071206 travel china notes (ATMs + train electrical outlets)

travelers notes: 1) Citibank and HSBC ATMs offer the highest daily withdrawal amount for US bank cards in China. Citibank will let you take up to your daily US limit, which for me is a mere US$500, or about CN¥3900. i’ve heard others withdrawing upwards of CN¥5000; i need to see if my bank can do this, since it’s more convenient when trying to pay down advance rent and deposit in the big cities. one caveat is that both banks are only located in big cities; i.e., 长春 doesn’t have either.

2) first-class (软卧) trains have electrical outlets in the form of a standard wall-mount multiplug; that means either the three-angled plug, or the circle-line plug (US or Euro two prong plugs); US three-way grounded plugs won’t fit (nor will Euro three-way plugs). Voltage is standard 220V, i think; i use a universal adapter so i didn’t have to ask. while traveling i even briefly picked up unencrypted 802.11 signals in some small cities and at rural stations, though never long enough to surf. there is only one plug, and i’ve never had to compete with any of my fellow passengers; i can imagine this will change as more of them have laptops; at that time, carrying a multiplug powerstrip may prove useful. the plug is located underneath the small table, on the left side. bunks 1,5,9 etc., will be closest; bunks 3,7,11 can also access it easily; both are lower bunks; upper bunks (all even numbered beds) will have the pleasure of negotiating access with their roommates. i don’t know about 硬卧 — rumor has it there is one common plug in the hallway, but if you’ve seen the hallway of a 硬卧 car then you know you’ll be fighting to find it (not use it, just find it); there’s also a plug in the WC, but for really obvious reasons you won’t want to depend on that except in an emergency.

note to bukharin: we tried to call, but either couldn’t make a connection (landline) or no one answered (mobile line). we’ll try again this week.

more:
i received an email from an acquaintance about her new blog on москва today, and it was all i could do to ask: what little goofy planet do you come from? for some lovely dandy quotes on the “positive note” try:

The restaurants and bars are first class
The streets are ultra romantic, they have out door seating and dinner is served until 2AM or 24hrs
There’s a sbarro
The women know how to dress, yet its hard to distinguish a prostitute from a reg gal [sic]
Sex is everywhere, people make out in the grocery store and all the commercials are sexual in nature–its hot here!

for those who actually know, the truth of the matter is obvious and doesn’t need recounting. yet, i know there are those who would agree with her assessment; nonetheless, i will bet money that right now she’s not sitting outside at a first-class restaurant having a romantic dinner with girls that really know how to dress (and don’t forget the 80s hair) in that exclusively “hot” moscow atmosphere.

so why am i posting it here public-flogging style? why to let you, my dear readers, have a moment of free public drama that has nothing to do with you, and so turn your minds from the real problems of our world, not the least of which is the novel combination of summer-thick beijing smog with winter-cold beijing air. but let me tell you: it just makes this city that much more romantic; moreover, girls here really know how to make wearing four pairs of long underwear look sexy; i mean, it’s Hot! oh, and boo-ya: we’ve got Outback Steakhouse here. check it.

ps: in my opinion, for some good pictures and smart writing of life in москва check out bukharin’s blog on his life there right now [HTML]. also look at this blog under the category of “россия“; my old pictures from 23hq will be reposted on this site soon (never moved the photos after i changed hosting).