User profile: kc430

User info
  • Registered
  • VerifiedYes

Forum posts

0
Forums > Living in Kunming > Western Union

You asked for experience so I give you mine. I used Western Union to pay for my tuition at private language school in Kunming. My bank back in US where the funds originated closed my account without notice, and mailed me a check for the balance. I was without access to funds for two weeks and had to make multiple calls to my bank’s fraud unit.

Also had to get my school to write an affidavit showing the money was used to fund tuition at a legitimate educational instituition, direct them to my school’s website, etc. The bank explained that WU has a history of fraud in China, and my transfer tripped their fraud controls. Everything OK in the end, but I’m gun shy, haven’t used WU since. Glad for those who have used it without difficulty.

0
Forums > Food & Drink > Buffets w lots of vegies

There is a Buddhist restaurant on the shore at Lotus Park near Xue Fu Lu. Royal quantities of vegetables, and often people too. It’s popular since very inexpensive, less than 15 kuai as I recall, all you can eat. Lunch, dinner, no breakfast.

0
Forums > Living in Kunming > Bank of America and China Construction Bank

I use a debit card from Schwab Bank. No foreign transaction fee for ATM withdrawals and if the local bank charges a fee for the withdrawal, Schwab refunds it to me at the end of the month. I also requested and was granted a higher daily limit that allows me to withdraw 12,000rmb per day.

0
Forums > Living in Kunming > Metro lines today?

Don’t know if it’s related, but around June 1 my backpack was flagged at the subway security scanner for a knife, first time that’s happened. When they saw it was a Swiss Army knife they let me take it on through. I wouldn’t be surprised if eventually even that knife will become verboten, just like on airline carry-on and railway.

Classifieds

No results found.

Comments

Thank you for this info. Always on the lookout for inexpensive ways to get around in Shangri-La. Last time I used a local driver for a morning drop off at Shika Mt, with a pick up in the afternoon for 50rmb.

Next time I'll look into bus 12. I'm wanting to hike up rather than take the gondola ride at Shika, stay overnight at Consonance Lake (灵犀湖). I'll probably have to doge the gondola people, who kept telling me, you can't hike here, you can't hike there.

The Telegraph article was originally published in China Daily. Here is a link to the original article, "Where is Shangri-La?".

www.chinadaily.com.cn/[...]

The article has a 20 minute video of author Simon Chapman's quest to find the place which inspired HIlton's novel, Lost Horizon. Chapman's conclusion? Yading Nature Reserve in Sichuan, as written about before the area had that name, by Joseph Rock in National Geographic articles of the 1930s.

Question for bike campers: I've always wondered how you are supposed to obtain water on an overnight bike tour. Do you carry it from town or the last hostel? I'd be leery about using water from natural streams due to livestock, pollution, etc.

Last month my wife heard a news report on Chinese media. Government is encouraging (mandating?) that parks and tourist sites reduce entrance fees. Goal is to encourage more visitation in response to less travel in slowing economy. The price reductions are to take place all over China. Seems to be working. Starting a few weeks ago, the entrance fee to Black Dragon Pool was reduced to 50rmb.

Entrance fee has been reduced by 30%, down to 45rmb. Half that for seniors. Guards at entrance station emphasized to me that ticket is good for one day only. Don't know how strict they will be on that. Earlier this year I entered the gorge twice on the same ticket a week and a half apart. We shall see.

Reviews

No reviews yet