Swine Flu

[David5o]

Yes, the bird flu virus H1N2 also called SARS !!  And YES they lost a lot of face in that period of time Mainly through not listening to anyone, and later Panicing again .....

DavidI seem to remember an episode of the Beverly Hillbilly's Where Granny had a potion for the flu, Guaranteed to Cure.  Now this potion had bits of every known critter and insect and every evil tasting fauna in America!! ..... Knowing of Granny's other remedies working, The sharp ones wanted the recipe to make a fortune for themselves. It took till the end of the episode, ....Before Granny came out with the statement ''If today, you take my potion you will be fit as a fiddle and chasing possums again in 10 days"  hahahaha!!
Even Granny's potion,  didn't make much difference to our old enemy the common flu!! ...hahahaha!!

David ........

Hahaha, this discussion just reminded me of that hillbiy episode

[JimB]

Absolutely right.  No real medical danger, just political.  No new cases in Beijing in the past 4 days.

[Irishman]

Absolutely right.  No real medical danger, just political.  No new cases in Beijing in the past 4 days.

I suppose in a way that does vindicate their total crackdown. Though long term its futile of course and potentially lethal if the damn thing mutates.
I'm just hoping and praying there's no-one with a high temperature on the plane I'm on over there!

[David5o]

Quikcad,

I don't think there is going to be much chance of that happening to you.  Canceling School is one thing, losing face to the world is another. You may have to go through a simple screening at the airport, but that's about it. It's going to take a lot more than you stated, for them to start quarantining Foreign visitors.
The case of the quarantining at the hotel in HK, earlier in the year, was seen to the world as being over the top panic again.
So i think, ... they'll think more than just twice before they do that again.

David.......

[JimB]

Before I get on the plane from Seoul I am going to screen every passenger myself. anyone who looks even warm, I am going to stop them. I will claim they tried to steal from me or something. lol

[Irishman]

I read they take the temperature by scanning your forehead, I better not get sunburn on the way over and be glowing red hot again haha!

[Sylvain D]

Irish, what you have read is totally true. I lived it two times in the plane when I was arriving in Beijing... just because the first time it was "to prevent" and the second one because it seemed that a passenger just became ill just before going outside the plane...
Well... we also had to do administrative papers (a few ones), just to say where we could be joined during a week, where we would go and so on...

Just another thing that I noticed everywhere... and that just made me angry a bit.
In every road, every street, every shop, everywhere in fact...
Some chinese just "mefy" about us...
Why?
====>  white skin =====> swine flu comes from Mexico ======> we are western men ===> we could got it... When I was alone, it was difficult to have any taxi who could "catch" me... when I was with Ting or her sister, there were no problem... but I didn't have this problem with any motor"taxi" ^^
And some chinese just could go the opposite way from you, just to not be in contact with you...

[David5o]

It is highly unlikely that you would pick anything up from being on a plane with someone that's infected (so long as there not sitting next to you).
The air changes, in a modern airplane are such that, bugs don't get a chance to spread around. At every air change at least 80% is fresh air, that even then goes thru Super Hepa filters. So it's only on films that bugs can infect a whole airplane ...haha!!

Remember the good old days when you could smoke on planes? Aways at the back end, But the first row of non-smoking seats, never got to smell the tobacco fumes, .... that's how good the the air systems are in this flying taxi's......

David.....

[Irishman]

Slyvain, when you landed in Beijing what details did they want from you exactly?
Is it enough to tell them which hotel you are staying in? If they want to know my contacts there (Ling) is it enough to give her name and mobile number or do they want her address also (i don't know this- i just send her stuff to her work address as thats where she is during the daytime).
Also i've only booked the hotel for the first couple of nights in case i dont like it and want to change when I get there.

[Arnold]

Irish , all they want to know where your staying ( Hotel / Girlfriend's ) , for how long and your contact ( a Phone number is all you need . Ones you there , you pretty much Travel as you please , but make sure you alway's have a Copy of your Passport and Visa for China ( leave your real one at a Hotel Safe ) in case you get stopped for some reason or another ( you never know ) .

[Irishman]

Irish , all they want to know where your staying ( Hotel / Girlfriend's ) , for how long and your contact ( a Phone number is all you need . Ones you there , you pretty much Travel as you please , but make sure you alway's have a Copy of your Passport and Visa for China ( leave your real one at a Hotel Safe ) in case you get stopped for some reason or another ( you never know ) .

Thanks Arnold, then there should be no problems as long as the damn flu stays away, I think I'm close to maximum panic regarding that..actually no that will be in two weeks time when I board the plane there haha!
She booked me into a hotel today and sent me the ereceipts - the embassy wants these to change my visa from single to dual entry.
I feel so excited, i was last there five months ago, it seems like five days now thinking of it.
Looking forward to meeting Jim there too.
Hey Arnold as a Beijing pro what are maybe the best four things to see there?
Have seen Tienanmen square already so would like to see some of the other stuff, hopefully in time I'll get to see it all. I am so psyched I could explode right now with the Malaysian trip and all with her too.

[Sylvain D]

Slyvain, when you landed in Beijing what details did they want from you exactly?
Is it enough to tell them which hotel you are staying in? If they want to know my contacts there (Ling) is it enough to give her name and mobile number or do they want her address also (i don't know this- i just send her stuff to her work address as thats where she is during the daytime).
Also i've only booked the hotel for the first couple of nights in case i dont like it and want to change when I get there.

Well, sorry, Irish, I didn't see your asking, so yes, they need many things (where you will stay, phone number, who they have to contact (phone)  if there's something about you, how long you stay and if you will move somewhere when you'll be arrived. You will have to keep the paper on you each day, so will you with the visa.

[Arnold]

Irish , I have made a new Thread with the Tourguide's Cell and E-Mail ,  I had in Beijing . The thing's I have seen with Qing ;
1; The forbidden City .
2; The new Grand Theater ( next to Tiananmen Square ).
3; The Summer and Winter Palace's .
4; Olympic Village ( Birdnest ) .
5; The Simatai Great Wall .
6; Baihai Park .
7; The Temple of the Heaven's .
8; Downtown , the new CCTV Building .
9; All the good Eateries you can find .

[JimB]

Irish, The Wall of course, then there is the Summer Palace, the zoo is actually a good place to see Panda's, last time i was there they had 15.  The Hall of good Harvests, (at least 2-4 hours)   The summer Palace is a good 4 to 5 hours walk around.  If you see everything.  The summer palace is real close to Tianneman Square. The silk bazaar is really something to see.  There is "Sex in Da City"  and a place called the "Bunny Club", I did not go into the last two. lol.  They are over by the Lufthansa Mall.  The only one I took a tour to was the Wall. It was a 6 -7 hour day. Cost $50 usd, if I remember correctly.  It was a Bus a tour, guide, Lunch ( was very good) and two stops.  One to a Jade Factory and the other to a Holistic type clinic. The rest I had my "Godson" he is a registered tour guide.  There is Mao's tomb. I did not go there the last time, This time I will.  This will be my third trip to Beijing and so I will have plenty of time this time to see a little more.  You do not have to have a guide in the Summer Palace, everything is very well marked and in English also but you can miss a lot without one.  I cant think of anything else, maybe Arnold can.

[Arnold]

I must say , my Wife and I had it easy . Her Aunt and Uncle live in Beijing , so they just handed us a big Map with some circles on it , for what to see and we just followed it ... one by one .
They did not mentioned the Zoo , maybe because we seen the SH Zoo already ? Beside my Wife has that Panda outfit , the only time I chase the Bear instead the other way around . :angel: