All bout Shenzhen

@Window of the World

Guys...here I gave уσυ few pointers in regards of Shenzhen...I hope it’s useful for those who plan to visit this city. Sorry for my mixed-languages that I use here and there   *grinning*

1. Visa
China is divided into mainland China such as Beijing, Shanghai, and many more, in which уσυ are required to obtain your visa @embassy prior arrival and the new economic territories including Shenzhen, Guangzhou, few more (уσυ can use visa obtained @embassy or apply for visa on arrival).

2. Visa on arrival
It's a pretty simple procedure. Upon your arrival (in our case thru MTR from HK), find the signage for Visa for Foreigner (it’s available in English). Fill the arrival form provided outside the room (one form for each person) then get your queue number (there is a numbering machine near the door). Upon calling on your number, submit your passport along with the filled form. The officer will take a picture of you, then you will wait for a few mins to pay for the visa fee. After waiting for another few mins for the officer to process your visa, you will then get your passport back with the 5days visa (only enter n exit via Shenzhen). Basically it's only 5mins of process if уσυ be the first in line (like us).

3. Visa fee
It's cheaper...around 250k Rupiah (168yuan) instead of 500k something @embassy. If уσυ go in a group like us (4 x 250 is quite a saving).


4. The people
It's truly really very crowded...no wonder China is the most populated country in the world. Bayangin...midnite sale 90% @MKG didouble 3x...nah that much of people yg berseliweran di sini...dimana2 orang...and all of them speak mandarin with such a loud voice (уσυ gotta strain your ear inside mtr to hear the english announcement)...whatta pain! Lucky if the language is rubbed on you during your stay there "̮ wk°wk (′▽`) wk°wk "̮ . Beside the loud voice, most of them are reluctant to help foreigner (especially those who cant speak Mandarin). They choose to ignore you once you speak in English (maybe because they don’t understand English). There was a time when we asked for a help to a police officer and he run away because he couldn’t help us 【ツ】ƗƗє²² ƗƗє²² ƗƗє²²【ツ】Another thing to remember is that they don't bother to queue...they simply cut your line innocently and thick-facedly. It’s also a common sight to see some people arguing on the street/market/anywhere.

5. The infamous toilet
If уσυ are lucky (big and new shopping mall)...then уσυ can find a clean toilet with door + tissue + flush button. If уσυ are unlucky (уσυ gotta do in a public toilet @station) then expect the least...it still has door but no tissue + no trash bin + no flush button. So it's pretty dirty (ok that's an understatement...it's gross). Maybe due to the number of people that need the limited toilet...so most of them go into it...do the business then go out. The flushing process remains as mystery...if уσυ are lucky...уσυ enter after the flushing (I think it's timed so it flushes automatically every few mins - not using the sensor). But because of the habit...so even dirty/unflushed toilet can be found in a new mall (walaupun ada tombolnya tp kayaknya mrk kebiasaan ªzª  ƍäª mo flush) ‎​(>_<、) pheω...‎​(・ω・`メ)(-ω-｀メ) . Tips for уσυ girls...use the 1st few seconds to look around the cubicle (pls avoid the trash bin n the toilet bowl)...the close your eyes until уσυ get out from the cubicle ...it would be better if уσυ could hold your breath too "̮ wk°wk (′▽`) wk°wk "̮ btw I am being serious here...practice holding your breath from now :-)

6. English
Ok...I would say only 5% here who can speak a passable English (even the concierge @4stars hotel cannot ‎​(>_<、) pheω...‎​(・ω・`メ)(-ω-｀メ) ) and another 15% who know some simple English words. So уσυ gotta have a crash course on mandarin conversation before уσυ come here...or like me. DO THIS: I mix my limited mandarin vocab with easy English vocab...DON'T speak in full English sentence...they don't care bout your grammar here and they will directly shake their head saying they don't understand (in mandarin of course). So if уσυ want to get their attention...start with mandarin word and mix it along. It's pretty hilarious (уσυ gotta use your hands a lot 【ツ】ƗƗє²² ƗƗє²² ƗƗє²²【ツ】 ). My friend suggested me to utilize my capability to draw. The simple way: have everything written down in mandarin. I print out every place n address that I wanted to visit and simply showed the paper to them. Print the word of toilet or exit too...it's the word that уσυ will ask around a lot. Beside mandarin, most of them understand Cantonese too.

