A Day Trip to Shenzhen – Day 1
Background:
For some weeks now it has been becoming increasingly important that I make a visit to 2 factories in Shenzhen (SZ), plus I also needed a meeting with my Hong Kongian (HK) business partners re our jewellery business. It was agreed we would meet on Wednesday at 11.00 am.
Wednesday, 26th April 2006
I awake at 5 am and am refreshed after a good nights sleep; I am also happy to be awake early, as it gives me ample time to shower and pack for my trip. I have been told the journey to SZ takes 2 hours, with buses departing the Main bus station in Foshan, (For we have 5 bus stations!), every 30 minutes - cool!
I take care of the obligatory 3-S's - Shower, Shave and S
... omething else concerning the bathroom, decide that I may try and stay
overnight somewhere and see Cindy at the bed factory in SZ. Her factory is
actually a 1 hour bus ride outside SZ, but then,
Having almost completed the return leg from the cashpoint, I am becoming increasingly aware that I need to visit the toilet again -- as I have been suffering a little with diarrhea recently, I know it is unwise to presume that any inward pressures are the results of any gas build-up! I literally fly into the bathroom, leaving all doors open en route, and am rewarded by knowing the result was not wind! Truly a disaster averted, and a good promising start to the day I feel :-)
At 7.30, I start to head for the door, and my adventures in SZ. I get as far as the lift before I have a feeling I should return to my apartment for a moment - it seems things are bubbling around again, and I may shortly need a wc, again. Not good.
I spend the next 30 minutes or so, running to and from the bathroom, before I am satisfied the current crisis is resolved. Ahhhhh! Much relief I think. It is now 8.20, and I may be running a tad late, as I do not know what time the buses leave for SZ. I grab my stuff and hit the street looking for a taxi - all of which are full. 10 minutes later I find one. He seems to be one of the Cantonese drivers that does not understand Cantonese - I think they do it on purpose sometimes lol. There is no audience, and 50-50 looks a tad risky deal, so I decide to ring a friend. He is also juggling his 2 mobile phones while driving headlong into the morning city rush-hour traffic. At one point he has a phone to each ear, steering with his elbow - just as well I am used to Chinese taxi drivers by now! We connect at the same time, he handing a mobile to me, whilst I hand mine to him ...
It turns out he misunderstood my 'bus-ee da ban', for
'bus-ee da ban' - afterwards we chat quite merrily. It would appear that
instead of listening to what I was saying, he presumed I was speaking Mandarin,
which he does not know; and all foreigners always speak Mandarin. Not this one
sunshine! Here is
We carry on down the busy roads, chaos as usual. One girl on a scooter thinks she needs the width of the whole road to squeeze her ride down - Gezzz! You could get a Saracen tank through the gap sideways, with room enough for a BBQ on the side! Durrr! The driver is not impressed, and is cleaning her rear as we drive, whilst honking his horn. Eventually she pulls over enough for him to zip through the gap, and it turns out she was talking on her mobile. I say 'Qi-Xin' - meaning 'crazy and stupid', and after that we have a good laugh; he starts rambling on about banning girls and scooters from the roads, total madness hehe
Ah! We arrive at the bus station, and I have a feeling this trip will be - 'interesting'. My timing is good, and the ticket easy. The ticket girls always seem to look at me with dread, but I say, 'Ee- ger Shunjun lowhu', and am greeted with a large smile. The first 2 words were Mandarin, and the 2nd two Cantonese, but experience has taught me it is a working combination. I find the bus at the second attempt, as I had muddled the seat and gate numbers, but was quick enough to ask a fellow passenger for help. The bus is waiting, and so the 9am bus to SZ pulls out at 8.54. Chinese usually allocate a seat, and I find seat 8 straight away. The hostess gives us all a free bottle of water, and then I nap etc ...
10.55, and we are still on the main GZ-SZ Expressway. Ho-hum! We have to stop at a toll, but it is not for money, this time it is for checking people. Some Red Army 'Officers' come on-board, but they do not bother me at all. Everyone else in the first 3 rows has to move. It is then I realise that there are only 12 of us on the bus, all crammed into the first few rows. Durrr! One guy is turfed off the bus, apparently his ID is no good. These guys are a bit officious actually. We then relax whilst one of the guys that had to move seats, has a long argument with the Officer, and continues later with the hostess, once the Officer leaves. The hostess then has a chat with the Officer, and then 8 people get on the bus, occupying the vacated seats. The bus finally gets going again. It is now 11.20! I really do not have a clue what that was all about! Just as well this bus is a 'Non stop express'!
