Travel Lifestyle Of Your Dreams » China

5 Things to do in Harbin, China

Johnny — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 01:50:08 +0000

I came to Harbin to see the Ice and Snow Festival and it was ridiculously outstanding but if you’re not here from January through March, it’s still definitely worth a trip. There’s a handful of other great things to see and do around the city and you could easily fill 2 or 3 days here. Check out the best things to see in Harbin:

Fruit covered in Syrup in China

1) The Siberian Tiger Park: I love interacting with rare animals around the world. There’s something that really makes me feel like I’m in obscure corners of the world when I see endangered species and this place is no different. So if you’re into Trekking with mountain gorillas in Uganda and Rwanda, chasing orangutans in Borneo, feeding Hyenas in Ethiopia and the like then the Siberian Tiger park is a spot for you. There are only 400 of these guys left in the wild but this park managed to breed 72 new cubs last year, it’s doing great work and you get to see these guys at their formidable best.

The tigers who can’t get rereleased into the wild are kept on a spacious compound where you can buy ducks ($3), chickens ($8) and cows ($400) to feed them – now that’s a sight to behold!

Get here: Take a taxi from Harbin city centre, he’ll drive there, wait and drop you back for around 100 RMB ($16), can fit 4 people. Buses are available too.

Ticket: 90 RMB ($14)

2) St Sophia Church: Harbin’s most famous building is it’s Russian Orthodox church. It casts an awesome shadow onto the huge plaza in front of it, it’s over 100 years old and costs 20 RMB ($3) to enter although the best pictures are taken from outside.

Get here: Right bang in the city centre folks, get your walking boots on.

My mum came over to visit while I was in Harbin to check out the ice festival and everything else!

3) Science and Technology Park: Located just at the entrance to Sun Island park is the very entertaining Science and Technology park. It’s an intense hands-on type museum with some great exhibitions. I’m not a museum man at all, but this place had me captivated for about 2 hours.

Get here: Just over the river, a taxi should be about $2 or $3 or you can walk from Stalin or Sun Island park in less than 30 minutes

Ticket: 25 RMB ($4)

A crazy room in the museum, loving it!

4) Stalin Park and Sun Island Park: Anyone how was ever been to China will understand how manic these huge cities are. People are spitting, shouting and smoking to their hearts content so if you’re chasing some respite these two beautiful parks are your answer. They’re both free, they offer endless walking opportunities and they’re maintained to an excellent standard.

In winter Staling Park extends onto the Songhua river where skating, sliding, go karting etc is available whilst in Sun Island park there is a snow sculpture area which acts as the poor mans Ice Festival (over priced at 240 RMB/$38)

Get here: They’re both on the waterfront so make your way there by foot if you’re in the city centre.

Stalin Park Harbin in Winter

Sun Island Park, Harbin

5) Germ Warfare Museum:

20km outside the city but worth the trek, this grim tourist attraction will get your heart racing. In 1939, the Japanese built a top-secret germ warfare research centre here where they tested and tortured to death over 4000 prisoners of war including Mongolians, Chinese, British, Soviet and Koreans. They carried out gruesome experiments involving injecting unmentionable things into their subjects, cutting people up and other things too horrible to mention! It may have closed over 50 years ago but it can still bring a chill to your spine.

Bear in mind it closes on holidays and everyday at lunch from 11.30-1pm.

Get here: A return taxi will be about 100 RMB ($16) or bus 343 from the train station goes there too.

If you’re fortunate enough to be here during Harbin’s Ice festival then you’re very lucky indeed. Like I mentioned, you can take the train here or jump on a plane to Harbin airport. The airport has countless airport hotels so you don’t have to worry about that. That combined with these 5 gems will make Harbin one of the coolest (get it?) destinations you’ve visited. Even without the ice festival, these 5 will keep you occupied with a smile on your face for a couple of days easily. Happy travels!