7. MTR
It's convenient but not well taken care like @HK/Spore. Here уσυ will find people smoke/eating/drinking/spitting @mtr. People under 120cm are free (it’s free to enter any amusement park/attraction sites as well). The ticket is in coin shape...confused me the 1st time when I got the change from the machine...I saw a big green ugly plastic coin in between the other normal coins...so that greenie was the ticket 【ツ】ƗƗє²² ƗƗє²² ƗƗє²²【ツ】 . For near distance (2-3stops) costs уσυ 2yuan, medium is 4yuan, far will be 8yuan. Avoid riding it on peak hour unless уσυ wanna try to be sardines in a can.

The MTR ticket

8. Mobile provider
Well…during 4days of my stay here, my hp couldn’t connect to any provider here (neither had I set it on automatic nor manual option). And please be kindly informed that the data service charge here is much more expensive than @HK/other ASEAN countries.

9. Meals
Meals were pretty suitable to my taste (not much different with other Asian country). Уσυ can easily find chicken/hainamese rice, noodle, dimsum, fastfood, bread, you name it. But please be informed...the portion here was quite big (so I normally ordered 2meals n shared it for 3persons). Hawker is pretty cheap...restaurant is more or less same with Jkt...restaurant inside attraction site will be a bit pricey. There are fastfood like KFC/McD/Pizza Hut too (check the salmon pizza...it used raw seafood as topping with wasabi sauce "̮ wk°wk (′▽`) wk°wk "̮ )

10. How to get there
It’s pretty simple, you can use either MTR or ferry. We rode MTR (east rail in blue line) from HK to Lo Wu MTR Station (about 40mins from HK downtown). Then we had to walk for few mins (crossing the countries’ border including the immigrations) to Lou Hu MTR station on Shenzhen. Avoid entering/exiting Shenzhen during the weekend since there was long queue on the immigration (many Shenzhen citizen go to HK for household shopping) ‎​(>_<、) pheω...‎​(・ω・`メ)(-ω-｀メ) 

11. Street market
There are lotsa hawker food (starting from 2yuan -10yuan) but since I have pretty weak stomach so I resisted the urge to try those suspicious food (well, it wasn’t look appetizing) beside I wasn’t really sure what they used for the ingredient 【ツ】ƗƗє²² ƗƗє²² ƗƗє²²【ツ】 . For food...уσυ can't bargain. For other things (unless sold @mall) уσυ should bargain. It's better to use a broken mandarin to start the conversation and bargain rather than English (they gave a slightly cheaper price for those foreigners who can speak mandarin).

12. Gadget
If уσυ have ipod/iphone/tab/android ...whatever it is...load it with offline dictionary, street map, mtr system map, other tourist info...believe me...it's worth your effort. Whenever I couldn’t speak the language...I simply showed the mandarin writing to them (using my gadget)

13. Chilli

Bring your own chili sauce (they only have tomato sauce)

14. Shopping
Dong men (green line mtr exit lao jie) is pretty famous for shopping...it's a complex with lots of malls (уσυ can't bargain and the goods are usually pricey) and street markets (a bit like petak 9 or asemka) where уσυ could find some quite good thing at bargained price. Pay attention to your surrounding (be aware of pickpocket) so you can find your way out easily. 

Bustling crowd @Dong Men

15. Attraction
Local attraction: Window of the world (140yuan for entrance ticket) where they have the miniature of every landmark round the world (green line mtr exit window of the world). Across it with 5mins walk, Ħªppy valley amusement park (200yuan for entrance ticket). It’s more or less like Dufan, however most of the ride requires a min height of 120cm. Splendid china (130yuan for entrance ticket, together with china folks cultural village) exhibits the miniature of landmark/cultural heritage round china (green line mtr exit OCT). There is fairy botanical lake...but it's pretty far from our hotel (so we didn’t go there). Unlike other place, here @Shenzhen, уσυ can bring your own meals from outside. Kids under 120cm are free and below 150cm is half price.

@Splendid China

Water canon war @Happy valley

16. Money n cc
Well only 20% here (mostly malls) accepts cc while others (especially street market) no. They only accept yuan (RMB). So prepare a smaller note (since they are reluctant to give small chance) and avoid being cheated.

17. Bugs
If your skin is prone to bugs bites...maybe уσυ should bring lotsa balm + bug repellent...I got more than 20bites on both of my hands...it were swollen...itchy...‎​and turned darker after few days (>_<、) pheω...‎​(・ω・`メ)(-ω-｀メ) 

18. Dress/attire
Believe me...there is no dress code here anywhere...since I saw many Chinese wore party dress with high platform/wedges/high heel to amusement park...but I also saw many blistered feet as well LOL. Many of them wore a 'buttomhugging' pants too (my own term for a very short pants)...with so many bugs' bites on their legs too. So dress wisely *grinning*. Don't forget umbrella/cap...it's pretty scorching here during summer (with some unexpected spring rain)