Two weeks ago I received a call from the local travel agent who specializes in China tours with 30 years experiences that the tickets were ready for collection and settlement of the tour payment. Sharon, the tour agent settle the details of my tour with such professionalism that I almost indebted to her, she goes an extra miles to even filled in the arrival and departure card for us, gave us enough luggage tags and even a specially prepared tour itinerary in Chinese as most of the tour agent speak English but have difficulties translating the itinerary Chinese to English. My Chinese is fair but can still read some simple words so should be able to make out most of the written words.
The tour fare including Singapore airport tax per person is S$1,178.00 inclusive of 11 days tour package, hotel accommodation, 30 meals, inland transportation and hotel transfers two ways. What is exclude is the tips for the porter, tour agent and bus driver.
The tip per day is S$4.00 per person fixed by the local travel agent at destination.
It is an expectation from travelers to give appreciation to the local guide and driver apart from the salary they receive from their travel company. Tipping is part and parcel of the tour agreement between tourist and travel agency.
I prefer the no tipping please and yet give appreciation token for good and excellent services. The receiver and the giver reciprocate good feeling between each other.
The travel journey takes 11 days to roundabout trip around the Southern part of China, which is the Fujian Province. We have our itinerary lined up and I should be posting videos and photographs when I am back in week 8.
Day 01 : Singapore – Xiamen
Day 02 : Xiamen – Quanzhou
Day 03: Quanzhou – Chaozhou
Day 04: Chaozhou - Shantou
Day 05: Shantou – Xiamen – Quanzhou
Day 06: Quanzhou – Anhui– Fuzhou
Day 07: Fuzhou – Mount Wuyi
Day 08: Mount Wuyi – Xiamen
Day 09: Xiamen
Day 10: Xiamen
Day 11: Xiamen
We chose to visit the Southern part of Fujian as it is less cold than in the Northern as my mum cannot take the cold weather. I would prefer to visit colder places because the weather in Singapore is hot and wet all year round and to be able to go some places cold will be quite a change and at least away from the sun temporarily. I love to stay in a temperate climate rather than back home climate of very hot and very wet all year round. We get to see the sun everyday of our waking life and sometimes I wish the weather could be a little cloudy and cooler. We get to see the sunrise everyday that it is not a novelty any longer. Therefore I love to go places where I can see the sunset, as our high rise apartment faces the south east direction, we can only get shades of purple, orange, blue and red splashes across the sky in the early evening.
This trip offer very exciting things for me to see, eat and taste the cultural aspects of Chinese small town. All visiting place are across the southern coastal areas which offers lot and lots of seafood and the produce of the sea. It is during one week before the Lunar New Year and the goodies display in the shop will be wonderful enough for the eyes not talking about eating them. We will be able to eat some of the festive dishes which will be served during this New Year period. There goes my dieting plan disrupted during these eleven days touring and hope to be able to shed some fats on Day 7 where we need to climb up the stairs of the Mount Wuyi, heard that it is a fairyland mountain top where the clouds descent. We have so much time spend in Xiamen, thinking of go around the small lane, busy streets to shoot some nice pictures or find something useful to do during Day 9 ~ Day 10.
We do not intend to visit our relatives in Xiamen somewhat the relationship has turned cold after my father’s death. The letters written by them were always asking for money transfer when my dad was around, now it is telephone calls asking for money transfer cooking some stories about exhumation of my grandfather’s bone from the reclaimed land that the local authority intention to take over the plot. My father is the only son in this family though he has three sisters. One left for Philippines and never return, two passed away. Being the only son, my grandfather left him nothing as he migrated to Singapore. What was left behind somewhat gone missing after the old man passed away, even the old house were de-registered under my so called uncles.
My father left Xiamen at seventeen to Singapore because he was supposed to be recruited by the Army, how true it is but I think he was afraid of dying at war. My father was not a brave man and I am not ashamed of him. He knew that he would not be able to handle a gun so he fled to Singapore. I wondered sometimes if he did not flee to Singapore what would become of me. In China? Why not, I have always wanted to be close to nature after having live in the city, it would be a good change to stay at the countryside.
Xiamen hold a special meaning in my life since my last two visit in 1984 and 1994, things were so different during each visit. People were more simple-minded during those days and now fourteen later, there will be a numerous changes in the city and rural areas.
People are more money-minded and very keen to take short-cuts to be successful. The gap between the very rich and the poor is wide in the big city, but in Xiamen probably less obvious perhaps, yet to see it. In 1994, I saw young pretty ladies from rural areas sitting around the tea houses with men during the early morning breakfast. The men were talking aloud and the ladies were sitting down quietly drinking tea and eating their little dainty dumpling placed on the table. So I gathered they were social escorts, dressing and make-up needed a little coaching. This time round, perhaps the ladies will be more dignified and well-treated around the table, joining in the conversations instead of sitting around looking pretty. I hope to see less of this trade and more of the city bustling with bazaars, loud music blasting in the air, shopkeepers shouting for customers to take a look at their stuffs. Xiamen is an unique city and trust that this identity will not be lost in the midst of economic changes.