5 Things to do in Harbin, China is a post from: onestep4ward.com

The Best 5 Bungee Jumps in the World

Johnny — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 05:05:33 +0000

aWhat’s life without a bit of near-death experiences, right? With that, I thought I’d roll out the best 5 bungees in the world including 2 I’ve had first time experiences with. If you’ve never bungeed before then it’s gotta be on your bucket list so if you’re hitting up any of the countries these 5 bad boys are in, then get on some disposable underwear and take the leap:

5) Victoria Falls Bungee, Zimbabwe/Zambian border (110m/360feet):
A bit of a controversial choice as this has featured quite heavily in the new recently when a girl’s bungee cord snapped! Also, it’s not in the top 5 highest bungees in the world but it’s gotta be the most beautiful. 111M of sheer fear as you jump of Victoria Bridge, into a circular rainbow thanks to the mist caused by the falls. When your finished you can see Victoria falls as your backdrop, nothing short of amazing.
PRICE: around $110

Me jumping at Victoria Falls. Arggggggggh...

4) Bloukrans Bridge, South Africa – (216 m/708 feet):
The world’s highest single span arch bridge, the Bloukrans Bridge bungee is the third highest bungee in the world at 708 feet (216 m). It’s also the highest point in the world from which you can bungee off, and formally the highest bungee jump in the world.
PRICE: around $100

3) Verzasca Dam, Switzerland – (220 m/720 feet):
It found mainstream fame with the opening sequence of the Bond movie Goldeneye, the Verzasca dam offers a pure freefall swinging bungee from a single cord. If banging into a massive concrete structure at a top speed doesn’t scare you, then this is the jump for you. The Verzasca Dam bungee jump is the second highest bungee jump in the world.
PRICE: $280

2) Macau Tower, China – (233 m/760 feet):
The tallest, highest bungee jump in the world! 6 seconds of unadulterated freefall from the 11th tallest building in the world. It doesn’t come cheap but it grants you automatic bragging rights forever. With the ‘right’ conditions you can find yourself stretching to just 30m from the ground.
PRICE: $300

1) Volcano Bungee near Pucon, Chile (250m/820 feet):
The price isn’t exactly backpacker friendly but basically you get flown up to an active volcano in a helicopter, soaring some 10,000 feet in the air, jumpers sit perched on a helicopter’s skid and then you have to bungee jump off the helicopter into the caldera towards the molten lava. The cord stretches between 350 and 375 feet, leaving jumpers hanging just 700 feet above the volcano Pretty amazing stuff.
PRICE: A disgustingly, prohibitively expensive $9,995 for a 6 day package

Honourable mention:
The Royal Gorge Bridge, Colordo (321m/1053 feet):
Technically, it can be considered the highest bungee in the world but very few people have ever jumped from the bridge, it’s not open to the public and it’s only available every now and again. Often used to break records sporadically.
PRICE: Unavailable to general public. Booooooo.

River Nevis, New Zealand (134m/440 feet)

If you’re on the backpacking trail in New Zealand, a bungee jump over the roaring River Nevis is not to be missed. From a teetering cable car, high over the Nevis River, you enter the jump pod and soak in the rugged scenery. This is the highest bungee jump spot in all of New Zealand, so all New Zealand Holidays should try to factor this beauty in. The freefall lasts for almost 9 seconds and will allow those who jump to see the full extent of this area’s beauty.
PRICE:$200

The Best 5 Bungee Jumps in the World is a post from: onestep4ward.com

The Ice and Snow Festival in Harbin, China – amazing!

Johnny — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 06:08:10 +0000

I’m currently in Harbin, North Eastern China – near the Russian, Mongolian and Japanese borders. It’s almost -30 degrees Celsius and the Ice and Snow Festival here is one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen. I love a good festival and although it’s painful to admit my ignorance I had never even heard of this one until 5 or 6 months ago, crazy I know! Anyway, have a look at the pics below and convince yourself to come, it’s really awesome:

When is the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival?

The dates of the Harbin Ice and Snow festival are mid January until mid February but realistically it starts at the turn of the year and runs on until early March. If you want to be safe though, end of January and start of February are you bankers. Try to book accommodation before you come, you don’t wanna be wandering about in tese temperatures searching for somewhere to sleep.

