Leaving Hong Kong today, to go to Ningbo by train due to the flight ticket cost HK$2,200.00 per person is too expensive. We took the MTR tram to Shen Zhen.
Before we check in at the Immigration Counter, we have to fill in the immigration form for entry. Been asked to help another couple to fill the entry form for them also.
Reached Shan Zhen Train Station, unfortunately all tickets were sold out. We have no alternative so we bought the coach tickets from the black market to Ningbo. The exact price for per person is $220.00 rem to $270.00 rem. We had to bargain the price from 400.00 rem to 350.00 rem. one person.
It was shorter journey by coach than by train. By coach it will take us about 13 to 14 hours and by train it will take us about 16 to 18 hours. I had never sit a coach with double decked bed on. Everyone is allotted to a bed and given a plastic bag to put our shoes. I can't stand it due other passengers can smoke non-stop in the coach. The coach stop several times to delivery goods and picking up passengers along the journey. We are allow one stop where we can have our dinner at a motor way cafe shop but the foods there look quite scary. Lucky, we bought some biscuits and drinks with us so we don't have to take any dinner at there.
Lot of passengers just bought pot noodles from the shop and they supplied hot water to put into it. It take about 14 hours to reached Ningbo. Finally, we reached East Ningbo and asked for direction to the train station. We want to get our train tickets back to Hong Kong in advance.
Walking to take a bus to the train station, we found a food stall with a few cooked dishes displayed on a warmer and stop for our dinner and lunch. The food from this local shop is cheap. It cost us about £2.50 for 4 dishes and with 1 bowl or rice and a plate of noodles. The food were hot and beautifully cooked.
Reached the train station, can't get the advance tickets to Hong Kong due to they only able to sell advance tickets for 6 days and not 10 days. So we took a bus to buy the bus cards so that we can get a 60% off which is the same price as what the local pay for. I did a silly mistake by getting the daily card for everyone. The bus card cost $20.00 rem as deposit and whatever amount you want to put into it.
At 12.30 p.m., the coach to the airport at 1.00 p.m. Bought the ticket for $12.00 rem and reached the airport at 12.30 p.m. and waiting for my relatives and friends to arrive Ningbo from Singapore. They arrived at the Ningbo Airport at 6.30 p.m. and also never buy or have any refreshments from this Airport it cost alot for a cup of latte or drinks. The latte cost about $60.00 rem to $100.00 rem for a cup.
Oh! the flight arrived in time and my relatives and friends are here now. My friend, Lian Heng arranged for hotel rooms and then we took 2 taxis to the hotel.
Once check into the hotel rooms, we went out for dinner. The fast food shop in Wai Ma Road. I had not seen my sisters, nephew and friends for about 2 years. Enjoyed ourselves chatting to each other.
After dinner, we took a walk on the Old Custom Site of Zhejiang. Leading to the Laiyue Yacht Dock. This place was flooded with tourists enjoying themselves in the pubs and along the Dock. Ningbo have changed in the last 23 years, blocks of tall buildings surrounding around the Dock. This area is the Swire Foreign Firms and The British Consulate in here also. Ningbo has progress into a busy tourists and trading Central, especially now the governments are still doing works on the expansion on the seas to woo more businesses with other countries. Walking from the East to the North of Ningbo can see more progress and expansions have been put to this little town and wonder what will be change in the next 5 or 10 years.
Beautiful night scenery and after our walk, we returned to the hotel. The hotel room for 1 night cost about $240 to $280 rem. We got 3 rooms for 8 of us. Been back to the hotel rooms and found that there was lot of chinese drama shows on the TV programs for us to enjoy.
Love the Laiye Yacht Dock and will come early the next morning to take a walk around here again.
Place: Ningbo, China
Photos: Taken by Robert and Catherine
Date: 8th May and 9th May 2012
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