Looks like everyones Friday night end of the week rage venting dreams have come true!
No ones apologising nnoble, not sure why you are claiming they are. I also said Gaoxing was "chasing tail", which he was/is by his own admission. At no point did I accuse him of rape.
Dazzer, the important point I believe is the attempt. Thank god he wasn't successful, but on another day he might have been. This bad behaviour reflects badly on lao wai in China because we are stereotyped into one group by many Chinese. Again, unfortunate, but true.
Harriis, who castigates only foreigners? We can (and by the looks of the responses here) castigate anyone we want. No one stated we were castigating only foreigners, I came the closest by saying that when foreigners did something bad, it unfortunately is bad for all of us as the responses to the video show we are all one big group according to many Chinese. As such we should discourage any behaviour of that type in the extreme to other foreigners... to make living in China as easy as possible for us as lao wai. I will castigate anyone however that attempts rape, no matter colour/creed/religion or hairstyle.
Thanks roberto's friend, I think my girlfriends family are slowly understanding, but takes time to bring down years of misunderstanding/ignorance/prejudice. The interesting thing is my girlfriend says here family are very forward thinking and not conservative! There must be some seriously bad impressions out there of foreigners...
Rik, I think we agree in principle on everything except how to change the opinions of stereotyping Chinese people who group lao wai into one group. I think using a collective approach would work best in China (hence my desire to see fellow lao wai pour scorn on the guys actions hopefully making future lao wai visitors to China with a similar attitude think twice), if you believe another way will work, that is your choice. The other thing - please stop misquoting me. Twice you have said "And if they are, you should put them in their place, not apologize or call for harsher punishments for non Chinese." I did not apologize or call for harsher punishments for non Chinese. Putting words in my mouth makes you look silly as it spawns comments on statements that were never made (nnoble's) and makes the argument more extreme and hence opinion more polarised.


Getting Away: Luang Prabang
发布者Luang Prabang is one of my favourite places in Asia. Laid back locals, cheap, great scenery, good architecture, a few really nice local sights... what more can you ask for. Perfect romantic getaway...
2012: Three game-changers for Kunming
发布者Political achievement or not, Kunming must be one of the only cities in the world that is getting an MTR before it is drastically needed. And poor quality shade trees? I aren't too sure where you are looking but they seem fine to me...
Wether or not they are corrupt, the projects benefit the people first it seems. Unlike other places where projects would be populist or for the elites only...
2012: Three game-changers for Kunming
发布者I suspect the car ownership face thing will continue the increase of cars in the city. The government will eventually start tolling people through high parking charges and the like to discourage it, it won't happen overnight but it will happen just as it has in *insert name of any big city in the world*.
I think Kunming will be an interesting case for the subway vs face value of cars. Kunmings streets aren't really that congested (have you been to Malaysia/Jakarta?) and the majority of workers don't appear to have cars yet. To be honest, I think the subway here is coming in before its really needed. It will be VERY interesting to see if the middle classes that have been aspiring to own a car will continue to aspire to stupidity when most of the subway system kicks in, i.e. once they realise that a car is not needed, is a hassle and a waste of money. One thing I know about Chinese is they are mostly financially savvy, which means they think about where to put there money more. They also care less about personal space than us so a squashed subway is less of a problem. And when they realise they can get from one end of Beijing Lu to the other in 10-15 minutes on the subway or 40 minutes in a car...
Regardless, the majority of the population here has never used an MTR system before, so the first few months of operation will be filled with hilarity I am sure!
I am almost sure the local govt will put a good bus route through to the new airport. Thats the way I will get there, probably by taking a taxi to the last bus stop in the city and then catching it to the airport. Might cost 2 kuai but its better than the 40-50 default charge that most taxis will probably quote...
Kunming planning on adding more taxis soon
发布者"If suddenly there are many more competitors, everybody will have a difficult time surviving," he added. "Furthermore, in two years, after the subway is operational, the number of people taking taxis will suddenly drop. Then what do we do?"
This is such a common complaint of so many taxi drivers and completely unfoundered. You go to any big city that has a subway (think HK, NY, Singapore, Rome....) and you see taxis everywhere. What taxi drivers don't realise is the subway means its less likely people own cars (even with their face value). But subways don't go everywhere so you often need to take a taxi to the out of the way place you are trying to get to after getting off the subway.
Subways are actually good for taxis, it causes more short trips more often for drivers, which with a flag fall fee means more revenue.
Cycling from Kunming to Lüchun
发布者Its finished??? I look back on it so fondly now, almost being killed by boulders or asphyxiation from the dust. Its a shame other cycle tourists won't get to experience the same exhilaration and breath taking air? Camping in the middle of it was...interesting as well. Ahh well, like all things in China change is inevitable.
Looks like you got the same as me when you went through omgiri! If you are guys are still around we should go for a ride sometime. My usual ride of up and down Changchong Shan is becoming rutted, I think mainly from me!