How do I get to Harbin?

I took the daytime fast train from Beijing to Harbin, it cost around $60 USD for a soft seat and took around 11 hours from Beijing railway station. A soft sleeper is around $75, knock about 30% of these prices for the more-than-adequate hard seat or hard sleeper (I took the nicer one because my mother was with me!)

You can also take the bus, it takes around 13 hours and costs around $40. Because I was here during Chinese New Year the trains and buses back were full and I got stung with a last minute flight back to Bangkok for $230, ouch. So try to book your bus/train tickets a week or so in advance if possible. I know on the road that’s often difficult so at least try to get the station a day or 2 before you leave.

How much is the ticket for the Ice Festival in Harbin?

It’s getting more and more expensive every year. These are the prices this year:

Morning ticket from 9.00am to 1.00pm: 100 RMB ($16)

Afternoon and evening ticket from 1.30pm to 9.00pm (closing time): 330 RMB ($52!)

NOTE: Student discount for afternoon ticket is 160 RMB ($25)

If you buy the morning ticket, you have to leave by 1.00 and they check rigorously. The best option of all is to buy the afternoon ticket and arrive around 3 or 4pm. That way you get to see all the sculptures and building in the daylight, dusk and nighttime. Much more bang for your buck.

How do I get to the Ice And Snow Festival when I’m in Harbin?

A taxi should cost around 20 RMB ($3) from the city centre, it’ll take around 20 minutes. Alternatively, if you’re feeling active you can walk, it takes around 2 hours but it’s a really nice walk. I did it twice and although it was tiring it was well worth the effort.

How cold is it and what should I wear?

It’s f*cking freezing! Temperatures range between about -14 to -30 and that’s without wind-chill. Be smart and come prepared, that means thermal tops and bottoms, hiking boots, hat, scarf, mountaineering socks, a proper coat and plenty of layers. I picked up a few fake north face and Canadian goose stuff in Bangkok and it served me very well but I saw a few people who were too worried about looking good and not worried enough about dressing warm. I’m sure they didn’t have such a good time. Be smart guys.

Alright guys, they’re you have it – another thing to add to your bucket list. Prepare to have you mind blown, it really is something else. Happy travels!

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The Ice and Snow Festival in Harbin, China – amazing! is a post from: onestep4ward.com

Getting A Chinese Visa in Bangkok

Johnny — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 07:43:45 +0000

With my Tibet to Ireland by land trip just around the corner, I had to apply for my Chinese visa while I was in Bangkok, and to be honest it was surprisingly easy! Read up on how to do it, where the Chinese embassy in Bangkok is and how much a Chinese visa costs:

What you need for your Chinese visa:

Passport (with 6 months minimum before it expires)
Passport application form (you get this when you walk in)
Supplementary application form because you’re not from Thailand (you get this when you walk in)
1 or 2 Passport photos depending on nationality (you can get them done on the same street as the embassy, $4 for 6)
The money for your visa, payable only in Thai baht

Where is the Chinese embassy in Bangkok:

It is 5 minutes walk from the Phra Ram 9 MRT stop (the subway in Bangkok).
From the station, take Exit 1
Up the escalator and when you leave the station outside, take a u-turn
Walk for 400m or so, past Tesco Lotus
At Soi 3 (there’s a sign), you’re there! It’s on your left

*If you’re staying on Khao San Road, get a taxi/tuk-tuk/motorbike (about $3) to Siam BTS station, from there you can connect to Phra Ram BTS easily.

Check out the google map to help you out…

View The Embassy Of The People’s Republic Of China in a larger map

How do I apply for my Chinese Visa in Bangkok?

Get to the embassy between 9 – 11.30am, any later and you’ll be refused.
Go to the second floor, as you walk in, tell the guy behind the desk you want to apply for a tourist visa, he gives you two forms, fill them in and press the button on the machine for a number.
Wait for your number, hand over your forms, passport and passport photo – tell them do you want to wait 3 days, 2 days or next day for your visa. The faster it is the more expensive it will be (see below)

*This should only take 10 minutes or so total.

