Tag: Wuhan
August Trip Summary
by Sean on Oct.03, 2009, under China
This summary will be broken down twice, once by location and another time by their totals.
Train to Guilin = 212rmb (paid for Lily) ($30.9)
Hostel in Guilin = 70rmb (paid for Lily) ($10.2)
Food in Guilin = 35.5rmb ($5.10)
Transportation in Guilin = 6rmb (buses/paid for Lily) ($0.80)
Activities in Guilin = 40rmb (die cai shan, paid for lily) ($5.80)
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Total for Guilin = 363.5rmb ($52.80)
Bus to Yangshuo = 30rmb (paid for Lily) ($4.37)
Hostel in Yangshuo = 70rmb (paid for Lily) ($10.2)
Food in Yangshuo = 55rmb ($8.02)
Transportation in Yangshuo = 5rmb ($0.72)
Activities in Yangshuo = 0rmb
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Total for Yangshuo = 160rmb ($23.31)
Train to Chengdu = 104rmb ($15.1)
Hostel in Chengdu = 60rmb (Melba paid for my first night) ($8.75)
Food in Chengdu = 62rmb ($9.05)
Activities in Chengdu = 100rmb ($14.59)
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Total for Chengdu = 326rmb ($47.49)
Bus to Emei Shan from Chengdu = 46rmb ($6.71)
Monastery in Emei Shan = 50rmb ($7.29)
Food in Emei Shan = 50rmb ($7.29)
Donation to Monastery = 30rmb ($4.37)
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Total for Emei Shan = 176rmb ($25.66)
Private Car to Leshan from Emei Shan = 30rmb ($4.37)
Activities in Leshan = 90rmb ($13.13)
Bus back to Chengdu = 45rmb ($6.56)
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Total for Leshan = 165rmb ($24.06)
Train to Xi’an = 209rmb ($30.51)
Hostel in Xi’an = 50rmb ($7.29)
Food in Xi’an = 101rmb ($14.74)
Activities in Xi’an = 155rmb ($22.62)
Transportation in Xi’an = 15rmb ($2.18)
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Total for Xi’an = 530rmb ($77.34)
Train to Beijing = 311rmb ($45.40)
Hostel in Beijing = 140rmb ($20.43)
Food in Beijing = 242rmb ($35.32)
Activities in Beijing = 100rmb ($14.59)
Transport in Beijing = 139rmb ($20.29)
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Total for Beijing = 932rmb ($136.03)
Train to Wuhan = 287 ($41.89)
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Total spent = 2939.5rmb ($428.58), My budget was 4500rmb ($656.93)
In the end, my friends paid for these things for me (thanks Alfred, Richard, and Melba!):
Hot Air Balloon = 480×2 (paid for Lily)
Black and White Panda = 1000
Red Panda (really a raccoon) = 100
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Look for my upcoming posts about Guilin, Yangshuo, Emei Shan, Leshan, Chengdu, Xi’an, and Beijing!
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Photo of the Day 9/18
by Sean on Sep.19, 2009, under China, Photos
Wuhan Total Eclipse 2009
Disclaimer: Sorry my photo is blurry, but it’s the best one I have.
The day everyone has been waiting for: a total solar eclipse. I can’t remember the last time I saw one, if ever. I just so happen to be living in an area of the world where it’s possible to see the complete solar eclipse from the balcony of my apartment, and I’m so grateful for the chance. My girlfriend and I wake around 5am for the event, having planned to meet her friend by the river. By the time we get outside, we realize there are over a hundred people in the garden of our building, and this spot will trump the spot by the river.
Most of the people here have been gearing up for the eclipse by buying 2rmb special glasses, which honestly do a MUCH better job than my $150 glasses from the States. A random Chinese woman approaches me and offers to let me use her glasses for a moment to see the difference. I realize I can use these glasses as a lens for my camera. It’s from then on I begin placing the lens behind these glasses, my sunglasses, and even my girlfriend’s glasses to form different colors and shades to make good pictures.
At some times it feels like we’re waiting forever, and others it seems like only second’s have past and the moon is covering the sun ever quickly. After an hour outside, the sun is finally being covered by the moon, and producing amazing shades of a variety of colors I couldn’t even begin to say (as I’m partially colorblind, I can’t recognize the colors, only appreciate them). Finally! The sun is gone, and we’re plunged into darkness. Then, the worst thing ever happens. The lights in the buildings around us are turned on, removing us from our brief encounter with the Dark Ages.
My girlfriend is amazed because she’s never experienced anything like it, and at some times feels a bit scared by the weirdness of it all. After 6-10 minutes, the sky returns to normal and the day goes on. We feel lucky for the chance to experience this thing that occurs only once, maybe twice a year, and in only one latitude line at a time.
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Eclipse 2009
by Sean on Jul.23, 2009, under China
I have to apologize now, as Picasa hasn’t been working for me for quite some time. As a result, I can’t post new pictures here unless it happens to be one that Picasa allows me to see. I’m really angry at this idea, but Picasa won’t let me see any of the eclipse pictures, so the best thing I can do for you is to give you a link and let you see it yourself by clicking here. 
