Transfering through The Peoples Republic of China

After the bus ride to Helsinki-Vantaa Airport in Finland we began our 24 hour session to our destination, Manila. Our flights were a bit complicated with 2 hours transfer time between the flights, which I normally have find ok, but this time, the time was actually tight. We were not asked anything about the lenght of our stay in our final destination (and what I understood from some replies to my questions in CS discussion board) this should be asked when ONE IS LEAVING FROM A COUNTRY OF ORIGIN. Ok, no use for our HongKong flight tickets yet. This might have something to do with the new system of online check-in, which we did not use at home prior to our flight and ended up to a discussion with the check-in maschine at the airport, checked in, did not get seats next to each other, but et least my flight to Amsterdam Schiphol went very well and I had a change to meet someone from Tampere who owns a very good restaurant in there. Very nice change indeed to what I usually experience on low cost flights filled with drunk Finns. Also, our backpacks were put to a big airline plastic back and sealed. This flight was operated by Dutch KLM, a member of the Skyteam alliance.

Next leg of the race was Amsterdam- Beijing, China. Our flight operator was now changed to another member of the same alliance; China Southern Airlines. When we were boarding I was asked the the amount of days I would be staying in The Philippines. J just walked through the boarding, no questions asked. The flight itself was ok, not too much turbulence and ok food. BUT, when we were approaching Beijing, we did not get enough infomation. We were not the only ones. The Chinese flight attendants did not speak English, and the only crew member from Europe seemed not to know anything. We were offered arrival cards only if we were staying in China, but that was wrong as we soon found out. EVERY PERSON TRANSFERING THROUGH CHINA HAS TO FILL IN AN IMMIGRATION CARD, WITH BOTH ARRIVAL SIDE AND DEPARTURE SIDE. We were told while standing already in line for the transfer at the only immigration desk area there was open. The immigration procedure was the same for everyone, no matter if you are staying or transferring. The immigration people eyeballed our destination boarding passes through, cut the filled card apart and took the arrival part and gave a stamp in passport stating that our departure should happen in 24 hours. Now, we did hold on tight on our departure cards, since there was still something waiting - a landing in Xiamen (Kanton) after taking off in Beijing and before landing in Manila.

The hassle started, most of the people who were transfering to same plane had no idea where to head next. One charming Philipino father with his family took us under his wing and we started searching the chaotic area together. On the way I took some people I had seen in the previous flight with us and we all followed the resourceful father quide us through to stand in a line again. Apparently there was another fligt leaving from same gate and there was another hassle since ours was first to take off, the one to Australia was 2 hours late. We passed the line of Australia flight people, took our share of cold China air in a transfer bus that kept all doors open and waited another hassle to take place in few hours in Xiamen.

Tired old man in Ziamen.
 

It was a happy reunion in the plane when the Philippino dad was sitting next to us in the plane. In Xiamen, everybody was rushed out of the plane to get through the immigration again. Now the officers took the departure cards and gave another stamp. By this time a lot of people were upset. Some of them had made the bookings and were never told that it was not a direct fligt to Manila. And most of us were disappointed because we were not told in the plane to fill in the immigration cards. This, I think, was very different what has normally happened

In the destination this time we were again not given any forms to fill in plane or in advance. Once more the immigration card. The officer in the desk asked us about the time of our departure from the country and asked to see the tickets out of Philippines. Then I was the lucky one. My backpack arrived, but Js not, and my camera also did not arrive with the other backpack. And then there was still another form filling session (custom declaration form) and I was so happy to announce that I was not bringing in any firearms in the country and not more than 10 000 PHP. (That previously bought currency was shared in our pockets.)

Finally, finally we got to our hotel in Ermita, Manila. By that time I was getting ill. Sore throath, sneezing, the basic.

Jaakkos bag did not arrive the next day, as we were told. And we did a bit of shopping. We finally got the bag, a miracle! It was stuck in Amsterdam and we got it on our way to our next flight to Coron, Busuanga. Right in time in fact.

