Here are the results so far during rush hour.
BIKE:
Old house --> 5 to 10 minutes.
New house --> 15-20 minutes, all depending on the traffic lights and congestion.
SUBWAY:
Old house --> 25-30 minutes. 15 minute walk to the station during a convoluted maze, maximum 5 minutes wait for the train, 5 minutes train ride, 5 minutes walk to school.
New house --> 28-35 minutes. 3 minutes walk to the station on a direct route, maximum 3 minutes wait for the train, 12 minutes to the transfer station, 2 minutes to transfer, 5 minutes max wait for line #4, 5 minutes max wait on next train, 5 minutes walk to school.
The shocking thing here is that the range for the two subway commutes OVERLAP each other, but the distances are substantially different. As mentioned in another post, the new house is 10km away from work, whereas the old house is only 2.5km away.
In other words, the old house gives a disgustingly low average speed of 5-6 km/h by taking the subway. You can correctly reason from here that yes indeed, you would be better off walking the whole thing. The new house using the subway gives a more reasonable average speed of about 20 km/h
As a point in comparison, the bike does about 25-35 km/h average speed, depending mainly on the route.
The fact that the subway is efficient now makes it a worthwhile option, especially for rainy days.
The main reason for the substantial increase in efficiency in the subway is that I'm actually living close to a station now, and now the time is spent riding the subway as opposed to walking to the station (as from the downtown house)
Another shocking thing is that while the commute times haven't increased significantly, the house rental prices have dropped by nearly half.
This leads me to another rant about how I feel I got cheated with the downtown house, in hindsight, when they said at the beginning, oh yeah it's close to subway station. And now, they could feel justified in raising the rent to nearly 6500 RMB a month. I'm also rather pissed off at how the rental situation was handled by my school secretary and how I'm being grifted off a tax fee, but that's another post that will have to wait.
The last few days of test-commuting from my new house in the semi-suburbs (Minhang District to be exact, near the Lianhua Lu Carrefour) have revealed an interesting fact:
Line #1 trumps the motorcycle.
Of all subway lines in Shanghai, this particular line is the most efficient which makes sense as it's also the most heavily used.
That fact, however, only applies for direct runs to/from downtown without any subway transfers. If a subway transfer is involved, say interchanging to Line #4 in order to get to work, then the motorcycle wins out again.
As mentioned before in this blog, subway transfers in Shanghai are not convenient as you have to walk long distances and the system is not designed to facilitate timed transfers. In other words, the probability of *missing* the next train increases if you've just gotten off the first one, which explains why locals bolt from the doors and run if they're trying to make a connection. It gives a whole new meaning to the word RUSH HOUR which applies in a very LITERAL sense!!!
Even so, line #1 from my new place to downtown takes 20-25 minutes which is far better than the 45 minutes it would otherwise take on a bike during heavy traffic.
Unexpectedly, even with the transfer, the test commute using a line #1 and #4 combination to get to work from my new place was more efficient than I had realized.
Here are the results so far during rush hour.
BIKE:
Old house --> 5 to 10 minutes.
New house --> 15-20 minutes, all depending on the traffic lights and congestion.
SUBWAY:
Old house --> 25-30 minutes. 15 minute walk to the station during a convoluted maze, maximum 5 minutes wait for the train, 5 minutes train ride, 5 minutes walk to school.
New house --> 28-35 minutes. 3 minutes walk to the station on a direct route, maximum 3 minutes wait for the train, 12 minutes to the transfer station, 2 minutes to transfer, 5 minutes max wait for line #4, 5 minutes max wait on next train, 5 minutes walk to school.
The shocking thing here is that the range for the two subway commutes OVERLAP each other, but the distances are substantially different. As mentioned in another post, the new house is 10km away from work, whereas the old house is only 2.5km away.
In other words, the old house gives a disgustingly low average speed of 5-6 km/h by taking the subway. You can correctly reason from here that yes indeed, you would be better off walking the whole thing. The new house using the subway gives a more reasonable average speed of about 20 km/h
As a point in comparison, the bike does about 25-35 km/h average speed, depending mainly on the route.
The fact that the subway is efficient now makes it a worthwhile option, especially for rainy days.
The main reason for the substantial increase in efficiency in the subway is that I'm actually living close to a station now, and now the time is spent riding the subway as opposed to walking to the station (as from the downtown house)
Another shocking thing is that while the commute times haven't increased significantly, the house rental prices have dropped by nearly half.
This leads me to another rant about how I feel I got cheated with the downtown house, in hindsight, when they said at the beginning, oh yeah it's close to subway station. And now, they could feel justified in raising the rent to nearly 6500 RMB a month. I'm also rather pissed off at how the rental situation was handled by my school secretary and how I'm being grifted off a tax fee, but that's another post that will have to wait.
Friday 27 May 2011
How To Set Up A White Noise Generator
Today's weather: High = 22 Low = 17
Cloudy
What follows are step-by-step instructions for anyone who would like to configure a white noise generator. I did this last night as a trial run and it worked beyond my expectations. This is a much better solution than earplugs for cutting out unwanted background noise when sleeping, taking naps, etc.
The only warning I can give about this method is that it's actually TOO effective. That is to say, the backround sounds will be completely masked out to the point where you are generating a pseudo-silence that ends up playing tricks with your brain. The long-term effects of sleeping with a white noise generator are unknown as of yet. For instance, how does this affect dreams? Sometimes dreams will feed off sounds that are actually going on outside. Then again, sometimes not.
If there ever were a genuine emergency requiring the middle of the night, as indicated by some unusual sound, you wouldn't be able to hear it. What you have effectively done is made yourself deaf to ANY background noises that are within the frequency range of your self-configured generator, and that have a decibel level less than or equal to the generator settings.
This is where it can play tricks with the brain. In a normal situation, over time, your brain learns to know which of the enormous volley of background sounds are "safe" and which indicate danger. I can't remember which part of the brain does this, maybe it's the thallamus.
I was a physics major in university, not a biology major.
Anyways, a present example is the downtown place where I live that is right above a subway line. When the subway rumbles underneath, my brain has learned this sound is "safe". Same with car alarms, roaring 250cc scooters, and other repeated sounds. But suppose an unusual fire alarm were to go off, an air-raid siren, or a person blaring into a megaphone outside that some imminent danger were to occur such as a tsunami or typhoon. If this was an unusual sound indicating danger, I'd be jolted out of bed and ready for action.
It's the same idea for people who spend years living near railway lines and don't flinch to the sound of a train siren blaring, but they will immediately jolt out of bed if a thief breaks into the house and causes a squeaking noise on the steps or something like that.
Earplugs would cut down on all sounds but not eliminate them, so a genuine danger sound could still act as a alarm.
Not so with a noise generator. If done effectively, it will actually *eliminate* all sounds by way of the frequency and amplitude masking principle. So it's a fair warning that you will have to rely on other senses in case of an emergency at night, such as touch (someone comes running into the room and shakes you awake), or smell (the smoke from a fire). You realize that by doing this, you will be surrendering to a sleep without any emergencies. If the thief comes breaking into your house at night, you wouldn't have a clue.
But how often does any of that happen? I can't recall a single time in the last 30 years when a genuine emergency has happened at night where a sense of keen hearing would have saved me from a disaster. There have been multiple false alarms when I wished I wasn't such a light sleeper.
To make a long story short, the noise generator is a risk, but it's worth doing in a city like Shanghai that is perpetually noisy, most of it being useless noise pollution. Let's just cut to the chase and discuss how to do this
1. Download a noise generator program from the internet. I highly recommend 'Soundmasker Deluxe 7.0' which you can find by simply doing a web search. Also, download a key generator to activate the program to make continuous noise clips. Unless you just want short 10 minute clips (I dind't think you did). I wouldn't bother with pre-recorded white noise MP3 clips as they tend to be either low-quality, they are too short, or they play with loops that make discontinuous recordings. Best to get a generator as you can then program the frequencies and amplitudes to your liking.
2. Set up a frequency range, by configuring the generator to mask the desired frequencies. What I've done is set it up to do bass masking, as the chronic problem is the rumbling subways and the illegal loud 250cc scooters zipping around outside. The treble isn't masked as much, so I can still hear my alarm clock in the morning. If treble bothers you, then set up a high frequency mask. If all sounds bother you, then do a full frequency scan.
3. Configure the masking to be either static or dynamic. That is, you can play a steady stream of unchanging frequencies and amplitudes, or you can vary either or the two or both. For example, beach waves work on a periodic function for amplitude (louder, softer, etc.) and they also vary frequencies, usually with a logarithmic sweep function. The advanced programs can do all of this.
4. Set up an alarm clock. The easiest way is to just program the noise generator to stop playing white noise when you want to wake up, and thenb play something else, i.e. music files. Alternatively, you can program a separate alarm clock outside the range of your generator
5. Set up the maximum amplitude. The way to do this is wait for when the loudest background noise occurs, within a certain frequency, and then turn up the white noise generator so it is slightly louder.
6. Choose your delivery system. There are multiple ways to do this. Last night I simply put headphones to my computer and slept that way. But if the computer falls over or gets damaged while sleeping, etc. it may not be the best idea. So I'm now recording and downloading a massive MP3 file into my blackberry device and will try that one tonight. Another plan might be to use actual speakers hooked up to a computer which generates the external white noise, and then combine it with earplugs.
7. Decide how long you want to run this. In order to deal with the emergency issues, it's possible that you could do a shorter version (say 60 minutes) in order for you to fall asleep, and then the program shuts off during the night. If it turns out that noises cause you to wake up, then you might want to have the program running all night.
As per the above warning, who knows what the long term effects are of doing this, but I'm eager to keep trying the experiment if the first success was any indication of how well this is working out.
Cloudy
What follows are step-by-step instructions for anyone who would like to configure a white noise generator. I did this last night as a trial run and it worked beyond my expectations. This is a much better solution than earplugs for cutting out unwanted background noise when sleeping, taking naps, etc.
The only warning I can give about this method is that it's actually TOO effective. That is to say, the backround sounds will be completely masked out to the point where you are generating a pseudo-silence that ends up playing tricks with your brain. The long-term effects of sleeping with a white noise generator are unknown as of yet. For instance, how does this affect dreams? Sometimes dreams will feed off sounds that are actually going on outside. Then again, sometimes not.
If there ever were a genuine emergency requiring the middle of the night, as indicated by some unusual sound, you wouldn't be able to hear it. What you have effectively done is made yourself deaf to ANY background noises that are within the frequency range of your self-configured generator, and that have a decibel level less than or equal to the generator settings.
This is where it can play tricks with the brain. In a normal situation, over time, your brain learns to know which of the enormous volley of background sounds are "safe" and which indicate danger. I can't remember which part of the brain does this, maybe it's the thallamus.
I was a physics major in university, not a biology major.
Anyways, a present example is the downtown place where I live that is right above a subway line. When the subway rumbles underneath, my brain has learned this sound is "safe". Same with car alarms, roaring 250cc scooters, and other repeated sounds. But suppose an unusual fire alarm were to go off, an air-raid siren, or a person blaring into a megaphone outside that some imminent danger were to occur such as a tsunami or typhoon. If this was an unusual sound indicating danger, I'd be jolted out of bed and ready for action.
It's the same idea for people who spend years living near railway lines and don't flinch to the sound of a train siren blaring, but they will immediately jolt out of bed if a thief breaks into the house and causes a squeaking noise on the steps or something like that.
Earplugs would cut down on all sounds but not eliminate them, so a genuine danger sound could still act as a alarm.
Not so with a noise generator. If done effectively, it will actually *eliminate* all sounds by way of the frequency and amplitude masking principle. So it's a fair warning that you will have to rely on other senses in case of an emergency at night, such as touch (someone comes running into the room and shakes you awake), or smell (the smoke from a fire). You realize that by doing this, you will be surrendering to a sleep without any emergencies. If the thief comes breaking into your house at night, you wouldn't have a clue.
But how often does any of that happen? I can't recall a single time in the last 30 years when a genuine emergency has happened at night where a sense of keen hearing would have saved me from a disaster. There have been multiple false alarms when I wished I wasn't such a light sleeper.
To make a long story short, the noise generator is a risk, but it's worth doing in a city like Shanghai that is perpetually noisy, most of it being useless noise pollution. Let's just cut to the chase and discuss how to do this
1. Download a noise generator program from the internet. I highly recommend 'Soundmasker Deluxe 7.0' which you can find by simply doing a web search. Also, download a key generator to activate the program to make continuous noise clips. Unless you just want short 10 minute clips (I dind't think you did). I wouldn't bother with pre-recorded white noise MP3 clips as they tend to be either low-quality, they are too short, or they play with loops that make discontinuous recordings. Best to get a generator as you can then program the frequencies and amplitudes to your liking.
2. Set up a frequency range, by configuring the generator to mask the desired frequencies. What I've done is set it up to do bass masking, as the chronic problem is the rumbling subways and the illegal loud 250cc scooters zipping around outside. The treble isn't masked as much, so I can still hear my alarm clock in the morning. If treble bothers you, then set up a high frequency mask. If all sounds bother you, then do a full frequency scan.
3. Configure the masking to be either static or dynamic. That is, you can play a steady stream of unchanging frequencies and amplitudes, or you can vary either or the two or both. For example, beach waves work on a periodic function for amplitude (louder, softer, etc.) and they also vary frequencies, usually with a logarithmic sweep function. The advanced programs can do all of this.
4. Set up an alarm clock. The easiest way is to just program the noise generator to stop playing white noise when you want to wake up, and thenb play something else, i.e. music files. Alternatively, you can program a separate alarm clock outside the range of your generator
5. Set up the maximum amplitude. The way to do this is wait for when the loudest background noise occurs, within a certain frequency, and then turn up the white noise generator so it is slightly louder.
6. Choose your delivery system. There are multiple ways to do this. Last night I simply put headphones to my computer and slept that way. But if the computer falls over or gets damaged while sleeping, etc. it may not be the best idea. So I'm now recording and downloading a massive MP3 file into my blackberry device and will try that one tonight. Another plan might be to use actual speakers hooked up to a computer which generates the external white noise, and then combine it with earplugs.
7. Decide how long you want to run this. In order to deal with the emergency issues, it's possible that you could do a shorter version (say 60 minutes) in order for you to fall asleep, and then the program shuts off during the night. If it turns out that noises cause you to wake up, then you might want to have the program running all night.
As per the above warning, who knows what the long term effects are of doing this, but I'm eager to keep trying the experiment if the first success was any indication of how well this is working out.
Countering Noise with Noise
Today's weather: High = 23 Low = 19
Cloudy
It's not much of a surprise that a metropolis like Shanghai is a very noisy place to live. Interestingly, my recent move out to the semi-suburbs has decreased the ambient noise level considerably -- another advantage. The ambient noise level downtown is considerable, and the multitude of sounds blends together into some mix of raucous cacaphony that the brain eventually tunes out after awhile.
The unfortunate and unanticipated side-effect of moving out of downtown is that the *ambient* noise level has decreased considerably, but the occasional background noises (car alarms, beeping, metro line trains, etc.) are noticeable. In other words, the noises are distinct and they no longer blend together into that continuous cacaphony that would otherwise exist downtown.
So this is taking some getting used to again. It doesn't really matter where you live in Shanghai, it's going to be noisy. The only thing are various degrees and types of the noise.
Earplugs are a reasonable solution but they don't always work because they are hard to find in China, and they don't exactly block out the noises. Yes, it really is that noisy in Shanghai. As it stands, the Chinese have a passion for noise and they can't live without it. You have to live here to experience it.
So I came up with another idea -- a white noise generator. When I lived in Bangkok for a few months teaching English, it was another example of a large and noisy city. But the place I stayed at had a massive air conditioner that pumped out white noise all over the frequency spectrum. The air-con generated enough of this, and stayed on all night, that it successfully blocked out all the traffic noise. The apartment was directly over Sukumhvit Road so yeah, it was noisy!
That idea came to mind of possibly replicating that here in Shanghai. But how? None of the air-condioners are large or powerful enough to pump out this much white noise, let alone warm or cold air.
Thanks to the internet, continuous MP3 loops of white noise can be found and downloaded. I'll then transfer the files onto my blackberry and give this a whirl, testing it out both downtown and at my new place, to see if this effectively masks the noise.
If so, then this will be a winner.
Cloudy
It's not much of a surprise that a metropolis like Shanghai is a very noisy place to live. Interestingly, my recent move out to the semi-suburbs has decreased the ambient noise level considerably -- another advantage. The ambient noise level downtown is considerable, and the multitude of sounds blends together into some mix of raucous cacaphony that the brain eventually tunes out after awhile.