The embassy from outside, as you approach Soi 3

Collecting your Chinese Visa in Bangkok

Again arrive between 9 -11.30am on the correct day on your receipt.
Queue up on the far side, pay your bill.
Requeue again and collect your visa.
Check out your brand new shiny Chinese visa.

*This takes less than 10 minutes total

How much does a Chinese Visa in Bangkok cost?

It ranges between $40 to $140 depending on how fast you want it, how many entries you want and what nationality you are – check out the pic taken in the embassy to find out how much you’ll have to shell out:

Chinese Visa fees in Bangkok Thailand (Nov 2011)

NOTE: If you want a multi-entry 6 month or one year visa (like I wanted) you can only get it if you have a previous Chinese tourist visa of any kind in your passport OR you have a work permit to live in Thailand. If you don’t have that, the maximum you can get is the double entry.

Enjoy China, I certainly will! Happy travels!

Getting A Chinese Visa in Bangkok is a post from: onestep4ward.com

Best 5 nightclubs in Beijing

Johnny — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 05:41:28 +0000

Backpacking in China is real traveling – difficult language, huge culture shock, crazy foods and general mass confusion so when it all gets a little much for you, find a place to kick back, grab a long-island and forget all the chaos. There’s few places better to party in China than in Beijing, this place rocks hard. Although China is generally a pretty cheap place to travel in, partying in their east coast cities isn’t so be prepared to pay similar prices to what you pay back home. That being said, you’re going to have an awesome time so it’s well worth it, now check out the 5 best clubs in Beijing:

The World of Suzie Wong

In the Chaoyan District, the World Suzie Wong is one of the most banging clubs in this part of the city. It’s pretty high end, and designed to look like an opulent opium den, full of hot Chinese twenty-somethings and a young professional expat crowd. Cover charges can be $20-$30 and the place is jam packed from Thursday through to Sunday. Oh, and it’s open until 6am so bring some redbull, this is going to get very very messy.

Babyface

This has branches in both Shanghai and Guangzhou, but the one in Beijing club is by far the best. It started the lounge trend in Beijing so be prepared to dance all night long at one of the hottest clubs around. The sound and lighting systems here are some of the best in the city, and the best DJs in the city are cranking out tunes 5 nights a week. Theme parties are very popular here, and happen multiple times a month, so don’t miss out if you are in town for one of them!

The Boat

With real estate at a premium in Beijing, these guys flipped that on its head and moved watertop. The Boat is located aboard a refurbished boat which is actually stationed on the Liangma River near Sanlitun Bei Lu. There are two floors on the Boat and each floor has a bar and a dance floor where patrons can enjoy the tunes spun by local and international DJs while they knock back mixed drinks and Qingdaos beers for $5, one of the cheapest drinks you’re likely to find in any club in this crazy city.

Propaganda

I’m not sure if the irony of the name of this club was intended considering China’s somewhat chequered past but either way this place is awesome. Propaganda is one of the Beijing’s hottest new nightclubs. Two floors are full with the party people in the weekends. Main floor is a great place to have some drinks and meet new friends since it is more like a lounge. Downstairs is the place for crazy dance people. Once you have come inside you will feel like turning it up a notch and kicking into the party mode

Mix

This is the place to party hard. The Style of Fashionable decoration makes you feel like in an absolute North American or European nightclub. Like the name, the people are from anywhere. The overlook of Mix is more like “Arena” in L.A., or “Ten15″ in San Francisco. Don’t miss this one because it is the best party scene in Beijing. The 2-floor modern design nightclub is equipped with high quality sound system and lighting. Party hard peeps, this place is open late.

So next time you swing by Beijing, put on your drinking boots folks, these venues are waiting for you, cocktails primed. Just remember if you’re planning to go super-crazy pick up some international travel insurance to keep your mum from worrying. Happy travels!