Good bye Finland

Leaving was hard this time ,and that has never happened before! More stress than normal but also the normal last minute packing-cleaning-getting ready routine in a house that was filled with someone elses stuff as well. Now sitting in a bus, trying to breathe, hoping I have everything. Backpack weight was less than 12kg and I also have all my diving/snorkeling gear in there, fins even. Not bad. Of course I am now wearing my multi-layer travel outfit (known by many as 'this did not fit in my bag'- outfit) which happens to be multicoloured too.

Yesterdays news said the main airport (where we are heading now) was suffering from a computer problem and heated up with crouds waiting to check in. Yesterday we also saw news about the new typhoon in Philippines now passing Coron, Busuanga island in Palawan, which is our first destination.

The bus just passed by a spot where 2 guys were climbing an ice wall next to a big road. Only in Finland?

Writing here in bus with my phone and 3G connection reminds me of my first interrail I did in Europe. It was February, not the season for an interrail and it was also a bit out of fashion already. But in the beginning year 1995 there were no low cost airlines, definitely not web resources about hostels or other transport and of course no way I had a mobile phone. Contact with hostels was done by a pay phone (coins or card) at the destinations railway station hoping you had copied the right number at home from a hostel guide, with local currency...a different one in every European country.. And what to do when you did not see your friend waiting you at the station in heavy rain in Paris? Call home, because your friend had called Finland to tell my mom to tell me she was late. After two hours the rain and panic was gone and the friend was there. I also remember having a lot of thought what c-cassettes to bring along for they took such a major amount of space in my bag. Real maps, no navigator and that is the same way I like it now and I hardly ever get lost. And the last, the most precious thing: my dads old system camera with real film. I could only afford one 36 pictures colour film to be developed afterwards, so it was only 36 pictures during the one month rail trip. Plus extra nervousness waiting if they all were good enough (sharp, lighting correct) to be shown in an album.
Now, wireless working, I will soon check the typhoon situation in Palawan, send this to bit universe and maybe play a game of Scrabble with a random player somewhere in the world, or take an old fashioned travel favorite- a pocket book- to my hand and enjoy the rest of the ride to the airport.

Money and setting up

Finally, after a weird and tiring week working (and not even finished yet)  I came to think about some more practicalities; buying some currency. As you see above, I got some, but only some. Actually I did not even open the plastic bag filled with money because I got pissed off. Some of us know, that there are limited places to "change money", or "buy currency" (whatever way of saying you want to use) in my town. This one above is the usual place. I also did an internet search about same matter and guess what I found out right now; only this place and my own bank provide services like this...I mean, yes, every bank in Finland buy and sell currency for sure, but seem s like they do not inform that in internet as a service. Well done!

Let´s call the place where I went, "*orex", in this text. There has been many times when the service has been working wonderfully. Not his time though, or maybe I am just getting old and cranky and demanding. On Monday I went there, stepped in ans asked kindly if they have Philippine Pesos. They did not, but no problem, since they say they deliver whatever currency you might want in 48 hours. And on their web pages they tell  that the reservation should be done at least 2 days before the departure/need, so they can make it. I made a reservation for 15 000 PHP that is about 300€. They said I should come in app. 3 days to get the amount, on  Thursday or  Friday. Very well. I also told them I can wait until the 28th for the money, but it is nice to get it sooner.

On Wednesday I was confused, thought it already was Thursday and went there. I got to hear that it was not Thursday yet (damn right) and I was only getting 10 000 PHP the next day. Excuse me?  Yesterday I went back to get my "less money than I ordered". I got lot of explanations why this had happened. I guess I was pretty tough customer at that time and asking simply what do we do about the remaining 5000 PHP I had ordered. More explanations. I mean, I do not even care that much, but what if I had been someone who is going on his/hers first trip ever? And based on this, I can say that *orex company does not follow they own delivery terms.