The unfortunate and unanticipated side-effect of moving out of downtown is that the *ambient* noise level has decreased considerably, but the occasional background noises (car alarms, beeping, metro line trains, etc.) are noticeable. In other words, the noises are distinct and they no longer blend together into that continuous cacaphony that would otherwise exist downtown.
So this is taking some getting used to again. It doesn't really matter where you live in Shanghai, it's going to be noisy. The only thing are various degrees and types of the noise.
Earplugs are a reasonable solution but they don't always work because they are hard to find in China, and they don't exactly block out the noises. Yes, it really is that noisy in Shanghai. As it stands, the Chinese have a passion for noise and they can't live without it. You have to live here to experience it.
So I came up with another idea -- a white noise generator. When I lived in Bangkok for a few months teaching English, it was another example of a large and noisy city. But the place I stayed at had a massive air conditioner that pumped out white noise all over the frequency spectrum. The air-con generated enough of this, and stayed on all night, that it successfully blocked out all the traffic noise. The apartment was directly over Sukumhvit Road so yeah, it was noisy!
That idea came to mind of possibly replicating that here in Shanghai. But how? None of the air-condioners are large or powerful enough to pump out this much white noise, let alone warm or cold air.
Thanks to the internet, continuous MP3 loops of white noise can be found and downloaded. I'll then transfer the files onto my blackberry and give this a whirl, testing it out both downtown and at my new place, to see if this effectively masks the noise.
If so, then this will be a winner.
Thursday 26 May 2011
Take the Fast Train to Suzhou
The train system in China is complex and what works for one route may not work for another. I hope all this information in the blogs here can help someone, but invariably it's a trial and error process where the conditions are constantly changing.
That being said, two very common weekend trips or day trips for people living in Shanghai are the famous cities of Suzhou and Hangzhou. Last post covered how to get to Hangzhou -- take regular trains out of the south station, just like it has always worked in the past. Unless you live very near the Hongqiao station, the bullet train system is useless for that particular route.
For Suzhou, the bullet trains and fast trains have actually given benefits and they are useful.
Also, the regular trains still exist but for the Suzhou trip, they are best avoided. The main reason is because the train lines are shared and the regular trains have to stop and give priority to the faster trains.
For that reason, trips to Suzhou on the regular trains have enormous variability. They could take 45 minutes like in the past, but they could take two hours if you get stuck on the wrong train.
The fast trains are consistently 30 minutes, and enough of them depart from the main downtown station in Shanghai so as not to waste time in going to Hongqiao. As well, the prices for the fast trains are cheap -- 25 RMB. If you pay 50 RMB you can enjoy the bullet trains which go even faster, and yes, they also depart from downtown and arrive downtown.
But the thing is, you have to know in advance what train number is what, where it leaves, where it arrives, the times, and the prices. When Shanghai has 3 distinct train stations, the onus is on you to figure this stuff out.
The internet site mentioned earlier for China Trains has proven to be most reliable. Armed with that information, I've had nearly 100% success rates in booking tickets from train station windows because I try to figure out as much as possible and have several back-up plans in case of things going belly up.
This was seriously put to the test a year or so ago when I ordered a train ticket in the midst of the summer chaos at the Wuhan station. Nearly everyone had problems getting their train tickets, and the word "mei you" was the order of the day. Things were tense, when the main display board shows nearly every train was full. The exception was the train I managed to book that actually had seats available and actually left on time -- which I considered a minor miracle.
That being said, two very common weekend trips or day trips for people living in Shanghai are the famous cities of Suzhou and Hangzhou. Last post covered how to get to Hangzhou -- take regular trains out of the south station, just like it has always worked in the past. Unless you live very near the Hongqiao station, the bullet train system is useless for that particular route.
For Suzhou, the bullet trains and fast trains have actually given benefits and they are useful.
Also, the regular trains still exist but for the Suzhou trip, they are best avoided. The main reason is because the train lines are shared and the regular trains have to stop and give priority to the faster trains.
For that reason, trips to Suzhou on the regular trains have enormous variability. They could take 45 minutes like in the past, but they could take two hours if you get stuck on the wrong train.
The fast trains are consistently 30 minutes, and enough of them depart from the main downtown station in Shanghai so as not to waste time in going to Hongqiao. As well, the prices for the fast trains are cheap -- 25 RMB. If you pay 50 RMB you can enjoy the bullet trains which go even faster, and yes, they also depart from downtown and arrive downtown.
But the thing is, you have to know in advance what train number is what, where it leaves, where it arrives, the times, and the prices. When Shanghai has 3 distinct train stations, the onus is on you to figure this stuff out.
The internet site mentioned earlier for China Trains has proven to be most reliable. Armed with that information, I've had nearly 100% success rates in booking tickets from train station windows because I try to figure out as much as possible and have several back-up plans in case of things going belly up.
This was seriously put to the test a year or so ago when I ordered a train ticket in the midst of the summer chaos at the Wuhan station. Nearly everyone had problems getting their train tickets, and the word "mei you" was the order of the day. Things were tense, when the main display board shows nearly every train was full. The exception was the train I managed to book that actually had seats available and actually left on time -- which I considered a minor miracle.
Take the Slow Train to Hangzhou
The name-based ticketing system for bullet trains in China will go into effect shortly. It's not as big of a hassle as anticipated earlier, as the clerks have reached a consensus to enter passport numbers instead of English names.
As usual, English is not even close to an operational language in China. Very little has changed in the past 10 years in this regard, even in Shanghai. As we would expect, the onus is on the person living here to learn some Mandarin. For a halfpat, that would certainly be a requirement.
Since my new house is rather close to the Shanghai South Railway Station, I've been able to find out more about how this particular station operates. I had completely overlooked a fact when lambasting the bullet trains a few posts back. That is to say, the regular trains are still in operation, and you can still get to Hangzhou (for example) with multiple trains out of the south station that enjoy cheap prices.
You just have to be adamant to the ticket booth that you actually WANT the slower trains that leave from the south station, and specify the details of the time and train number. That information you can easily get on the internet from the China Trains website.
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/china-trains/
Not too long ago I wanted to get to Hangzhou and assumed from the past (before 2004) that you can get the train tickets from the south station. So I went there, to the south station booth, and said, "One ticket to Hangzhou, please"
The clerk said, "Bullet train or fast train?"
I replied, "Fast train"
As an aside, bullet trains start with the letter G, short for 'gao tie' which are the fastest trains. The other fast trains start with D for 'dong che' There isn't much of a difference between the two in terms of speed. Fast trains go up to 250 km/h, whereas bullet trains go up to 300 km/h and make even fewer stops. However, bullet trains cost nearly twice the price as fast trains. Fast trains cost twice the price of regular trains.
Then the clerk said, "You need to depart from Shanghai Hongqiao station"
At that point I was furious, but it was too late since he printed the ticket first before telling me this. Logic would have indicated that if I'm buying from a south station, perhaps I wanted to leave from here, as I had done in 2004.
But I also didn't know the situation had changed, and that all the bullet and fast trains were leaving from the new Hongqiao station. So getting mad or arguing back would have been pointless.
The Hongqiao station is way out there in the suburbs and takes 45 - 60 minutes to get there. Whatever time savings there are in taking the bullet trains end up being wasted in getting to the station first
I also assumed that the south station trains to Hangzhou had all been canceled as is typical when they introduce the bullet trains that overlap with regular routes.
But I guess that enough passengers complained to keep the regular routes with affordable prices.
A more detailed check of the south station and the schedules shows that you can still take regular trains to Hangzhou, just like in the past when things were actually better. And just like in the past, you don't need a passport to buy the tickets.
You just need to walk into the south station and say something like, "I want a train ticket to Hangzhou, using this particular slow train, at this time, with this number, leaving from this station, and yes, I really do want it."
A bullet train ticket to Hangzhou costs 85 RMB and takes 40 minutes, plus the hour to get to Hongqiao
A fast train costs 50 RMB and takes 50 minutes plus the hour.
A regular train costs 25 RMB and takes 2 hours --- just like in the past.
The ultra-slow one costs 15 RMB and takes 3 hours --- but this is not worth it.
If you live near the south station, as do I, then the regular trains make the most sense of all. And there are still dozens of them that depart every day!
I only wish someone had told me this information earlier, but then why would they when bullet trains are all the rage? I seriously wonder if people in this country even know the meaning of what logic is or how to apply it. At any rate, good to know that reason still prevails.
As usual, English is not even close to an operational language in China. Very little has changed in the past 10 years in this regard, even in Shanghai. As we would expect, the onus is on the person living here to learn some Mandarin. For a halfpat, that would certainly be a requirement.
Since my new house is rather close to the Shanghai South Railway Station, I've been able to find out more about how this particular station operates. I had completely overlooked a fact when lambasting the bullet trains a few posts back. That is to say, the regular trains are still in operation, and you can still get to Hangzhou (for example) with multiple trains out of the south station that enjoy cheap prices.
You just have to be adamant to the ticket booth that you actually WANT the slower trains that leave from the south station, and specify the details of the time and train number. That information you can easily get on the internet from the China Trains website.
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/china-trains/
Not too long ago I wanted to get to Hangzhou and assumed from the past (before 2004) that you can get the train tickets from the south station. So I went there, to the south station booth, and said, "One ticket to Hangzhou, please"
The clerk said, "Bullet train or fast train?"
I replied, "Fast train"
As an aside, bullet trains start with the letter G, short for 'gao tie' which are the fastest trains. The other fast trains start with D for 'dong che' There isn't much of a difference between the two in terms of speed. Fast trains go up to 250 km/h, whereas bullet trains go up to 300 km/h and make even fewer stops. However, bullet trains cost nearly twice the price as fast trains. Fast trains cost twice the price of regular trains.
Then the clerk said, "You need to depart from Shanghai Hongqiao station"
At that point I was furious, but it was too late since he printed the ticket first before telling me this. Logic would have indicated that if I'm buying from a south station, perhaps I wanted to leave from here, as I had done in 2004.
But I also didn't know the situation had changed, and that all the bullet and fast trains were leaving from the new Hongqiao station. So getting mad or arguing back would have been pointless.
The Hongqiao station is way out there in the suburbs and takes 45 - 60 minutes to get there. Whatever time savings there are in taking the bullet trains end up being wasted in getting to the station first
I also assumed that the south station trains to Hangzhou had all been canceled as is typical when they introduce the bullet trains that overlap with regular routes.
But I guess that enough passengers complained to keep the regular routes with affordable prices.
A more detailed check of the south station and the schedules shows that you can still take regular trains to Hangzhou, just like in the past when things were actually better. And just like in the past, you don't need a passport to buy the tickets.
You just need to walk into the south station and say something like, "I want a train ticket to Hangzhou, using this particular slow train, at this time, with this number, leaving from this station, and yes, I really do want it."
A bullet train ticket to Hangzhou costs 85 RMB and takes 40 minutes, plus the hour to get to Hongqiao
A fast train costs 50 RMB and takes 50 minutes plus the hour.
A regular train costs 25 RMB and takes 2 hours --- just like in the past.
The ultra-slow one costs 15 RMB and takes 3 hours --- but this is not worth it.
If you live near the south station, as do I, then the regular trains make the most sense of all. And there are still dozens of them that depart every day!
I only wish someone had told me this information earlier, but then why would they when bullet trains are all the rage? I seriously wonder if people in this country even know the meaning of what logic is or how to apply it. At any rate, good to know that reason still prevails.
Computer Fixed, Year Wrapping Up
Today's weather: High = 22 Low = 18
Cloudy and windy
Thanks to the services of the computer repair center at the top of the Shangai Electronics Market, my computer has been fixed without the need to trash it and/or buy a new one. Actually the problem was rather serious. The keyboard had been damanged, and so had the I/O device linked to the CPU. The guy at the shop said they had to order a new one and ship it up from Shenzhen -- hence the delay. I still got a good price on it, so no complaints. Actually, the shop vendor said he could help order a new computer anyway, the latest Lenovo. So I might just take him up on that.
Turns out that backing up the hard drive was a good call, but not necessary for now! At any rate, no regrets! For any prospective teacher, it never hurts to make multiple back-up copies of your marks and course resources!!
Things continue to move at a frantic pace as we enter June -- the worst month for teachers. This was the key reason for taking care of all the hassles related to my personal business in April and May. So it would later free up time for a whole series of hassles related to company business in June. The usual China bureaucratic hassles apply here when it comes to ordering textbooks, negotiating contracts, and a whole host of other things.
Similarly, as I'm ruthless in cutting costs and saving money in my personal business affairs, then I do the same to save money for the company I work for.
The move out to the midburbs continues box by box on a motorcycle. At a rate of one box per day it'll take 3 weeks to complete the whole move, but no worries. I enjoy sleeping out there now as it's quiet and I can actually sleep in peace now. The morning motorcycle commute is also working out nicely, about 20 minutes in the middle of rush hour. I can bomb along at a rockin' pace until approaching the inner ring road when everything slows to a crawl. During the last 10% of the commute, it's a completely chaotic mix of bikes, cars, trikes, people, and the usual rush hour throng.
Tomorrow morning I'm going to test-commute it on the subway in the middle of rush hour and see how it goes, comparing times.
Cloudy and windy
Thanks to the services of the computer repair center at the top of the Shangai Electronics Market, my computer has been fixed without the need to trash it and/or buy a new one. Actually the problem was rather serious. The keyboard had been damanged, and so had the I/O device linked to the CPU. The guy at the shop said they had to order a new one and ship it up from Shenzhen -- hence the delay. I still got a good price on it, so no complaints. Actually, the shop vendor said he could help order a new computer anyway, the latest Lenovo. So I might just take him up on that.
Turns out that backing up the hard drive was a good call, but not necessary for now! At any rate, no regrets! For any prospective teacher, it never hurts to make multiple back-up copies of your marks and course resources!!
Things continue to move at a frantic pace as we enter June -- the worst month for teachers. This was the key reason for taking care of all the hassles related to my personal business in April and May. So it would later free up time for a whole series of hassles related to company business in June. The usual China bureaucratic hassles apply here when it comes to ordering textbooks, negotiating contracts, and a whole host of other things.
Similarly, as I'm ruthless in cutting costs and saving money in my personal business affairs, then I do the same to save money for the company I work for.
The move out to the midburbs continues box by box on a motorcycle. At a rate of one box per day it'll take 3 weeks to complete the whole move, but no worries. I enjoy sleeping out there now as it's quiet and I can actually sleep in peace now. The morning motorcycle commute is also working out nicely, about 20 minutes in the middle of rush hour. I can bomb along at a rockin' pace until approaching the inner ring road when everything slows to a crawl. During the last 10% of the commute, it's a completely chaotic mix of bikes, cars, trikes, people, and the usual rush hour throng.
Tomorrow morning I'm going to test-commute it on the subway in the middle of rush hour and see how it goes, comparing times.
Wednesday 25 May 2011
Rooting For My Cycling Brother
The website 'Crazy Guy on a Bike' has numerous bicycle journals about people who are crazy, just like me, to ride a bike. It's one of the best cycle travelogues out there, and has been a source of great reading for me these days. There are three travelogues I'm reading simulataneously.
Edward's is one of the best out there, and his is called the Cycling Vagabond. He is more or less making the sacrifice on my behalf (well not really) to ride through Tibet without a permit --- the highest amount of risk for such a trip. Since he's doing it right now as I type, his journal is the most recent and best source of information I've been looking for.
Much to my amazement, the guy is now only 200km away from finishing off the Tibet portion of the trip! In other words, he is now 80% of the way through Tibet and he did the whole thing without even applying for a permit. I'm going for the medium-risk option where I actually get a permit (see last post)
His route is pretty much exactly the same as I'll be doing, so I'm no doubt glued to his blog.
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=RrzKj&doc_id=8251&v=lE&term=vagabond&context=all
I tried to warn him as much as possible to be careful, and not celebrate or let down the guard prematurely. That would be a tactical error, as the last 200km down to the Nepal border is the most difficult in terms of checkpoints. There are numerous other blogs out there on how to avoid those checks, but they are at least a year old. I'm curious to see what has changed recently. So thanks a ton Edward for making the sacrifice, and testing the waters.
We'll just have to see. In his own words, he's going to slow down the trip to a crawl once crossing into Nepal and then take a breather as he updates his blogs with the details that I would be looking for.
Cheers brother, we're rooting for you
Edward's is one of the best out there, and his is called the Cycling Vagabond. He is more or less making the sacrifice on my behalf (well not really) to ride through Tibet without a permit --- the highest amount of risk for such a trip. Since he's doing it right now as I type, his journal is the most recent and best source of information I've been looking for.
Much to my amazement, the guy is now only 200km away from finishing off the Tibet portion of the trip! In other words, he is now 80% of the way through Tibet and he did the whole thing without even applying for a permit. I'm going for the medium-risk option where I actually get a permit (see last post)
His route is pretty much exactly the same as I'll be doing, so I'm no doubt glued to his blog.
