Why is everything in China from business ethnic to booking flights are all against the grid?

Why is everything in China from business ethnic to booking flights are all against the grid?

I had been away for too long that is because of work.

The work schedule in china is not even borderline ridicules it is ridicules.

Here is an example what I went thru in the first and second month of this year, some of us produced video before understand that it is not possible to produce a video in four days time from scripts revision to full production, but here in China that is what you r client expected. As for weekend, what is weekend, or what is mid night. Client will email you at 1AM to your hotel, or call you some times demanding changes on a weekend, they don’t even care if you are trying to get some rest. If you work for them that is even worst, I saw email client send in the middle of the night demanding their assistances to deliver information to me, so you can wake up the production studio editor to make the changes for them in a couple of hours, so they can see the revision at their breakfast table, if they even eat breakfast.

That is my most recent encounter, average sleep 4 hours a night, some times none for two weeks, no wonder I end up in the hospital for exhaustion for some miracle by doctor’s order I was removed from work and ordered bed rest with pills of course. This is no resort hospital just basic hard bed, white wall, not to white sheet and I slept for two days.

Even under those conditions I did not escape the craw of the devils. I was request to deliver yet another script and another shoot outside of China while lying in bed. I told them I am sick but the message fell on deaf ears. They keep coming thru my mobile.

I felt a lot better now after my daring escape from hell. Now I am in the spa heaven once or twice a week to help me relax until the next wave hit in another two weeks.

Don’t you think that is fun?

Challenging is the word. I do not know if it is what I will call fun work. Plus the long hours of cutting and editing once the shooting is over.

While on the subject about challenging. I had another new experience.

Perhaps I am spoil, for me it is a privilege for not knowing the Chinese language well. I have not paid much attention on my travel arrangement since I got to China over a year ago. If you recall my other story on train travel over the Christmas holiday, you know I have no clue on what I really suppose to do.

There is no difference on the up coming trip to Cambodia, I plan to take 10 clueless expat into the Far East jungle in May, and it is going to be fun, since I have no sense of direction even in the city. After this trip stay tune, perhaps I will have enough materials to write a movie script, I may name it 4 days in the jungle survived and return, or lost. Never the less that is not what I want to talk about. Instead. I like to share my experience of getting ticket to this destination.

After almost a month of research with a travel agent here and missed the first departure date. I decided to do some research on my own. It is horrible that I can’t even trust a Chinese travel agent, because they will organize a tour without knowing how to get you there. I swear it is true and they will quote you flight without including taxes.

First I found out that to get to the destination on a non-stop in 3.5 hours flight time, is only offered by a single government owned airlines, everyone else took between 7-19 hours with extensive layover.  Even more frustration is that it lands at 4AM on any return flight, choices of flight time is not flexible, one flight only. Unless you decided that you have so much time to waste and you like airport. Please remember it is not every airport terminal is like Dubai International. There will be no shopping in most of them.

Secondly, there is substantial saving if you book direct with an airline instead of the travel site. I meant half price off and some times 2/3 savings. I do not know why, perhaps it is because I am on the English version of the web site?

Third, in the US we think that economy class is the cheapest way to fly, I was wrong again there is such a thing call the cheapest price, this price is cheaper than economy fare. No you are not flying in the cargo cabin and there are no animals on board, your meals will be served like in every other flight, there will be seat belt and movies, but no foot messages (just kidding), so what is the difference you may ask?

The reason for the price is much cheaper is nothing “new to all of us” because it is like standard for all economy fare in the US. (I do not mean flight delay). Rather if you book the cheapest price in China, there will be no refund or exchange on your ticket. No credit will be given, you miss the flight you loose your money. I suppose they call it a little different than the meaning is lost in Translation still something new to learn.

However the big difference between economy and cheapest fare here, the price is three times cheaper. In this economy unless you have unlimited fund, what choice are you going to take – economy class or the cheapest price?  Just remember, your choice of seat is the same, not your control just window or arils.

Domestic and international Airfare in China went up tremendously recently. There are a lot of bargain airlines, but their flying record is questionable. I am not sure you really wanted to get on one. They are nothing like our no thrill discount airlines. Perhaps more like the Russian airlines, you are so relief and feel blessed that you arrive in one pieces while all the seats surge forward once the flight touch down on the ground, there is no seat belt to speak off, and some of the seats the bolt came loose during flight. The cabin broke into cheer and everyone claps once touch down is completed, and the plane is on the Taxi runway. At that time you are for sure to know that you had arrived in one piece, I am not saying the condition is the same in Chinese discounts flight, because I had never flown one however I do know that they had so much flights and so frequently I do not think they ever turn off their engine

So these are the reality of aviation in china, and new learning on getting through the maze of booking flights. For the longest time I always wonder why flying to HK, a 2.5 hours flight cost almost as much as flying to UK. Now I understood. I will be smarter next time. The only thing that is reasonable in China is food, therefore eat your heart out and never gain any weight, because there are usually more bones than meat in all the dishes. Cheers.

Chance Encounter Hong Kong.