Best 5 nightclubs in Beijing is a post from: onestep4ward.com

Day trip to Macau

Johnny — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 03:23:13 +0000

Macau, ‘Vegas of the East’, lies very close to Hong Kong, and so most tourists nip on a ferry for day at this place and then make their way back to the city. A day will give you enough time to get a decent feel for Macau, see the main sights and you can be back on Hong Kong Island for an evening cocktail – perfect.

Macau was formerly a Portuguese colony so you’ll get to know all about the Portuguese rich and varied heritage. One day is certainly enough if you plan your day well, so ready up folks. Check out the weather before you head off on your journey too, as Macau has one of East Asia’s most beautiful beaches so if the weather is good to you make sure you have your speedos at the ready.

GETTING THERE: There are an endless parade ferries to take you to Macau from Hong Kong. Depending on the day the ticket prices for a ferry ride to Macau range from from $20-$25. As Macau is a very small place, taxi fares never really exceed $5 which is a welcome change from Hong Kong. But, if you have the energy to travel on foot, then there is no better way to explore Macau. The ferries run 24 hours so if you’re day-tripping you can head over early and come back around midnight giving you a full day to enjoy this cracking little place – don’t forget you need your passport to get in.

Hong Kong Macau Ferry

DAY TRIP:

MORNING: After brekky on the ferry make your way to the Macau Tower, the 11^th highest structure in the world. From the top (it costs around $10 to get to the top) you get to see an amazing bird’s eye view of Macau. Better still is Bungee Jump – considered to be the highest skyjump in the world at 233 meters. This will set you back a painful $300 but the kudos from your friends will be priceless!

Macau Tower

AFTERNOON: After your heart-attack inducing morning make your way towards the famous Fisherman’s wharf (a ‘theme’ park in its truest sense, with a tiny version of Cape Town, Venicee tc) for some great photo opportunities. Then head towards the Hac Sa Beach which is considered to be Macau’s most beautiful beach. Take a short rest and have your lunch. There are a number of awesome cheap restaurants from where you can choose from. Macau is far from cheap so the restaurants can get a little pricey but if you’re careful and try to eat on the street side stalls you can get your fill for less than $4.

Fisherman's Wharf at night

Well rested and fed, now make your way to the beautiful museums and some historic places. Most of them show off the rich cultural heritage of the Portuguese people. The historic ruin of St. Paul’s Church, the Monte Fortress and the Macau Museum lies in close proximity to each other so head over that way and getting your walking boots on. Take a walk next along the Avenida de Almeida Ribiero.

St Paul's Church Macau

EVENING: After taking your tea, head over to the casinos and try your luck there. Don’t miss out on the Sands casino, sign-up for a (free) membership and you get one free whirl on a game which has a top price of $20,000 – worth a shot (needless to say, I didn’t win anything). For plush surroundings head to the New Lisboa or the Wynn. I was in love with these two places on my very first visit. Don’t worry about the cash situation, it’s fine to wander around the casinos without spending a penny. Just absorb the atmosphere and spare a thought for all the people losing fortunes around you :S

MGM in Macau

Macau Casinos at night

Macau may be small but it packs a punch and it certainly warrants a day or two of your time when you’re in the region. Despite its proximity to Hong Kong, it has a completely different feel, one which you can’t fail to enjoy. Have fun and happy travels.

Day trip to Macau is a post from: onestep4ward.com

What is there to see and do in Hong Kong?

Johnny — Tue, 10 May 2011 10:41:57 +0000

Hong Kong’s tourism industry is booming and it’s easy to see why. As I mentioned in my previous Hong Kong article, you need 3 or 4 days to truly appreciate everything that Hong Kong has to offer – when you’re here, try not to miss any of the following:

The Big Buddha: Located on Lantau island near the airport, this is the largest sitting Buddha in the world, and arguably Hong Kong’s most famous tourist attraction. You can take the subway directly to the island (about 30 mins from the city centre, $2)or jump on a ferry from Victoria harbour (from Victoria harbour, takes 1 hour, $4).

