Sunday
12th July, 2020
Contacted
the tour operator for our Yangtse/Yangtze cruise saying I wasn't in
panic mode as yet but seeing as they were showing a timetable for
August but I couldn't get a health whatnot, was there any news.
Hardly
heartening. The cruise companies don't know and the latest Beijing
outbreak may ground them further. Quite why when Beijing is as far
from Yichang as London is from Madrid is beyond me. But hey ho.
It
was suggested I wait another week or two. Well I was always going to
wait another fortnight being the eternal optimist and having my heart
set on that bloody cruise. Of course this is me and my travel plans
we are talking about here. When the hell have they ever gone right?
So
I warned Joanna and said we needed a Plan C and that if it came to it
I would take her anywhere in China she wanted to go except Beijing
with the new outbreak and Tibet where I'm not allowed unless in an
authorised tour group.
I
have to give her credit, she suggested either Sanya on the island of
Hainan or Xiamen on the east coast. I've never been to either and
would love to see both. I checked out Sanya first because Yangmei
Lily lives there and it would be lovely to see her again. Bloody
hell. Flights alone Shanghai to there then to get to Chongqing would
cost almost £1,000! Then there's
the hotel and being a resort we are talking about maybe £700
for four nights in the quality of accommodation I go for. Hmmmm.
Then
I checked out Xiamen. Flights to there and onwards to Chongqing about
£600 and a Doubletree executive
room making it a grand in total – affordable. So Xiamen it will be.
That's if it will not be m/s Victoria Anna.
I suppose some readers may think less of me for insisting on flying up front in China whenever possible and that's understandable. How many of you have flown in China? If you have you should empathise. And yes, every flight I have booked or will book will be “up front” at probably quadruple economy prices and not just for the beer and wine in the air but avoiding the huge queues and seeking refuge in the lounges. I ain't going to go cheapskate on Joanna – would you after waiting ten years?
I suppose some readers may think less of me for insisting on flying up front in China whenever possible and that's understandable. How many of you have flown in China? If you have you should empathise. And yes, every flight I have booked or will book will be “up front” at probably quadruple economy prices and not just for the beer and wine in the air but avoiding the huge queues and seeking refuge in the lounges. I ain't going to go cheapskate on Joanna – would you after waiting ten years?
Have you thought of flying thro' another airport, like Guangzhou?
ReplyDeleteSanya is good ............ in a Chinese sort of way.
As soon as the tourists arrive they change (or buy) into tropical (ie. Hawaiian) shirts, then strut around saying "Hey, I'm a tourist. Rip me off".
Have fun. Enjoy!
Will Wood. F... F... F... Freezin' in Wgtn, NZ.
Will I'd still have to get from CAN to Sanya and the flights alone PVG-CAN-Sanya would be even more expensive at 1250 pounds. Anyway, I am informed that now there is nowhere at all to smoke inside the airport.
ReplyDeleteI am clinging to the hope the cruise will proceed but if not, Xiamen it will be.
As for the Hawaiian thing, I think just a big nose is enough for them to try and rip you off. That's the beauty of travelling with a native who will bargain to the death for you!