My phone is ringing, again; as Hester has taken to calling me once every 2 minutes to ask where I am? I would tell her if I knew. She is not good at understanding my speaking on the telephone, although in real life she is fine. I think about switching the phone off until I arrive -- somewhere?
Although the coach is virtually a brand new Mercedes, and we have been enjoying a movie; I am beginning to have severe back ache, directly associated with the ergonomically designed seats. They have a pronounced lumbar support, which for me is always a nightmare. Why do they have to do this? Why can't they just have ordinary seats fitted?
At 11.52 we pull into Luohu bus station, SZ; Chinese do not do 'Time' as we know it. There are basically 3 options: 'Now', 'Past' or 'Future'. I realise my mistake, as the Chinese would consider a 2 hour bus journey, and a 3 hour bus journey, to be identical. So I call Hester to say I have finally arrived. She says Dennis will meet me at the ticket office of the nearby railway station. Result! I walk the long way around the pedestrianised plaza, so I can enjoy some nicotine - and wait. It appears the ticket section is a smoking area, so I enjoy a second as well. And I wait. Maybe something was lost in translation? I call Hester again and ask her where Dennis is. She wants to know where I am, so I tell her I am waiting for Dennis at the ticket office of the train station. Ah! They are in the restaurant, and Dennis will come down now. 2nd Result! I think
Yes, is a result, as a few moments later I see Dennis's happy face. We adjourn to the railway restaurant, which is quite swish; and where I am introduced to a-Ying, who is 20-something I guess. The table is big, and is covered with jewellery. I am told-off for being late, again; and we make a joke of it. 'a' is a familiarity term in Cantonese, so I have a little conversation with Ying, before Hester monopolizes my time, and shows me some gemstone pictures from Burmese producers. I see one of her pet cat, which is virtually identical to the accompanying photograph. I am impressed. 1 week from photograph to finished item, not bad at all. It comes with a 'Gemstone Picture-Map', and a Certificate of Authenticity - cool. I am given a Picasso gemstone picture, for advertising. I think they don't actually understand it, but I love it - it is entitled "Rideau pour le ballet 'Parade'", and stands about 1 foot wide by 8 inches high.
After 2 hours of chatting and looking at the new jewellery range, we order food. Dennis tells me this will be vegetarian only, because Hester is confirmed Buddhist ... as if I didn't know already! He also tells me that dinner will include meat, so at least I gain a vague insight of the Days' plan. The food is 'ok', and One hundred times better than anything British Rail could invent. Replete, we move on to see the new jewellery shop, where I can take pictures of products, for putting on the website.
We have to detour to a shopping Plaza, where Hester and Ying disappear. Dennis chooses this moment to have and in-depth discussion with me about our business plans. Apparently I am now a full Director of his Company, holding a 10% stake, and a 10% share of net profits. Cool. We do this in probably the busiest doorway of the Plaza, standing, and being interrupted by shoppers. Business HK style I think? Meanwhile, Dennis lays out in Technicolor: his 5 year plan, his 3 year plan, his 6 month plans and his 3 month plans. We are in business, but then a Chinese woman pushing a 'Kiddie-wagon' passes between us, and the kid falls out - the weight is now unbalanced, so all her shopping falls to the floor - the kid runs off, oblivious to the mayhem he leaves in his wake! The broken eggs become out biggest immediate problem, although I do seem to be the only one present who is concerned about the missing child - they obviously know something I do not, I think
I do wonder that if we had had this conversation on the other side of the Plaza doors, that I could not have enjoyed a seat and a cigarette as well. Ho-Hum! A group of boys walk past smoking, and laughing at the woman. Conclusion: Eggs can be very 'sticky', especially when broken in the wrong place ...
Time passes, and we move on
Hester tells me the last bus to HuiZhou is at 6pm. I have a feeling this is important ...
