User profile: michael2015

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Forums > Living in Kunming > yahoo mail and china

I've also heard that win10 does some mucking up on people's web-based emails, but that's just hearsay and I'm a smug OS X user.

For mobile phone email - use an email client such as Mozilla.com (thunder...something). I migrated off of gmail and use outlook.com and have nothing more than the occasional and usual microsoft bloatware issues, but no firewall issues connecting sans vpn. For IOS, there's a FREE outlook email client. For desktops, outlook comes with all incarnations of MS Office since before some posters were born.

One last thing - when downloading applications for mobile or desktop/laptop/ipad, be absolutely certain of the source. The outlook clients should ONLY be downloaded from microsoft.com and select, known mirrors. Ignore the internet crap that says the app was certified and scanned virus/trojan free etc. ANYONE can write that stuff.

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Forums > Living in Kunming > yahoo mail and china

1. Go to yahoo's FAQ & answer site. Good luck with getting a response.

io.help.yahoo.com/[...]

2. If you haven't erased your cookies and history, go to yahoo's website (yahoo.com for usa) and click on the mail icon in the top left. The website will use your cookie to redirect to the correct yahoo mail website.

IF this lets you into your email correctly, bookmark the website address as Yahoo! Mail or something similar...

Hope that helps better than Yahoo's answer site.

3. If you have a VPN - VPN to your home country, then try to login normally. Once again, once you're logged in to Yahoo Mail, bookmark the address.

When you're in foreign countries, such as China, Yahoo checks your IP address to redirect you to the nearest country's yahoo servers, so in this case many of you are probably logging into Yahoo China and trying to get email from Yahoo CHina's servers, which probably don't recognize you very well...if at all.

If you do NOT have a VPN, try out the various free wifi cafes to see if using different ISPs (internet service providers) will let you through as firewalls and blackholes differ between ISPs.

Finally, if you do NOT have a VPN, find someone who DOES have a vpn and leach off their internet connection to login, then bookmark the site once you're online.

As an alternative, you can use normal email clients to imap or pop your email, with some configuration trickery.

imap leaves your mail on the server, pop will actually pop your mail OFF the server onto your email client (default configuration), so most people prefer to use the imap settings.

As an alternative, you can also TRY to use a free web-based proxy service, but beware of being phished.

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Forums > Living in Kunming > work visa issue

If you're IN China and your current visa hasn't expired - you should check with PSB (public security bureau). SOMETIMES, you can pay a fee or fine and NOT leave China to renew your work visa.

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Forums > Living in Kunming > Soft Mattress

If you can use taobao or tmall, you can order memory foam mattresses of varying thicknesses (up to and exceeding 20cm), that should do the trick. They'll be delivered rolled up and stuffed into a box or as a rolled up thing in a heavy duty postal/shipping bag. Delivery is usually quick.

The mattresses sometimes come with a chemical smell, but most these days are odorless - check the negative reviews and try to buy from vendors with reasonably prolific sales and long track records.

Finally - the mattresses, regardless of size, should cost less than CNY 1k, which should fit your budget nicely.

You'll also need a fitted cover sheet (or TWO if you plan on washing the sheet and hanging your laundry), which are also usually available from the mattress vendor.

Good luck and good sleeping!

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Forums > Living in Kunming > Hospital recommendations for giving birth

oh...and you'll need to stay with the wife the first week, to help with feeding, etc. I like this part of the Chinese hospitals, but sleeping in the crowded rooms can be painful - so get one of those folding reclining chair/cots (available from any of the alley stores for about ¥100-300), bring your own pillow(s) and blanket(s) and or sheet(s).

You'll also need clean the baby bottle stuff (bottle cleaning soap, a bottle brush, and a BIG bowl to sanitize the bottles with the hospital's infinite supply of hot water at the hot water station.

Hmm...did I leave anything out?

Oh...the hospital will teach you both how to bathe your newborn. MOST difficult part of bathing a newborn is shampooing their hair without soaping up their eyes. You'll need TWO (2) towels (one for drying the baby off and the second for diapering and dressing baby). You'll also need a couple of face cloths for rinsing the baby down after soaping them up. I used the second face cloth to cover the baby's tummy, to keep them warm. I use that same face cloth on the baby's forehead, to prevent soap and water from getting in their eyes while shampooing and rinsing off their hair. Confidence, precision and speed is important in this step!

MOST hospitals will give you a swaddling blanket (I call it blanket jail). Swaddling is important (or not) in securing your child during sleepy time (which is rare) and is a critical parenting skill. There's a ton of youtube (with vpn) and youku videos on swaddling and learning tricks on how to burp the baby (critical and mandatory after EVERY feeding) and calming down the finicky ones so you can try to get a couple of hours of shuteye before the next feeding.

