Category Archives: Travel

Travels across the world…

Asia, China

YanTai (I) what a cool hotel…location

YanTai – 烟台

Before talking about YanTai we have to get there… At the morning I was still in QingDao. And I got up a bit “late”, comparing to my previous days: At 8am only. That was partly due to a longer evening in the hostel’s bar. As I had done my homework already in the evening at the SPR Coffee I could upon returning to the hostel just grab a beer and join some other backpackers at the large table. I was probably the one with the best Chinese knowledge, and my LaoShan experience on that very day could even serve a Spanish, who wanted to do the trip today. (Although I doubt he did…when I finally left the hostel he was still nibbling his breakfast-fruit-salat, at a time I was already well under way to LaoShan the day before.) But all other people, 3 different groups in total, where all at the end of their multi-month-long travel. One UK couple travelled no less than 16 months in one go! Now guys, no complains any longer about my 3 months, please! 😉 Continue reading YanTai (I) what a cool hotel…location →

Asia, China

QingDao (III) Lao Shan

Update 30-DEC-2007: I found a way of transferring pictures from my mobile phone to my laptop…sending them via EMail, which is possible in my Vodafone home network in Germany. I did make 4 photos with my mobile phone on the mountain, hoping to find some kind of way of accessing them somewhen later (camera has no memory card). No great quality and 640×480 only, but better than no pics at all. The assigned timestamps are correct, the mobile phone did not add EXIF data, but stored the timestamp in its directory data. I put the four photos into the article below, timestamps between QD_20070605_094800 and 105300.

Lao Shan – 崂山

Can you believe it? I forgot my camera today! Continue reading QingDao (III) Lao Shan →

Asia, China

QingDao (II) The nice places

I survived the night OK. The bed is hard as wood as usual in China, but I like it that way. The first 2 people got up early, around 6, likely to catch some bus or train as they were taking all their belongings with them. They tried hard to make as little noise as possible. I got only annoying once the German got a phone call at 7 in the morning and had no issue with talking normal voice for some 10 – 15 minutes. As he spoke German I was even forced to understand. He is still unaware that I am German, too, but I doubt that would have made any difference. Afterwards I decided I could not sleep any longer and got up. Hence, fairly early for my habits at 07:30 or so. Has the advantage of having more time for sightseeing. Continue reading QingDao (II) The nice places →

Asia

FAQ

For those not familiar with computer terms: FAQ stands for “Frequently Asked Questions”, a collections of questions often asked about certain topics like how to use software or hardware. And ideally accompanied by an answer. Then sometimes also called Q&A, meaning “Questions & Answers”. I selected FAQ for good reasons: I don’t always have answers to some of those questions I have often been asked in the recent weeks. Let me try it anyway: Continue reading FAQ →

Asia, China

Preparations coming to a close…trying Tibet

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My last days in Shanghai are slowly passing by. The last Chinese lession is done by running over my travel plans and teaching me place names and other useful vocabulary for on-the-road-use. I will miss the lessons… I ordered my flight ticket to QingDao (Sunday noon with China Eastern), which appeared to be an e-ticket, though I wanted to have a paper ticket. Well, is said to work great, so I don’t worry. I also have a reservation for a Youth Hostel in QingDao. Continue reading Preparations coming to a close…trying Tibet →

Asia, China

Cultural Revolution

I was dropping by my local FamilyMart store for some cool drink in the upcoming Shanghai heat, queued up in front of the cash registers to wait for my turn, and was surely passed by some local Chinese with a small bottle and 3 Yuan in his hands, trying to short-cut me and being served first, holding his bottle to the shop assistant for scanning. Well…I am so used to it by now that I didn’t bother much. I was only thinking if I could collect enough Chinese words to give that guy some kind of address to think about on his way… I couldn’t come up with anything.

Continue reading Cultural Revolution →

Asia, China

CDMA modem: Truely wireless with China Unicom

Today I finally bought a CDMA card. WLAN is great, but you require a WiFi hotspot, which can be cumbersome to chase if you are on travel. With CDMA, a mobile phone technology, you can dial into the internet whenever and wherever you want! China Unicom offers CDMA services in China for quite some while and is said to have the world’s largest CDMA network, including alliances with other country’s telecommunication providers. Not sure if that allows me to roam into other countries, probably not, and at the moment I am quite happy that it works for China. Continue reading CDMA modem: Truely wireless with China Unicom →