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=RrzKj&doc_id=8251&v=lE&term=vagabond&context=all
I tried to warn him as much as possible to be careful, and not celebrate or let down the guard prematurely. That would be a tactical error, as the last 200km down to the Nepal border is the most difficult in terms of checkpoints. There are numerous other blogs out there on how to avoid those checks, but they are at least a year old. I'm curious to see what has changed recently. So thanks a ton Edward for making the sacrifice, and testing the waters.
We'll just have to see. In his own words, he's going to slow down the trip to a crawl once crossing into Nepal and then take a breather as he updates his blogs with the details that I would be looking for.
Cheers brother, we're rooting for you
Doing the Move
Today's weather: High = 22 Low = 15
Cloudy
Bit by bit, I'll be moving stuff from one house to the other. Deja vu eh? Actually I've lost count of the number of times I've moved house in China. C'est la vie. Hopefully this one will last longer than a year. The price is right, location is excellent, and all my test commutes to/from work are averaging 15-20 minutes a piece.
The idea with this move is to use a scooter of course, and just do a little bit every day. Besides saving money, another advantage is this will not attract the attention of security guards (bao on) at either apartment. For some reason, they make such a tremendously big deal about people moving in or out. It is SUPER ANNOYING when the guards get involved like that!! So I'd rather not have anything to do with them.
The Wanke apartment complex in Wuhan took the cake for frustration and hassles with security guards getting involved in moving. You had to obtain a bunch of receipts and permission forms from various offices in order to get a car to your door and move house.
It was the typical China bureaucratic thing where one guy says you can't do A unless you have B, but you can't have B unless you do A first. Needless to say, all those arbitrary rules pissed off teachers to no avail in Wuhan.
The principle that 'if you want it done right, do it yourself' holds true in China more than anywhere.
Cloudy
Bit by bit, I'll be moving stuff from one house to the other. Deja vu eh? Actually I've lost count of the number of times I've moved house in China. C'est la vie. Hopefully this one will last longer than a year. The price is right, location is excellent, and all my test commutes to/from work are averaging 15-20 minutes a piece.
The idea with this move is to use a scooter of course, and just do a little bit every day. Besides saving money, another advantage is this will not attract the attention of security guards (bao on) at either apartment. For some reason, they make such a tremendously big deal about people moving in or out. It is SUPER ANNOYING when the guards get involved like that!! So I'd rather not have anything to do with them.
The Wanke apartment complex in Wuhan took the cake for frustration and hassles with security guards getting involved in moving. You had to obtain a bunch of receipts and permission forms from various offices in order to get a car to your door and move house.
It was the typical China bureaucratic thing where one guy says you can't do A unless you have B, but you can't have B unless you do A first. Needless to say, all those arbitrary rules pissed off teachers to no avail in Wuhan.
The principle that 'if you want it done right, do it yourself' holds true in China more than anywhere.
Monday 23 May 2011
Computer Busted
If I had a dollar for every time this has happened. The main culprit is the keyboard. After giving it a good scrub with the power off and the battery taken out, the keyboard decided not to work at all after turning it back on. Despite drying it out with a hairdryer, no success. Time to take it to the shop and see what they can do. Thank goodness my hard drive files were backed up and the school marks saved on two separate USBs. The whole computer may end up having to be trashed if the shop can't fix it.
The Strangest Weather
Today's weather: High = 23 Low = 18
Sunny
We're back to pleasant May temperatures, but what on earth just happened in the last couple weeks? All of the following records occured:
1. The hottest temperatures for May
2. The coldest temperatures for May
3. The earliest recorded start to summer on record
4. The shortest summer season on record
5. The longest time without rain.
Having gotten up to 35 degrees last Friday to cause record highs, a rainstorm did occur, with the temperatures dropping to record lows, with a high of only 15 degrees over the weekend. It was cold, wet, and miserable the whole time.
The formula for calculating the arrival of summer in Shanghai is when the temperature reaches an average of 22 degrees for more than 5 days in a row. That happened recently, breaking the record. The weekend's rainstorm and expected days where it continues to be below 22 degrees means that we're back to spring again --- as I predicted in an earlier blog post.
But now they're saying instead of going back to spring, we're supposed to call this autumn???!!! I honestly can't make heads or tails out of this one.
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/nsp/Metro/2011/05/24/So%2Bcould%2Bit%2Bbe%2Bautumn%2Balready/
------------------------------------------
IS it autumn already? Have we bid farewell to the shortest summer in Shanghai's history?
Those were the questions circulating online yesterday as critics lined up to mock the city weather bureau's formula used to announce the changing seasons.
Due to the latest cold snap and the rain, temperatures dropped sharply over the weekend with a low of around 15 degrees Celsius and highs below 20. The cool conditions are expected to last throughout this week, the Shanghai Meteorological Bureau said.
With autumn usually announced after five consecutive days of temperatures below 22 degrees, many online comments said that must mean autumn will arrive this week.
But, no, weather officials hastily protested yesterday, the five-day rule in relation to autumn shouldn't apply before li qiu, or beginning of autumn, the 13th of the 24 solar terms in the Chinese lunar calendar which this year falls on August 8.
"Since May 21, Shanghai will soon experience five consecutive days with the average below 22, and the city is entering autumn, says the Shanghai Meteorological Bureau," was one posting on weibo.com yesterday. "We only had eight days of summer, which will be the shortest one in history."
The post had been retweeted almost 2,000 times by last night.
Zhang Ruiyi, a chief weather service officer, said the bureau never predicts seasons but only announces them after they have arrived. The five-day rule was just one standard used to determine changing seasons, Zheang said.
People should pay more attention to the daily weather forecasts, Zhang said.
"The large temperature difference among the days just happens," Zhang said yesterday. "Never be confused by the readings of the previous day."
However, the drop in temperatures was rare for this time of the year, so soon after summer arrived on May 13.
Yesterday's temperature reached just 17 degrees Celsius and was the lowest high in the second half of May since 1991, said Man Liping, another of the bureau's chief service officers.
Temperatures will climb slowly over the next few days but should stay below 30 degrees until next week, according to the bureau.
Sunny
We're back to pleasant May temperatures, but what on earth just happened in the last couple weeks? All of the following records occured:
1. The hottest temperatures for May
2. The coldest temperatures for May
3. The earliest recorded start to summer on record
4. The shortest summer season on record
5. The longest time without rain.
Having gotten up to 35 degrees last Friday to cause record highs, a rainstorm did occur, with the temperatures dropping to record lows, with a high of only 15 degrees over the weekend. It was cold, wet, and miserable the whole time.
The formula for calculating the arrival of summer in Shanghai is when the temperature reaches an average of 22 degrees for more than 5 days in a row. That happened recently, breaking the record. The weekend's rainstorm and expected days where it continues to be below 22 degrees means that we're back to spring again --- as I predicted in an earlier blog post.
But now they're saying instead of going back to spring, we're supposed to call this autumn???!!! I honestly can't make heads or tails out of this one.
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/nsp/Metro/2011/05/24/So%2Bcould%2Bit%2Bbe%2Bautumn%2Balready/
------------------------------------------
IS it autumn already? Have we bid farewell to the shortest summer in Shanghai's history?
Those were the questions circulating online yesterday as critics lined up to mock the city weather bureau's formula used to announce the changing seasons.
Due to the latest cold snap and the rain, temperatures dropped sharply over the weekend with a low of around 15 degrees Celsius and highs below 20. The cool conditions are expected to last throughout this week, the Shanghai Meteorological Bureau said.
With autumn usually announced after five consecutive days of temperatures below 22 degrees, many online comments said that must mean autumn will arrive this week.
But, no, weather officials hastily protested yesterday, the five-day rule in relation to autumn shouldn't apply before li qiu, or beginning of autumn, the 13th of the 24 solar terms in the Chinese lunar calendar which this year falls on August 8.
"Since May 21, Shanghai will soon experience five consecutive days with the average below 22, and the city is entering autumn, says the Shanghai Meteorological Bureau," was one posting on weibo.com yesterday. "We only had eight days of summer, which will be the shortest one in history."
The post had been retweeted almost 2,000 times by last night.
Zhang Ruiyi, a chief weather service officer, said the bureau never predicts seasons but only announces them after they have arrived. The five-day rule was just one standard used to determine changing seasons, Zheang said.
People should pay more attention to the daily weather forecasts, Zhang said.
"The large temperature difference among the days just happens," Zhang said yesterday. "Never be confused by the readings of the previous day."
However, the drop in temperatures was rare for this time of the year, so soon after summer arrived on May 13.
Yesterday's temperature reached just 17 degrees Celsius and was the lowest high in the second half of May since 1991, said Man Liping, another of the bureau's chief service officers.
Temperatures will climb slowly over the next few days but should stay below 30 degrees until next week, according to the bureau.
Sunday 22 May 2011
Tibet Trip, Medium Risk
Today's weather: High = 19 Low = 15
Abrupt change in weather , rainy, cold
This Tibet province research draws me in like a moth to a flame. I'm just wondering why the heck I didn't consider doing a trip like this SOONER, especially during the months of 2006-07 when it would have been the perfect time. Procrastination has now made it really difficult to do the trip now, but at least it's still possible with a bit of risk.
There is much conflicting information out there on what a trip to Tibet province, part of China is actually like right now. Depending on the level of risk you're willing to accept, and the money you're willing to pay, you can do an overland trip in three ways
1. Totally legal, totally expensive, $100-150 a day, minimal risk. This involves hiring a guide with land cruisers, and arranging all permits in advance, etc. Of course there is still risk with this option as you can't trust all the tour guides, especially the newer ones flocking to this business to make a quick buck.
2. Semi-legal. Cheaper, with medium risk, about $50 a day. I'm leaning more and more towards this option. See below for details.
3. Illegal. Much cheaper, about $10-15 a day, but high levels of risk. It may very well be like the probability simulation mentioned earlier, where you roll the dice and see if a '6' comes up at the checkpoint. Having run that simulation dozens of times now, the part where you get caught invariably happens in the middle somewhere. With skill and savvy, checkpoints can be avoided, but there's just too much risk to make this option comfortable.
There are blogs of people who have done illegal trips, but I'd rather not post links to them.
The main issue here is limited time, an unfortunate reality for every trip I've had to face with. Getting sent back to a prior city at some police checkpoint is not a risk I'm willing to tolerate when I don't have time on my hands to make a 2nd attempt
So the semi-legal way is to first book an actual tour to Lhasa, and to take the shortest and cheapest one available. Paying for just the guide's salary and the hotels works out to $50 a day or so. There are several advantages to actually going on a tour with a guide:
1. I get the entry permit.
2. The entry permit allows me to fly directly into Lhasa and save time. The train is a slower option, and they don't always check permit to buy ticket or board. But the permit is most definetely required to board a plane. So I may as well fly in style this way.
3. The 3-day or so spent in Lhasa can help acclimatize to the altitude
4. The guide can help get into places like the Potala Palace and others that are off-limits without a permit.
5. The guide is most useful for information about Lhasa itself and the road ahead. See below
6. It's actually possible to stay in hotels. Reports 'on the ground' right now with permit-less travelers show how difficult it is without the papers.
7. I would need to be in Lhasa for 3 days to apply for the Nepal visa anyway.
The idea is to book the tour, and then book a cheap train ticket out of Lhasa to the nearest city outside of Tibet province, such as Golmud or something like that. The transportation out of Tibet province would be sufficient to get the permit and book the tourt, as well as other documents which aren't that difficult to obtain.
After Lhasa, I'd find some way to leave while keeping the permit in hand and not necessarily using the train ticket -- maybe sell it off to some guy at a hostel or something or just cut my losses. I'd then get on the bicycle and start riding to the Nepal border.
Permit in hand, I'd then see how it goes with checkpoints along the way. Technically you need a separate permit to travel outside Lhasa. But with anything in China, especially Tibet which is a part of China, it helps to have something in hand as opposed to nothing.
It's a lot like driving a motorcycle with a car drivers license. Ideally you'd want the motorbike license, but the car license is better than no license.
So the first checkpoint out of Lhasa on a bicycle would be like testing the waters. It is only 6km out, so no big deal if I get sent back to the city. Having been in China long enough, I have a good feeling this will work, as having the wrong permit is better than no permit.
If it's really difficult to get through on the bike with the entry permit, I'll then try the mix of tactics by those who have done the trip illegally, and avoid checkpoints, etc. The very last part would be the China -- Nepal border and again, at least having an entry permit would be more optimistic than having nothing.
All in all, it's a level of risk I can handle.
Abrupt change in weather , rainy, cold
This Tibet province research draws me in like a moth to a flame. I'm just wondering why the heck I didn't consider doing a trip like this SOONER, especially during the months of 2006-07 when it would have been the perfect time. Procrastination has now made it really difficult to do the trip now, but at least it's still possible with a bit of risk.
There is much conflicting information out there on what a trip to Tibet province, part of China is actually like right now. Depending on the level of risk you're willing to accept, and the money you're willing to pay, you can do an overland trip in three ways
1. Totally legal, totally expensive, $100-150 a day, minimal risk. This involves hiring a guide with land cruisers, and arranging all permits in advance, etc. Of course there is still risk with this option as you can't trust all the tour guides, especially the newer ones flocking to this business to make a quick buck.
2. Semi-legal. Cheaper, with medium risk, about $50 a day. I'm leaning more and more towards this option. See below for details.
3. Illegal. Much cheaper, about $10-15 a day, but high levels of risk. It may very well be like the probability simulation mentioned earlier, where you roll the dice and see if a '6' comes up at the checkpoint. Having run that simulation dozens of times now, the part where you get caught invariably happens in the middle somewhere. With skill and savvy, checkpoints can be avoided, but there's just too much risk to make this option comfortable.
There are blogs of people who have done illegal trips, but I'd rather not post links to them.
The main issue here is limited time, an unfortunate reality for every trip I've had to face with. Getting sent back to a prior city at some police checkpoint is not a risk I'm willing to tolerate when I don't have time on my hands to make a 2nd attempt
So the semi-legal way is to first book an actual tour to Lhasa, and to take the shortest and cheapest one available. Paying for just the guide's salary and the hotels works out to $50 a day or so. There are several advantages to actually going on a tour with a guide:
1. I get the entry permit.
2. The entry permit allows me to fly directly into Lhasa and save time. The train is a slower option, and they don't always check permit to buy ticket or board. But the permit is most definetely required to board a plane. So I may as well fly in style this way.
3. The 3-day or so spent in Lhasa can help acclimatize to the altitude
4. The guide can help get into places like the Potala Palace and others that are off-limits without a permit.
5. The guide is most useful for information about Lhasa itself and the road ahead. See below
6. It's actually possible to stay in hotels. Reports 'on the ground' right now with permit-less travelers show how difficult it is without the papers.
7. I would need to be in Lhasa for 3 days to apply for the Nepal visa anyway.
The idea is to book the tour, and then book a cheap train ticket out of Lhasa to the nearest city outside of Tibet province, such as Golmud or something like that. The transportation out of Tibet province would be sufficient to get the permit and book the tourt, as well as other documents which aren't that difficult to obtain.
After Lhasa, I'd find some way to leave while keeping the permit in hand and not necessarily using the train ticket -- maybe sell it off to some guy at a hostel or something or just cut my losses. I'd then get on the bicycle and start riding to the Nepal border.
Permit in hand, I'd then see how it goes with checkpoints along the way. Technically you need a separate permit to travel outside Lhasa. But with anything in China, especially Tibet which is a part of China, it helps to have something in hand as opposed to nothing.
It's a lot like driving a motorcycle with a car drivers license. Ideally you'd want the motorbike license, but the car license is better than no license.
So the first checkpoint out of Lhasa on a bicycle would be like testing the waters. It is only 6km out, so no big deal if I get sent back to the city. Having been in China long enough, I have a good feeling this will work, as having the wrong permit is better than no permit.
If it's really difficult to get through on the bike with the entry permit, I'll then try the mix of tactics by those who have done the trip illegally, and avoid checkpoints, etc. The very last part would be the China -- Nepal border and again, at least having an entry permit would be more optimistic than having nothing.
All in all, it's a level of risk I can handle.
Saturday 21 May 2011
The Probability Paradox
Today's weather: High = 23 Low = 18
Cloudy, windy, approaching storms
Lately I'm wrapping up the final unit in the math 12 course I'm teaching -- about probability. Needless to say it's been a very interesting topic. We stumbled upon a very fascinating paradox that. Regretably, this may have implications for a Tibet trip I'm considering this summer.
The short end of it is that my research into the Tibet trip points to the fact that independent travel, especially cycling, is not allowed. But many people have actually done it, including a guy's blog I'm reading right now who just pedalled into Lhasa on Friday.