Once you arrive on Lantau island, to get to the Big Buddha you either take…

- the bus (cheapest option – $3 or $4 USD, takes about 40 mins)

- the cable car (awesome views, 20 mins – about $11 USD, my recommendation)

- walk but it’s far and steep so bring walking shoes and arrive early. I guess it takes 3 or 4 hours so kudos to anyone who does this!

Also, from Lantau island you can also visit Tai-O fisihing village, a traditional village about 30 mins away from the Big Buddha by bus. Great photo opportunities and if you’re lucky you can jump on a boat for a tour of the old town and see some Chinese pink dolphins (they were apparently sleeping when I went!)

The Peak: There are 2 amazing views of Hong Kong, one from Victoria harbour and one from here. On Hong Kong island, you take the old tram to a large viewing area of the whole of Hong Kong, it’s a breathtaking view from the top so make sure your camera is charged!

The view from the peak

Victoria Harbour and light show: Along with the peak, this is the other traditional view of Hong Kong. Arrive on the Hong Kong island side, along the Avenue of the Stars, around 7pm and see the mesmerizing HK skyline in all its glory. At 8pm every evening, they have a light show for 15 minutes with a lot of the sky scrapers shooting lasers across the island, it’s not going to rock your world but skyline alone will hold your gaze for a longtime – seriously beautiful.

10,000 Buddhas Monastery: Found at the Sha Tin, it’s not actually a monastery! But it does have over 10,000 buddhas. It’s not massive and it’s not overtly ornate but there is something special in simply looking at the vast numbers of Buddhas on show, well worth an hour or two of your time.

Junk or Starferry boat trip: A trip on the Star Ferry is listed in Time Magazine as one of the 50 things to do in your life, I wouldn’t quite go that far but it is a quaint little journey. Costs around $4 USD and takes around 20 minutes, it offers great views of the harbour and it’s a box you need to tick, so get down there and jump on board.

Day trip to Macau: When planning your HK trip, factor in a day trip (or one day & one night) to this little gem. Vegas of the East is waiting hungrily for your cash

Shopping in Mong Kok: Mong Kok, TST, anywhere in HK really – this place is a shopper’s paradise. You can’t turn a corner without seeing another Luis Vuitton store or huge shopping mall. People are literally queuing up to enter shops and the hordes can’t get rid of their money fast enough. If you’re on a backpacker’s budget, you can window shop for hours. Around Mong Kok, there are street stalls galore – fake bags, watches, football shirts, sunglasses… eat your heart out Khao San Road, this place has you beaten!

Golden Temple of Chi Lin Nunnery: I was lucky enough for a couch surfer to bring me here otherwise I would have missed it, similar in stature to the Golden Pavillion in Kyoto, Japan, this small temple complex offers genuine respite from the chaos that grips Hong Kong all day long. It’s beautiful, serene and yet another great HK photo op! Find it at Diamon Hill in Kowloon.

There’s so much to do in Hong Kong, it’s difficult to choose what to see and what not to. But if you stick roughly to these gems, then you’re guaranteed a great time. Hong Kong really surprised me with it’s diversity of attractions so I hope you guys all love it as much as I did – happy travels!

What is there to see and do in Hong Kong? is a post from: onestep4ward.com

A Backpackers Guide to Hong Kong

Johnny — Mon, 09 May 2011 10:12:33 +0000

A former dependant of the UK and now under Chinese rule, the proud Honk Kong inhabitants consider themselves Hong Kongese, and you’d be a brave person to insist that wasn’t the case!

Hong Kong is a place like no other, a place that clearly shows signs of their former British rule with Baker Street, St George Street and Victoria harbour to name but a few of the old colonial names still kicking around, but one that still proudly plays host to endless Chinese customs, temples and cuisine. It’s truly a city of contrast and one that if you throw you’re self into, you can’t fail to be captivated by all it has to offer. Let’s have a look at what there is for backpackers to see and do in this fascinating place:

How long should you spend in Hong Kong? When you hear the population of Hong Kong is 7,000,000 it’s forgivable to think this is a huge place… it’s not. Hong Kong is city that grows ‘up’ and not ‘out’ – sections of HK are some of the most densely populated places in the world – there are endless skyscrapers to accommodate everyone and the living spaces are tiny. With that being said, 3 days or so is easily enough time to tick off all the main tourist attractions while still getting a feeling of the real Hong Kong.

