User profile: Tom69

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Forums > Study > Looking for a quiet place with free WIFI

Hi Chicha78, I agree with you, which is why I don't go to the French Cafe very often. Even when I do, the owner has never said hi to me so I'd much rather go to the Slice of Heaven where smoking is banned and the owner is very friendly and the atmosphere is relaxed and quiet.

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Forums > Living in Kunming > first of two things I can not stand living in kunming

@zhulaoye, I don't get the whole "must keep windows open all the time". A well known cafe/bakery owner here in Kunming had a thief scale up 8 floors to her window, which was open to steal something. Strange that he didn't fall to his death on the way up and while I wouldn't worry about robbers trying to break into a room many floors up, I have an allergy for cold - I am used to the tropics so in winter my windows are always completely closed for months and even so, I still feel cold inside due to the singled paned windows and no heating.

I need 5 blankets and a hot water bottle to keep me comfortable at night. I don't understand how local people here who constantly keep their windows open don't freeze to death, when temperatures at night fall down to the freezing mark. Anyway, not generally my problem, but it has been an issue when I've shared my apartment with Chinese roommates. I close the windows, they re-open them, I close them again...

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Forums > Travel Yunnan > Laos questions

Hard to say - essentially the only boat trips I am aware of include the Jinghong (Chiang Rung) to Chiang Saen (Thailand) trip, followed by the Huay Xai to Luang Prabang trips. Luang Prabang to Vientiane is rarely done by boat anymore, though I suppose that during the rainy season there might be some services.

As for the visa if you need one, if you catch the Jinghong-Chiang Saen service, you'll first end up in Thailand and can then purchase a Lao visa at Huay Xai (opposite Chiang Khong) on arrival. You could also get a Lao visa in Jinghong just in case.

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So does "internationalism" or "globalism", Alien. It produces the insanity that we have been seeing in many parts of the west, the USA in particular of screaming leftists who have become so insane as to threaten the life of the US president yet strangely haven't been arrested for attempted murder. Even the media takes part, in fact the media is a huge part of the problem and yes, it's completely biased and much of their reporting is fake, distorted inconsistent with the facts or omits the truth.

The Chinese form of nationalism that you are referring to may however also be somewhat exaggerated for effect and yes, ultra-nationalism, as many Chinese practice when there is a stir-up of nationalist sentiment in response to a "threat", particularly from the arch-nemisis nation of Japan or Vietnam, the Philippines etc. can get out of hand and sometimes results in innocent lives being lost when a riot starts, in addition to massive property destruction. The anti-Japanese riots of a few years ago, when Japanese cars, probably made in China and driven by Chinese citizens were destroyed is one example. Similarly, an anti-China protest last year I think in Vietnam resulted in a couple of lives lost and a large amount of property destruction at a Taiwanese owned factory. No mainland Chinese people owned any of the assets that were targeted nor were they amongst the victims of the rioting.

So perhaps the point I'd like to make is the best response is the middle ground.

True, the Chinese do drive relatively slowly and I find it's only in the cities, mainly bigger cities where drivers can be quite aggressive. Out of the highways it's a doodle though, especially compared to Thailand where you generally have higher traffic volumes and drivers who drive at much higher speeds.

@bluppfisk, the only way you can reach Hanoi in like 5 hours from Hekou is if the new expressway is currently finished and a bus service that takes this expressway is already in operation. Alternatively, you could take a private car or taxi, but that might be a little expensive unless you share with other travellers.

Currently the train to Hanoi takes around 8 hours and the road journey by car also took 8 hours on the old road, so probably 9-10 by bus.

As I have not heard anything to suggest that the whole expressway has opened to traffic yet (if it has, please provide a source) and only some sections near Hanoi have opened, my best guess is 6-7 hours using a combination of the old and the new road.

"In the future, the modern railway is expected enhance tourism and commerce in southern Yunnan and one day extend all the way to Hanoi."

umm excuse me there is already a railway from Lao Cai to Hanoi that has been in operation for decades. Please get your facts straight. The only "missing link" per se would be like a 3 km stretch from Hekou to Lao Cai by train, but that's no big deal as you can just walk across the border and then catch a taxi to the Lao Cai train station as is currently the case.

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