User profile: blobbles

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Forums > Living in Kunming > Notary able to authenticate foreign passports

Am after a notary office that is able to authenticate a copy of a foreign passport. Basically I need to send a copy of my passport to the Chinese Embassy in my country in order for them to authenticate a document. They asked me to send my original passport, but after I told them that Chinese law I must keep my passport on me and that they were asking me to break their own law, they said I can send an authenticated copy instead.

Seems mad. I need to authenticate a document in order to authenticate another document in order for me to authenticate a third document in China. When does the insanity end?

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Forums > Living in Kunming > Buying an affordable US-compatible smart phone in Kunming

"There are no "Android" phones in mainland China. They must remove the google app store, and add spyware required by the central government."

Its still Android, its just their version of it. Android is OPEN SOURCE, meaning anyone can basically get the code and modify it to whatever requirements they want. That INCLUDES us users however, so, without too much effort, you can download and flash the OS to an OS from another country. The longest part of the process is downloading the files required to do it and reading up how not to brick your phone. But the 1000's of articles on the web about how to do it safely and the support provided on public forums makes it pretty damn simple. Seriously it took me a few hours of reading, a couple hours of downloading, about 10 minutes of rooting/copying/flashing and I had a stock US phone. Easy.

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Forums > Living in Kunming > Buying an affordable US-compatible smart phone in Kunming

"There are no "Android" phones in mainland China. They must remove the google app store, and add spyware required by the central government."

Its still Android, its just their version of it. Android is OPEN SOURCE, meaning anyone can basically get the code and modify it to whatever requirements they want. That INCLUDES us users however, so, without too much effort, you can download and flash the OS to an OS from another country. The longest part of the process is downloading the files required to do it and reading up how not to brick your phone. But the 1000's of articles on the web about how to do it safely and the support provided on public forums makes it pretty damn simple. Seriously it took me a few hours of reading, a couple hours of downloading, about 10 minutes of rooting/copying/flashing and I had a stock US phone. Easy.

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Forums > Living in Kunming > Buying an affordable US-compatible smart phone in Kunming

Note that with all phone purchases (pretty much), there is no such thing as an international warranty. If you buy one here, take it to some other country, then it breaks in the warranty period, you have to bring it back to China for service. Bummer, I know.

Also note that iPhones purchased in China are registered on the app store using the persons ID card number (not sure how they do it for foreigners here, maybe passport number? Can anyone else chime in?). In the USA and other countries (I believe) you register using a name/email address/credit card. This fundamental difference will probably mean you have to change your Apple ID when you go back to the US. I don't know how to do this though as I am an Android user. This information is coming from my girlfriend who we bought an iPhone for 3 months ago and this is what she was told by the person in the Shanghai Apple store, so its probably quite reliable.

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Let me take a guess:

Corrupt man assumes control of vast fortune. Man converts a great deal of the fortune to easily transportable assets (diamonds etc) and/or transfers money to foreign accounts in countries with zero corruption laws and/or launders said money through dodgy means. Man leaves country. Man pays foreign official to create identity with a tiny portion of said assets. Man can go anywhere without ramifications.

Only occurred about 1000 times before in China...

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If you:
1. Are an experienced kayaker/boaty
2. Are adventurous and in good shape (actively exercise, have stamina)
3. Would like a more free exploring experience

4. Have a decent phone with GPS that you can put markers on, know how to use and can waterproof

Then I recommend the following:

Catch the ferry to Cat Ba.

Stay on Cat Ba island in pretty much luxury
Go to the back of Cat Ba island early morning with a packed lunch and other energy goodies.
Rent a sea kayak (they have pretty decent ones for rent and rent for a whole day).
Go forth and explore.

You can see so much, up close and personal and can decide where you want to go and when. I spent 2 days doing this, going through caves to hidden grottoes, landing on amazing beaches, looking around the local water peoples villages... was gobsmackingly amazing and didn't have any tourist shite. Seriously recommend.

Reviews

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Wow, just wow. Possibly the best Chinese food I have had in Kunming. And in one of the nicest, traditional courtyard style restaurant I have been in. A woman dressed in traditional qi pao playing a gu zheng just adds to it.

We had okra, mushroom soup, dried beef and chou dofu. All top notch with the bill coming in at just over 250 kuai. But we could have fed 3 people for that so not too bad at about 80-90 kuai each. Not the cheapest but for the quality, it's damn good.

If you have people visiting and want to take them to a traditional Chinese style restaurant with Yunnan style food, or want a romantic night out with a gal, you can't go wrong here. Close to Green Lake (down a little alley) for a romantic walk... Just perfect.

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Pretty good place for getting all your documents translated and/or notarised. Note that there are a number of notaries in the building which you can find by going up the stairs (the elevators are impossible). But you have to find the stairs to do so... go in the door, head over to the right, go up the big wide stairs which head up a floor, turn right then right again into the elevator area and right again into the stairwells. Whew!

One point off for the elevators never being available and having to hike 7-9 flights of stairs (not good if you have to go 3-4 times a day like I often did!)

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This does not stop at the Jinanya hotel at Da Shang Hui as the flyers state (and is on the images tab here). They need to have another stop in the same area or else they are missing out on covering a big chunk of the city.

You can take another bus, the 919C, I believe, if you are nearby Da Shang Hui, which leaves from the bus station on HeHong Lu, nearby the Qianxing road intersection. This bus goes every hour and is white, found at the western end of the station. It is operated by a different company and takes about 1 hour 10 minutes to get to the airport due to a large number of stops especially near the airport.

Great bus though if you can catch it!

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Friendly people, even got to the talk to the vice consulate, who told me she had done a stint in Malaysia's Siberian Consulate!

English is spoken by some of the Chinese girls working at the desk who are pleasant to deal with. I assume they do Visa's as well but I wasn't here for a visa, this time!