Another set of windows has opened for foreigners who missed his or her first shot. This information isn't confirmed but this is what I was able to find out.
Aug 20th Friday. Calmette hospital. 8:30am-5pm. Appointment phone 15877990400. www.gokunming.com/[...]
I called today. The phone was powered off. Most likely they will answer the phone a day or two before.
As for student visas, I checked with Keats and Tenwest. They both said it's not possible right now. In Keats case, they stopped doing in country student visas. In Tenwest case, the university they are associated enrollement deadline for the semester has passed. I called another school which said some kind of online teaching student visa could be availble but it seemed more like a scam.
Work permits are still available. But of course you need to find a Chinese company willing to hire you through the Foreign Expert program.
Investment visas are still possible, but the expense is in the ten of thousands of rmb.
I spoke with a Xiamen Airlines office agent and found out cancellation rates are increasing for both international and domestic routes. She said this wasn't idiosyncratic to her airline. It's happening across the board.
I was trying to buy an international flight from Kunming to Los Angeles and she warned me that cancellations are increasing and delays of days are not unheard of after a cancellation. With a 3 day negative test required to enter the USA and a CDC requirement that travel needs to occur in that 72 hour timeframe, I have to reconsider returning end of this month and hope the PSB will kindly grant another 30 day extension.
This is becoming a major draw for locals, nearing the crowds of the auto fair. Traffic around the area was a nightmare though. Also, this fair was open to public (ticket 30rmb).
That is if you are lucky and the guard station is off eating lunch or break. Or you can show up at night. Last time I went through on the east entrance, the guards chased me down in a minivan and demanded I pay the 50rmb (now 65) entrance ticket, even though I was just planning on passing through.
No guards care if you are leaving TGL at either entrance, but if you weren't checked entering, then that's good luck.
Yet another 15rmb increase. Though Tiger Leaping is one of the fees I think is well worth it.
The scenery on the East Ring that Geogramatt mentioned is wonderful. You'll need raingear cause your riding with the clouds at one point. Bit spartan on services, so bring some energy bars and extra bottle of water. If your in good shape, you can make the halfway point of 白水台 in a day by bike.
Never gotten sick once at Sals. Their food is TexMex, so yeah, not authentic Mexican food, but pretty authentic as TexMex goes. Burrito wrap has improved a lot. Like the draft beer option now.
If you haven't had dairy products in a while, and do eat here, best forgo the sour cream. Nothing wrong with it, in fact it's the best sour cream in Kunming, but if you've eaten Chinese for month or months with no dairy intake, your system will react to sour cream or probably any liquid dairy product not so well. Maybe that's what happened with nailer and tallamerican.
It's now 5 working days for regular processing. So I submitted my application a bit before 5pm on a Friday and was told to pick it up next week Friday after 5pm.
Cost is now 400rmb for a single 30 day entry. Or that was what I was charged anyways. There are no posted prices and its cash only with no receipt except for your passport pickup. That's like $65 USD.
You can pay another 150rmb for 2 day or 100rmb for 3 day processing. For 400rmb, they should process it in three days like they used to before, but now you'd pay 500rmb. The office is still like deserted most of the time, so why does it take longer now and cost extra. If you opted for 2 day, thats like $90 usd. All other neighboring countries charge like $25usd.
The rest of and cope review is still good for hours and location.
Kunming Fair again sets records
发布者This is becoming a major draw for locals, nearing the crowds of the auto fair. Traffic around the area was a nightmare though. Also, this fair was open to public (ticket 30rmb).
Getting away: Haba Snow Mountain
发布者@bluppfisk
That is if you are lucky and the guard station is off eating lunch or break. Or you can show up at night. Last time I went through on the east entrance, the guards chased me down in a minivan and demanded I pay the 50rmb (now 65) entrance ticket, even though I was just planning on passing through.
No guards care if you are leaving TGL at either entrance, but if you weren't checked entering, then that's good luck.
Getting away: Haba Snow Mountain
发布者Yet another 15rmb increase. Though Tiger Leaping is one of the fees I think is well worth it.
The scenery on the East Ring that Geogramatt mentioned is wonderful. You'll need raingear cause your riding with the clouds at one point. Bit spartan on services, so bring some energy bars and extra bottle of water. If your in good shape, you can make the halfway point of 白水台 in a day by bike.
Detecting heart defects in Kunming schoolchildren
发布者Like + bump. Good one.
Jinning county disappearances possibly linked to slave labor
发布者WTF is all I can say. WTF WTF WTF. I will not be buying ostrich meat from any countryside farmers for like...ever.