CRITICAL you put your baby on a feeding schedule - it's a pain - but they'll adapt to you (usually). Breast feeding is preferred by many over formula - but it's more difficult and requires more tools - breast pumps, storage bottles, and other stuff we don't know about, as we've never done it.

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I was surprised to see the attempted severance of ties - truly a slap in the face, so glad to see common sense has returned - although this kind of behavior perhaps is regrettably indicative of a dark undercurrent within Australian society.

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It's exceedingly rare that burning incense would spark any kind of fire - however the habit of burning paper money aka ghost money (and related accessories for the deceased, ghost clothes, ghost houses, ghost cars, ghost mobile phones etc ad infinitum) - now THAT has an exceedingly high probability of starting fires. And then there's the fireworks...

Reviews

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Took the family here to stroll around and there's a LOT of walking. Many of the stores appear closed, but the bar street nestled inside seems quite well populated.

We chose the Japanese restaurant near the entrance (there are many entrances). The food and service was quite acceptable - from the fruit salad, tuna salad, curry pork cutlet, and the ubiquitous California Sush Rolls (you can buy the small size or the large size).

It rained a little while we were there, which helped drench the heat and humidity. When the sun came out - it was HOT.

If you're lucky, you'll occasionally see people (usually women) wearing minority clothing being photographed by professional photographers. There's also a small photographer's store where you can rent various ethnic clothing and have professional pictures taken (maybe the two are related...now that I think about it).

There's also the ubiquitous game centers (shooting galleries etc) for the kids and unaccompanied teenagers.

It seems the most popular venues were the prolific food courts - but that's probably related to it being lunchtime when we visited. The place is clean and plenty of antiqued door fronts (the wood panels) for those photo shoots.

Capping off the visit, one must of course take pictures on the bridges crossing the lily ponds and the landmark temple spire. We didn't make it to the surrounding temples. Maybe next time.

Transportation is everywhere - but make sure you have your mobile phone ride share app working, just in case you hit rush hour.

Again - for now - it seems many vendors were closed - but I'm positive that'll change again as the economy begins to rebound.

Excellent way to spend a half day as opposed to the kids faces glued to their mobile devices...fresh air, good food, plenty of people watching, and walking...walking...walking...

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Took the family here a few days ago. Wonderful place to go walking with lots of snack & drink kiosks (along with chairs and tables) to rest frequently. This zoo is similar to most other large open air zoos with reasonably spacious enclosures. This place is HUGE so be prepared for a LOT of walking. Consider wearing sensible hiking or walking shoes. Your feet will be grateful.

Entrance fees when we went still cny100 for adults and kids cny70. Feeding the animals at the managed venues - cny30 per site...per child. Monkeys can be fed by tossing carrots and sliced apples into their enclosure - which is good. Monkeys famous for flash mobbing. Can be terrifying for kids (and adults). Even in the enclosures, you can clearly see they're territorial and aggressive. Bullying is displayed frequently enough for teaching moments for the kids (cuz there are monkeys in all schools everywhere in the world).

MOST people bring their own food and drink, as the kiosks are quite expensive. Example a cny5 drink outside is cny10 in the zoo, so expect most everything to be twice as expensive. I had a bbq chick drumstick (leg?) for cny25...ouch.

Bring carrots. LOTS of carrots. The zoo has several managed (paid) and unmanaged petting areas for most semi-domesticated animals, such as the Alpacas (seriously cute), deer, giraffes (ok...you can feed the giraffes on an elevated platform, but probably difficult to "pat" the animals. It's kind of spectacular to actually see giraffes face to face - these animals are simply vertigo inducing huge and tall.

The seal show was nice - typical of seal shows everywhere. Seals are kind of like the dogs of the sea. Friendly and ravenous appetites so easily trainable.

Lots of cheap touristy souvenirs to buy the for the kiddies (and relatives kids).

HIGHLY recommend taking the bus tour - they basically zoom around picking up and dropping off customers (they check your e-ticket at every pickup site) at entrances and exits to walking enclosures. They'll drop you off at roughly 15 minute walking sites. NO need to rush and you can grab ANY bus upon emerging from the walking enclosure sites.

Of course, the ultimate attraction always the lion and tiger exhibits at the top of the mountain.

Bring a fan. It gets hot. We were fortunate as the sky was mostly overcast so the temperature was generally cool, but heated up almost instantly whenever the sun peeked out of the clouds.

