flip'n travels

WARNING: NOT FOR THOSE WITH WEAK STOMACH

Growing up in the Philippines made my guts strong as leather. My early memories of my balut eating days is as vivid as and LED screen (Balut is a boiled duck embryo). My mom has to cover my eyes while I ingest the helpless unborn little tweety bird inside. I hated those nights. but I grew up, and it became a staple beer match and it’s one of my secret weapon to induce an instant hypertension to my enemies (hahaha kiddin).

I was also trained to eat chicken, not just its meat but every single part of it. I went through a phase when these delicacies became part of my daily snack menu. Grilled heart, lungs, spleen, liver, and intestine kebab (isaw). I ate this poor creatures entire anatomy, Literally head (helmet) to feet (adidas), I  used to love the helmet because of the rich smoked flavored brain and the feet for it’s barbecued sticky skin and ligaments. And oh! The pig blood stew (Dinuguan) is also my favorite even up to now.

I thought Filipino cuisine is the most bizarre in Asia, well I guess our neighbors got their own share of this unusual taste and gastronomic eccentricity.

After my momentous (tiring) walk on the great wall, we went back to Beijing. Since Marlena and Justin were both lone travelers just like me, we decided to reconvene at the hostel after 2 hours of rest. We thought of going around the city on a late night walk. After days of popular Chinese dinners it actually became boring. So we decided to go on a little food tripping, and we all uttered the same food destination–WANGFUJING

I once told by a Chinese friend that Chinese eat everything that flies, except airplanes; everything with four legs, except tables; and everything that swims, except submarines  -  and visitors to Beijing’s fast-food market will be left in no doubt of that.

A stroll along the food stalls of Wangfujing Snack Street, not far from Tiananmen Square, reveals delicacies of every conceivable kind. The side street was filled with foreign tourists and I can smell someone will get ripped with the food prices. I intentionally joined Marlena and Justin so that I can take some photos of this exotic attraction. But Marlena was so adamant that we should try everything! That’s when my tummy hardened, as stiff as a board. I was a bit worried, because anything with more than four legs freaks me out. Two meters away from the street food stalls, I can see all sorts of creatures on bamboo skewers.

Oh no! beetles, worms, seahorses, snakes and various arthropods like crickets, roaches and (gulp) scorpions.

It made me step back a little but Marlena suggested that we should try it. Justin refused with a solid “HELL NO!” while I softly uttered “hoh my god!” I wanted to pull a ninja disappearing act from the scene and just go home without them knowing. But Marlena’s enthusiasm and bravery made me feel ashamed of my so called “machismo” (don’t argue!). So Justin and I had no choice but to grow some balls.

After trying to devour a chewy, skin-y, slimy grilled snake skin, we moved to the next in line and tried several others. Some of them are OK some are not so convincing. We paid a hefty tourist price of 8 to 15 Yuans per stick, but I know from the get-go that we weren’t paying for the taste but for the experience so I didn’t complain.

Scorpions are some of the creatures I dreaded ever since I was a child, I squirm by merely picturing them on my head. In our clan, we all have a non-negotiable fear of anything with 8 legs. Scorpions, being a member of the arachnid family is of no difference with their tarantula cousins. So never in my wildest dreams did I even perceived that I will be sinking my teeth on these creepy crawlers.

But as they all say: In China everything is possible. And so I did.

My tummy literally trembled like it is about to pass enormous amount of gas enough to obliterate half of the crowd of Wangfujing, and I felt a bit dizzy while I was holding the stick. I took a deep breath, ready to shout “here goes nothing!”, closed my eyes as I bit off the legs first, and it felt like cockroach’s legs in your mouth, half chewed and I swallowed it quickly. Then I saw the sting at the end of the tail and it’s still intact. I was so scared of getting sick because of the venom. So I tried cutting it off before eating the whole scorpion. That’s when I pricked my finger with its sting… GREAT!

I didn’t want to let the crunchy leg segments of the insect linger in my mouth, so I tried swallowing it as fast as I could. So don’t ask me what it tastes like because I quickly chewed the whole thing while chanting the words “Think Shrimp! Think Shrimp! Think Shrimp…” before totally swallowing it.

Whew! I survived!

It wasn’t bad, neither it was good. I find it hard to say it was yummy when I was picking morsels of what seemed like cockroach legs in between my teeth. Wangfujing also offers a selection of snacks for those who are not so adventurous like chicken gizzards, octopus tentacles, sea urchins and candied fruit deserts which I, by the way, personally don’t recommend, because the scorpions are more edible than those.