Later, I got a call from *orex. A man explained just a little bit more again and told me that they are T R Y I N G to get the remaining money to me by 28th of December, on our departure day. I was also adviced to take 100€ notes with me, so I can easily change the money in the destination...wonderful advice, for someone who has been travelling quite a bit. It is now only about that fact that they did not deliver. That´s why I am demanding.

It is sad that the next time I will go to my own bank to buy the currencies, even if the bank working hours are not as flexible as the ones with *orex.  

But some nice things as well.
I finally got something I have desired for a long time; a brand new snorkel! Made by Cressi and at the same time I got new neoprene socks for my fins. The Agua Lung fins have been tested in the pool, but cannot wait to get them to sea. The purchase was made in a new scuba shop in Tampere,  Oxygene Diving.

Practicalities when planning

I guess this is the point when I start to panic and that is quite rare.

There has been more than one heartbeat skips about the visa to Philippines.

We, Finnish Citizens get 21 days visa waiver in Philippines when we arrive, if we do have a ticket back to origin. Yet, no one has been able to provide any information about if we do have to have the ticket out of the country in these 21 days. Confusion. I am still waiting for some email replies. There is no Philippine Embassy in Finland anymore, and it would cost a huge amount of Euros to send the passports to Oslo, Norway for the visas. There is also a possibility to apply for a visa at the airport in Manila (during working hours, right when our flight will be the late night one) or in the separate Bureaus Of Immigration after getting away from the airport.

Even though I had my British friend to look at the information, he said he is confused...and his English is excellent.

Bureau of Immigration
Filippiinit seura Suomessa 
Embassy of the Philippines

Rumors go around that if one has no return ticket within the 21 days, one is not let out of the airport. Another rumor there is, that some people have no problems whatsoever.

So, what to do?

Miss Mureena travels again!

It was about 3 weeks ago, when I purchased my next flight ticket to the destination above. 

This time the trip will be  a bit different, since I have a non diver companion with me. J says, he don´t mind me being exited about the World War Wrecks under the water. We´ll see. I have already done a part of the planning, and our first destination after Manila will be the island group of  Palawan. And to be even more precise, Coron. But more about that a bit later. Now first some older news; 

Most of my FIN friends still remember the huge "thing" that happened during Easter time in 2000. Two Finnish guys (Fränti and Vahanen) were kidnapped  from Sulu Sea, Sipadan island area in Borneo, Malesia (nearby where I was diving only 2 years ago) among the 20 international tourists by a Islamic terrorist group Abu Sayyaf and taken to Jolo island in Southern Philippines. The hostage was about 5 months long and needed negotiating between EU, Philippines and also Libya, which was said to have connections to the kidnappers. All in all, most Finnish are always quite concerned  when I tell that my travels will be in that part of the world, even though there has been nothing going on in Sipadan over the years, on sightings of the great underwater life. The Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs says in their " travel information" (released in June 2012)  to avoid the Southern Islands and big crowds, also in Metro Manila area. 

Then to a bit nicer old news. It was year 1952 when Finnish young lady Armi Kuusela won the Miss Finland beauty pageant and traveled after that to the worlds first Miss Universe competition- and was crowned! What makes her special to my blog, is that she gave up her crown before her year as Miss Universe was over to marry a Philipino business man Virgilio Hilario in Japan. They owned hotel business that later turned  to be condos and  the places is nowadays called the Twin Towers in Manila. 

 

Armi is beautiful. 

Coron, on Busuanga island, is the ultimate diving destination and the waters nearby are filled with treasures. lots and lots of wrecks and I am exited of that, since I have only been to one wreck destination, Yongala, in Australia. 

So, on the 28th of December 2012  

Tampere--> Helsinki- Vantaa --> Amsterdam-->  Peking-->  MANILA, Philippines

after 22h 25 min flights and changes.  

Destination for one month, starting 2 nights in Manila, new year in Coron. 

