Hi

[Tom @ Fast Forward]

from mainland China.

[speedfreakrx7]

Hello Tom,
Hope all is going well there. Have a safe trip and enjoy.

Doug

[socal pat]

Enjoy some chiken feet for us! Yum!

[99mx5]

Do a google.cn search to see if its no longer censored. ;)

[Satisaii]

Do me a favor and drop by my factory and complain about something.

[Mark]

I hope your trip is filled with ups and downs !

[Tom @ Fast Forward]

Hi today from a small town somewhere (?) in Mainland China. Tomorrow, weather permitting, Beijing (Peking), and a walk on the Great Wall. I have a load of pictures to share when I return. Last night, in this small town, I ate a fresh Lobster (personally picked from a tank of live Lobster by me) that was about 3 pounds. OK, I shared it with 3 others but they were busy eating useless things like squid, chicken, beef and such so I got my fair share. It was expensive here though, about $5US per pound, cooked. I would move here permanently but the traffic is worse than ANY CITY in the USA you think is bad, by a factor of at least 10 and my cholesterol would go through the roof. :)

So far Google works just fine BUT some words don't work.

[Godless Commie]

Hey Tom,

Why don't you stop by on my neck o'the woods on your way back..
You won't be sorry if you enjoy seafood!

[Tom @ Fast Forward]

I should look into that as I have a problem going to Beijing now. :(

[Godless Commie]

I should look into that as I have a problem going to Beijing now. :(

Fwd your arrival details ASAP!

On one condition.. No hotels. Our place is more than available. Food is excellent, also.

[Tom @ Fast Forward]

I will have to check with United.

I had a single entry visa into China. When I went from HK to PRC, that was 1 visit. Who'da thunkit?

[Tom @ Fast Forward]

Just got the word. No go. :(

[Satisaii]

I had that same problem. They let me back in on a 72 hour layover visa. I was travelling with a Chinese citizen at the time, though.

Never get the single entry visa...

[Steve in VC]

Tom,

I expect it is pretty cold where (my companies factory is just outside of Shanghai).

How is the product launch going?

Be careful if you use an iPhone, I understand it calls home frequently - the phone (data) bill can be pretty stunning.

Good luck, travel safe,
Steve

[Godless Commie]

Just got the word. No go. :(

You know my door is always open..

[Steve in VC]

I will have to check with United.

I had a single entry visa into China. When I went from HK to PRC, that was 1 visit. Who'da thunkit?My company usually gets me a 6 month, or 1 year, unlimited entry from the Chinese consulate (then sends me once every 2 years). There is a 3 year visa - but they won't get that for me.

I have also got single entry visa's at the HK border several times.

[TokenIndian]

Hi today from a small town somewhere (?) in Mainland China. Tomorrow, weather permitting, Beijing (Peking), and a walk on the Great Wall. I have a load of pictures to share when I return. Last night, in this small town, I ate a fresh Lobster (personally picked from a tank of live Lobster by me) that was about 3 pounds. OK, I shared it with 3 others but they were busy eating useless things like squid, chicken, beef and such so I got my fair share. It was expensive here though, about $5US per pound, cooked. I would move here permanently but the traffic is worse than ANY CITY in the USA you think is bad, by a factor of at least 10 and my cholesterol would go through the roof. :)

So far Google works just fine BUT some words don't work.

Traffic in the smaller cities of india is pretty fun...its like you are driving in a video game :). China looks fun, we have a couple customer sites there but people on my team dont get to travel :(.

[Tom @ Fast Forward]

It's funny that you say that. I had a hired driver and he used a similar phrase about how driviung there was like playing a video game. What I want to know is why the cars didn't have dents all over? The bodies all looked clean.

[TokenIndian]

It's funny that you say that. I had a hired driver and he used a similar phrase about how driviung there was like playing a video game. What I want to know is why the cars didn't have dents all over? The bodies all looked clean.

They must all just be great at playing video games :biggrin: I want to say that no one gets into accidents because its normal to them. Little kids were brought up to deal with it and the grown ups see it everyday on their commutes to work.

On a side not....a banged up taxi is not good for business. Would you want to get into a taxi that looks like its been into 10 fender benders?

[Godless Commie]

My wife was in Egypt for a few days on a business trip.
She says almost every car is pretty banged up, and cars just nudge each other for right of way.
Traffic apparently never slows down at intersectins, and you just make room for yourself any way you can.

Another interesting fact about Egyptian drivers is this:
They think it's "unmanly" to use headlights at night.
She told me they practically begged their driver to turn the headlights on at night, and he was so concerned with his image in the eyes of his fellow countrymen, he just refused to do so.

DRLs must be major sissy gadgets there...

[Godless Commie]

This would give you an idea about traffic in Istanbul.

http://tkm.ibb.gov.tr/yolDurumu/YogunlukHaritasi.aspx

(You need to click on "yogunluk haritasi" on the left, close to the top)

Green is open, red is congested basically. Colors in between indicate varying levels of congestion.

Click on the "menu" on the top left and then click on "trafik kameralari" for a better view.

Just make sure it's not 2:00 am local time when you look. Then pretty much everything will come up green.

[TokenIndian]

Youtube video of traffic in an indian city:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsPCsW3_aUY

Its pretty crazy, but they make it work.

[Elphaba]

Hey Tom. Have you made it out of Californi... Errr. Communist China yet? Your not living in the airport like that guy in the movie are ya?

[Tom @ Fast Forward]

I'm home. Watching Bill install the 1.6 Coldside, finally.