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Viking China (Part 2)

BlueDevil75

By BlueDevil75,
in River Cruising

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recyclelady

recyclelady

Posted
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Drinking water safety. My TA double checked with Viking and the water on the ship is "filtered". There is no information about the type of filter, how often it is changed, etc. Our pre-cruise 5* hotel in Beijing confirmed via email that they use tap water to make coffee, etc. To be totally safe I will not be drinking any water (or anything made with water) while in China unless I see it coming out of a sealed bottle! On the same note, does anyone know (or remember) if there are coffee pots in the hotel rooms (standard item in most North American hotels) - 4 cup or single serving. Thanks for the great info.

Someone with more (much more!) of a science background than I have:

 

If a beverage is made with boiling water, won't that kill anything that should not be in the water?

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recyclelady

recyclelady

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I've gotten into a habit (probably should not have started it!) of bringing something small back to the eight people in my division at work. When I take a Caribbean cruise they each get a mini Tortuga rum cake from me. I'm not sure I could walk back into my office without these cakes now!

 

So, with a price range of NO MORE than $5-6 per person, do any of you have a good suggestion for this China trip? It needs to be something that will travel well with me back home.

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caribill

caribill

Posted
Posted (edited)
I've gotten into a habit (probably should not have started it!) of bringing something small back to the eight people in my division at work. When I take a Caribbean cruise they each get a mini Tortuga rum cake from me. I'm not sure I could walk back into my office without these cakes now!

 

So, with a price range of NO MORE than $5-6 per person, do any of you have a good suggestion for this China trip? It needs to be something that will travel well with me back home.

 

Ball caps with a China theme on them (red star, "Beijing", etc.)

 

Does not weigh much and travels well.

 

They do not have to know you bought them for $1-$2 each from street venders.

Edited by caribill
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Turtles06 Great Review Rare

Turtles06

Posted
Posted
I've gotten into a habit (probably should not have started it!) of bringing something small back to the eight people in my division at work. When I take a Caribbean cruise they each get a mini Tortuga rum cake from me. I'm not sure I could walk back into my office without these cakes now!

 

So, with a price range of NO MORE than $5-6 per person, do any of you have a good suggestion for this China trip? It needs to be something that will travel well with me back home.

 

I work in a small organization and try to bring something back for everyone when I've gone on an interesting trip. From China, I brought everyone a nice set of enameled chopsticks (designs on them) in a cloth pouch. Not very expensive, easy to pack... Not terribly original, but folks appreciate that you thought of them.

 

Another possibility: waving Mao watches. You can definitely bargain the street vendors down to about $5 (we even got 3 for $10 on our last day in Beijing). A true novelty. We brought one home to a friend who collects watches and she loved it.

 

(When I was in Bermuda last fall, I brought rum cakes back for the office. It was all I could do to stay out of the kitchen and help eat them! :))

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Peregrina651

Peregrina651

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So, with a price range of NO MORE than $5-6 per person, do any of you have a good suggestion for this China trip? It needs to be something that will travel well with me back home.

 

OMG, there is just so much to choose from. First of all, there is all sorts of things you can find for a dollar from the vendors. Fans are fun, but avoid the little bamboo fans from the street vendors because they fall apart in no time (we paid 3 for $1, so you know they are cheap). We came home with silk tote-style handbags that we bought from a vendor (5 for $10). At the silk workshop (on Cultural Delights for sure, don't know about Jewels/Roof), you can get silk jewelry rolls (which you can probably buy elsewhere, as well).

 

The vendors at Shibaozhai are a great place to shop if you want something just a bit higher quality than the street vendors. They offer variety and because there are so many of them in one place, the prices are competitive.

 

Bargaining is an accepted, expected practice. There were only a couple places where things were priced as marked. If you are in a shop expect to save about 20-25% off the original price (if there is bargaining to be done) but with the street vendors it is probably closer to 75%.

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caribill

caribill

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Bargaining is an accepted, expected practice. There were only a couple places where things were priced as marked. If you are in a shop expect to save about 20-25% off the original price (if there is bargaining to be done) but with the street vendors it is probably closer to 75%.

 

Your Viking guide is a good source of when and when not to bargain.

 

If you are in a bargaining situation, remember if your offer is accepted, the vendor is making money on the sale.

 

If you feel the price is still too high after bargaining, start walking away. It is amazing how often your last offer will be accepted in that situation.

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Lori Dobson

Lori Dobson

Posted
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Drinking water safety. My TA double checked with Viking and the water on the ship is "filtered". There is no information about the type of filter, how often it is changed, etc. Our pre-cruise 5* hotel in Beijing confirmed via email that they use tap water to make coffee, etc. To be totally safe I will not be drinking any water (or anything made with water) while in China unless I see it coming out of a sealed bottle! On the same note, does anyone know (or remember) if there are coffee pots in the hotel rooms (standard item in most North American hotels) - 4 cup or single serving. Thanks for the great info.

 

 

 

 

There is not a coffee pot but a pot to boil water and instant coffee in your room. A better option is the coffee station on deck 5 - it's 24 hours and has a machine that makes coffee, cappachino and cocoa.:)

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cruisingatsea2

cruisingatsea2

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Water must be at a full boil for 5 minutes to kill Ecoli and other nasty bugs and germs that may be in the water. I came home with C-difficile and food poisoning once and never want it again. I'm super super careful now about the possibility of water and/or food contamination. The chances that any hotel or the ship will fully boil water that long is extremely remote!

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Peregrina651

Peregrina651

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If anyone would like to see pictures from my tour, visit the following website.

http://www.martyinchina2012.shutterfly.com

 

I wanted to see the pictures from Tibet. WOW!! Gorgeous pictures. What an experience. I wish we had been able to go and now I will just have to convince my traveling companion that we need to go back.

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caribill

caribill

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If you get your doctor to order Dioxin for you, the altitude is no problem. At least, you don't get any ill effects. But you still have to deal with low oxygen. You just walk slowly and take it easy the first day.

 

Dioxin is considered a cancer causing chemical.

 

Maybe you mean Diamox http://www.basecampmd.com/expguide/diamox.shtml

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Turtles06 Great Review Rare

Turtles06

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If you get your doctor to order Dioxin for you, the altitude is no problem. At least, you don't get any ill effects. But you still have to deal with low oxygen. You just walk slowly and take it easy the first day.

 

Diamox is not without its own side effects; certainly every traveler needs to have an appropriate discussion with his or her own doctor...

 

Glad you were okay, and thanks for posting your pictures!

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caribill

caribill

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Question about wifi on the boat. DH has to get a newsletter out at the beginning of the month. On Nov 1, we will still be on the Emerald. Will he be able to get this done? All help greatly appreciated. Pat

 

It will be s-l-o-w, but probably can be done.

 

Does he need the Internet to develop the newsletter or just to send it?

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