As with anything in China, the motto is that semi-legal is better than illegal. That is to say, there are ways to do such a trip in such a way that still involve the proper paperwork, but is not 100% proper. The main difficulty is that getting a travel permit into Tibet requires that you join a tour group, hire 4x4 landcruisers, etc. and it could end up costing $100 a day. I don't think so.
The downside to a genuinely independent trip in Tibet is that it will involve calculated risks. This is exactly what we're going to calculate right now in this post.
For the sake of a crude analogy, let's say that you're traveling along a road with a series of 10 police checkpoints to pass through in series. Suppose that rolling a dice and getting a '2' means you fail at at particular checkpoint and get sent back. Rolling a dice and not getting '2' means you pass that particular check.
The key paradox is that any given roll has an equal chance of success (1/6 or 83%) since it is independent of the roll that came before it. But you still had to roll the dice 'n-1' number of times previously in order to perform the 'nth' roll
In other words, it means you had to pass checkpoints A through E before rolling the dice at checkpoint F. This only makes sense, because failure at checkpoint F means you get sent back to the beginning, and all former successes are rendered invalid.
Is this simply a matter of looking at the glass and saying it's half-empty or half-full? That is, can you put on the rose-colored glasses and say there is always an 83% chance of passing the next checkpoint and continuing on without being sent back? Let's calculate and find out.
Pass up to #1: 5/6 chance = 83%
Pass up to #2: 25/36 chance = 69%
Pass up to #3: (5/6)^3 chance = 58%
Pass up to #4: (5/6)^4 chance = 48%
Pass up to #5: (5/6)^5 chance = 40%
Pass up to #10: (5/6)^10 chance = 16%
To calculate the failure at a particular checkpoint, you can correctly reason that the previous checkpoints had to be passed first -- with the exception of the first one.
Fail at #1: 1/6 = 17%
Fail at #2 = 83%*1/6 = 14%
Fail at #3 = 69%*1/6 = 12%
Fail at #4 = 58%*1/6 = 9.6%
Fail at #5 = 48%*1/6 = 8.0%
Fail at #10 = (5/6)^9 * 1/6 = 3.2%
Your chances of success or failure both decrease by the same amount in this sense. So your relative success to failure ratio remain the same. 5 to 1 odds for passing whatever the next checkpoint is. So we really haven't concluded that much. We can still be optimistic. Or can we? Put on your thinking caps, it's gonna get a little wild.
Let's suppose that you didn't pass checkpoint C. Does this mean you failed at checkpoint C (12% chance, see above)? Maybe it does, but maybe you failed before C, in which case you still would not have passed C !!!
You could have failed at C (12%)
You could have failed at B (14%)
You could have failed at A (17%)
Add these cases: 12 + 14 + 17 = 42%.
The key to this paradox is understanding that not passing a particular checkpoint is not the same as failing at that particular checkpoint. Not passing the checkpoint means failing there, or prior to there.
We can prove this by the following logic: 100% - (pass up to C) = 100% - 58% = 42%
So what if you've made it past a certain number of checkpoints? Does this increase the chance you'll make it through the remaining ones? We can also use simple logic to figure this out out:
Pass the last 5 if you passed the first 5 = pass the first 5 = 40%
Pass the last 4 if you passed the first 6 = pass the first 4 = 48%
Pass the last 3 if you passed the first 7 = pass the first 3 = 58%
Pass the last 2 if you passed the first 8 = pass the first 2 = 69%
Pass the last 1 if you passed all 9 before = pass the first 1 = 83%
Conclusion? The mathematics backs up what we already know to be true intuitively. Your chances of successfully passing the remaining checks increase the further along you go. But it's also harder to progress further and the stakes of the game get higher and higher as you do so.
Cloudy, windy, approaching storms
Lately I'm wrapping up the final unit in the math 12 course I'm teaching -- about probability. Needless to say it's been a very interesting topic. We stumbled upon a very fascinating paradox that. Regretably, this may have implications for a Tibet trip I'm considering this summer.
The short end of it is that my research into the Tibet trip points to the fact that independent travel, especially cycling, is not allowed. But many people have actually done it, including a guy's blog I'm reading right now who just pedalled into Lhasa on Friday.
As with anything in China, the motto is that semi-legal is better than illegal. That is to say, there are ways to do such a trip in such a way that still involve the proper paperwork, but is not 100% proper. The main difficulty is that getting a travel permit into Tibet requires that you join a tour group, hire 4x4 landcruisers, etc. and it could end up costing $100 a day. I don't think so.
The downside to a genuinely independent trip in Tibet is that it will involve calculated risks. This is exactly what we're going to calculate right now in this post.
For the sake of a crude analogy, let's say that you're traveling along a road with a series of 10 police checkpoints to pass through in series. Suppose that rolling a dice and getting a '2' means you fail at at particular checkpoint and get sent back. Rolling a dice and not getting '2' means you pass that particular check.
The key paradox is that any given roll has an equal chance of success (1/6 or 83%) since it is independent of the roll that came before it. But you still had to roll the dice 'n-1' number of times previously in order to perform the 'nth' roll
In other words, it means you had to pass checkpoints A through E before rolling the dice at checkpoint F. This only makes sense, because failure at checkpoint F means you get sent back to the beginning, and all former successes are rendered invalid.
Is this simply a matter of looking at the glass and saying it's half-empty or half-full? That is, can you put on the rose-colored glasses and say there is always an 83% chance of passing the next checkpoint and continuing on without being sent back? Let's calculate and find out.
Pass up to #1: 5/6 chance = 83%
Pass up to #2: 25/36 chance = 69%
Pass up to #3: (5/6)^3 chance = 58%
Pass up to #4: (5/6)^4 chance = 48%
Pass up to #5: (5/6)^5 chance = 40%
Pass up to #10: (5/6)^10 chance = 16%
To calculate the failure at a particular checkpoint, you can correctly reason that the previous checkpoints had to be passed first -- with the exception of the first one.
Fail at #1: 1/6 = 17%
Fail at #2 = 83%*1/6 = 14%
Fail at #3 = 69%*1/6 = 12%
Fail at #4 = 58%*1/6 = 9.6%
Fail at #5 = 48%*1/6 = 8.0%
Fail at #10 = (5/6)^9 * 1/6 = 3.2%
Your chances of success or failure both decrease by the same amount in this sense. So your relative success to failure ratio remain the same. 5 to 1 odds for passing whatever the next checkpoint is. So we really haven't concluded that much. We can still be optimistic. Or can we? Put on your thinking caps, it's gonna get a little wild.
Let's suppose that you didn't pass checkpoint C. Does this mean you failed at checkpoint C (12% chance, see above)? Maybe it does, but maybe you failed before C, in which case you still would not have passed C !!!
You could have failed at C (12%)
You could have failed at B (14%)
You could have failed at A (17%)
Add these cases: 12 + 14 + 17 = 42%.
The key to this paradox is understanding that not passing a particular checkpoint is not the same as failing at that particular checkpoint. Not passing the checkpoint means failing there, or prior to there.
We can prove this by the following logic: 100% - (pass up to C) = 100% - 58% = 42%
So what if you've made it past a certain number of checkpoints? Does this increase the chance you'll make it through the remaining ones? We can also use simple logic to figure this out out:
Pass the last 5 if you passed the first 5 = pass the first 5 = 40%
Pass the last 4 if you passed the first 6 = pass the first 4 = 48%
Pass the last 3 if you passed the first 7 = pass the first 3 = 58%
Pass the last 2 if you passed the first 8 = pass the first 2 = 69%
Pass the last 1 if you passed all 9 before = pass the first 1 = 83%
Conclusion? The mathematics backs up what we already know to be true intuitively. Your chances of successfully passing the remaining checks increase the further along you go. But it's also harder to progress further and the stakes of the game get higher and higher as you do so.
Friday 20 May 2011
Summer Heat!
Today's weather: High = 35 Low = 23
Sunny and hot!
Well it looks like summer has arrived in Shanghai, and it has done so with a vengeance. It actually started a few days ago, as determined when the average temperature has gone above 20 degrees for at least five days in a row
This makes it the earlier summer to arrive on record. Not only that, it was the driest spring season on record with hardly a drop of rain. The length of spring was also very short, because the previous winter was the coldest on record and it also lasted longer than normal.
With all these extremes, which are normal, one has to ask if the monsoon season is going to be the wettest on record. I'm making the call that, yes, we're in for a dousing of rain any minute now. Combine that with unseasonably cool temperatures in June, and a possible return to spring in terms of 5 days where the temperature goes below 20 degrees again.
Sunny and hot!
Well it looks like summer has arrived in Shanghai, and it has done so with a vengeance. It actually started a few days ago, as determined when the average temperature has gone above 20 degrees for at least five days in a row
This makes it the earlier summer to arrive on record. Not only that, it was the driest spring season on record with hardly a drop of rain. The length of spring was also very short, because the previous winter was the coldest on record and it also lasted longer than normal.
With all these extremes, which are normal, one has to ask if the monsoon season is going to be the wettest on record. I'm making the call that, yes, we're in for a dousing of rain any minute now. Combine that with unseasonably cool temperatures in June, and a possible return to spring in terms of 5 days where the temperature goes below 20 degrees again.
Wednesday 18 May 2011
Lhasa -- Kathmandu Run
Today's weather: High = 31 Low = 21
Sunny and very clear
Another day of unbelievably good weather. The forecast is saying the monsoon season is just around the corner, but until then, we'll just keep enjoying this wonderful sunshine.
The school year is winding down on a nice note. Most of the course content I've finished teaching and we're into review mode, preparing for exams, etc. etc. Not much else to do this year except focus on the review packages for exams, generate a few mock exams, then starting printing out finals. As well, moving house from one district to another in Shanghai. I'm basically gonna do this scooter-style and move a box or two every day in June. Will take my time on this, no need to rush the move.
So it's basically fast forward to this summer and plans for that ... breaking it up into two halves as it were.
First part in July is basically a bunch of training on 3 fronts: AP Calculus training courses, motorcycle safety training, and high-altitude bicycle training. It's all gonna be done back in my home province in Canada, and the plan will be to hunt around for high mountains. Actually, the area I have in mind is Whistler / Blackcomb / Garibaldi and the mountain biking around there. The elevation there is decent for training, even though it is still rather low compared to the Himalayas
That brings me to the 2nd part. Much of my bike research has got me fixated and fascinated on a region of the world known as the Himalayan mountain ranges. The Himalayas have truly got to be the best place on earth when it comes to cycling. This region is vast and offers the most challenging cycling in the world, not to mention sunning beauty. I've only seen pictures and have done tentative research, but I finally feel up to the challenge and ready to take on these mountains.
The Himalayas compromise the following countries in part: Pakistan, China (Tibet), India (Tibet), Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar. The foothills extend well beyond into Yunnan province in China and the fascinating Golden Triangle area which is the 3 countries of Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar. NE India is also part of the Himalayan foothills.
In short, the Himalayan region is the most fascinating on the planet, and would be an absolute delight and dream to cycle on. For an introduction to what could potentially be years of cycling in this region, I figure that Tibet is as good as a place to start as any.
There is a negative, however, and it's a rather severe negative. Nearly all the countries within the region listed above have restrictions, closures, landslides, military occupations, checkpoints, or other obstacles which make overland routes nearly impossible. In other words, there are bound to be problems in doing a cross-country run through this Himalayan region, no matter which routes you attempt. For example, overland routes through Myanmar are all but ruled out, as it isn't possible to exit Myanmar into Thailand or Laos. Flights are going to be a necessity at some point to go through this region. The politics are also very unstable which contributes to the above. If that isn't enough, the weather conditions would be enough to send the novice cyclist packing on the first day.
So why bother cycling in the Himalayas? Well, go to www.crazyguyonabike.com and read the blogs of others who have done it, or pick up numerous books, blogs, and videos about others who have done this. I guarantee that after seeing what others have done, and the pictures, you'll want to try it. The hassle is more than made up for by the beauty.
There's a ton of more research to do on this, but a nice perk already is that 2011 is 'Visit Nepal' year which means free visas! When I went to the EXPO in Shanghai earlier, the first pavilion that I saw without a line up was Nepal and I joked to my friend at the time, "Since there's no line here, then I'll travel to Nepal next."
Looks like that's gonna happen. Plan A would be spending more time in Tibet. In the event of things going belly up in Tibet, then Plan B would be to spend most of August biking in Nepal instead. At any rate, I'm at least going to try and make it to Lhasa, which would be the place to apply for the Nepal visa.
Plan A is frankly the better one because it's a popular route, the highway is paved the whole way now, and most of it is on a high-altitude plateau. The most exhilerating part is the final descent off the plateau to the Nepalese border, which is a drop from 5000m to 700m. That is mind-blowing when you think about it, and no wonder all the cylists go down instead of up this route.
As an aside, I can't help but wonder at the arrogance of the government in my home province that has recently claimed it is the 'best place on earth'. Have these people ever been to places like Thailand, or Yunnan province in China, for example, that could offer some serious competition to their claims? Maybe it's because my home province of BC is free from military occupations, police checkpoints, and political unrest that allows the government to make a claim of being the best place on earth. The Himalayas would truly be the best place on earth if it weren't for the obstacles. But that's all part of the fun.
Sunny and very clear
Another day of unbelievably good weather. The forecast is saying the monsoon season is just around the corner, but until then, we'll just keep enjoying this wonderful sunshine.
The school year is winding down on a nice note. Most of the course content I've finished teaching and we're into review mode, preparing for exams, etc. etc. Not much else to do this year except focus on the review packages for exams, generate a few mock exams, then starting printing out finals. As well, moving house from one district to another in Shanghai. I'm basically gonna do this scooter-style and move a box or two every day in June. Will take my time on this, no need to rush the move.
So it's basically fast forward to this summer and plans for that ... breaking it up into two halves as it were.
First part in July is basically a bunch of training on 3 fronts: AP Calculus training courses, motorcycle safety training, and high-altitude bicycle training. It's all gonna be done back in my home province in Canada, and the plan will be to hunt around for high mountains. Actually, the area I have in mind is Whistler / Blackcomb / Garibaldi and the mountain biking around there. The elevation there is decent for training, even though it is still rather low compared to the Himalayas
That brings me to the 2nd part. Much of my bike research has got me fixated and fascinated on a region of the world known as the Himalayan mountain ranges. The Himalayas have truly got to be the best place on earth when it comes to cycling. This region is vast and offers the most challenging cycling in the world, not to mention sunning beauty. I've only seen pictures and have done tentative research, but I finally feel up to the challenge and ready to take on these mountains.
The Himalayas compromise the following countries in part: Pakistan, China (Tibet), India (Tibet), Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar. The foothills extend well beyond into Yunnan province in China and the fascinating Golden Triangle area which is the 3 countries of Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar. NE India is also part of the Himalayan foothills.
In short, the Himalayan region is the most fascinating on the planet, and would be an absolute delight and dream to cycle on. For an introduction to what could potentially be years of cycling in this region, I figure that Tibet is as good as a place to start as any.
There is a negative, however, and it's a rather severe negative. Nearly all the countries within the region listed above have restrictions, closures, landslides, military occupations, checkpoints, or other obstacles which make overland routes nearly impossible. In other words, there are bound to be problems in doing a cross-country run through this Himalayan region, no matter which routes you attempt. For example, overland routes through Myanmar are all but ruled out, as it isn't possible to exit Myanmar into Thailand or Laos. Flights are going to be a necessity at some point to go through this region. The politics are also very unstable which contributes to the above. If that isn't enough, the weather conditions would be enough to send the novice cyclist packing on the first day.
So why bother cycling in the Himalayas? Well, go to www.crazyguyonabike.com and read the blogs of others who have done it, or pick up numerous books, blogs, and videos about others who have done this. I guarantee that after seeing what others have done, and the pictures, you'll want to try it. The hassle is more than made up for by the beauty.
There's a ton of more research to do on this, but a nice perk already is that 2011 is 'Visit Nepal' year which means free visas! When I went to the EXPO in Shanghai earlier, the first pavilion that I saw without a line up was Nepal and I joked to my friend at the time, "Since there's no line here, then I'll travel to Nepal next."
Looks like that's gonna happen. Plan A would be spending more time in Tibet. In the event of things going belly up in Tibet, then Plan B would be to spend most of August biking in Nepal instead. At any rate, I'm at least going to try and make it to Lhasa, which would be the place to apply for the Nepal visa.
Plan A is frankly the better one because it's a popular route, the highway is paved the whole way now, and most of it is on a high-altitude plateau. The most exhilerating part is the final descent off the plateau to the Nepalese border, which is a drop from 5000m to 700m. That is mind-blowing when you think about it, and no wonder all the cylists go down instead of up this route.
