chengdu4me

Oh! You had to be ready for that!!! Welcome home !!!!!!

On both my trips to returning from Chengdu, my checked bags were transferred by Shanghai Airlines(CTU > PVG) to the United flight(PVG>ORD>XNA) for me. I never had to retrieve them and recheck them at either Shanghai or Chicago. The next time I saw them was at my final destination. Inbound, I checked my bags at XNA going to ORD and picked them up in HKG, transferred them myself to DragonAir to CTU I wondered why I didn't have to walk my luggage through customs exit in at PVG? It seemed strange to me, but I was happy I didn't have to!

When I was there and I returned on May 27th, everyone had to complete a Medical Disclosure form and give a contact name, address, and phone number. Without it, you weren't going anywhere. If you are staying in a hotel, then you needed at least the hotel name and address or phone number.

I checked one out up close when I was there...not bad...a bit flimsy..the brush guard on the front wouldn't do to guard against anything. I have no idea about reliability, etc. It was funny watching the driver try to drive like he was in a tiny car...He just couldn't fit anywhere he wanted to go!

They are buying the brand, but not buying the factory. It will continue to be owned by GM and GM will make the Hummer under contract for them, if I read the article correctly. Just speculation, but I would see them transferring all the technology to their plants in China. Then if the American Hummer doesn't show a profit for them, they can quickly start making them in China or just absorb the technology into their own line of products. If they don't own the plant here in America, they can drop it like a hot rock!

Last I heard...if someone on the aircraft with you is sick, they will quarantine everyone that was within three rows of them, and/or five seats to the sides... If you are sick, you are going straight to one of the 100 hospitals in China that are set up with isolation wards and you will stay there until you don't have any symptoms for three days and you have at least two negative screenings for AH1N1.

When I left on May 27, there were 7 officially reported cases. Seems like now days if you throw up on the doctor, you get TV coverage, round the clock care and roses when you feel better and are ready to leave the hospital. Every patient that recovered and left the hospital was given a press announcement; surrounded by staff doctors and nurses and well wishes. Premier Wen Jiabao even visited the girl in the hospital when she was sick..

There was one or two...frankly, I heard less coughing and sneezing passengers on these recent flights than I remember from other flights. Try this for rationale....get your ass to China! you'll be less exposed there than you will be here! Here is something else to consider. Influenza does not like warm weather. The warmer the weather, the less strength the virus has. I'm not a doctor so I can't explain why this is, but it seems to be true as that is what the WHO, CDC, EHA, EIEIO, are all saying. They say the migration of this influenza will head to the southern hemisphere since they are getting into winter now...

Heres a thought...my sweetie and I were discussing news coverage...personally, I think her view is naive and closed-minded, not to mention extremely biased towards her beloved motherland, but nonetheless, this is her take on Chinese vs. western media reports. "Chinese media must report accurately..they are monitored and controlled by the government. Western media is not controlled by anyone, so they can lie all they want". Needless to say, I was a bit shocked by this observation, but I let it go as 1. there isn't going to be any changing her mind; and 2. the argument would have been unproductive and would have taken days to complete given her extremely limited English...ever tried having a complex discussion using a pocket translator?

My take on the situation is this. If you know you are exposed to someone with the flu, then limit your travel and/or exposure to the general public for a week to see if you have it. If you haven't been exposed, then do what you want. There are approx 7,000 cases in the U.S. as of today. There are 300,000,000 people in the U.S. On the entire planet there are less than 14,000 cases and most of them have recovered. Your odds of catching it are 1 in 43,000. If you feel sick, on your way to the drug store for some Tylenol, stop by the store and pick up a lottery ticket! Yes, China is going above and beyond. They have to. The density of their cities demands it. You sneeze on a street corner waiting for the crossing light and 300 people get sick.

Ok...I just noticed your timeline and the reason you are going! It makes sense not to have a locked-in return date. I thought you were going for an extended period of time with an unknown return date sometime in the distant future. No need to register with the Consulate for a short trip. Only needed if you are going to live there. Good Luck! Bring her home with the PINK!

I don't think I would worry about it. His English was superb. I think it was just a slow day and they were bored. I would bet that the supervisor gave the lowly agent a hard time after I left for wasting his time. No one looks at your ticket coming in to the country. Just passport and visa. Of course, you will complete an entry form and Medical Disclosure form. Going over on a one-way ticket? How long will you be staying? It may make sense to purchase a round-trip ticket anyway with an open return date. Make sure you always have the funds immediately available for a hasty exit, even if its just to HK to get time to find an airplane ticket home at a reasonable price. Also...do yourself a big favor and let the Consulate know where you are staying and how you can be contacted.