Bako and some other thoughs

After spending some days again in the rain forest, I have been thinking too much. My head feels like it´s exploding or heated up and partly I feel like the bottle of sparkling water that I bought today; the cap had been open, and all I got was not even a sound when I cracked the cork.

Do people care about people?
What keeps someone from helping each other?
When was the last time you helped someone without asking?
How come it is so hard to help strangers nowadays?
Do I have any friends anymore, who might help me, when I get in trouble in Finland?

In Bako National Park I had enough time to observe the visitors, and I started feeling better, from my last depression on the day I arrived. I can certainly say, that I hate the fat older people that complain about everything and wear their face upsidedown all the time, no matter what happens..and also complain if they do not see any animals next to the information center,just because they´re too lazy to walk further...or that who does not even look at your direction when it comes to sharing a boat or a van to get to civilization. AND I was happy to find people who with I can share my feelings now, when I hourly closer to the date I am leaving the country and arriving to my own..that is going to feel like a foreign to me, again. That is also very depressing.

It seems that most of the people at home, or who never have been traveling, does not understand the mixed feelings at all. Most of them do think this is just holiday, but the truth is that one has to be prepared every day to new challenges...even going out to have a breakfast can be a struggle in its own way. Not to mention the information gathering, booking tickets, getting all sorted out etc. And in the end it is a huge job. And then there´s all questions.

What is the reason for you to stay home or to travel?

Kalimantan Borneo ~ Sangatta

I have been thinking about my whole trip myself after Simone and I separated. I try my best of luck down by the memory lane and write about the trip before arriving in Kuching. To make the story more interesting to my dear readers, I will write it topless.

Since Simone left I was just trying to calm down, relax and get better. Before she went on her way, we did another trip to another hospital and to yet another doctor. THE hospital was one of the most expensive in town, with a nice lake inside the building, swan boats, fountains etc. The female doctor made the dame examination as the previous one, gave me a prescription, and this time the medication was mixed by hand and then put into small capsules, to be enjoyed 3 times a day. Unfortunately it was not that easy.

The next day I was still weak an my head was only slightly better. During my stay, I had been to Pondok Bambu- restaurant down the road next to our hotel, and got to know Helena who run the restaurant. After Helena, I met his brother Tommy, later another bro Hanz and their mother... They all suggested me to see a lady who is good in curing illnesses using traditional methods. There I went.

The modest Muslim lady was concerned about my situation and really wanted to cure me. She gave ma a good traditional massage with herb oils and some chanting. Later she took me into their living room saying she wants to give some more treatments. Tommy translated to me that she was asking what have I had wrong with my stomach lately... The lady took some more oils, herbs, vegetables like onion and carrots and made a mixture of these. With the mixture she then treated my joints and ears and finally pulled the bad spirits out of me. She told me that I had been crossing some bad energies on my way in Borneo and those had started to follow me, that was the reason of the headache. The next morning I should feel better and if not, she would treat me again. She also said that if I did not come to see her now, my travel would have stopped there.

The next morning the headache was gone, and still is.

The rest of the time in Sangatta continued with good conversations, drinking good coffee with friendly laughters. I was totally adopted by this wonderful Chinese family and the sisters from Warung Bone3. I was almost spoiled, getting free coffee, breakfast, food, took me to fishing, gave me rides on scooter...you name it. I wish I am able to give as much of myself when I have some visitors the next time!

On my last night I wanted to help on my own to promote Pondok Bambu. I told Helena to ask her youngest brother to make some flyers that I could give to people while walking to the hotspot with my laptop. People were REALLY amazed to see a WHITE person handing out something and they were curious...I haven´t heard yet if someone came after the promotion but I hope to find out soon. I mean, what the heck- those people were shouting after me anyway, why not get some fun out of it.

~ ~ ~

The day when I left came too soon. I was crying on my way in the bus, because it was again a stress to be moving after such a nice time in a small town, even if I did not see the orangutans - I got something 10 times better; FRIENDS.