As an aside, I can't help but wonder at the arrogance of the government in my home province that has recently claimed it is the 'best place on earth'. Have these people ever been to places like Thailand, or Yunnan province in China, for example, that could offer some serious competition to their claims? Maybe it's because my home province of BC is free from military occupations, police checkpoints, and political unrest that allows the government to make a claim of being the best place on earth. The Himalayas would truly be the best place on earth if it weren't for the obstacles. But that's all part of the fun.
Tuesday 17 May 2011
Researching Tibet Options
There is a lot out there, but unfortunately, much of the travel information on the internet is out-of-date. For any information about Tibet to be reliable, I'm only looking at travel accounts and posts from 2010-11. Even 2009 is on the verge of obsolete information, because the rules change too quickly to keep up.
The big paradigm shift in China happened recently due to the 2008 earthquake, riots, and the run-up to the Olympics and EXPO, etc. Much of China went through severe and sweeping changes during the last three years to begin with, all during 2008 which I would summarize as practically doomsday -- that's how the whole year felt. Things are only beginning to relax now, however slightly. But Tibet has always been more of a sensitive part of the country than others, and so it is still on a very high-alert situation.
Word on the street is that it's next to impossible to travel the Eastern route out of Yunnan so I've effectively ruled that one out. The northern route is the best option, and I've got about 3-5 reliable reports on people who are traveling it right now as I type. The northern route basically involves the train from Golmud to Lhasa, and there are ways to get travel permits and get your ass on the train without paying $100 a day to join a ridiculous tour group.
Once in Lhasa, the key part of the experience would be the bicycle ride to the Nepal border, planning to do in August. Again, I'm gathering as much information as I can. The best plan is to actually get a travel permit for Tibet and a Nepalese visa lined up ahead of time. Both can be obtained in Lhasa, although the permit itself looks to be the most difficult part. At any rate, more information is surely needed.
The big paradigm shift in China happened recently due to the 2008 earthquake, riots, and the run-up to the Olympics and EXPO, etc. Much of China went through severe and sweeping changes during the last three years to begin with, all during 2008 which I would summarize as practically doomsday -- that's how the whole year felt. Things are only beginning to relax now, however slightly. But Tibet has always been more of a sensitive part of the country than others, and so it is still on a very high-alert situation.
Word on the street is that it's next to impossible to travel the Eastern route out of Yunnan so I've effectively ruled that one out. The northern route is the best option, and I've got about 3-5 reliable reports on people who are traveling it right now as I type. The northern route basically involves the train from Golmud to Lhasa, and there are ways to get travel permits and get your ass on the train without paying $100 a day to join a ridiculous tour group.
Once in Lhasa, the key part of the experience would be the bicycle ride to the Nepal border, planning to do in August. Again, I'm gathering as much information as I can. The best plan is to actually get a travel permit for Tibet and a Nepalese visa lined up ahead of time. Both can be obtained in Lhasa, although the permit itself looks to be the most difficult part. At any rate, more information is surely needed.
New House Rental Starting June
Today's weather: High = 30 Low = 21
Sunny
One has to wonder how and why we have had such near-perfect weather conditions all spring. Comfortable temperatures, and not a drop of rain since March. This is a totally unusual weather pattern --- but abnormal is the new normal when it comes to weather these days. I'm just wondering when the penny is gonna drop and we'll see a deluge of rain in June with the supposed opening of the monsoon. But any rate, things have just been fabulous to date.
A lot of positive things have been accomplished in recent months, thus ending a flurry of activity. To cap off the list, I'm now scheduled to move into a new apartment in the 'Mei Long' area of Shanghai, which is the midburbs as mentioned in previous posts.
After thinking long and hard about it, I'm no longer bothering to rent large and spacious two-bedroom kings palace type apartments for a single guy. I really don't need all that space, and these kind of houses eat up the rent. The few times I've had guests over this year, they haven't been very appreciative and I'm thinking it's not worth it.
Instead, following the advice of the agent I'm dealing with, I decided to go for the smaller 1-bedroom apartment, 76 square meters, and it's only gonna cost 3600 RMB a month. It is still a very nice place, and I'll comment more in future posts about it (with pictures).
This all compares favorably with the current 130 square meter place that will soon be costing 6500 RMB a month with the rental increase. Combined with the fact that the school is increasing housing allowances to 5000 RMB a month, I'm expecting to make a nice *profit* on my upcoming house rental for a change. That will certainly be a first.
I did all the negotiating and contract signing in Chinese and the whole thing was a positive experience. Even though the initial asking rent for the house was aleady a good deal at 3900 RMB, I still insisted on haggling for the price out of tradition and out of good fun. That is to say, it's what the locals do, and the experience would seem incomplete without negotiations.
There is a downside and that the place is far from work by local standards. I'm OK with the 10km run, but the distance is more psychological than anything else when it comes to locals. Invariably, they will all say it's too far. If we take an objective view, it's 15-25 minutes on a bike, or 35-45 minutes on the subway. Compare that with 5-10 minutes on the bike or 25-30 minutes on the subway right now.
There is also an agency fee involved --- which is what I was expecting anyway, so no big deal. But what *does* make me angry is that an agency fee was involved in my current house rental, even though I never dealt with an agent!! Basically, the secretary at our school did the renting on our behalf. She must have, in fact, dealt with an agent and rented the place in her name. There were no receipts or anything to prove what took place, but she claimed that every month, there was a need do deduct 300 RMB for a 'receipt fee' every month.
The only explanation I can come up with is that there must have been a total of 3000 RMB agency fee which my secretary then amortized over the 10-month allowance periods. Calculating the agency fee tells me it is even more of a proportion of the rent than that from the new house rental --- which has followed procedures by the book.
I'm basically going to fight for reimbursement of all these fees up until now on my current house. This is simply because nothing was told up front about the fact that an agent was involved. I felt it was a very sneaky and dishonest move for her to pull this off, not just wiht me, but the other teachers also.
At the same time, it was my own fault for being so stupid last year in that I failed to catch onto this trick earlier. In other words, it should have raised eyebrows that a local was renting a house on my behalf without so much as a contract or a receipt of any fees paid.
The only thing is, I have to proceed diplomatically, and find a face-saving way to approach my secretary for compensation. While I could walk in there guns blazing with my new paperwork to prove how things should be done, this might cause a loss of face on several fronts and I may not get my money back. Worse yet, the school would see that I'm only paying 3600 RMB a month for the new place, and they may not decide to offer the full compensation as specified in contract. Yes, the contract says (for next year) they pay 5000 RMB per month regardless, but we know this is China and we know that face trumps contracts every time.
So for that matter, I'm going to be diplomatic.
Unfortunatley, things are just too complex to figure out for a new teacher in the first year, even if they were already in China and switched cities. It's all different from one place to the next. And we haven't even started with the language barrier. Combined with all this, schools take advantage and offer house rental situations that are almost always a rip-off or have some serious flaws --- such as on-campus accomodation that Wuhan offers.
It just takes a lont time to figure things out. I suppose, like all things in Asia, the rip-offs are considered as start-up costs. Once you learn the ropes, the costs always go down. I would only hope that new teachers can be reading these blogs.
No matter what the school in China is or what city, my goal is to help new teachers get the best possible deal on housing for their jobs, and to lay out the information straight.
Sunny
One has to wonder how and why we have had such near-perfect weather conditions all spring. Comfortable temperatures, and not a drop of rain since March. This is a totally unusual weather pattern --- but abnormal is the new normal when it comes to weather these days. I'm just wondering when the penny is gonna drop and we'll see a deluge of rain in June with the supposed opening of the monsoon. But any rate, things have just been fabulous to date.
A lot of positive things have been accomplished in recent months, thus ending a flurry of activity. To cap off the list, I'm now scheduled to move into a new apartment in the 'Mei Long' area of Shanghai, which is the midburbs as mentioned in previous posts.
After thinking long and hard about it, I'm no longer bothering to rent large and spacious two-bedroom kings palace type apartments for a single guy. I really don't need all that space, and these kind of houses eat up the rent. The few times I've had guests over this year, they haven't been very appreciative and I'm thinking it's not worth it.
Instead, following the advice of the agent I'm dealing with, I decided to go for the smaller 1-bedroom apartment, 76 square meters, and it's only gonna cost 3600 RMB a month. It is still a very nice place, and I'll comment more in future posts about it (with pictures).
This all compares favorably with the current 130 square meter place that will soon be costing 6500 RMB a month with the rental increase. Combined with the fact that the school is increasing housing allowances to 5000 RMB a month, I'm expecting to make a nice *profit* on my upcoming house rental for a change. That will certainly be a first.
I did all the negotiating and contract signing in Chinese and the whole thing was a positive experience. Even though the initial asking rent for the house was aleady a good deal at 3900 RMB, I still insisted on haggling for the price out of tradition and out of good fun. That is to say, it's what the locals do, and the experience would seem incomplete without negotiations.
There is a downside and that the place is far from work by local standards. I'm OK with the 10km run, but the distance is more psychological than anything else when it comes to locals. Invariably, they will all say it's too far. If we take an objective view, it's 15-25 minutes on a bike, or 35-45 minutes on the subway. Compare that with 5-10 minutes on the bike or 25-30 minutes on the subway right now.
There is also an agency fee involved --- which is what I was expecting anyway, so no big deal. But what *does* make me angry is that an agency fee was involved in my current house rental, even though I never dealt with an agent!! Basically, the secretary at our school did the renting on our behalf. She must have, in fact, dealt with an agent and rented the place in her name. There were no receipts or anything to prove what took place, but she claimed that every month, there was a need do deduct 300 RMB for a 'receipt fee' every month.
The only explanation I can come up with is that there must have been a total of 3000 RMB agency fee which my secretary then amortized over the 10-month allowance periods. Calculating the agency fee tells me it is even more of a proportion of the rent than that from the new house rental --- which has followed procedures by the book.
I'm basically going to fight for reimbursement of all these fees up until now on my current house. This is simply because nothing was told up front about the fact that an agent was involved. I felt it was a very sneaky and dishonest move for her to pull this off, not just wiht me, but the other teachers also.
At the same time, it was my own fault for being so stupid last year in that I failed to catch onto this trick earlier. In other words, it should have raised eyebrows that a local was renting a house on my behalf without so much as a contract or a receipt of any fees paid.
The only thing is, I have to proceed diplomatically, and find a face-saving way to approach my secretary for compensation. While I could walk in there guns blazing with my new paperwork to prove how things should be done, this might cause a loss of face on several fronts and I may not get my money back. Worse yet, the school would see that I'm only paying 3600 RMB a month for the new place, and they may not decide to offer the full compensation as specified in contract. Yes, the contract says (for next year) they pay 5000 RMB per month regardless, but we know this is China and we know that face trumps contracts every time.
So for that matter, I'm going to be diplomatic.
Unfortunatley, things are just too complex to figure out for a new teacher in the first year, even if they were already in China and switched cities. It's all different from one place to the next. And we haven't even started with the language barrier. Combined with all this, schools take advantage and offer house rental situations that are almost always a rip-off or have some serious flaws --- such as on-campus accomodation that Wuhan offers.
It just takes a lont time to figure things out. I suppose, like all things in Asia, the rip-offs are considered as start-up costs. Once you learn the ropes, the costs always go down. I would only hope that new teachers can be reading these blogs.
No matter what the school in China is or what city, my goal is to help new teachers get the best possible deal on housing for their jobs, and to lay out the information straight.
Sunday 15 May 2011
Summer Adventures: Tibet
Today's weather: High = 29 Low = 18
Sunny
The plans for summer are shaping up. First part will involve some rather intense teacher training and motorcycle training in my home province. Depending on timing, there may likely be a 3-week delay before I can actually do a vehicle road test. There may also be screw-ups related to drivers licenses being put in the mail.
At any rate, I'm not changing flights based on potential delays or bureauratic hassles. The gameplan is to spend a couple weeks doing bicycle training around my home province in Canada -- including high mountain peaks for altitude training (see below). After that's it's a long-awaited dream to do some cycling in Tibet.
Once I'm trained up and have hopefully got all the documents I need from back home, then it's back in the airplane to Shanghai. After a short rest, I'll be making tracks for some bicycle adventures in Tibet. That's where the training is gonna come in handy.
During my spare time I frequent the website 'Crazy Guy on a Bike'
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com
This website has many positive accounts of cyclists who have gone into Tibet recently. It's one murderous ride, that's for sure. I'll probably give up halfway through, but hopefully the training will prepare somewhat. We'll just see. The ride has spectacular scenery and rewards -- the best on the planet. This has been a long-term dream that may finally happen this summer. At any rate, I'm researching this one out.
Sunny
The plans for summer are shaping up. First part will involve some rather intense teacher training and motorcycle training in my home province. Depending on timing, there may likely be a 3-week delay before I can actually do a vehicle road test. There may also be screw-ups related to drivers licenses being put in the mail.
At any rate, I'm not changing flights based on potential delays or bureauratic hassles. The gameplan is to spend a couple weeks doing bicycle training around my home province in Canada -- including high mountain peaks for altitude training (see below). After that's it's a long-awaited dream to do some cycling in Tibet.
Once I'm trained up and have hopefully got all the documents I need from back home, then it's back in the airplane to Shanghai. After a short rest, I'll be making tracks for some bicycle adventures in Tibet. That's where the training is gonna come in handy.
During my spare time I frequent the website 'Crazy Guy on a Bike'
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com
This website has many positive accounts of cyclists who have gone into Tibet recently. It's one murderous ride, that's for sure. I'll probably give up halfway through, but hopefully the training will prepare somewhat. We'll just see. The ride has spectacular scenery and rewards -- the best on the planet. This has been a long-term dream that may finally happen this summer. At any rate, I'm researching this one out.
House Hunting Successes
Today's weather: High = 27 Low = 18
Sunny
The week of April 11-15 was a nutcase week. Basically, a flurry of items all came up at the same time during that week which required urgent attention and dealing with. Now, a month later, nearly all of them have been ticked off the list and I can finally breathe again.
One of the problems was my landlord calling me out of the blue and saying the rent would increase nearly 1000 RMB per month starting this June -- I always make it a point to rent from June to June. Frankly, the amount that she was asking for was unacceptable, given more research and facts about my current locations. Several attempts to negotiate failed. In the end, I pulled the classic negotiation breakdown stunt of saying screw this, I'm moving out. At the same time, I made a big fuss to the person in charge of these affairs at our school about why they aren't increasing the housing allowance if the rents are increasing. As it stands now, the allowance isn't enough to cover the rents and we're paying the difference out of pocket.
Another thing I'm not happy with is that all the teachers renting houses in Shanghai have done so with the help of estate agents connected with our secretary. As it turns out, part of the allowance is deducted every month to pay for some sort of 'receipt fee' or whatever she calls it, so I'm actually getting less than stated in the contract. I'm going to fight for a reimbursement of this 'fee' later in June, but I can only do one battle at a time here.
To make a long story short, I successfully lobbied for a raise in the housing allowance next year, and for that of my colleagues. To deal with the above problem of other hidden fees or things being deducted from the allowance, I decided to follow the tried and true adage, "If you want something done right, do it yourself."
In other words, I'm hunting for houses with friends and agents who have nothing to do with our school or any guanxi associated with that. I'm also picking areas farther away in order to get better deals that actually match what the housing allowance is, and I don't give a damn what people say (particularly locals) about this need to live close to work and this fear of living farther away.
Actually, this kind of mentality is partly to blame for making the downtown rents so expensive. Conversely, this kind of mentality also realizes the rental prices start dropping dramatically without actually going that far away from downtown.
I've been able to experience both extremes as it were. One extreme is really living too far way (I think 40-60km counts as that), and the other extreme is paying through the nose to live close to work.
A reasonable compromise, as mentioned previously here, is to live in an area I like to call the midburbs. Basically that area is between the middle and outer ring roads.
A motorcycle helps immensely with cutting down the commute times, and I've already done the run several times to get a feel for it. It is basically a 10km commute using a smooth road with few traffic lights that allows for nice cruising. The whole thing can be done anywhere from 15-25 minutes on a bike, and it's really not a big deal.
After looking around at several units, I basically found the ideal one today. It's in a quiet residential compound off the main street, facing a river and beautiful lights from an adjuacent apartment compound. Tons of green space. Right beside a subway station for rainy days. It is large and spacious, two bedroom (for guests) same as what I've got right now, but there is blissfully less noise. There is covered parking for the motorbikes, and interestingly enough, a foreign motorcycle enthusiast lives in the same unit. I saw his 250cc bike, and it's impressive. There are a lot more positive things to say about the place, and I'll post more details and pictures on my travel blog.