So you were gone for almost 2 weeks and the hotel was not afraid of you passing swine flu? That is very good to know. My wife plans to go back to China in July, but her parents are worried about the flu. No one seemed to have the slightest concern. The streets, buses, stores, restaurants were packed. No one was wearing masks. No one avoided me because I was western...it really was a non-event! After seeing the news about the increase of cases here in at home, I was reluctant to get on the plane! HAHA

I said I'd try to get online and report what I went through as far as procedures when I arrived. We were so busy that we never got time to find an internet cafe....so....hopefully better late than never...so here is what I went through on my arrival. I arrived in HK on May 14. When we arrived, I expected to have at least my temperature checked or to go through thermal image screening, but that didn't happen. I got off the plane and went to through the domestic transfers area. Never left the secure area of the airport. Never went through customs. When I arrived in Chengdu, that is where the screening took place. I guess they are allowing everyone to get to their final destination before screening to keep the ability to trace you down on a local level. When the plane pulled into the gate, four medical teams workers came on the plane and took everyone's temperature with a thermal gun. Very quick, very efficient. I would guess that it didn't take more than five minutes and they were gone and we were allowed to get off the plane. We did have to complete a Medical Disclosure form that basically asked you were you've been for the past seven days and to give a name, address, and phone number of your contact and where you are staying. That was it as far a medical screening... On a side note, I was pulled aside after clearing customs and asked to wait and the man took my passport and walked away. Soon, he came back with what I assumed was a supervisor and they asked me why I had come to China four times in two years. They seemed very serious, but I was way to happy after getting off the plane as we are all aware of the euphoria of being able to walk again after being stuck on a plane for 25 hours and a serious answer just didn't seem appropriate to me, so in my usual smart-ass demeanor, my answer was " cute girls, cheap beer, and way too much free time!". The younger man looked shocked, but the supervisor gave me this puzzled look for about 20 seconds, then busted up laughing, handed me my passport and told that he hoped I enjoyed my visit to Chengdu! When leaving Chengdu on the 27th...nothing....change planes in Shanghai...nothing...arriving in Chicago...nothing... Happy to be home...unhappy that I am not still in Chengdu...next trip will be one-way! While in Chengdu, I don't think I saw more than a dozen people wearing masks. My hotel was very good about providing hand sanitizer in the room everyday and they made a very good point about if I was feeling ill that they had a private doctor on call to take care of any medical needs I may have during my stay. We stayed at the Honey Business Hotel. I highly recommend it. 158 RMB per night, king size bed, nice room with big shower. Excellent service and staff.

umm... do we really ? guess the millions of illegals living here and having familes for years and all the tourists/students @ business folks that come here then marry and AOS, missed your point . See Websters Dictionary....Look up the word guest and then look up the word intruder Notice any differences? Anyone that comes here on a tourist/student/business visa is a guest. We made the rules and they are just using them to their advantage. But, they followed the rules as they were laid out to them. My point was that anytime you are a guest in someone else's home or country, it is best and most polite to follow the rules...of course, that assumes that you are not a hypocrite and that you would like to be considered a respectable guest. But, I think you understood my point just fine...

The simplest answer is to follow the law. We are guests in their country. We expect guests in our country to follow our laws, don't we?

No, I hadn't....didn't know the flu had reached Chengdu....is he American? I sent you a PM

I headed there in two days... Arrive HK, then on to Chengdu. Leaving Chengdu on the 27th and returning via Shanghai....I'll try to get online and let you know what my arrival screening is...

Congratulations Robert! Come on home, Ting!

HAHA...the rest of them!

Plop her butt on the back of that bike and go 4 corner the CONUS! That ought to take care of the homesickies!

Good luck Robert and Ting. ....Robert..behave yourself!

Chengdu has motorcycles all over the place! and bicycles....and buses...I've been riding for 40 years...There ain't no way! Nope....not me!

Sometimes, coming up with an original idea is difficult, especially in areas that have been heavily researched...a good idea is a good idea..who's idea it is isn't important....the important thing is that you recognize it as a good idea...so goes the thinking in the world of plagiarism...

I have read that import tax is 37 - 47% of new value. If you're willing to pay that, then you can have it air freighted there. Many shippers to choose from. You will have to pick it up at the port and pay the tax and license fees, etc. before you move it. If...I were going to do something like this, I would contact the dealer in Shanghai and ask if they have a service that can handle this for you. I thought about taking my custom with me, but I think that it would be to difficult to maneuver in traffic and there isn't any other place to ride on any regular basis other than the city. Also, I wouldn't want to get in an accident in China. I think being a foreigner, I would get royally screwed whether it was my fault or not...