The tour fare including Singapore airport tax per person is S$1,178.00 inclusive of 11 days tour package, hotel accommodation, 30 meals, inland transportation and hotel transfers two ways. What is exclude is the tips for the porter, tour agent and bus driver.
The tip per day is S$4.00 per person fixed by the local travel agent at destination.
It is an expectation from travelers to give appreciation to the local guide and driver apart from the salary they receive from their travel company. Tipping is part and parcel of the tour agreement between tourist and travel agency.
I prefer the no tipping please and yet give appreciation token for good and excellent services. The receiver and the giver reciprocate good feeling between each other.
The travel journey takes 11 days to roundabout trip around the Southern part of China, which is the Fujian Province. We have our itinerary lined up and I should be posting videos and photographs when I am back in week 8.
Day 01 : Singapore – Xiamen
Day 02 : Xiamen – Quanzhou
Day 03: Quanzhou – Chaozhou
Day 04: Chaozhou - Shantou
Day 05: Shantou – Xiamen – Quanzhou
Day 06: Quanzhou – Anhui– Fuzhou
Day 07: Fuzhou – Mount Wuyi
Day 08: Mount Wuyi – Xiamen
Day 09: Xiamen
Day 10: Xiamen
Day 11: Xiamen
We chose to visit the Southern part of Fujian as it is less cold than in the Northern as my mum cannot take the cold weather. I would prefer to visit colder places because the weather in Singapore is hot and wet all year round and to be able to go some places cold will be quite a change and at least away from the sun temporarily. I love to stay in a temperate climate rather than back home climate of very hot and very wet all year round. We get to see the sun everyday of our waking life and sometimes I wish the weather could be a little cloudy and cooler. We get to see the sunrise everyday that it is not a novelty any longer. Therefore I love to go places where I can see the sunset, as our high rise apartment faces the south east direction, we can only get shades of purple, orange, blue and red splashes across the sky in the early evening.
This trip offer very exciting things for me to see, eat and taste the cultural aspects of Chinese small town. All visiting place are across the southern coastal areas which offers lot and lots of seafood and the produce of the sea. It is during one week before the Lunar New Year and the goodies display in the shop will be wonderful enough for the eyes not talking about eating them. We will be able to eat some of the festive dishes which will be served during this New Year period. There goes my dieting plan disrupted during these eleven days touring and hope to be able to shed some fats on Day 7 where we need to climb up the stairs of the Mount Wuyi, heard that it is a fairyland mountain top where the clouds descent. We have so much time spend in Xiamen, thinking of go around the small lane, busy streets to shoot some nice pictures or find something useful to do during Day 9 ~ Day 10.
We do not intend to visit our relatives in Xiamen somewhat the relationship has turned cold after my father’s death. The letters written by them were always asking for money transfer when my dad was around, now it is telephone calls asking for money transfer cooking some stories about exhumation of my grandfather’s bone from the reclaimed land that the local authority intention to take over the plot. My father is the only son in this family though he has three sisters. One left for Philippines and never return, two passed away. Being the only son, my grandfather left him nothing as he migrated to Singapore. What was left behind somewhat gone missing after the old man passed away, even the old house were de-registered under my so called uncles.
My father left Xiamen at seventeen to Singapore because he was supposed to be recruited by the Army, how true it is but I think he was afraid of dying at war. My father was not a brave man and I am not ashamed of him. He knew that he would not be able to handle a gun so he fled to Singapore. I wondered sometimes if he did not flee to Singapore what would become of me. In China? Why not, I have always wanted to be close to nature after having live in the city, it would be a good change to stay at the countryside.
Xiamen hold a special meaning in my life since my last two visit in 1984 and 1994, things were so different during each visit. People were more simple-minded during those days and now fourteen later, there will be a numerous changes in the city and rural areas.
People are more money-minded and very keen to take short-cuts to be successful. The gap between the very rich and the poor is wide in the big city, but in Xiamen probably less obvious perhaps, yet to see it. In 1994, I saw young pretty ladies from rural areas sitting around the tea houses with men during the early morning breakfast. The men were talking aloud and the ladies were sitting down quietly drinking tea and eating their little dainty dumpling placed on the table. So I gathered they were social escorts, dressing and make-up needed a little coaching. This time round, perhaps the ladies will be more dignified and well-treated around the table, joining in the conversations instead of sitting around looking pretty. I hope to see less of this trade and more of the city bustling with bazaars, loud music blasting in the air, shopkeepers shouting for customers to take a look at their stuffs. Xiamen is an unique city and trust that this identity will not be lost in the midst of economic changes.
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