The price is certainly right. At 4500 RMB a month, the allowance will not only cover this, but I can also make a profit. There are also other options, including a 1 bedroom smaller place, also excellent, for only 3900 RMB a month. These are both two excellent places to choose from. Will most certainly be updating here, but to be honest, I've already started packing and am going to lunge for either of the two.
Sunny
The week of April 11-15 was a nutcase week. Basically, a flurry of items all came up at the same time during that week which required urgent attention and dealing with. Now, a month later, nearly all of them have been ticked off the list and I can finally breathe again.
One of the problems was my landlord calling me out of the blue and saying the rent would increase nearly 1000 RMB per month starting this June -- I always make it a point to rent from June to June. Frankly, the amount that she was asking for was unacceptable, given more research and facts about my current locations. Several attempts to negotiate failed. In the end, I pulled the classic negotiation breakdown stunt of saying screw this, I'm moving out. At the same time, I made a big fuss to the person in charge of these affairs at our school about why they aren't increasing the housing allowance if the rents are increasing. As it stands now, the allowance isn't enough to cover the rents and we're paying the difference out of pocket.
Another thing I'm not happy with is that all the teachers renting houses in Shanghai have done so with the help of estate agents connected with our secretary. As it turns out, part of the allowance is deducted every month to pay for some sort of 'receipt fee' or whatever she calls it, so I'm actually getting less than stated in the contract. I'm going to fight for a reimbursement of this 'fee' later in June, but I can only do one battle at a time here.
To make a long story short, I successfully lobbied for a raise in the housing allowance next year, and for that of my colleagues. To deal with the above problem of other hidden fees or things being deducted from the allowance, I decided to follow the tried and true adage, "If you want something done right, do it yourself."
In other words, I'm hunting for houses with friends and agents who have nothing to do with our school or any guanxi associated with that. I'm also picking areas farther away in order to get better deals that actually match what the housing allowance is, and I don't give a damn what people say (particularly locals) about this need to live close to work and this fear of living farther away.
Actually, this kind of mentality is partly to blame for making the downtown rents so expensive. Conversely, this kind of mentality also realizes the rental prices start dropping dramatically without actually going that far away from downtown.
I've been able to experience both extremes as it were. One extreme is really living too far way (I think 40-60km counts as that), and the other extreme is paying through the nose to live close to work.
A reasonable compromise, as mentioned previously here, is to live in an area I like to call the midburbs. Basically that area is between the middle and outer ring roads.
A motorcycle helps immensely with cutting down the commute times, and I've already done the run several times to get a feel for it. It is basically a 10km commute using a smooth road with few traffic lights that allows for nice cruising. The whole thing can be done anywhere from 15-25 minutes on a bike, and it's really not a big deal.
After looking around at several units, I basically found the ideal one today. It's in a quiet residential compound off the main street, facing a river and beautiful lights from an adjuacent apartment compound. Tons of green space. Right beside a subway station for rainy days. It is large and spacious, two bedroom (for guests) same as what I've got right now, but there is blissfully less noise. There is covered parking for the motorbikes, and interestingly enough, a foreign motorcycle enthusiast lives in the same unit. I saw his 250cc bike, and it's impressive. There are a lot more positive things to say about the place, and I'll post more details and pictures on my travel blog.
The price is certainly right. At 4500 RMB a month, the allowance will not only cover this, but I can also make a profit. There are also other options, including a 1 bedroom smaller place, also excellent, for only 3900 RMB a month. These are both two excellent places to choose from. Will most certainly be updating here, but to be honest, I've already started packing and am going to lunge for either of the two.
Saturday 14 May 2011
China Travel is Really Difficult
As mentioned in the last post, the name-based ticketing system for bullet trains should go into effect June 1st. The intentions of this new rule are honorable, that is to put a lid on the rampant problem of ticket scalping.
Having done more research on this issue, the name-based ticket rule is also designed for security purposes. This, again, is an understandable move given recent intelligence reports after al-qaeda allegedly wanted to blow up trains in the US. It would only make logical sense that the Chinese would take their own measures to prevent this similar kind of terrorism from happening on their own soil, and the name-based registration system would help protect their bullet trains.
The Chinese are experts at designing rules and systems which can kill two birds with one stone. We see this, for example, with the toll booths on the highways. Sure, they can be used to collect money, but they also make ideal security checkpoints.
And so it is with the name-based ticketing system. Part scalping prevention, part security measures.
The expat boards and halfpat boards have barely begun to register any chatter about this new policy, and a quick search on the internet shows my blog as one of the first commentaries on this issue. It just was announced a few days ago, but I would imagine a ton of discussion will emerge on this issue soon --- and none too positive. The feedback on the expat board so far is overwhelmingly negative.
Mainly this is because, in the last three years, it has become increasingly difficult for foreigners to travel around in China. It seems that one key system after another is being firewalled by the Chinese ID card registration process. A Chinese ID card is a document that foreigners cannot get, having confirmed this by talking to dozens of people and researching on the internet. The next best thing is a long-term residence visa, or a 'green card'. However, these are extremely difficult for foreigners to get, and they are also very rare. Even if a foreigner manages to get a 'green card', they are back to square one with the staff at various hotels, internet cafes, train ticket offices, etc. not being able to recognize what it is.
The key travel-related systems now subject to Chinese ID card registration, or about to be include:
1. Surfing the web on internet cafes. These are totally off limits to foreigners in nearly every major city now
2. Staying for the night in mid-range or budget accomodation. Only the high-end foreigner-approved hotels are OK.
3. Purchasing bullet train tickets. Regular tickets are still OK, but regular train routes are gradually phasing out.
4. Registering motorcycles and scooters in most Chinese cities
5. Exchanging money from RMB into foreign currencies
All is not off-limits, however. At present, you can still do the following (but who knows for how long)
1. Purchase bus tickets
2. Open a bank account and exchange foreign currencies into RMB
3. Open a mobile phone number
And of course, you can use a passport to purchase airline tickets. The airline system has always worked this way, and is not much of a problem in the sense that the staff are familiar in dealing with passports and foreign names.
The real problem here, is the INTRODUCTION of the new rules which require the second-generation Chinese ID cards. These are essentially ID cards that were released around 2005 and they contain magnetic strips, chips, and other electronic reading features. While in some cases you can still use a passport to stay in a hotel or purchase a bullet train ticket, the problem is that the staff are not familiar with how the document works.
You can't blame the staff for not being familiar, because passports are issued by foreign governments, and every passport is different.
However, across the board, uniformly, there is the 2nd generation Chinese ID card which every staff knows how to deal with. In many ways, it is a simple document for the locals to work with. You present it, they swipe it, done. It is only too bad that foreigners don't have access to such a simplified registration process but as they say, c'est la vie.
I'm hoping that a Chinese-issued drivers license will solve some of these problems, because it's at least more recognizable than a passport. It *might* work for train tickets, we just don't know yet. It has worked for hotels in the past, and it certainly helps for motorcycle registration.
It should also be made clear that subjecting bullet train tickets to Chinese ID registration is NOT racism or a blatant attempt to discriminate against foreigners. Having been in China long enough, there are plenty of other counter-examples to show that foreigners can do many things, and in some sense, get treated quite well. For example, I am house hunting at the moment and have come across some excellent options. They are eager to rent to foreigners, and they tend to say we have a 'high reputation' More on that in another post.
Basically what's going on here is that every system is independent of the other system. Foreigners tend to think that China works from a top-down organized fashion, but the systems are not really connected. For example, the bullet train system and the airline system are totally separate. Same goes for the bus system and the various train systems.
Not only that but there are differences *within* systems. For example, the vehicle management system in one city functions differently than in another city. The Bank of China in one city doesn't recognize the Bank of China in another city, and so forth.
The complexity of the bureaucracy within and between systems is more than you can possibly imagine. Suffice to say, I don't think there's some uniform plot affot to discriminate against foreigners in China. Things are just too complex to make that kind of judgment.
All this being said, big salutes go out to those who actually do travel in China! Don't let appearances fool you, it is not easy to get around here. For those who are willing to stick it out, creatively solve problems every day, and keep that brain working overtime --- then the rewards are surely worth it.
Having done more research on this issue, the name-based ticket rule is also designed for security purposes. This, again, is an understandable move given recent intelligence reports after al-qaeda allegedly wanted to blow up trains in the US. It would only make logical sense that the Chinese would take their own measures to prevent this similar kind of terrorism from happening on their own soil, and the name-based registration system would help protect their bullet trains.
The Chinese are experts at designing rules and systems which can kill two birds with one stone. We see this, for example, with the toll booths on the highways. Sure, they can be used to collect money, but they also make ideal security checkpoints.
And so it is with the name-based ticketing system. Part scalping prevention, part security measures.
The expat boards and halfpat boards have barely begun to register any chatter about this new policy, and a quick search on the internet shows my blog as one of the first commentaries on this issue. It just was announced a few days ago, but I would imagine a ton of discussion will emerge on this issue soon --- and none too positive. The feedback on the expat board so far is overwhelmingly negative.
Mainly this is because, in the last three years, it has become increasingly difficult for foreigners to travel around in China. It seems that one key system after another is being firewalled by the Chinese ID card registration process. A Chinese ID card is a document that foreigners cannot get, having confirmed this by talking to dozens of people and researching on the internet. The next best thing is a long-term residence visa, or a 'green card'. However, these are extremely difficult for foreigners to get, and they are also very rare. Even if a foreigner manages to get a 'green card', they are back to square one with the staff at various hotels, internet cafes, train ticket offices, etc. not being able to recognize what it is.
The key travel-related systems now subject to Chinese ID card registration, or about to be include:
1. Surfing the web on internet cafes. These are totally off limits to foreigners in nearly every major city now
2. Staying for the night in mid-range or budget accomodation. Only the high-end foreigner-approved hotels are OK.
3. Purchasing bullet train tickets. Regular tickets are still OK, but regular train routes are gradually phasing out.
4. Registering motorcycles and scooters in most Chinese cities
5. Exchanging money from RMB into foreign currencies
All is not off-limits, however. At present, you can still do the following (but who knows for how long)
1. Purchase bus tickets
2. Open a bank account and exchange foreign currencies into RMB
3. Open a mobile phone number
And of course, you can use a passport to purchase airline tickets. The airline system has always worked this way, and is not much of a problem in the sense that the staff are familiar in dealing with passports and foreign names.
The real problem here, is the INTRODUCTION of the new rules which require the second-generation Chinese ID cards. These are essentially ID cards that were released around 2005 and they contain magnetic strips, chips, and other electronic reading features. While in some cases you can still use a passport to stay in a hotel or purchase a bullet train ticket, the problem is that the staff are not familiar with how the document works.
You can't blame the staff for not being familiar, because passports are issued by foreign governments, and every passport is different.
However, across the board, uniformly, there is the 2nd generation Chinese ID card which every staff knows how to deal with. In many ways, it is a simple document for the locals to work with. You present it, they swipe it, done. It is only too bad that foreigners don't have access to such a simplified registration process but as they say, c'est la vie.
I'm hoping that a Chinese-issued drivers license will solve some of these problems, because it's at least more recognizable than a passport. It *might* work for train tickets, we just don't know yet. It has worked for hotels in the past, and it certainly helps for motorcycle registration.
It should also be made clear that subjecting bullet train tickets to Chinese ID registration is NOT racism or a blatant attempt to discriminate against foreigners. Having been in China long enough, there are plenty of other counter-examples to show that foreigners can do many things, and in some sense, get treated quite well. For example, I am house hunting at the moment and have come across some excellent options. They are eager to rent to foreigners, and they tend to say we have a 'high reputation' More on that in another post.
Basically what's going on here is that every system is independent of the other system. Foreigners tend to think that China works from a top-down organized fashion, but the systems are not really connected. For example, the bullet train system and the airline system are totally separate. Same goes for the bus system and the various train systems.
Not only that but there are differences *within* systems. For example, the vehicle management system in one city functions differently than in another city. The Bank of China in one city doesn't recognize the Bank of China in another city, and so forth.
The complexity of the bureaucracy within and between systems is more than you can possibly imagine. Suffice to say, I don't think there's some uniform plot affot to discriminate against foreigners in China. Things are just too complex to make that kind of judgment.
All this being said, big salutes go out to those who actually do travel in China! Don't let appearances fool you, it is not easy to get around here. For those who are willing to stick it out, creatively solve problems every day, and keep that brain working overtime --- then the rewards are surely worth it.
Friday 13 May 2011
Bullet Trains: A Great Leap Backward
Today's weather: High = 28 Low = 19
As hinted on several earlier posts, the new bullet trains in China are not nearly the big marvel that they appear to be on the surface. Don't let the hype fool you, the railway system was actually better in the past on the slower trains for a variety of reasons. Now, things are about to get even more backward.
I'm only hoping that a Chinese drivers license is among one of the acceptable '23 documents' that can be used as ID. If it is, then OK. If not, then screw the bullet trains and it's back to ordinary trains.
---------------------------------------
FOREIGN rail passengers may need more time to buy bullet train tickets in local booths once a "real-name" booking policy is introduced later this month.
Unlike Chinese passengers who can just show their personal ID cards, foreigners need to provide passports or other documents, according to the policy issued by railway authorities. "The information on these documents will require more time for the ticket booths to verify and input," said a railway official, surnamed Dong, at Shanghai Railway Station yesterday.
Dong added that not all railway staff, unlike their airline counterparts, are proficient in English and other foreign languages, which could lead to misunderstandings.
The real-name ticket buying system, which is aimed at curbing rail ticket scalping and improving security, comes into effect on June 1 throughout China.
All bullet train services prefixed by the letters "G", "D" and "C" require passenger ID to buy a ticket.
There are 23 types of documents recognized by the ID system. Foreigners can buy tickets using their passports, temporary residence permits, exit-entry permits or diplomatic certificates as ID.
One certificate can only buy one ticket for one trip, rail officials said. Passengers should also show the certificates and tickets when boarding the trains.
From 3pm on May 22, passengers can use their accepted IDs to buy rail tickets with a boarding date of June 1.
"It will be a little bit inconvenient," said Laura Imkamp, an American student at Shanghai Fudan University.
Imkamp said she often buys railway tickets for friends and that it is risky to give passports to others.
To speed up the process, Dong advised foreign passengers to use residence permits, which are issued by local police and easy to recognize, instead of passports, which vary from country to country.
At one rail ticket outlet in downtown Jing'an Temple, staff said they may input the numbers of foreigners' certificates, instead of names which may be "hard to spell."
If foreigners fail to carry their certificates, they need a letter from their consulate to prove their identities and go to railway police for temporary certificates, authorities said.
As hinted on several earlier posts, the new bullet trains in China are not nearly the big marvel that they appear to be on the surface. Don't let the hype fool you, the railway system was actually better in the past on the slower trains for a variety of reasons. Now, things are about to get even more backward.
I'm only hoping that a Chinese drivers license is among one of the acceptable '23 documents' that can be used as ID. If it is, then OK. If not, then screw the bullet trains and it's back to ordinary trains.
---------------------------------------
FOREIGN rail passengers may need more time to buy bullet train tickets in local booths once a "real-name" booking policy is introduced later this month.
Unlike Chinese passengers who can just show their personal ID cards, foreigners need to provide passports or other documents, according to the policy issued by railway authorities. "The information on these documents will require more time for the ticket booths to verify and input," said a railway official, surnamed Dong, at Shanghai Railway Station yesterday.
Dong added that not all railway staff, unlike their airline counterparts, are proficient in English and other foreign languages, which could lead to misunderstandings.
The real-name ticket buying system, which is aimed at curbing rail ticket scalping and improving security, comes into effect on June 1 throughout China.
All bullet train services prefixed by the letters "G", "D" and "C" require passenger ID to buy a ticket.
There are 23 types of documents recognized by the ID system. Foreigners can buy tickets using their passports, temporary residence permits, exit-entry permits or diplomatic certificates as ID.
One certificate can only buy one ticket for one trip, rail officials said. Passengers should also show the certificates and tickets when boarding the trains.
From 3pm on May 22, passengers can use their accepted IDs to buy rail tickets with a boarding date of June 1.
"It will be a little bit inconvenient," said Laura Imkamp, an American student at Shanghai Fudan University.
Imkamp said she often buys railway tickets for friends and that it is risky to give passports to others.
To speed up the process, Dong advised foreign passengers to use residence permits, which are issued by local police and easy to recognize, instead of passports, which vary from country to country.
At one rail ticket outlet in downtown Jing'an Temple, staff said they may input the numbers of foreigners' certificates, instead of names which may be "hard to spell."
If foreigners fail to carry their certificates, they need a letter from their consulate to prove their identities and go to railway police for temporary certificates, authorities said.