Visiting Beijing could be a once in a lifetime experience for me, so why should play safe? I am glad I went for this Fear Factor-ish adventure, I did it and followed the Flip’n Travels Creed #1.

Few minutes away from Qianmen square via subway is the Olympic green. Right after Beijing’s event of the century in 2008, this became second most popular destination following the Great Wall. During the time of the Olympic events, we were in Hong Kong and pretending to attend the Olympics even though the only event in HK then was Equestrian. So when I got this chance to visit Beijing, I made sure to check out and see the actual event venue in flesh.

It was reported that total spending on the games was “generally as much as that of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games”, which was about 15 billion US dollars. Other sources, however, estimated that approximately $40 billion had been spent on the Games, which would make it the most expensive Olympic Games by a wide margin.

Thanks to the 2008 Olympics, the transportation system is way better now as compared to how it was before. Beijing’s transportation infrastructure was expanded significantly to prepare for Olympic visitors. Beijing’s airport underwent a major renovation with the addition of the new Terminal 3, the world’s largest airport terminal, designed by renowned architect Norman Foster.

Within the city itself, Beijing’s subway doubled its capacity and overall size, adding an additional 7 lines and 80 stations to the previously existing 4 lines and 64 stations. Included in this expansion was a new link connecting directly to the city’s airport. Also, a fleet of thousands of buses, minibuses and official cars transported spectators, athletes and officials between venues. After the event, these are still being used commercially.

The subway fare is RMB2 no matter how far your destination will be. This is something I didn’t know so on my way to the Olympic green, I was paying 2 yuans every time there’s an interchange.  tsk tsk tsk.

Upon ascending from the subway, a huge open field and strong freezing wind welcomed me. I started walking and the sight of the bird’s nest shut me quiet. The centrepiece of the 2008 Summer Olympics was the Beijing National Stadium, nicknamed “The Bird’s Nest” because of its nest-like skeletal structure. The stadium hosted both the opening and closing ceremonies as well as the athletics competition. Construction of the venue began on December 24, 2003 and cost US$423 million, just so you know.

I asked one of the guards to take a picture of me, mind you, I put it on auto but he insisted using manual.

There were crowds of tourist that time, but because of the vast open air, the place was still muffled quiet. I thought it was the perfect time to walk around and waste time lulling around while waiting for the spectacular night lights of the infamous structures. I sat down and started opening a book when someone poked me from behind as it almost made me jump-off the bench. A lady selling me key chains and glass replica of the stadium, which I eventually regretted buying because it was an additional 2.5 kg on my backpack.

And because I get easily convinced by charm, I also bought a couple of Olympic souvenir key chain at 20 RMB. Pretty much a good buy considering the quality of the product and Monette and I were long been looking for it. Until another one came selling me the same keychain at 15 RMB. After which another vendor sold it to me at 20 RMB for two. That’s it, I got ripped, FINE! Then another guy approached me and gave the key chains at 5 RMB. I got a total of 15 pieces all in all and I bought them at different amounts.

The National Aquatics Center or the “water cube” (which is actually a cuboid not a cube [NERD!]) is the largest ETFE structure in the world. The entire structure is covered with water bubbles made with ETFE or Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene, also known as Polymer or Plastics.

FACTS: This structure witnessed the launching of the newly introduced faster Speedo LZR Racer swim suit and saw 25 world records broken during the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

The sight of the bird’s nest on my right and water cube on my left is so majestic and it became even more magical with the lights on, like humongous light-up toys. I stared for more than an hour until the cold breeze became unbearable, I packed my tripod and cameras and rushed off to the subway, it became painfully cold when I realized the subway entrance is 15 minutes walk from where I was.

With the RMB coins from heaven, I immediately dialed the Philippine Consulate Office. That’s when I realized that it was a Saturday and there was no office. I called a hostel instead and finally got someone who can speak English. What a relief! But her guess was as good as mine, that a tourist information center here is like most elected local government politicians: USELESS.

So I sat, lit a stick and tried drawing resolution from the nicotine rushing through my brain. Until I spotted a group of young policemen a few meters away from me. I tried my luck and asked them the same single question I’ve been asking in the last two hours. But still, all I got are blank faces. I tried simplifying my English up to a point that we appeared like playing charades.

I noticed an old raggedy lady looking at us like a tennis audience as her head followed whoever was talking. I pointed at the counter, when I was flabbergasted by a strong slap on my arm. The raggedy lady grabbed me and literally dragged me towards the left side of the building. I got scared by the fact that I was being hauled by an old shabby Chinese wearing a deconstructed layer of self sown jacket. I looked dumbstrucked and freaked-out as the scenes from film “Drag me to Hell” were flashing in my head. Until she uttered a word..