Is Hong Kong as expensive as people say? In a word, no. Of course it’s not Vietnam or Cambodia but if you stay away from the booze (come on, you can do it – it’s only 3 days!) and eat wisely, you can certainly get by on $30 USD a day including cheap accommodation (Chingkat masnsions – suitably disgusting and about $8 a night, bargain), public transport and entrance fees.

What language do people speak in Hong Kong? Strictly speaking its Cantonese but realistically it’s Hong Kongese, their own take on Cantonese. However, due to HK being the 4 largest financial centre in the world English is widespread and communication, generally, won’t be a problem.

How do I get around Hong Kong? Public transport here is great, perhaps the best I have ever used. There are 13 subway lines, countless ferries, a comprehensive tram system and a huge bus network – all complete with helpful information kiosks. It’s so simple to get around, you’ll feel like you’re cheating on your travels! Also, you can buy an ‘Octopus’ card for around $8 USD (you get it back when you leave) which you top-up with credit and scan with each journey you take. It’s easy, faster and cheaper than paying in cash – you can even top up with excess cash and pay for your goods in 7/11 etc, now that’s development!

Do I need a visa for Hong Kong? Most EU, North American and Australian and NZ passport holders get a visa on arrival so no stress there. If you fall outside this bunch, then you may need to arrange a visa prior to your arrival, like my Ukrainian friend had to do – I hate beaureucracy!

Can I visit China while I’m in Hong Kong? No is the simple answer. If you have already got your Chinese visa before you arrived in HK, then you can. But if you’re in HK, loving the Chinese vibe and fancy a quick trip to the mainland then I’m afraid it’s not that easy. Chinese visas always require a bit of work so plan ahead or don’t even think about it.

If you guys have any more questions about Hong Kong, just ask me below or send me an email and I’ll do my best to answer you. If you wanna know what awesome things there are to see and do in Hong Kong, check out the next article – happy travels!

A Backpackers Guide to Hong Kong is a post from: onestep4ward.com

Malaria – What Drug You Should Take to Prevent It!

Johnny — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 08:13:12 +0000

I think it’s fair to say that nobody wants to die on their travels around the world. Death avoidance 101 begins with preventing malaria. Having spent the best part of a year in Africa during 2010 and a good few years trotting around Asia all without contracting our favourite mosquito-carried parasite, I’m going to give you the lowdown on how you too can prolong your life that little bit extra…

What drugs should I take for malaria?

Good question and although there a numerous different options – there are 3 main choices that people tend to go with, all of which profess to be around 98% effective:

1) Doxycycline: This is the drug of choice by backpackers worldwide – why? Because it’s the cheapest. It’s highly effective and cheap as chips. You should take it with water and food to stop yourself getting quesy, but if there’s no food around it’s no big deal, you’ll be fine!

Generally, in Western countries, these cost around .50 cents (30p) a pill. You take it daily so a 6 month trip will cost ya less than $100. If you have the confidence (and sense) to wait and buy it when you arrive somewhere, like Thailand for example, you’ll more than halve your cost.

Doxy can make your skin more sensitive to the sun so sunburning on this pill can be common, not ideal when you want to lounge on a beach in the Philippines somewhere :S

POSTIVES: Cheap cheap cheap and easy to get everywhere, including the countries you plan to visit

NEGATIVES: Increases your skin’s sensitivity to the sun, can reduce the effectiveness of birth control pills (hear that ladies, be smart!), can cause nausea.

COST PER 6 MONTH TRIP: $100 or less, much less if you buy it abroad.