The bus stop is near another doorway, and I manage 1/3rd of
a cigarette before we have to board. I am not convinced by this, as the bus is
empty, but both Dennis and Hester feel it is essential that we ALL take our
seats immediately. I hate being with non-smokers, they have no comprehension of
what it is like. All transport in
The result is that; I grabbed 2 ciggies, chain smoking, off the bus from Foshan; then nothing again for ages, and just a few puffs before we get on the bus and sit in it for 20 minutes before it departs. I knew this! I really do hate non-smokers ignorance of my habit! I was always a very considerate smoker, and I do think that non-smokers should show the same understanding, but apparently it is always only ever only a one-way street - so I guess I should enjoy the 'Fresh-air' pollution, and the hyperventilation; as I definitely have too much oxygen in my system by now
After 20 minutes of bad-bus, we arrive at the SZ Permanent Jewellery Exhibition Fair. The 'shop' turns out to be - which one do you think we should rent, we get the first 6 months for free. No photo opportunity then I guess? I give an appropriate answer, but it is discounted immediately, because it is not West-facing, and in the Year of the Fiery-Dog, west is good. I also learn that the shop will open on the 18th of June, as this is the most propitious day for making money. Ok. We then do not discuss the available units, but it is more important to agree on the 'Fish-tank', which should be as large as we can afford, and have at least one Carp in it - it is a Chinese thingymagig I have met before, and they really do consider this most important for good business. I am tempted to ask where this tank should be situated, as Hester is proving to be a Feng Shui Master, but I conclude that I could not keep a straight face for long enough, so for-go the
opportunity - previously I have known this result in discussing the colours of the carp, etc ...
I do think my everyday world is very different from your
own. It is fascinating and also sublimely ridiculous at times - Here is
So we do our stuff, and then we depart floor 2 to see Dennis's friend, who is apparently here and expecting us shortly. We walk through the ground floor, but into a new area specialising in Chinese Jade. I am so-so impressed, and am expecting to meet the friend at the next stand - or maybe the next one?
Ah, the street again, and we end-up at a bus stop. I think
this means we are getting on a bus, but never, ever presume anything in
Anyway, it seems I am a Chinese man, so I have first call on the vacant seat. I have learnt from experience that I should only ever offer my seat to a very old woman, or respected older gentleman - the younger woman with 2 kids will offer her seat to me! (Yes, do not believe what you read in the paper, or see on 60 Minutes: Cantonese usually have 5 children; 3 girls and 2 boys in actual fact. Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction)
I digress, because this bus ride is taking ages! I am sure
we will soon be in
We arrive somewhere! Hester leaves her seat as soon as the bus departs it's previous stop ... ok? The bus actually stops at the next bus stop, because she is standing at the door. No one gets on, no one gets off. The bus moves on to the next stop. I am pleased to report to you, and especially those of you that know me well, that I was not fooled, and I did stay seated until the doors opened and Hester actually got off the bus - my cue to get up and leave
A short walk, and I am worried they are not as good at
crossing Traffic as I am, but I do forget they are HK people, and have green
walking lights that mean pedestrians have a right of way -
We eventually arrive at the ninth floor, which for real people is floor 8; as Chinese count the floors from the bottom one up, similar to Americans, but also slightly differently - So essentially the Ground Floor is Floor number 1. Ok so far? Sometimes the Ground floor is not the place where you start, maybe it is basement 2. The Chinese can also call this 1st floor, and the ground floor can be floor 3 on occasions. Anyway, we press 9 and arrive where we should be, so I guess the system works
9th floor, we get out of the lift, turn right, first and
only left, and then first and only right. This place is a seller for jewellery
mechanics - the stuff for weighing, grading, polishing etc. It appears I am
here because the owner is one of Dennis's best friends. I later discover this
is only because he is a Buyer. Dennis wants to offer this guy, 'Jung', (Hester
and Dennis both have problems pronouncing his name, I do not, as it is actually
Zheng, a common
Now the laughs begin, he is
I am not sure SZ girls are pretty? I live in a place where even the horrible, fat and ugly ones are basically very attractive. There is one girl who is 'ok-ish', and she turns out to be the multi-lingual PA; ie she speaks Mandarin, Cantonese and Shanghainese. So we sit around and discuss business - The Boss in Shanghainese, Dennis and Hester in HK version Cantonese, and I get the odd droppings in 'In-ger-wish'. I watch body languages, and enjoy my cigarettes ...
