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Old 9 Nov 19, 06:37 AM  
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NeeNeeWong
Getting Excited
 
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Join Date: Mar 14
Beijing and HK Nov 2019 - Travel day

I didn’t think to write a blog until I plonked my butt down finally in the hotel! Therefore today is lacking photos, but it’s travel day so there isn’t much to show.

Yesterday we woke up at 5am, we had lots to do before we left and we thought it would make us feel more tired on the plane.

Managed to get everything done at home at 11:45 and set off to Heathrow. We arrived just after 12:30 and we had booked into the meet and greet so headed to the short stay car park. We have never done this before and usually park offsite but it was only £10 more expensive so we went for it. OMG - how easy is that! And you are right next to the terminal so no faffing around with buses. We were flying BA so from T5.

All checked in using the new self check in desks 1) check in 2) go to the bag drop station, scan your passport, place your bag on the scales, print your own tag and off it goes! 3) enjoy the lounge!

So off we went to the apsire lounge. We have the Amex gold card so we got in for free - yay! But it was RAMMED - boo! We quickly grabbed a seat as someone else was leaving and ate some of the offering available.
They have all sorts from salad and pasta to hot food (today was curry with rice or beef stew and mash - mostly vegetables with a hint of beef). It was okay, nothing to shout about and it was free so can’t complain.

We grabbed a scone to follow - no coffee as we needed the sleep! And chilled for 2 hours with our books.
At 3 our gate was called, I’ve never been long haul from Heathrow, but in T5 there are 3 sections. A, which is the hall you arrive in and flights depart from, and B&C, which you can either walk to - I think C was a 20 min walk or grab a “transit” which is like a short tube. We grabbed the transit and then waited around until 15:30 when they started boarding. Left on time at 16:15.

This was quick and easy, relatively empty flight so had the seat next to me free. I started to watch avengers when they came around with food about 1 1/2 hours into the flight. Choice was either Cantonese chicken or spinach pasta with marinara sauce. We opted for the chicken. Hands down the best plane food I’ve had! I didn’t take a photo as I didn’t think to but it kind of looked like this, just with Cantonese chicken.



Next up- a much needed power nap. I dozed in and out for the next few hours and then watched frozen. About 2 hours from landing breakfast came around. Again 2 options full English or frittata, we both went again for the same, full English. Didn’t enjoy this but at least it was edible. This looked exactly like the below (again image of internet)


By now it was 9am Beijing time. So stayed awake by watching end game until landing. we were landing at the new airport in Beijing. It was so quiet! We had filled out our landing card on the plane and we had got our China tourist visa 2 months before in London. On your way to the plane there is a section that splits off slightly with loads of machines, you scan your passport and then it takes your fingerprints and gives you a slip. You take this, your passport and landing card to the control. They again scan your finger prints and then you are off. I think we were off the plane and getting our bags in less than 10 mins.

Once we had grabbed our bags we headed towards the airport express. There are some machine right by the line to grab your card. A lady that was by the machines helped us, she could speak English but her handy little translator app did. 70cny for both and we were off. Nice seated train that went to Caoquin.

We knew we would be using the subway all week, so we wanted the yikatong card, which you can top up, like an octopus card. The lady didn’t speak English at the desk, but luckily I had screen shot what I wanted and gave her a 100cny bill, so she could put 30 on each card, you have to pay 20 for the card, which you get refunded when you return it. From here we jumped on line 10. And then changed to line 5. All very simple of you are used to London, busy like London at some stations too with lots of people trying to get on. But we managed with 2 big bags and no idea what we were doing! If not, there are plenty of maps and when you are on the train it shows you on the map with a light where you are. We scanned our cards on the way out 50cny - all of 50p for all of that travelling!

We got off at dengshikou, knowing our hotel was someone near. Turned right and there isn’t was! About 1 minute walk! We are at the park plaza Wangfujing. We got it through Expedia and paid £650 for 7 nights, we used some of our Expedia points for this.
Checked in at 1, they let us in early and that’s it so far.
Room is nice, too floor so can just see the top of forbidden city. Going to get our surrounding after a quick shower and then early to bed ready for tomorrow.

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Old 9 Nov 19, 07:56 AM  
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Melbatb
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Having just got back from HK, I am reading along with interest!

You had a good travel day and well done on negotiating the metro!
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Index of my trip reports
2016 Quebec - Kuala Lumpar - New York City 2017 Dubai - Eurocamps France - Ontario and Quebec - So-Cal 2018 Montreal - Bangkok - New England 2019 Argentina - Quebec City - Hong Kong - 2020 Switzerland 2022 Arizona - Costa Med Cruise - Oslo 2023 Hong Kong - Gothenburg
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Old 9 Nov 19, 11:02 AM  
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NeeNeeWong
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Getting Excited
 
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Join Date: Mar 14
I can’t wait to get to HK. We’re spending just over a week there, with 2 days of Disney planned.
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Old 9 Nov 19, 11:32 AM  
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NeeNeeWong
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Getting Excited
 
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Join Date: Mar 14
We wondered out in search of food. We headed towards Wangfujing street as we had heard about a snack market. Turns out it’s closed for renovations!

Instead we headed into apm, which is a large shopping mall. Inside is a place called grandmas, we had marked this place down as it had good reviews and not far from the hotel. We turned up at 3:50, starving and ready to eat. Again, no one could speak any English, so our translate app came in handy to work out what the sign was saying. We also then followed along with the crowd that had gathered outside. Not even 4 and this place already had a queue!

So the sign said to come back at 4 to get a queue number. So we waited around with everyone else and then dead on 4 the poor guy at the service desk got bombarded with people, I let Chris go tackle that. He came back with group A10. At grandmas they group you based on the size of the party. A1-2,B3-4,C5-8,D8+. You then get a number in that group and then get called up. So we were the 10th in line of the A group. Phew we thought.

Then at 16:30 they start to seat you (we hadn’t quite worked this bit out yet!) so at 16:30 this weird noise comes out like someone shouting out numbers but you have no idea what they are saying. So we just kept our eyes on the board and waited for it to get to A10.

As the restaurant is closed until 16:30 it sounds so funny when you are there and this number machine starts to blurt out numbers. It’s like a kid hitting all the buttons on their new toy but in a foreign language! We then handed over our A10 to get another number A35, again being little sheep we just followed everyone else in that got a number. Turns out that’s yours table number.

Luckily while waiting outside we noticed that everyone going up to get a table number also got a sheet of paper and a pencil. We grabbed one and turns out to be your ordering menu. Similar to dim sum in China town if you have ever been.

The dumplings were delicious, the beef not so great but we think “fat cow” is the fatty bits of the cow? It wasn’t horrible but a bit like kebab meat. The sweet and sour pork was good. We got the bill and it only came to 90yen - £10! So we definitely will be going back there again for a dinner as it’s close to the hotel.



Wondered back to the hotel along the main road, we knew we were next to the regent, which is lit up all blue so you can’t miss it.

Ready to pass out now for another exciting day tomorrow.
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