DURATION: Start two days before travel, throughout your stay in an endemic area and continue for four weeks after return

2) Malarone: The flashpackers’ choice, at a cost of $3+ a pill and a daily dosage your 6 month stint is gonna cost you over $500! But with little or no negatives it’s without doubt the ‘best’ pill in terms of prevention vrs side effects.

POSTIVES: Higly effective AND you only have to take it for one extra week after your trip

NEGATIVES: Pricey at $3 a pill to be taken daily

COST PER 6 MONTH TRIP: Upwards of $500

DURATION: Start two days before travel, throughout your stay in an endemic area and continue for one week after return.

3) Larium (Mefloquine): Hmmm what to say about this wonderful drug?! I took this for months in Africa and the rumours of crazy dreams are 100% true, this stuff does crazy stuff to your brain after dark. Quite funny in fairness, especially if a few of you are taking it! Anyway, it’s not much more expensive than Doxy, you only have to take it once a week (a big plus for a forgetful guy like me)

POSTIVES: Only have to take it weekly, pretty cheap

NEGATIVES: Crazzzzy dreams for the first month or two until you get used to it

COST PER 6 MONTH TRIP: Around $150

DURATION: Start two and a half weeks before travel, throughout your stay in an endemic area and continue for four weeks after return.

I should also note that Chloroquine (in addition to proguanil) is another anti-malarial drug that crops up now and again. From meeting people on the road, and internet research I’d stay clear of this – mosquitoes demonstrate widespread resistance!

Ok guys that’s the general vibe on anti-Malarial drugs. I have taken doxy on a crazy Chinese cargo boat trip through Burma, Thailand and China – it was fine, no side-effect at all. Then I took Larium throughout my time in Africa (until I got bored and stopped taking them) and again, aside from vivid dreams, was fine again. The choice is yours – happy travels!

Malaria – What Drug You Should Take to Prevent It! is a post from: onestep4ward.com

Teaching on English Camps

Johnny — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 07:55:38 +0000

Moving to a new country to teach English is a daunting process on many accounts – culture shock, new industry to work in, the logistics involved in setting yourself up in a new country – all of these things are difficult to deal with, both practically and mentally. Furthermore, any school worth it’s salt will require to you to sign a 12 month contract when you begin your employment but often people don’t want to commit for such a long period of time. How will they deal with teaching English, will they like their new country enough to stay there for the full year? Lucky for you guys there is a great solution…

Teaching on ‘English camps’. These camps typically run twice a year for 3-8 weeks, normally around July and August along with January and February (summer and winter camps), Korea and Taiwan can’t get enough of these things but they can be a tough nut to crack. These camps can pay anywhere from $1k-$3k, they include free food and accommodation, are full of people just like you and me – young, fun, interested in travel, so all-in-all they are a great way to sample the English teaching lifestyle, experience a new country for more than a mere backpacking stint and to meet some awesome people to potentially travel with post-camp – kinda like a more grown up version of Camp America Summer camps.

Enjoying an evening off work with new friends

It all sounds too good to be true right? Yeah I know, the one drawback to the system is that the information out there is tough to come across and it’s another situation where if you know the right people then getting work on the camps is a breeze and without that way in you have to fight with endless fruitless information on another generic google search, or you end up paying THEM the school for the opportunity to work (we all know those sort of travel sites “for the small fee of $2999 you’ll get your food, board and the opportunity to work with Korean kids for 2 months!), unnecessary! I’m going to be doing another camp soon, either winter or summer and with the $3k, after camp I might take the boat from Korea to China and jump on the trans-siberian railway to Moscow and make my way through Europe by train. A couple of months on camp followed by a couple of months through China, Mongolia and Eastern Europe for a net spend of ZERO, now that sounds like fun! If you want more info about this guys, or are interested in working on a winter or summer camp in Taiwan or Korea I’m in the process of setting up a company offering positions on camps so feel free to email me on Johnny ‘at’ onestep4ward.com while I wait for my new site to go live. Happy travels!

Teaching on English Camps is a post from: onestep4ward.com