“tsk, youngsters!” I froze.

ME: WAIT! Do you speak English? Can you understand what I’m saying?
LADY: No! No English… Tourist… window… there!

My jaw dropped with amazement as she rudely shooed me away. It felt like a scene in a Kung-fu Hustle-ish movie, or a character from a Chinese Sunday theater jumped out of the screen to help me. True enough, there’s a  building across the street that has counter inside for foreign tourists. I was able to book a return ticket. In a state of shock, I confabulatedly grabbed the ticket and walked away, I still can’t get over with what just happened.

I was still on my first day and the series of events were asphyxiating. I was drowning in whims.

It dawned on me that the price of the seat I just purchased was cheap, way too cheap. I was expecting something between RMB 300 to RMB 370 but RMB 88? Something must be seriously wrong.

I can’t wait for my first train ride. I ran and had a quick stop at a convenient store to buy a bottle of water, cookies and bread. I went straight to my train via gate 2, entered the cabin then a horrible sight welcomed me…

I booked a hard seat.

The hard seat is the lowest form of train in China, they got the fast bullet train but you really have to book days or weeks ahead of time to get a seat or a sleeper cabin.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON TRAINS FROM SHANGHAI TO BEIJING

I was seated beside an old lady, when I arrived she immediately gave me a sweet smile and she was saying something in Mandarin. I told her that I don’t understand Chinese, I attempted : “Wo de Zhangwén jiang de bú tài hao.” Then I get the WTF?!-look once again. Maybe I mispronounced the words or whatev.

We started conversing:

ME: Hi, I’m Ron, what’s your name?
LADY: chor-chor-chor-chor-chor (don’t really understand what she’s saying so I will just substitute).
ME: Okay, I’m traveling alone… Im… going… to… Beijing…
LADY: Ooh PAI-JING. chor-chor-chor-chor-chor—CHOR?!
ME: Wait, I know you’re asking me something but I’m sorry, I can’t understand you.
LADY: HAHAHAHA
ME: HAHAHAHA, huh?
LADY: chor-chor-chor-chor-chor
ME: DO—YOU—SPEAK—ENGLISH? (with hand signs this time)
LADY: HAHAHAHA
ME: HAHAHA (oh Crap!)

After the next station, someone sat in front of me.  A woman  in her 30’s who got a bag-full of snacks. She opened the bag and shared it to us. I swear I was eating like it’s mine. Who cares right? They started talking, it seemed like the Old lady was trying to tell her that I was this dummy backpacker who was traveling alone without a phrasebook.

Even though I didn’t understand what they were saying, I got the groove of listening to them as if I’m getting what they were talking about. It lasted for 3 hours, amazingly without me getting bored.

Then an old man from the other seat transferred to our table and brought some sunflower seeds to nibble. He started talking to me. I was trying to explain that I don’t speak Chinese. He pulled a paper out and started drawing, and that became our form of communication–PICTIONARY!

We talked about love, life, work and family, They shared their stories, I shared mine. And after 5 hours, my energy started dwindling. While watching them talk, I realized that that scenario looked so familiar and I feel strangely at home. I stood up to walk to the end of the cabin where everyone had been going to smoke. Standing from the aisle, that’s when I saw the picture and figured out why it felt so familiar. That’s because it’s an effigy of a family–My family. It’s like us: my sister, mom and my dad on a dinner table 20 years from now.

The younger lady is feisty and opinionated, just like my sister. The old Man is my dad, comforting and composed. The old lady, like my mom who is sweet and funny.

It made me contemplate and smile. Maybe that was God’s way of reminding me that I still have a family back home. I sat and fell asleep. The old lady folded her blanket on the table in front of me and offered it as pillow. I did not hesitate.

I woke up an hour before midnight. We had been traveling for twelve hours and we were still running fast across a vast hilly land somewhere in the middle of China. The train cabin drew significantly peaceful that time. I pulled out my ticket from my pocket and it said 12:10 so I thought we will be arriving in an hour. Time to start prepping up my stuff. But 12:10 passed, and the train was not showing signs of slowing down, no one is preparing to alight.

Chilly air creeped through my spine “Good Lord, please don’t tell me, that it’s 12:10 PM tomorrow…”

To cut the story short, my first train ride lasted for almost 24 hours… on a hard seat.

We arrived in Beijing mid-day. I asked them for their names but they were writing it in Chinese. We alighted and gave each other a hug. Who knows when I’m gonna see these three nameless souls again? Possibly not anymore. These three strangers gave me comfort far beyond the softest cabin bed. I experienced hard core cultural lessons and whoever they are, no matter how short our encounter had been, I will always remember them as my family on that slow train ride in the middle of China. They made the most uncomfortable journey my most memorable one.