Things you appreciate while travelling

- Warm shower (especially after 14 hours bus/van/jeep ride)
- Clean clothing (hostels sometimes does not do laundry and you find it very exhausting to wash yourself in the sink)
- Cold water to drink (in the countries where you have electricity only from 18->06, and therefore the cold drinks are rare.

Tarakan

26.05.2010 Tarakan, Indonesia

I promised to write about the trip information to the Indonesian side.
DO NOT TRUST LONELY PLANET BORNEO.

In Tawau Indonesian Embassy I met my new travel friend Simone. A nice German girl and we kinda run into each other many times and I decided to go with her straight to Tarakan and skip Nunukan all together. It was tough indeed to get the info about the boat to Tarakan. THE book (Lonely Planet obviously) told one thing and the people other. We went to harbor at 09.00, and there we were told that the boat does not leave until noon. It did not, so, both LP and internet info was wrong again. We went through the immigration and waited the rest of the time. Half past eleven we were loaded in the boat. It was the boat called Indomaya Tiga and the cost of the trip was 130 Ringgits. The trip took about 4 hours, a bit less.


Today we went to a park really in the middle of the city. 9 hectares mangrove forest with shady benches and wooden walks. At first we were upset to see one monkey in a cage and then another, probosics monkey, in the cage...but then, we saw some real things. THE MUD CRAWLER! A bit later I confronted some monkeys that were really nasty. One jumped to hang from my backpack and tried to bite me, but let go when it ripped a small towel pouch out. We were almost done with the forets when ge encountered the ones we were there for; the famous Dutchmen (the locals call probosics monkey the Dutchman because of the appearance) with their pot bellies and big noses, right after we had thought they only said there to be ones, just to get people coming to the park. I was super happy!

I am getting annoyed by the men in in here. It seems again that everyone wants money from you or to take a photo of you without even asking your name or telling theirs first. “Hello mister” is the normal greeting in here for us both, Simone and me.

Top five ways to start a conversation with a Westerner female.
1.“Hello Mister!”
2.“I love you”
3.“Where you go?”
4.“Which country?”
5.“ a photo?”


We also got our brand new Indonesian Idol phone cards.

Tawau

23.05.2010 Tawau / Blog entry on my computer

Finally alone. Finally on the road again.

I am happy about my decision to leave Semporna. All on all it was not my place, and definitely not my place to go through Dive Master training. Sweden has not paid me anything yet, and I am sort of money. The rest of the trip will go with strict budget.

I am not having second thoughts anymore about Dive Master training. I am going to do it, some day, if not now. I have to admit that my expectations of my own stamina was wrong. I have to face the fact that almost 35 years old may not recover 15 kilos weight loss that happened over 2 months, in a very short time. The exhausting weather did not help nor did the sun burns. I was also surprised how easy it was to make me upset during the Rescue Course. It has been said that it is the best course there is...but I could say that for me it was like living hell. Every morning getting to the boat to Mabul from Semporna just made me more upset and I had lost all my ability to enjoy diving as well as learning something new. It was a horrible experience, nothing more. Still I think I have some abilities that a good DM needs. I believe I am a people person. And my Rescue Diver burn marks are fading day after a day.

Nella and her mother joined me at breakfast. I suddenly felt too shy to speak German, but I tried my best at that moment. I need a bit more time to be fluent. However, I was capable to communicate in some way, still I was not satisfied.

When I went to pick up my bags from hostel Ebu said that she is sorry that I was leaving. Both she and Lady Gaga (one of the reception young ladies) hugged me and hoped to see me again. For them, I could go back. It seems that I have been the one of the guests to be talking with them the most. One guy opened up one evening and told about some of his bad experiences, some others as well. I did not see Linda or Helen to say good bye to them.