Thursday 12 May 2011
Shanghai License Obtained
Today’s weather: High = 27 Low = 20
Cloudy
It finally looks like I’m good for drivers licenses until 2015 now! The conversion of the Suzhou drivers license to a Shanghai one was an unexpected piece of cake.
I basically just showed up there after school on the motorcycle. It took perhaps 15 minutes to get there as opposed to a long trip using bullet trains to Suzhou. How's that for irony. Bullet trains take a long time.
Another piece of irony is that I drove my unregistered motorcycle right up to the front door of the traffic police and vehicle management office in Shanghai. I justify this by my long-term goal to eventually get a legal motorcycle registration and legal plates. Don't think of it as unregistered, think of it as pre-registered.
The location was much more convenient than the Suzhou office -- the latter being isolated in the suburbs of course, where else would it be. Thankfully, the Shanghai office was in a semi-downtown area. Upon entering, I could tell at a glance that things were already less frantic and busy. This was a really good sign.
My initial plan was to show up and get information, but it turns out I would actually be walking out with a license in less than 45 minutes of walking in!
I explain the situation with wanting to convert a Suzhou license to a Shanghai one, and tried whatever Chinese I could to expain it. They got the idea, and the people at the counter were more than eager to help a foreigner who attempted to speak a mediocre bit of Chinese.
As an aside, I'll have to settle for intermediate fluency in the language as it's impossible to do full-time Chinese studying and full-time work at the same time. It's either work a stable job and stick with the level of Chinese that I have with gradual improvements, or else it's full-time study to achieve a more advanced level.
Anyways, since all my documents are already in order, as already needed from the previous trips, it was a simple matter of filling in a form, affixing photos, taking a number and waiting. Shortly after I got called up, the policeman asked a few quesitons, did a few more things on the computer to check that I actually live in Shanghai --- as proved from the authentic registration slip of residence. Then I pid a fee and picked up the license shortly after in an ORDERLY FASHION while they simply repeated the same number I had used at a former counter
Time in 3:30 Time out 4:15. Talk about efficient!
The best part is I now have a Shanghai drivers license that will last me another 5 years from now, and as indicated from the previous post, it is super useful as a secondary ID document for all kinds of purposes.
Recall from a few posts back that out of sheer frustration in dealing with the police office at my former residence in Jiangsu province, Suzhou prefecture, Wujiang sub-prefecture, and Luxu Town, they kept asking for more and more papers that I didn't have. At that time, out of sheer frustration, I "modified" a document using a computer and literal cutting and pasting to "prove" my recent Shanghai residence to the Jiangsu guys.
That trick worked in order to obtain a genuine residence registration document in Jiangsu province, and it led to a chain of events for actually replacing the lost license.
But I wasn't stupid enough to repeat the same trick twice and apply it at the Shanghai vehicle office.
Once that earlier forged document had achieved its purpose, I threw it in the trash can. Then I went down to the Shanghai local district police station with my secretary and obtained a genuine residence registration document. I also took the time to kindly explain to her without telling her directly that she should be following her own Chinese laws and go with foreign teachers to the police station to re-register every time we leave the Chinese mainland. She said it wasn't necessary, but the police officer said it was, and that was backed up with a rule in writing. So we straightened that matter out
With genuine resident registration document in hand, it was a piece of cake to get the genuine Shanghai license.
Phew! Well, this whole ordeal is over with now. Time to celebrate by treating a bunch of people to a dinner.
Cloudy
It finally looks like I’m good for drivers licenses until 2015 now! The conversion of the Suzhou drivers license to a Shanghai one was an unexpected piece of cake.
I basically just showed up there after school on the motorcycle. It took perhaps 15 minutes to get there as opposed to a long trip using bullet trains to Suzhou. How's that for irony. Bullet trains take a long time.
Another piece of irony is that I drove my unregistered motorcycle right up to the front door of the traffic police and vehicle management office in Shanghai. I justify this by my long-term goal to eventually get a legal motorcycle registration and legal plates. Don't think of it as unregistered, think of it as pre-registered.
The location was much more convenient than the Suzhou office -- the latter being isolated in the suburbs of course, where else would it be. Thankfully, the Shanghai office was in a semi-downtown area. Upon entering, I could tell at a glance that things were already less frantic and busy. This was a really good sign.
My initial plan was to show up and get information, but it turns out I would actually be walking out with a license in less than 45 minutes of walking in!
I explain the situation with wanting to convert a Suzhou license to a Shanghai one, and tried whatever Chinese I could to expain it. They got the idea, and the people at the counter were more than eager to help a foreigner who attempted to speak a mediocre bit of Chinese.
As an aside, I'll have to settle for intermediate fluency in the language as it's impossible to do full-time Chinese studying and full-time work at the same time. It's either work a stable job and stick with the level of Chinese that I have with gradual improvements, or else it's full-time study to achieve a more advanced level.
Anyways, since all my documents are already in order, as already needed from the previous trips, it was a simple matter of filling in a form, affixing photos, taking a number and waiting. Shortly after I got called up, the policeman asked a few quesitons, did a few more things on the computer to check that I actually live in Shanghai --- as proved from the authentic registration slip of residence. Then I pid a fee and picked up the license shortly after in an ORDERLY FASHION while they simply repeated the same number I had used at a former counter
Time in 3:30 Time out 4:15. Talk about efficient!
The best part is I now have a Shanghai drivers license that will last me another 5 years from now, and as indicated from the previous post, it is super useful as a secondary ID document for all kinds of purposes.
Recall from a few posts back that out of sheer frustration in dealing with the police office at my former residence in Jiangsu province, Suzhou prefecture, Wujiang sub-prefecture, and Luxu Town, they kept asking for more and more papers that I didn't have. At that time, out of sheer frustration, I "modified" a document using a computer and literal cutting and pasting to "prove" my recent Shanghai residence to the Jiangsu guys.
That trick worked in order to obtain a genuine residence registration document in Jiangsu province, and it led to a chain of events for actually replacing the lost license.
But I wasn't stupid enough to repeat the same trick twice and apply it at the Shanghai vehicle office.
Once that earlier forged document had achieved its purpose, I threw it in the trash can. Then I went down to the Shanghai local district police station with my secretary and obtained a genuine residence registration document. I also took the time to kindly explain to her without telling her directly that she should be following her own Chinese laws and go with foreign teachers to the police station to re-register every time we leave the Chinese mainland. She said it wasn't necessary, but the police officer said it was, and that was backed up with a rule in writing. So we straightened that matter out
With genuine resident registration document in hand, it was a piece of cake to get the genuine Shanghai license.
Phew! Well, this whole ordeal is over with now. Time to celebrate by treating a bunch of people to a dinner.
Wednesday 11 May 2011
The Value of a Chinese Drivers License
I realize I've been going on ad-nauseum on this blog about the drivers license, and my obsession to get a copy in my hands again after having lost it. In fact, the license I have in my hands again is just a stepping stone of my eventual go to have both a car *and* motorcycle license in Shanghai by the end of this year. Will definitely keep you posted on this blog about that!!
But as you may have figured out by now, the license is more than just a document that says you can drive a car in China. It can also be used to show to cops when stopped on a motorcycle, which more than once, they've let me go on a wave with just that. As they say, being semi-legal is better than having nothing at all.
Actually, the value of the license goes beyond merely that. It is basically a form of ID in China that is very rare for foreigners to have, given how few foreigners actually attempt to get one. Seeing what's involved, i.e. the bureaucracy, you can't exactly blame them.
So if a foreigner actually has a license, this is 10 times more powerful than a passport, because the drivers license is issued by the Chinese government and not a foreign government. In other words, this license document is a key way of distinguishing the insiders from the outsiders. It is a well recognized and accepted document for tons of stuff, including getting into hotels and internet cafes easily while out traveling. One look at that thing, and they say, oh this foreigner is familiar with China and is somewhat of an insider.
It just makes things so much easier, and you can get some MAJOR face by showing this document around. I simply can't wait to show it in the office tomorrow. Even better, towards the end of the year I'm driving to school in a rented BMW as a way of getting more face
If that wasn't enough, the license can even be used to drive in other countries. It's been reported from other teachers that you can actually use a Chinese drivers license back home in Canada to show to the police, and they have to accept it. This report hasn't been confirmed yet, but I suspect it is true.
I've heard it said because the Chinese government doesn't recognize international drivers licenses, and they insist on you brining a license from your home country, getting it translated, and taking a written test to convert into a Chinese licnese. Since the Chinese license, in effect, originated from a foreign license, the thinking is that the license is still valid overseas.
But as you may have figured out by now, the license is more than just a document that says you can drive a car in China. It can also be used to show to cops when stopped on a motorcycle, which more than once, they've let me go on a wave with just that. As they say, being semi-legal is better than having nothing at all.
Actually, the value of the license goes beyond merely that. It is basically a form of ID in China that is very rare for foreigners to have, given how few foreigners actually attempt to get one. Seeing what's involved, i.e. the bureaucracy, you can't exactly blame them.
So if a foreigner actually has a license, this is 10 times more powerful than a passport, because the drivers license is issued by the Chinese government and not a foreign government. In other words, this license document is a key way of distinguishing the insiders from the outsiders. It is a well recognized and accepted document for tons of stuff, including getting into hotels and internet cafes easily while out traveling. One look at that thing, and they say, oh this foreigner is familiar with China and is somewhat of an insider.
It just makes things so much easier, and you can get some MAJOR face by showing this document around. I simply can't wait to show it in the office tomorrow. Even better, towards the end of the year I'm driving to school in a rented BMW as a way of getting more face
If that wasn't enough, the license can even be used to drive in other countries. It's been reported from other teachers that you can actually use a Chinese drivers license back home in Canada to show to the police, and they have to accept it. This report hasn't been confirmed yet, but I suspect it is true.
I've heard it said because the Chinese government doesn't recognize international drivers licenses, and they insist on you brining a license from your home country, getting it translated, and taking a written test to convert into a Chinese licnese. Since the Chinese license, in effect, originated from a foreign license, the thinking is that the license is still valid overseas.
Drivers License Replaced, Never Losing it Again
Today's weather: High = 23 Low = 18
Showers and rapid drop in temperature
After a long and drawn out bureaucratic battle lasting nearly a month, today was a major victory. Now I've successfully replaced all the valuable documents that were lost during last summer. All the ordeals involved in replacing documents from within the People's Republic of China has taught me how important it is NOT to lose them.
Left Shanghai: 11:45am
Arrived Suzhou vehicle office: 1:45pm
Got license: 5:20pm
Returned home: 7:15pm
Yes it took half the bloody day to do this, and into the evening no less, but the best part is the errand has now been done! There is still much more to do, for example, now I must convert the license to a Shanghai one, and eventually, convert it to a motorcycle license. But at least I'm officially finished with Jiangsu province now, and the worst part is over. Phew!
There were horrendous crowds at the Suzhou vehicle office -- they processed over 1200 customers in a single day. I had to go to this office as my original address two years ago was part of Suzhou jurisdiction, not Shanghai. The most difficult part was getting all the paperwork in order, as I have mentioned in exhausting detail within this blog.
However, I must be fair to say that once the papers are in order, the initial clerks at the main information counter will check to make sure, before they assign a number in the queue. The clerks do a thorough job in checking and they won't hesitate to tell you if you miss something, or send you back. If you actually get a number from them, then chances are it's going to be a successful attempt. The only thing then is you just have to WAIT, and I mean, really wait.
I was assigned the number 777 and waited about two hours. This was a perfect number, and while I'm not superstitious, I couldn't have asked for a better number. The number 7 is my favorite one to begin with, and let's just say that 777 was loaded with meaning and significance from a variety of points of view. As it turned out, I also got a favorable outcome!
While waiting, there were propaganda videos put on by the traffic police in order to entertain and educated the public. The videos showed the most horrific and gruesome scenes of death and accidents on Chinese roads. There were scenes of heavy trucks ramming into bicycles and motorcycles, 100 car pileups on foggy expressways, and head-on collisions. The most gruesome scenes were the dead bodies on the road or the ones hanging out of the smashed up cars with blood all over the place. They even showed how people were confined to wheelchairs or had major surgical operations after the bloody accidents. Those were the survivors.
If all that wasn't enough, when you left the vehicle office, they had actual smashed up cars and vans on display at the front gate. Those vehicles had been physically taken from the crash sites on expressways.
These propaganda videos started in the last year as a new tactic in order to scare the public into the horrors of what it's like to drive on Chinese roads. Honestly I have no idea what they are thinking by producing these 'shock and awe' videos. So the traffic police want to scare people into slowing down driving safely. Does this method actually work? These videos only confirm what everyone already knows and is hardly rocket science: Chinese roads are a deathtrap, and they are among the most dangerous in the world --- second only to India.
Some of the public were oohed and awed by the sick videos, but the vast majority were pushing and shoving at the counter for one thing and one thing only: their drivers licenses. Their attitude could be summed up as: yeah, we know it's mayhem on those roads but I just want my license, damnit.
My attitude was much the same as the locals to this end, but my behavior was different. I refrained from pushing and shoving, and waited patiently in the queue.
What happened after getting processed initially was a bit of a cafuffle, but it got sorted out. The clerk told me to get a new picture taken, which I did, then pay a fee at the cashiers, then pick up my license at a different counter. It was a free-for-all at the counter to get the licenses, as Chinese people were pushing and shoving like the dickens. There was no order in this particular part of the system, just the usual rude chaos. My tactic was to just stand patiently for a very long time in the middle of the chaos until one of the clerks noticed the contrast and approached me for service. In other words, I was hoping that they'd see a white foreign face standing patiently by, and looking a bit clueless to boot, while a bunch of impatient Chinese people all around him were pushing, shoving, and grabbing for the licenses.
This part took the better part of an hour just standing within the middle chaos, and it was excruciating. But I was going to hold out for as long as it took for someone to notice the only foreigner in the crowd. There was also no way in hell that I would join in the pushing and shoving in the scrum, as I wanted to make a point of showing what civilized behavior looks by way of contrast
Sure enough this tactic worked. As it turned out, nothing had been done about my license while I was standing around for nearly an hour, and the clerk was very apologetic as she asked for another copy of a photo and to see my passport again. As it turned out, there was a miscommunication (not a language barrier) in terms of the order of things. I was supposed to take a photograph and give it back to the original clerk, but she didn't accept the photo at first and told me to go to the counter where I was waiting for nearly an hour. Sure enough, the original clerk came back, the two got into a discussion, and then more people got involved.
I was then asked a few questions about my license application and then asked to show all the documents I had already shown the original clerk. The Chinese people around me stopped their pushing and shoving and you could hear a pin drop as the entire crowd watced with eager anticipation in terms of how they were dealing with this foreigner. I kid you not, there were over 50 people just watching like this was the most exciting thing ever. The clerk, sensing the watchful eyes of the crowd, deferred to her supervisor. Sure enough, I was asked to sit down and wait while they figured out what was going on.
Not very long after, the Chinese people resumed their pushing and shoving. One of them said, "I've been waiting for over an hour." OK, glad it just wasn't me. Another said, "What the hell, the service is so slow here." The clerk at this particular counter then lost it and screamed out:
IF I DIDN'T CALL YOUR NAME THEN SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP
This was exactly the desired effect of what I had attempted to do earlier by just standing around and waiting in the midst of a jostling crowd. It was basically a way for the clerks to get raging mad at the impatient and rude behavior of the Chinese customers, which they could see as a point in contrast.
Another person in the line said, "How do we know when our names are called?" Another said, "How do we know we're supposed to wait for the names to be called?"
There was actually a sign in Chinese characters that said exactly this. Wait until your name is called, then collect your license with the receipt that showed you paid the 10 RMB.
But the person who was supposed to be calling names wasn't saying anything. Instead, she just buried her face in her hands and it was obvious that she would have prefered to be anywhere on the planet except here. And the same goes for me.
I just took a seat by the planter and figured that eventually someone would figure this shit out. Not more than 5 minutes later I was told to present my passport again. After sitting by the planter again, I got called out again, and walked out with my license in hand!! It was exactly the same license I had gotten two years ago with the same address and everything. Recall this was all obtained via honest means, and I didn't pay a single RMB in bribes or paying someone off.
Despite all the frustrations, I must give credit to this system for the fact that it's possible to actually walk into a vehicle office and walk out with a license on the same day! Sure it can be maddening and frustrating, but they process those numbers awfully quickly --- at the rate of 2 numbers per minute. The thought crossed my mind that you can't exactly do this in my hometown.
That is to say, back in Vancouver Canada, they issue drivers licenses in the mail. What the hell? Someone tell me that ain't backward. Sorry to say it, but I got hosed with the mail last summer back home and I'm afraid the same thing will happen again this summer. Snail mail takes days. Chinese vehicle offices only take hours.