Now I’m in Beijing, and I can’t find that effing shuttle I’m supposed to take… Here we go again.

I will be dedicating all my posts about my trip to China to the people I met on the road, people who helped me along the way, strangers who transformed my lonesome trip to a very meaningful journey.

I never tried doing lone backpacking before. It was three days before our flight to Shanghai when I found out that Monette ran short of time for her visa and I will definitely be flying out alone, I thought of canceling the trip.

Few hours before my scheduled flight, I was still contemplating of scrapping the whole China trip, my tummy is flipping upside down and I never had this situation where I had to decide after a time bomb. I lost my credit card few days before and traveling with limited cash at hand can be very dangerous. Should I take this serious risk?

But then an idiopathic surge of adrenalin jolted me to start packing my bag, flag a cab to the airport and jumped off the cliff, head first! Like a Russian roulette–BAHALA NA! (What will be, will be!)

As the aircraft took off, the thought of an empty seat beside me is making me wish I got pills to pop for my nerves. At 3000 m I realized that nearest passenger is a Filipina, a teacher from Bicol. Cookie is going back to work in Wuxi after her summer vacation in her hometown in Albay. We were the only Pinoys in that flight and her presence gave me a certain degree of comfort. She asked me if I was traveling with someone; if I speak mandarin; if I know anyone in Shanghai; if I had a booked train ticket to Beijing… I answered with a worried grin.

We touched down Pudong International Airport half past midnight. She told me that there’s a shuttle in the airport specially for Filipino OFW’s arriving in Shanghai from a red eye flight, a cheaper alternative to RMB200 cab ride to the city. But it wasn’t there that night. I told Cookie that I don’t mind sleeping at the airport and I did not book a Hotel so I might as well save the cab fare and bed rent and take the first bus to the city center in the morning. That was an instant RMB300 savings.

She decided to accompany me at the airport that night, she even offered to show me the train station to Beijing the following morning. Perfect! Whew! I was safe, at least for day 1 in China.

After two hours of sleep, a mix of anxiety and excitement made me want to start moving. I walked inside the airport to look for a tourist center, and try to grab a map or some useful brochures. Well, guess what. The Tourism desk personnel can barely comprehend English. DAMN! Not a good sign, I walked away empty handed. I decided to walk outside to light a stick, doors slid open and a freezing wave of breeze knocked me like an invisible hard wall, I froze to the bone. I underestimated the weather. I’ve never been to any country 31 deg N up in terms of GPS. I was wearing a thin shirt, warmer and a jacket. Not enough. Even though it’s the start of spring, at 3AM, Shanghai’s temperature can drop to 4 degrees centigrade. I quickly went back inside like a cat who pulled himself out of a freezing water.

Morning came, Cookie and I ran to catch the first bus to the South Railway Station. We took bus #5, paid RMB22 and arrived at the station after about an hour.

I originally planned an over night stay in Shanghai before taking the train to Beijing. But the crowded train station was an indication that I might just have to pull a plan B off my a**. Cookie told me that it is better to reserve a week ahead of time if you want a good seat. True enough, all sleeper trains were fully booked. I just got lucky to book the last seat (not a bed) of a train that was leaving in… err… two hours! WTF!

Cookie had to leave to catch her train to Wuxi. She gave me her contact details in case of emergency. I gave her a hug and bid her farewell.

But I still don’t have a return ticket! My flight back to Manila will be departing from Shanghai, and if I don’t get a return ticket, I will be stuck in Beijing for god knows how long. Again I don’t have my credit cards with me. I don’t have enough cash at hand to book a new flight and I definitely don’t want to miss Beijing. I was morbidly worried and almost froth in the mouth.

I lost the phrasebook I printed back home, but I still tried asking people and policemen as to where I can get a return ticket or at least a tourist information center. But no one can even utter a single english word. I kept on trying for an hour and I ended up sitting hopeless on a corner. Then I saw the red phone booth. A light bulb moment! Maybe I can call the Philippine Consulate Office! I ran towards it, lifted the hand set then I realized I didn’t have loose coins. Out of frustration I slammed the phone as the world around me seemed to melt slowly… Well guess what? RMB4 coins magically came out of the change slot. I swear my knees went wobbly and I wanted to kneel down the ground, look up the sky and scream “thank you po!”

… to be continued

Pudong Airport to Shanghai City Center

By Bus
There are ten airport bus lines handle transfers from Pudong International Airport to the city center. Take Bus #5 From Pudong International Airport to Shanghai Railway Station, Operating Hours 7:20~23:00.