Bring LOTS of water. Most veteran tourists have their own liter bottles of water. Bring your own umbrella. When the sun comes out - it's HOT. Bring a wide brimmed hat if you're into comfort over vanity. SUNTAN LOTION never goes astray.

Aside from that - typical Chinese group site with everyone rushing the buses and ticket counters. Not so much rushing for the food venues, so seems the elevated prices keep that comfortably in check.

All in all - GREAT place to take the kiddies (or a date if you both know you're into each other - cuz you'll be spending an entire day together). The Outdoor Zoo seems exceptionally well designed with plenty of both managed and unmanaged (eg walking deer along the roadside and the stroll through the peacock "garden").

Easy cab or shared ride out and back. Taxis aplenty when you're ready to leave (just walk past the parking lot gate - they'll be waiting for you). You should consider dining out or delivery at the end of the day.

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Took the kiddies here again.

1. It's FREE.
2. NO knives, lighters, sharp objects, etc. There's a place in front to check bags, luggage (if you're traveling), etc - but the exit is in the rear of the monolithic building, so it's a bit of a hike to walk back around to the checked storage area (it's also FREE).

THIRD FLOOR
We went straight to the third floor - History and artifacts of Yunnan (mostly). Rich history - lots of original sculptures etc removed from grottoes and displayed in the museum. Lots of English language titles and occasionally some explanatory text in English.

SECOND FLOOR
This is the evolution floor with lots of petrified artifacts - sea life mostly, lots of recreations of animals and environments from pre-man times.

There are coffee shops and dining areas on the first floor and drink vending machines on the second and third floors. The place is HUGE so a great place to take the kiddies and walk around until they're tired. They'll probably enjoy the dinosaur exhibit on the second floor the most. Wait a few minutes and the dinosaurs will roar and move their heads and maybe pretend to chew (open and close their maws).

PLENTY of parking and unfortunately NOT close to any subway station, so you'll have to grab a cab or rideshare but seems taxis and transportation are aplenty in the city and surrounding environs.

And...it's FREE for now. Museum closes at 5pm so make sure you leave by 430-445 so you can hike back to the storage area if you checked anything in as they also close at 5pm.

Enjoy!

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This is a great place to walk around and generally kill time while shopping for nothing in particular. Nearby is the Paulaner Brewhouse for super fantastic food, coffee and drinks, outdoor patio dining or just hanging and people watching.

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DATE
2022.01.17

SUMMARY
Just popped in for the annual to biennial visa health check. Cost was CNY 487 - don't forget to bring at least THREE (3) visa pictures and your mask.

As usual, there are TWO health codes to display - the usual kunming/yunnan green QR code and the green "Arrow" code.

ARRIVAL
I went late in the morning, but still managed to shuttle through all the departments and get out before lunch.

I used didi to get there and the map now correctly shows the rear parking entrance as the destination drop-off point. You can also take the subway to a nearby station, and walk walk walk walk walk - it's actually not too far but it will elevate your blood pressure and pulse (BPP) - so make sure to rest 5-10 minutes to allow your BPP to drop back to resting state.

Upon arrival at the main gate, you'll do the usual check-in procedure - mask, sign-in, green QR code, temperature check.

Once inside - Present your passport, green QR code, and green (hopefully) arrow code. Scan the QR codes on your left as you walk in if you don't have these prepared already. The staff will then pass you an application form. Walk over to the wall of stand-up desks to your right, fill out the forms, then stroll over to the clerks to present the form. They'll print out a sheet of bar coded labels for your tests, take your digital picture, attach everything together with a paper clip, then direct you to the cashier to pay CNY 487 (WeChat, alipay, bank card, etc) Don't know if they still accept cash.

HEALTH CHECKS
Hike up the the 2nd or 3rd floor to start the battery of tests:

3rd floor

Chest X-ray

Physical (height, weight, BMI/body mass index)

2nd floor

ECG

Sonogram

Urine test

Blood Test

Eye test (color blindness and eye chart)

Dental

Heart (pulse, blood pressure)

I may have missed a few like the OB GYN...

It seems they also have a COVID/NAT (nucleic acid test) center in a shipping container lab outside the health center - but I didn't bother jogging over to check if it was still operational. In retrospect, should've checked, as the hospitals are jam packed with Chinese New Year travelers.

RESULTS PICKUP
The test results are ready the afternoon of the second day. The facility seems sparsely busy even though they service both foreigners and nationals. There were rarely lines or noticeable waits beyond a few minutes, with at most 1-2 people ahead of you.

Staff are always nice, polite, professional and tirelessly patient for those of us with limited to no communications abilities.