In a nutshell, despite the frustrations of doing things in China, I must be perfectly and completely honest to say that certain things (such as drivers licenses) work better than my home country. That is why, after nearly 10 years, I am still here, and still loving the Chinese people. It's easy to criticize, but we all have our faults, and with license in hand now, all is forgiven.
Showers and rapid drop in temperature
After a long and drawn out bureaucratic battle lasting nearly a month, today was a major victory. Now I've successfully replaced all the valuable documents that were lost during last summer. All the ordeals involved in replacing documents from within the People's Republic of China has taught me how important it is NOT to lose them.
Left Shanghai: 11:45am
Arrived Suzhou vehicle office: 1:45pm
Got license: 5:20pm
Returned home: 7:15pm
Yes it took half the bloody day to do this, and into the evening no less, but the best part is the errand has now been done! There is still much more to do, for example, now I must convert the license to a Shanghai one, and eventually, convert it to a motorcycle license. But at least I'm officially finished with Jiangsu province now, and the worst part is over. Phew!
There were horrendous crowds at the Suzhou vehicle office -- they processed over 1200 customers in a single day. I had to go to this office as my original address two years ago was part of Suzhou jurisdiction, not Shanghai. The most difficult part was getting all the paperwork in order, as I have mentioned in exhausting detail within this blog.
However, I must be fair to say that once the papers are in order, the initial clerks at the main information counter will check to make sure, before they assign a number in the queue. The clerks do a thorough job in checking and they won't hesitate to tell you if you miss something, or send you back. If you actually get a number from them, then chances are it's going to be a successful attempt. The only thing then is you just have to WAIT, and I mean, really wait.
I was assigned the number 777 and waited about two hours. This was a perfect number, and while I'm not superstitious, I couldn't have asked for a better number. The number 7 is my favorite one to begin with, and let's just say that 777 was loaded with meaning and significance from a variety of points of view. As it turned out, I also got a favorable outcome!
While waiting, there were propaganda videos put on by the traffic police in order to entertain and educated the public. The videos showed the most horrific and gruesome scenes of death and accidents on Chinese roads. There were scenes of heavy trucks ramming into bicycles and motorcycles, 100 car pileups on foggy expressways, and head-on collisions. The most gruesome scenes were the dead bodies on the road or the ones hanging out of the smashed up cars with blood all over the place. They even showed how people were confined to wheelchairs or had major surgical operations after the bloody accidents. Those were the survivors.
If all that wasn't enough, when you left the vehicle office, they had actual smashed up cars and vans on display at the front gate. Those vehicles had been physically taken from the crash sites on expressways.
These propaganda videos started in the last year as a new tactic in order to scare the public into the horrors of what it's like to drive on Chinese roads. Honestly I have no idea what they are thinking by producing these 'shock and awe' videos. So the traffic police want to scare people into slowing down driving safely. Does this method actually work? These videos only confirm what everyone already knows and is hardly rocket science: Chinese roads are a deathtrap, and they are among the most dangerous in the world --- second only to India.
Some of the public were oohed and awed by the sick videos, but the vast majority were pushing and shoving at the counter for one thing and one thing only: their drivers licenses. Their attitude could be summed up as: yeah, we know it's mayhem on those roads but I just want my license, damnit.
My attitude was much the same as the locals to this end, but my behavior was different. I refrained from pushing and shoving, and waited patiently in the queue.
What happened after getting processed initially was a bit of a cafuffle, but it got sorted out. The clerk told me to get a new picture taken, which I did, then pay a fee at the cashiers, then pick up my license at a different counter. It was a free-for-all at the counter to get the licenses, as Chinese people were pushing and shoving like the dickens. There was no order in this particular part of the system, just the usual rude chaos. My tactic was to just stand patiently for a very long time in the middle of the chaos until one of the clerks noticed the contrast and approached me for service. In other words, I was hoping that they'd see a white foreign face standing patiently by, and looking a bit clueless to boot, while a bunch of impatient Chinese people all around him were pushing, shoving, and grabbing for the licenses.
This part took the better part of an hour just standing within the middle chaos, and it was excruciating. But I was going to hold out for as long as it took for someone to notice the only foreigner in the crowd. There was also no way in hell that I would join in the pushing and shoving in the scrum, as I wanted to make a point of showing what civilized behavior looks by way of contrast
Sure enough this tactic worked. As it turned out, nothing had been done about my license while I was standing around for nearly an hour, and the clerk was very apologetic as she asked for another copy of a photo and to see my passport again. As it turned out, there was a miscommunication (not a language barrier) in terms of the order of things. I was supposed to take a photograph and give it back to the original clerk, but she didn't accept the photo at first and told me to go to the counter where I was waiting for nearly an hour. Sure enough, the original clerk came back, the two got into a discussion, and then more people got involved.
I was then asked a few questions about my license application and then asked to show all the documents I had already shown the original clerk. The Chinese people around me stopped their pushing and shoving and you could hear a pin drop as the entire crowd watced with eager anticipation in terms of how they were dealing with this foreigner. I kid you not, there were over 50 people just watching like this was the most exciting thing ever. The clerk, sensing the watchful eyes of the crowd, deferred to her supervisor. Sure enough, I was asked to sit down and wait while they figured out what was going on.
Not very long after, the Chinese people resumed their pushing and shoving. One of them said, "I've been waiting for over an hour." OK, glad it just wasn't me. Another said, "What the hell, the service is so slow here." The clerk at this particular counter then lost it and screamed out:
IF I DIDN'T CALL YOUR NAME THEN SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP
This was exactly the desired effect of what I had attempted to do earlier by just standing around and waiting in the midst of a jostling crowd. It was basically a way for the clerks to get raging mad at the impatient and rude behavior of the Chinese customers, which they could see as a point in contrast.
Another person in the line said, "How do we know when our names are called?" Another said, "How do we know we're supposed to wait for the names to be called?"
There was actually a sign in Chinese characters that said exactly this. Wait until your name is called, then collect your license with the receipt that showed you paid the 10 RMB.
But the person who was supposed to be calling names wasn't saying anything. Instead, she just buried her face in her hands and it was obvious that she would have prefered to be anywhere on the planet except here. And the same goes for me.
I just took a seat by the planter and figured that eventually someone would figure this shit out. Not more than 5 minutes later I was told to present my passport again. After sitting by the planter again, I got called out again, and walked out with my license in hand!! It was exactly the same license I had gotten two years ago with the same address and everything. Recall this was all obtained via honest means, and I didn't pay a single RMB in bribes or paying someone off.
Despite all the frustrations, I must give credit to this system for the fact that it's possible to actually walk into a vehicle office and walk out with a license on the same day! Sure it can be maddening and frustrating, but they process those numbers awfully quickly --- at the rate of 2 numbers per minute. The thought crossed my mind that you can't exactly do this in my hometown.
That is to say, back in Vancouver Canada, they issue drivers licenses in the mail. What the hell? Someone tell me that ain't backward. Sorry to say it, but I got hosed with the mail last summer back home and I'm afraid the same thing will happen again this summer. Snail mail takes days. Chinese vehicle offices only take hours.
In a nutshell, despite the frustrations of doing things in China, I must be perfectly and completely honest to say that certain things (such as drivers licenses) work better than my home country. That is why, after nearly 10 years, I am still here, and still loving the Chinese people. It's easy to criticize, but we all have our faults, and with license in hand now, all is forgiven.
Tuesday 10 May 2011
Scooter / Motorcycle Savings in the Thousands
As part of a set of calculations I've been doing since two years ago, I keep detailed records of where I ride the vehicles, how much distance, and the approximate savings from (mainly) taxi fare.
The potential of scooters and motorcycles to save both time and money cannot be stated enough here, given that it is by far the most convenient way to get around. This spring especially we have had the best weather for riding. It has hardly rained at all, and the temperatures are well above normal. Even with less than ideal weather conditions as in past years, the scooters and motorbikes still come out way ahead.
Shanghai suffers from a serious traffic congestion problem, and is getting worse and worse each year. It's not just actual road traffic that is bad, but there is the considerable 'human traffic' factor with overcrowded subways, buses, etc. Related to this is the fact that the subway system is not all that convenient to use, despite how it looks impressive from the maps and designs, etc. This is especially apparent at interchange stations, where the probability of missing the next train increases if you've just gotten off the previous one.
Locals know these things all too well, and that's why they immediately bolt for the doors and run, in order to increase the probability of catching the next train. Basically, everyone is either late or about to be late.
Another thing is that most of the new bus and train stations have been relocated to the suburbs. Not only do the trains and buses cost more than the past, due to the older services having been phased out, but there is the extra hassle, time, and money involved of going downtown to and from these transfer hubs. A good example of this is the new Hongqiao railway station and airport hub. It is a common situation for trains and flights to get in late, and then the public transit has stopped running (usually after 9pm). What happens then is most local passengers just camp out overnight at the train station instead of taking an expensive taxi into the city.
The reality is that the development of inter-city and intra-city transport in the last five years or so has generally made things worse for the average Zhou. Despite superficial appearances of brand new transport hubs and bullet trains, things were actually more convenient in the past on a practical level.
Enter the motorcycle and the scooter.
Despite how some locals would regard these vehicles as a step backward, they are actually a step forward. A scooter, for example, takes you door-to-door and eliminates the hassle of going to a subway station, passing through security, changing lines, walking, etc. During rush hour, when the cars are at a standstill and throngs of people crowd the sidewalks, you can easily zip around and get to places on time.
In other words, you can be punctual in a city where everyone else is late or going to be late.
The money savings are also substantial. Rough calculations have shown I'm now ahead almost 50,000 RMB by consistently using scooters and motorbikes.
Are there risks involved? Absolutely. Like getting into an accident. You just don't allow it to happen, similar to how you don't allow your valuables to get lost or stolen.
You might say, well, what if you can't prevent an accident by the other guy or you can't prevent someone from stealing your wallet on the overcrowded subway.
If getting your wallet with the credit cards stolen or getting into a motor vehicle accident in China is the worst damn nightmare you could ever imagine happening to you in your life, then you would obviously see to it that those things don't happen. A year later, I'm still going strong baby! Haven't lost a single thing this year.
So on that note, protect your valuables, don't ride crowded public transit, and get on a scooter instead.
The potential of scooters and motorcycles to save both time and money cannot be stated enough here, given that it is by far the most convenient way to get around. This spring especially we have had the best weather for riding. It has hardly rained at all, and the temperatures are well above normal. Even with less than ideal weather conditions as in past years, the scooters and motorbikes still come out way ahead.
Shanghai suffers from a serious traffic congestion problem, and is getting worse and worse each year. It's not just actual road traffic that is bad, but there is the considerable 'human traffic' factor with overcrowded subways, buses, etc. Related to this is the fact that the subway system is not all that convenient to use, despite how it looks impressive from the maps and designs, etc. This is especially apparent at interchange stations, where the probability of missing the next train increases if you've just gotten off the previous one.
Locals know these things all too well, and that's why they immediately bolt for the doors and run, in order to increase the probability of catching the next train. Basically, everyone is either late or about to be late.
Another thing is that most of the new bus and train stations have been relocated to the suburbs. Not only do the trains and buses cost more than the past, due to the older services having been phased out, but there is the extra hassle, time, and money involved of going downtown to and from these transfer hubs. A good example of this is the new Hongqiao railway station and airport hub. It is a common situation for trains and flights to get in late, and then the public transit has stopped running (usually after 9pm). What happens then is most local passengers just camp out overnight at the train station instead of taking an expensive taxi into the city.
The reality is that the development of inter-city and intra-city transport in the last five years or so has generally made things worse for the average Zhou. Despite superficial appearances of brand new transport hubs and bullet trains, things were actually more convenient in the past on a practical level.
Enter the motorcycle and the scooter.
Despite how some locals would regard these vehicles as a step backward, they are actually a step forward. A scooter, for example, takes you door-to-door and eliminates the hassle of going to a subway station, passing through security, changing lines, walking, etc. During rush hour, when the cars are at a standstill and throngs of people crowd the sidewalks, you can easily zip around and get to places on time.
In other words, you can be punctual in a city where everyone else is late or going to be late.
The money savings are also substantial. Rough calculations have shown I'm now ahead almost 50,000 RMB by consistently using scooters and motorbikes.
Are there risks involved? Absolutely. Like getting into an accident. You just don't allow it to happen, similar to how you don't allow your valuables to get lost or stolen.
You might say, well, what if you can't prevent an accident by the other guy or you can't prevent someone from stealing your wallet on the overcrowded subway.
If getting your wallet with the credit cards stolen or getting into a motor vehicle accident in China is the worst damn nightmare you could ever imagine happening to you in your life, then you would obviously see to it that those things don't happen. A year later, I'm still going strong baby! Haven't lost a single thing this year.
So on that note, protect your valuables, don't ride crowded public transit, and get on a scooter instead.
End of Year Fast Approaching
Today's weather: High = 34 Low = 22
Sunny and hot
I'll say one thing for the recent bugaboo of things happening at once to deal with --- it makes the end of the school year approach at rocket-pace speed. The approach of June and then the end of the year, as always with a million things happening at once, is exactly like Einstein's time dilation theory. Time for me passes like a split second, whereas a few months may have actually passed for someone in a different frame of reference.
I've actually lost track of time when dealing with one attempt after another for various business items, never knowing if the task will actually be successfully completed or not.
Living in China and trying to get things done is like being a rat in the maze which is subjected to the classic behavioral psychology experiments of learned helplessness. In these experiments, the rat is given a task to accomplish, i.e. get some cheese. The rat is subjected to a random electric shock to simulate the outcome of failure while attempting to get the cheese. But sometimes, there is no shock, as a way of simulating success.
After enough trials, the rat eventually gives up, even if the shock is later turned off to simulate a 'guaranteed' success. The rat has gotten burned enough times to know better, and so he doesn't attempt the task even if there is indeed a chance of success. This learning to give up is what psychologists refer to as learned helplessness.
So it is with trying to accomplish errands in this country. After getting frustrated one time too many, I throw up my hands in the air and say what's the use of trying another time.
In my case, I still go ahead with actually running the errands and attempting to get the tasks done, but mentally I have given up. It's like going to the train station on a run to Suzhou to try and replace my drivers license, for example, knowing from the start that the whole trip is going to fail. Yet I do the thing anyway, and sure enough it fails.
Eventually after multiple attempts and backup attempts, I get lost in the quagmire of details and then lose track of what I'm actually trying to accomplish in the first place. Oh yeah, right, I forgot, I'm trying to replace a lost drivers license. Who would have ever though it could be so goddamn difficult.
So on that note, off I go to the train station tomorrow for another attempt.
At some point, I should succeed. Then there are other business items to be taken care of with a similar sort of dynamic going on. One thing is for sure, when everything is all done, it is going to be the end of June like the snap of a finger.
Sunny and hot
I'll say one thing for the recent bugaboo of things happening at once to deal with --- it makes the end of the school year approach at rocket-pace speed. The approach of June and then the end of the year, as always with a million things happening at once, is exactly like Einstein's time dilation theory. Time for me passes like a split second, whereas a few months may have actually passed for someone in a different frame of reference.
I've actually lost track of time when dealing with one attempt after another for various business items, never knowing if the task will actually be successfully completed or not.
Living in China and trying to get things done is like being a rat in the maze which is subjected to the classic behavioral psychology experiments of learned helplessness. In these experiments, the rat is given a task to accomplish, i.e. get some cheese. The rat is subjected to a random electric shock to simulate the outcome of failure while attempting to get the cheese. But sometimes, there is no shock, as a way of simulating success.
After enough trials, the rat eventually gives up, even if the shock is later turned off to simulate a 'guaranteed' success. The rat has gotten burned enough times to know better, and so he doesn't attempt the task even if there is indeed a chance of success. This learning to give up is what psychologists refer to as learned helplessness.
So it is with trying to accomplish errands in this country. After getting frustrated one time too many, I throw up my hands in the air and say what's the use of trying another time.
In my case, I still go ahead with actually running the errands and attempting to get the tasks done, but mentally I have given up. It's like going to the train station on a run to Suzhou to try and replace my drivers license, for example, knowing from the start that the whole trip is going to fail. Yet I do the thing anyway, and sure enough it fails.
Eventually after multiple attempts and backup attempts, I get lost in the quagmire of details and then lose track of what I'm actually trying to accomplish in the first place. Oh yeah, right, I forgot, I'm trying to replace a lost drivers license. Who would have ever though it could be so goddamn difficult.
So on that note, off I go to the train station tomorrow for another attempt.
At some point, I should succeed. Then there are other business items to be taken care of with a similar sort of dynamic going on. One thing is for sure, when everything is all done, it is going to be the end of June like the snap of a finger.
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