Author Topic: Chinese New Year  (Read 6993 times)

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David5o

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RE: Chinese New Year
« Reply #15 on: December 10, 2009, 08:08:08 pm »
Ted,

Yes, i quite agree i forgot all about mentioning the internal domestic flights and the price of hotel rooms during there holiday periods. Seems everyone jumps on band wagon when it comes to parting you from your cash, for no real reason, except that people seem to be willing to pay these high prices for exactly the same product/service!!!  ....What do they call it, ..''supply & demand'' ...think a better description would be daylight robbery!!  haha!!

David

Offline Martin

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RE: Chinese New Year
« Reply #16 on: December 10, 2009, 08:16:20 pm »
Ted mentioning the hotel prices was good.  Both times I have been to Guangzhou, there has been a big event going on in the city, that has brought in a lot of laowai.  First time was the Guangzhou Trade Fair...second time...I can't remember what was up.  Because I am not Chinese, the price for the hotel started to go up.  The same will happen at New Year like Ted said.  For those needing hotel accommodations, let your ladies get the room.  She will likely get a much better price for you.

Offline mustfocus

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RE: Chinese New Year
« Reply #17 on: December 10, 2009, 11:11:07 pm »
You know, for those of us who can't be there, we're going to expect a lot of stories and pictures during that time. :)
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Offline Sylvain D

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RE: Chinese New Year
« Reply #18 on: December 14, 2009, 04:31:59 pm »
Well, I just know I'll be in Gz on the 14th February (landing date), and the price for the flight was same as the one I paid in September, so, 550 € (about 804 $), (that is quite correct, I think :) )
If it is said that, on Chinese new year, each chinese families are "together", it seems that Lyian also wanted to be only with me, and she booked dates / holidays for that.
So... I just hope there will nothing to go "against" all of it..  
I also hope to meet some Brothers over there if possible :)
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Offline Willy The Londoner

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RE: Chinese New Year
« Reply #19 on: December 14, 2009, 10:43:46 pm »
It looks as if you wont be lonely in Guangzhou Sylvain

A lot of us are planning to meet up in Guangzhou later in the month of February.   Looks like the party may now be at Ted's and not mine.

Willy
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ttwjr32

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RE: Chinese New Year
« Reply #20 on: December 15, 2009, 01:25:32 am »
sounds like we might have a good turnout in febuary in guangzhou

Offline Sylvain D

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RE: Chinese New Year
« Reply #21 on: December 15, 2009, 04:50:58 am »
I'll see with Lyian how to proceed so that we can meet most of you :) maybe at the end of february, as we will go in Beijing on the 14th, then in Chengde. But date back to Gz is to determine :)
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Offline Voiceroveip

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RE: Chinese New Year
« Reply #22 on: December 20, 2009, 04:35:00 pm »
Quote from: 'Sylvain D' pid='25541' dateline='1260826319'

Well, I just know I'll be in Gz on the 14th February (landing date), and the price for the flight was same as the one I paid in September, so, 550 € (about 804 $), (that is quite correct, I think :) )
If it is said that, on Chinese new year, each chinese families are "together", it seems that Lyian also wanted to be only with me, and she booked dates / holidays for that.
So... I just hope there will nothing to go "against" all of it..  
I also hope to meet some Brothers over there if possible :)


I'm better this time ... Qatar Airways 520€ Paris/Doha/HK but leaving a week earlier (Feb 6th).

I'm flying this Thursday too, 836€ :s direct with Cathay Pacific ... but I booked it today, the cheapest was 700 something with China Southern, but I never got to finalize a booking.

All I can say is ouch!
« Last Edit: December 20, 2009, 04:36:33 pm by Voiceroveip »
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David5o

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RE: Chinese New Year
« Reply #23 on: December 20, 2009, 05:34:21 pm »
Just makes you wonder doesn't it, where the hell they get there prices from, at some of these airline!!!! Cathay has always been expensive, even on there so called special deals, same as Virgin Atlantic, which is a far cry from how the airline first started out!!

I'm going back some years now, but BA used to do a deal, 99 pounds one way to Hong Kong, this is when the normal price was somewhere in excess of 400 pounds, i think they called it a firecracker deal. It took two weeks to book your ticket and you flew on the 3rd week. I used that fare on about 3 seperate ocassions over the course of a couple of years. Now there is nothing like that available at BA.

Seems to be now, the up and coming airlines like Emerates and Qatar Airways are leading the way on low priced fares from Europe, and the National Carriers are quite content rolling along stitching past loyal customs up. Which seems very strange to me seeing as most of them are loseing money hand over foot, you think they would be doing there upmost to get bums on seats and filling there aircraft up on each and every flight!!! Nope, they'd rather cut there services or make you pay for services as if you were flying with a chartered airline...  

I'm probably luckier than most here, i can go when i want to, ie,...i'm not tied by annual holidays, or other work related restrictions. So if i see a flight at a very reasonable price i can book it and just go. And that's where you get the best deals, from what i can see these days. I never start looking for flights before 3 or 4 weeks from my preferred departure date.  Long gone are the days where you book months in advance to get the best prices on flights, though many seem to think this is still the case, ..... it definitly ISN'T!!!

