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Post by Henry on May 18, 2008 9:13:06 GMT -5
Dear Colleagues, For travelers that do not speak Chinese and would like to travel to places in Guangdong province such as Taicheng [ Taishan City ] - I have prepared detailed directions with URLs, maps, photos, and bus schedules stored on my website Tom Genealogy. This is only for travel via cross border buses from the Hong Kong Airport or from Kowloon, Hong Kong. The high speed ferry service is somewhat erratic and full service to all river ports is probably subject to meeting ridership thresholds. From: Hong Kong Airport [ mysite.verizon.net/vzepzaui/HKG%20Airport.doc ] From: Kowloon, Hong Kong[ mysite.verizon.net/vzepzaui/HKG%20Bus.doc ] The following is the full bus schedule for the Trans-Island Bus Company:[ mysite.verizon.net/vzepzaui/Trans-Island.doc]Also, as I have mentioned before in this Forum, the following is contact information for an organizations that can help you with genealogy research in Guangdong province: Guangdong Overseas Chinese Affairs gocn.southcn.com/english/Email: gdsfqb@gdnet.com.cn 8 Haishan Jie Ersha Island Guangzhou 510105 Tel: + 86-20-8735 3375 Fax: + 86-20-87352060 Contact information for specific Guangdong county offices is found on my website - mysite.verizon.net/vzepzaui/village.html[/b]Other people from this Forum went to China and Mr. Su Zhiwei and his tour company were able to find the ancestral village and also provide an English speaking guide & transport: Su Zhiwei Manager of Europe & America Dept. China Merchants Travel Phone: 86-20-8331 3156, 8331 2843 Fax: 86-20-83312845 Email zhiweisu@vip.sina.com If you have more updated information that would be useful to helping others - please forward to me at: Tomclan@Gmail.com and I will update these files Henry |
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Post by laohuaqiao on May 20, 2008 14:43:27 GMT -5
A quick note:
There has been a new policy on issuing visa for China since a month ago, probably because the government wants to restrict entry from now until the end of the Olympics. Together with your visa application, you need to show/submit a copy of your roundtrip plane tickets and hotel reservations, or instead of hotel reservations, you need a certified, invitation letter from a Chinese citizen.
Also, from what I've heard, Hong Kong agencies no longer( at least for now) process visa applications, only Chinese consulates or embassies.
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Post by tyuti1668 on May 31, 2008 5:56:52 GMT -5
Henry,
Many cities in GD had upgraded the 7-digit tel no to 8-digit, pls update ur webpage
From 06 Dec 2003
Foshan: Add "8" b4 the ex 7-digit
Shunde: Add "2" b4 the ex 7-digit no. & changed to Foshan area code: 757
From 18 May 2008
Zhongshan: Add "2" b4 the ex-7 digit that started from "2,3" / Others: Add 8
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Post by Henry on Jun 5, 2008 7:57:14 GMT -5
Dear Colleagues, Thank you for the updates ! I would appreciate any additional updated information about traveling to Guangdong places from HKG and/or the HKG Airport, especially if you are using my directions. The updates and refinements will really help travelers that cannot speak, read or write Chinese and are nervous about this travel. For those of you that live in the US the China visa fee has gone from the $50 USD to $130 USD as of January, 2008. It was increased to be on a reciprocal basis with what the US charges China citizens for a US visa. The good news is that they usually grant a one year visa with mutiple entries. So, since I visited Xi'an last November, when I visit Beijing later this month - I do not have to go through the hassle and payment again at the China embassy in Washington to get another visa: www.china-embassy.org/eng/hzqz/t334452.htmHenry |
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Post by laohuaqiao on Jun 15, 2008 3:22:26 GMT -5
Ferry services from Hong Kong to Gongyi, Taishan have recently been discontinued. : (
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Post by tyuti1668 on Jun 15, 2008 6:06:05 GMT -5
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kiwi
Member
Posts: 8 
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Post by kiwi on Jun 28, 2008 6:34:10 GMT -5
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Post by tyuti1668 on Jun 28, 2008 8:09:53 GMT -5
Therad about 深華粵海. Some points from that thread Drivers are manic. The fastest HK>TS record is ~3hr. Often 130km/h+ in Zhongshan<>Jiangmen Expressway. (From my personal experience it's 100% true in that expressway). Rumor said their driver don't have enough rest time btw next ride if drive like the "normal" competitor's driver.