True to Chinese tradition, the meeting is closed in a hurry, and we are off for dinner. We have to hurry, as it is just after 6pm, and all Chinese must eat dinner at 6 sharp, no excuses! Hester is a little confused as to where the lifts are, so I lead the way - and we wait, and wait, and wait. Time passes ...
Eventually a lift stops, but it is already full. The PA asks if I would mind using the stairs, and I say, 'lets go'. Thinking back, I am a little intrigued as to how we had that brief exchange, as she doesn't speak a word of English. Best not to dwell on it I think. We reach the ground floor well ahead of the others, and start clearing a path through the thronging masses waiting for the lifts. Hester catches up with me and asks if I think this would be a good building for them to have the shop. I say 'No', as the lifts are a nightmare, and we do need a proper retail presence. We agree on one particular unit in the previous place, which Ying also likes
We order a table for nine in Cantonese, even though there
are only 8 of us present - perhaps someone else will join later? No, it appears
that when the PA was counting numbers, somebody moved - we chat about this, and
I discover her Cantonese is Shunde - I speak this hehe. Result! It appears she
does have a problem understanding the HK people, it is like taking Geordie to
the east end, so to speak. The
It also appears that I have become an excuse for Dennis to
have beers - his sister is quite a formidable woman, and I do think we will
clash heads soon. He can drink for
Our meal consists of 'Soup', which arrives first for a change. I cannot tell you what it was, but it was brown and maybe had 'fish' in it?
Another 10 or so courses of different meats, fresh prawns and fishes - I love the 'Fatty Pork' one, it is vaguely similar to bacon. As we are finishing our meal, they bring 3 dishes for Hester - veggie stuff etc. Well great night, we eat, sup and are merry. After we argue over the bill, and as I leave, the spare ribs arrive ...
Ah, it seems we are rushing for the bus, and I do not have time to visit the conveniences
Ying sticks us in a taxi - I am beginning to like this girl,
she seems to have an understanding others lack + she is SZ girl, (from
So, we are in the taxi, and because I am a man, I have to sit in the front. Ok. Hester asks the driver to take us to the bus for HuiZhou - so at least I now know which city I will be in tonight - it is only 1 hour away after all. On getting the instructions, the taxi U-turns on the road where he is - causing chaos and commotion, and I feel at home. I miss a brief discussion, but the taxi driver starts swearing a lot, before doing another U-turn, and 5 minutes later we pass the point we started from. Ok.
20 minutes later we are stuck in a very bad traffic jam, and Hester is giving the driver some gip. From what I understand, the driver was taking us to a different bus station, and so avoiding a well known local queue. Hester had over-ridden where he was going, because she did not know the destination. I think the driver was correct, on this occasion - laugh a minute, but you do need to have a wide sense of humour here I think. And how do I know this - I have absolutely no idea, except I know my understanding is correct
After half an hour, we arrive at the bus station - I am not convinced it is the same one I arrived at earlier? The first bus we see is the one we want, and it is leaving 'Now!'
We sit on the bus for 20 minutes, and then it leaves, at 8.25pm. I think Hester muddled her 6 and 9 - same character really, just viewed from a different perspective - important to know which way up though, especially for catching last buses I do think
At 10.50pm we arrive at HuiZhou - a good hour then. We get a taxi, which is dirt cheap, and arrive at the city's poshest hotel, apparently we are staying for free tonight, as the owner also owns the factory we will visit tomorrow. I see Hester to her room, and bid her goodnight. She says she is going to have a shower and go to bed, ok job done. I dump my bags and go find the hotel bar; I do need chill-time
I begin looking on Floor 3 - which is a Bull's eye. The waitress doesn't speak Mandarin, so we are soon talking in real Chinese - the accent is quite like Shunde, so I start adding an 'Ah' to every sentence and appropriate word - it works well lol
What I have not mentioned, is that Dennis and I had some very good conversations, and I do need to have a think, consider options etc, place myself within the corporate structure, assimilate myself into the greater plan etc. I also have much to discuss with Yupa, and am looking forward to developments later this year. I enjoy a beer, and as many cigarettes as I have been denied all day long
The Witching Hour, and it is time I retired to my room - a large rat runs across the restaurant floor from the direction of the kitchens, and moments later, I spy his partner above the foyer desk. I will go to sleep happy in the knowledge there are no Cockroaches in this hotel :-)
Here is