Seems that the Semporna hostels small ants have been hiding in my backpack and now they cover my bed again. It feels strange to have my own toilet and shower, not to have a bar downstairs and not to have a wireless internet connection. I enjoy it. I enjoy the soda water I was able to find in a supermarket. I enjoyed the Pizza Hut triple cheese pizza with no regrets. Three weeks without cheese, and now that I am sailing to south, no one knows when I am able to get cheese again. Yes, I am fairly easy to please.

Rescue Diver!

Now I finally reached the test of a Rescue Diver! Last night I was very tired but happy. I got another Dive Instructor, Flem from Denmark to guide me through the day. He did not quite understand why I was put through another day...and after all, his positive guidance totally helped me to do everything nearly perfect. I good positive comments about my calmness and my excellent buoyancy! He said that I can be happy about that. Also, I figured out a way to count my rescue breaths (a Finnish stupid poem) and completed the rescue safely on the Jetty. The 2 "hell dives" were not near the hell we went through during the previous days. Flem said it should be just in a proportion of sanity. I feel more confident now, but I still have to do some thinking.

This morning I had a short chat with Ric (one of the owners) and decided to get myself on some fun dives for the next 3 days just to relax. Leanne (instructor) said I should give a go on the DM. However, now, checking my bank account balance I am not sure if I have the money to to that, and I have only 6 weeks to complete if I started. It might not be enough taking in consideration my skills in learning...well, still a few days to think about it.

I got suddenly another offer. Yesterday at Mabul (the place where we did our courses, one of the resort islands) I sat on a table with a Swiss lady. She confronted a very unpleasant surprise on her 30th birthday; a decompression Illness on Sipadan on her first dive. Great. She spent her birthday in decompression chamber in Semporna hospital. What a great way to spend a special day. Memorable indeed. Then, she was told that she is allowed to fly in 2 weeks, but later it became 6 weeks. No risks, and she is kinda now stuck in around here. She is not advised to go KK, because of the altitude the bus takes on the road next to mountains. We had a nice chat during lunch and she asked if I wanted to go with her by boat to the Indonesian side.

I have been doing some searching now, and found an island of Derawan, where there´s good diving and great beaches, and a very slow way of living. On the way I could see Raflesias, probosics monkeys and other stuff...And the best part would be that I have a buddy to travel with. Don´t know how well we could get along, but then we could go separated.

A very tempting idea. Road less travelled.

Things will find their way to work out

That was the sentence I agreed on today when leaving my massage therapist. After getting back home I decided to take a look on the flights to Singapore, and there it was; the greatest price between Helsinki and Singapore!

As I continued snooping around a bit, I did find it a bit cheaper from the airline pages itself. Air France 581€. Bargain. I would say. I usually keep on tracking the search engines such as ebookers, Area, e-ticket, Travellink and Kaleva Travel. Kilroy Travels is good as well when it comes to "local" ones. eDreams has been very helpful, but it has a certain difficulty factor if one wants to book also from the same pages (you need to fax your passport copy to the agency, and no one answers the phone if you want to ask something). So, after seeing all the prices I try another go on the airline websites to check if the price (normally is, but not always) is better for me. This time I got lucky with Air France.

Now I only need my flights from Singapore to Kota Kinanbalu.
I decided to fly through Singapore because of the

a) the location
b) good/cheap/frequent flight connections to Borneo
c) friends that I can see and get a sofa place by bringing them some Finnish delicacies such as rye bread and mustard. I also promised to make my salmon soup with dill.

Hunting for flights can be hard, but today I am very happy about myself. Form Singapore on I will travel with either Air Asia, Jetstar Asia (a sister company to Australian Jetstar) Silk Air or Malaysia Airlines. Then the next leg of the race will be Kota Kinanbalu--> Semporna, bus or plane, but that I still need to think.

Oh, yes, the "due date" is Monday May 3rd 2010. I guess the German-Chinese fortune cookie was not totally wrong when giving me this information last autumn: "Dont be afraid to take that big step".