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Post by Henry on Nov 7, 2008 13:20:50 GMT -5
Dear Colleagues & Friends,
I would like to publicly thank Raymond Seid, and acknowledge his thoughtfulness, consideration, and generosity in providing me a huge cache of maps and atlases of the SiYi region and Guangdong province.
Raymond is a frequent contributor to the SiYi Forum and recently returned from yet another visit to Xinhui and other places in Guangdong province. I had asked Ray to pick up some maps for me to update and add to my already extensive collection of maps and atlases. The number of maps and atlases he sent to me exceeds 50 and they are fairly heavy - which is not easy to carry in your luggage as you travel through Guangdong province and home to Hawaii and then ship them to me here in Frederick, Maryland.
Again, thank you so much with great appreciation, I will endeavor to use these maps to help SiYi Forum members locate their ancestral villages.
Many thanks !
Henry
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Post by raymond on Nov 8, 2008 15:14:35 GMT -5
Henry,
Thank you so much for your kind words. Like you who has been unselfishly helping "lost souls" to find their roots through your expertise in cartography, I am doing my small part in contributing to this most worthy effort in Chinese genealogy. I recognize as well as you do that we are at a generational crossroad for many Overseas Chinese.........either we invest the time and effort to pursue our genealogical roots with our parents and grandparents NOW, or the body of knowledge will be lost forever for many of us.
Good luck to all in their genealogical quests.
Raymond
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Post by douglaslam on Nov 12, 2008 5:20:36 GMT -5
To all fellow travellers,
Here is a piece of trivia which may have escaped your attention. Going by bus or coach to Guangzhou and its hinterland, once crossed the border from HK, you may notice someone jump on board and start snapping away with a digital camera, whether you like it or not.
Alarmed ? Don't be. It is a security measure to stamp out highway robbers masquerading as passengers, who board the bus after the crossing and have a captive audience as their mercy.
Highway robberies are still common occurence. I read an awful lot about the antics they get up to in the Chineses press and by word of mouth.
This is a lighter side to the sometimes serious and sombre aspect of tracing once origin. But it is no funny business as robberies can lead to dire consquences.
Douglas
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Post by douglaslam on Nov 12, 2008 5:50:38 GMT -5
Please excuse the typographical and spelling oversights in the last post. It is too late to teach an old dog new tricks.
Douglas
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Post by tyuti1668 on Nov 12, 2008 6:52:23 GMT -5
To all fellow travellers, ... once crossed the border from HK, you may notice someone jump on board and start snapping away with a digital camera, whether you like it or not. ... Douglas If goes to GZ, train is very convenient. Since the "yuan" raise & "new" SZ bay opened- the direct HK coach is good in value. Only the bus that leaves at 罗湖汽车站 snapping the face. No "big" robbery heard since 07. (the recent one in 06 is some junkies from 台山 5 robberies- 2 life sentence / 2 -15 yr in jail ). Pickpockets always choose the easiest target. |
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Post by Ah Gin on Nov 14, 2008 1:00:28 GMT -5
Henry, Raymond,
While I was at Kaiping earlier this month, I could not resist picking up a few maps: a little picket-size "Guangdong Atlas" (15 CNY), "Kaiping Tourist Mao" (6 CNY), "The Business Investment and Tour Map of Taishan" (6 CNY). As you folks are aware, the best logical place to pick up maps are bus stations, railway stations, airports. On the subject of finding places, in a number of "Geek Shops" aka Electrical Comsumer shops, I saw a few GPS on sale.
Regards, Ah Gin
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Post by Henry on Nov 14, 2008 15:42:12 GMT -5
Ah Gin,
Welcome home !
Yes, I bought the little "Guangdong Atlas" at the airport, that Taishan map at local Taishan bookstore, and the Kaiping Tourist Map from the Tanjiang Peninsula Hotel (*****). I am a little anal when it comes to maps - I never encountered a map in the SiYi region that I would not buy - only if I already had a copy - sometimes, I'd buy it anyway. The prices are so ridiculously cheap. I am glad I do not have to earn a living selling maps in China.
Henry
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