So here is my story:
I was awoken at 6:45am by the rustling of my girlfriend. She promptly woke up and began getting ready as if she were planning to go out. Around 7:30, I ask her what the hell she’s doing, especially since I’m the one normally awake at that time, and many hours before her. She replied, “You forgot, didn’t you? This morning is the eclipse!” The night before we partied a bit, so I was still a bit slow. I said, “oh yeah,” and got out of bed.
My girlfriend has never seen an eclipse before, let alone a total solar eclipse. I guess it’s just my luck that we had the opportunity to see such an amazing event and didn’t have to leave the park in front of our building! As it approached 8am, we began to see hundreds of people swarm in the parking lot and in front of the building. For the last week, people had been selling special glasses for 4rmb ($0.65) to watch the eclipse, but I didn’t buy them because I thought my $150 sunglasses would be much better. To my dissatisfaction, a Chinese woman nearby approached us and began talking. She shared the 4rmb glasses with us, and I began using it as a filter for my camera.
After that, I realized the best way to get amazing pictures was to use my sunglasses on top of Lily’s sunglasses, and then my camera behind them both. You can tell the difference between no filter, one filter, and two filters just by looking at my pictures. From then on, my pictures were much clearer and precise. The sky became increasingly dark, making the air a bit cool and weird. There is an ancient Chinese story which says eclipses are the result of a dog trying to eat the sun. I don’t quite understand the meaning, but it makes eclipses out to be the bad guy. I used this to my advantage by making ghost sounds and other things to scare Lily.
As the moon approached the sun and eventually cut off all light, the entire sky became pitch black. I know it’s a once in a lifetime experience, but I just didn’t feel like it was amazing. I took the pictures and did what I could to make my girlfriend enjoy the experience, but it just felt like another day. After the moon passed over the sun, I saw on the opposite side of the building there were amazing patterns in the sky. I rushed back to my apartment, only to find the sky had returned to normal. The eclipse was over. I cursed myself for not staying out there and taking pictures as the moon finally allowed the sun to send light to us once again.
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Photo of the Day 6/8
by Sean on Jun.08, 2009, under China, Photos
Yangtze River in Wuhan, China
When I took this photo, I was standing atop a huge tower which overlooks the Yangtze River. To get here, you must pay 60rmb ($8.50) and walk a lot. The walk up the “mountain” to reach the tower is steep, but the scenery here is a nice change from the city that surrounds it. The tower gives you a 360 degree look at all three former cities Wuchang, Hankou, and Hanyang, which grew into each other to form Wuhan.
The Yangtze River has been extremely important to China for as long as people have lived here. The presence of a water source means those traveling (nomads/settlers) can survive. For this reason, you’ll find settlements and modern cities around the world that developed on or near a river or lake. Today, the river is heavily polluted and is about 50% biologically dead. Looking at it up close, it smells terrible and looks worse. Still, it’s a huge tourist destination and river cruises are in high demand.
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Biking in Action
by Sean on Jun.06, 2009, under China
Update on the bike rental system: As a result of too many applications and not enough bikes, they’re rolling out about 60 more rental stations and another 2,000 bikes within the next month. New applications for IDs will begin on June 10th, 2009.
After waiting almost a month for my bike ID to be ready, I wasted no time renting a bike. The first problem I encountered was that my girlfriend had no idea how to ride one. I talked her into riding bikes with me after promising to teach her. We went down to the rental station and got bikes. The rental process involves handing your ID to the worker, who then writes down the ID number on the sign out sheet. They scan your ID to enter it into the system that you will be renting a bike. They then go and fetch a bike, and quickly show you how to lock and unlock it.
For the first hour I taught my girlfriend how to ride the bike.Within a few minutes, we were off. Except not, because my girlfriend still didn’t know how to ride a bike. So we slowly walked our bikes to the back of my apartment building where no one could possibly see her goof up and maybe fall flat on her face. Sadly, for all of our amusement, that didn’t happen. For the next hour, I pushed her to try and try again. She was amazed at how simple I made it look, to which I explained I had been riding since I was 3 or 4, the normal age for a Westerner to begin. On a side note, like most Chinese people, she can’t swim either.
After the first hour was over, I had her riding circles around the building like a pro, and we took off to the main road. We road east down Wu Luo Lu to a shopping area called Ya Mao. Every few minutes, she would get scared of being too close to a bus, or of pedestrians, and she would get off the bike. As this was her first time riding, it took her a considerable amount of time to get the courage to jump back on the bike and pedal. This turned out to be quite a waste of time, but I can’t get mad at a girl trying really hard to learn! We turned right at Ya Mao onto Shi Pai Ling Lu, where we stopped for 2rmb ($0.15) worth of spicy potato wedges. After being stared at by locals, and even approached about the bikes we had by an older woman, we hopped on the bikes and headed towards Xiong Chu Da Dao.
At this road, we turned right to head back in the direction towards my apartment, thus forming a rectangular path. As we turned onto Ding Zi Qiao Lu, the last leg of our journey through the city, Lily hit a huge wire cemented into the ground that’s meant to hold up a power line. She fell off the bike, but I held back the laughter for fear of death stares. It was pretty hilarious since I saw the wire and saw it happen, but didn’t say anything because I thought she saw it too. After two hours of teaching her and finally riding, we returned the bikes. Exhausted and sunburnt, we collapsed on the couch of my apartment having been fully satisfied with the experience. Well, I can’t say she was satisfied with falling off a lot, but I was satisfied with watching it happen! I’m bad, I know.
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