By Maglev
Shanghai Maglev Train (Magnetic Levitation Train, fastest in the world) operates between Pudong International Airport and Longyang Rd. There is a train depart from Pudong Airport Subway Station every day from 6:45 to 21:40 at intervals of 15 to 20 minutes. The whole journey takes only eight minutes. The charge is CNY 50 for an ordinary single trip and CNY 100 for VIP, CNY 80 for an ordinary round trip and CNY 160 for VIP. You can buy an ordinary single ticket at a preferential price of CNY 40 if you have an intraday air ticket. When you get off at Longyang Rd. Station, you can transfer to Subway Line 2 running westward and passing many of Shanghai’ s prosperous areas such as Century Park, Lujiazui, East Nanjing Road and People’s Square.

By Subway Line 2
Shanghai Subway Line 2 is a long and busy line connecting Pudong and Puxi. After extentions, now, it has stretched to Pudong Airport, led to Hongqiao Airport. Passengers have to get off the 4-car metro train at Guanglan Road Station (between Longyang Road Station and Pudong Airport) and then change another  8-car metro train. Vice versa, passengers get off at the same subway station from a 8-car train and get on a 4-car train to enter Pudong Airport. It costs CNY9 for the whole trip and CNY8 from Pudong to Hongqiao airport. It needs more than one hour between the two airports.

By Taxi
A taxi costs approximately CNY 150-200 from Pudong International Airport to People’s Square, the center of Shanghai, and it takes about 50 minutes.

After our Kota Kinabalu stint last April, we were asked the question “How much was the damage?” for God knows how many times. So we stole this idea of post trip accounting from Nina Fuentes of justwandering.org

So here you go, once and for all

PART 1: MANILA TO CLARK

The only Airline that flies from Philippines to Kota Kinabalu is Air Asia, which embarks at Clark International Airport in Pampanga.

Bus from Quezon City to Dau – PhP 130

Tricycle to Clark gate – PhP 70

Private jeep to Clak Airport – PhP 200

Travel & Airport Taxes – PhP 1,650 + PhP 720

Other Options:

1. Shuttle from Megamall to Clark Airport – PhP 400
2. Bus from Manila to Dau – PhP 130 ——> Airport Shuttle to Clark – PhP 50

PART 2: KOTA KINABALU AND AROUND

cab from KK Airport to Hostel – MYR 30

food (average per meal) – MYR 10

Borneo Backpackers Accommodation (Air-conditioned Dorm bed/common bathroom; per bed/night) -  MYR 25

Tip: Everything in Kota Kinabalu is within walking distance, bus or cab rides  aren’t necessary.

PART 3 : MT. KINABALU

Shuttle to Park gate – MYR 15

Climbing guide (per group) – MYR 100

Conservation fee – MYR 15

Shuttle from Park gate to Timpohon gate – MYR 10

Sutera Sanctuary Package (per climber)- MYR 492

Inclusions:

• Panar Laban Accomodation for 1 night
• Packed lunch
• Buffet dinner, supper and breakfast at Laban Rata
• Post climb lunch at Balsam Restaurant
• Climbing permit
• Insurance

Cab from Park Gate to Kota Kinabalu – MYR 110

Tip: After the climb, the mini shuttle buses that we took going to the park where nowhere to be found, instead cab drivers were all waiting for tourist going back to the city. But we find it too expensive to at MYR 150. another option is to take the Ranau-KK Big Bus, but it was too late, the last bus left at 5 PM (MYR 20). Monette used her charm to a cab driver waiting across the street outside the gate. We got it for MYR 110, still too pricey.

PART 4: POST CLIMB

1 hour Body Massage – MYR 100

Souvenir/pasalubong shopping at the Sunday market – around MYR 50-100

Day trip to Palau Manukan – MYR 45

Inclusions:

• Speed Boat round trip
• Conservation Fee

Tips: Some employees at Jesselton Port and receptionist in the islands are Filipinos, they even actually offered us snorkeling gears for free, we could have taken it if it’s not for the horde of jellyfishes in the water.

PART 5: HEADING BACK HOME

Cab to KK Airport – MYR 30

Clark to Manila (see breakdown above)- PhP 250

Traveling alone will definitely be more expensive at a mark up of at least 20% as compared to the expenses if you’re traveling with someone. In our case, for a 4 days / 4 nights in Kota Kinabalu, we spent around PhP 17,000 (excluding airfare) and we spent a huge portion of that (PhP 7,000) for our climb. Pricey we know, actually our priciest to date considering the length of the trip.