Anyway, i've had my little rant now, so time for a coffee i think!! ...hahaha!!!!

David

Offline Voiceroveip

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RE: Chinese New Year
« Reply #24 on: December 20, 2009, 06:48:08 pm »
Correct analysis David, those airlines are a ripoff in general these days. Last time I took Swiss (precise service, comfy, good entertainment) for roughly 500€ booked well in advance. Mind you, there are over 200€ in taxes in that ticket, which I find awfully high ...

Lowest prices out of Paris are usually China Southern or Air China around 450€ but they don't motivate me :P. I experienced a nice near crash landing with China Southern on an internal flight, I think the pilot must have been used to landings on aircraft carriers hehe, cheapest I've seen on Cathay was about 150€ less than what I just paid, but then their service is top notch even in economy and it is a direct flight, just their schedule is a pain, loose half a day in HK, and return at 5:00am to Paris, no idea what I'll do with myself in Paris so early. Air France is priced  a bit higher and I have a severe allergy against them, I used them a lot for business (flew about 400K miles with them), I can't take that crappy Air Chance service anymore, and their seats are tiny in economy, business was always so so and I flew first once on a transatlantic, got bumped from business because of miles status ... if it wasn't for that very entertaining stewardess, I would have been disappointed by the experience, not worth the regular price.

Emirates is still high out of France, Qatar a bit lower, and I hear their service is great, I'll be sure to do a review in February. I kind of like the split flight duration as well and the fact that your seats get assigned right when you buy the ticket... at least not middle row. I always choose a window, I sleep like a log on planes and hate it when somebody wakes me to go to the John.

Maybe we should start an airline review thread rather than polluting here? :D
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Offline Martin

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RE: Chinese New Year
« Reply #25 on: January 22, 2010, 10:49:40 am »
I know I have said this before, but I wanted to remind everyone again, because this is important.  Chinese New year is coming up.  For many, you might not hear from your lady for the better part of a week, and maybe slightly longer.  The agencies will be closed, and the translators will be off to visit with their own families.

We went through this last year, with several wondering what had happened to their ladies.  It was a confusing time for some.  So please be prepared for this possibility.

A good idea might be to send a note to your translator asking how long they will be gone during the Spring Festival festivities.

Offline zook144

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RE: Chinese New Year
« Reply #26 on: January 22, 2010, 11:35:39 am »
Yes, Martin.  I have already been informed by the agency that they will be closed for Chinese New Year. Not sure for how long though. And Sha has told me she is already very busy with getting ready for the holiday and will talk with me "if she has time"!:-/  Tells you where I stand in the scheme of things, huh? haha  But guess its all good. One thing I did not know is that "Spring Festival" is the same as "Chinese New Year".  She kept telling me she was busy with Spring Festival and I was thinking.."huh? I thought it was Chinese New year".  But i guess after a little research its the same thing.
Good luck to all that are heading to China for the holiday.

Don
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Offline Oiler1

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RE: Chinese New Year
« Reply #27 on: January 22, 2010, 11:24:25 pm »
Quote from: 'zook144' pid='29045' dateline='1264178139'

Yes, Martin.  I have already been informed by the agency that they will be closed for Chinese New Year. Not sure for how long though. And Sha has told me she is already very busy with getting ready for the holiday and will talk with me "if she has time"!:-/  Tells you where I stand in the scheme of things, huh? haha  But guess its all good. One thing I did not know is that "Spring Festival" is the same as "Chinese New Year".  She kept telling me she was busy with Spring Festival and I was thinking.."huh? I thought it was Chinese New year".  But i guess after a little research its the same thing.
Good luck to all that are heading to China for the holiday.

Don


I knew that as soon as I started writing to the women. Why should they call it a Chinese New Year? Americans don't call their New Year a American New Year.

Anyways it may be fun  to be there but I was warned by experienced traveler to avoid that period if at all possible. In the most populous nation on earth, the place is every more crowded at this time.

Offline David E

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RE: Chinese New Year
« Reply #28 on: January 22, 2010, 11:42:30 pm »
Yes....for many "travellers" it is a good thing to avoid Chinese new Year.

If you dont want to be part of a seething mass of humanity who have all come home for the first time in 12 months to see their beloved families and are all in delightful holiday mood.

If you dont want to be part of a gigantic celebration that does not have drunks spewing all over the place and hoons pissing up every corner, and druggies everywhere.

If you cant handle hundreds and hundreds of folk that you meet, all wanting to say a word or two to a foreigner and share their happy time.

If you cant get swept up in so much innocent, violence free fun which is mega noisy but mega delighful.

If you prefer to be scared to go out celebrating because the muggers are all on duty during holidays, or the drunks will make sure you or your family are accosted at least once.

Then dont go to China at the New Year Festival.

But if you dont go, you have missed one of the most wonderful, exhilarating celebrations of family that you will ever experience.

DavidE

David5o

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RE: Chinese New Year
« Reply #29 on: January 23, 2010, 04:41:07 pm »
DavidE,

I agree wholeheartedly, ....I think everyone here should experience the Chinese New Year in China at least once in there lifetime. Preferably as part of a family or prospective family, and see what we in the West have never experienced. I think wonderful, exhilarating is an understatement, but it's a dammed good start ...lol!!!

David......