Half day trip to Jimei

Xiamen (2nd Jan'2007)

As we depart from Chongwu in the noon, we slept through our journey to Xiamen. We reach Xiamen it was later afternoon time, we check in to a local hotel, three of us stay into a room, and leave our bags and we went out to had our lunch.

Xiamen to Jimei - Jimei returned Xiamen

We cross over to Gulang Yu Island to explore; it was my second time there. Everyone I had meet in the youth hostel, heading to this island, they were asking me whether want to join them for a second time visit and I had say no to it.

Since, I've been with the two China friends for the past few days and I can get along with them, I join them visiting the island for a second time. The Beijing lady was her first time in Xiamen and the Island, so I made my way there to go with them.

Gulang Yu Island, you can see Sunlight Rock (RMB60) you can see the view of Jinmen Island at the highest point at 93m. I heard a lot of people told me, you can went up Sunlight Rock for free if you stay over night at the Island and wake up early the morning before they open door. There were so many opportunities for me to do so but I didn't stay over night at the island.

What I did was leading them to explore other road path which I have not walk before and we found one place has a lot of big rocks, my Shanghai friend and I trek up to the big rock to see the view on top, it was about the same height as the Sunlight Rock and we had the same view for free.

You must be asking me where was my Shanghai friend then, right? She doesn't want to do that and she was waiting for us below.

Later, when we returned to town, I brought them to the famous shopping area in town (Zhongshan Lu) to have the local noodle soup “Lor Mee". The soup base was clear soup with sticky soup base. You can choose what dishes to go with it, every item you add on, and the bowl of noodle will be charge accordingly. The cheapest noodle I can get was RMB3 for a simple small bowl of noodle soup.

After dinner, we walk around the shopping area, since the Beijing lady never being to Xiamen before and I was there earlier on, I lead the way to bring them around.

Later we were getting sleepy, we went back to hotel, shower and catch our sleep.

Next day (3^rd Jan'2007), we check out from the hotel and move my bags to check in to youth hostel again. As both my China friends will be depart Xiamen that day.

We went breakfast together, half way walking, my shoe give way, this pair of shoe has been walking with me for the past few years traveling, finally breakdown. I was hoping it breakdown after I end my holiday but it give way due to raining season, my shoe get wet most of the time and finally give way.

While my shoe give way, both my China friends were not aware of it and they were walking and looking for food. Since I lost them and my shoe give way, I look around for shoe shop and went to the shop to get a pair of trekking shoe.

In China, to get a good pair of shoe it is not expensive, I choose one pair of shoe have the waterproof type. This waterproof is not 100%, when it is heavy rain, water still get in but if I walk on snow, my shoe will not get wet outside, this is for sure.

After had my shoe, I was looking around for my China friends, they message me asking me where am I and inform me where they were. Finally meet up with them and had our breakfast together.

After breakfast, we went to “Nanputuo Si” temple, went up the steps all the way to the top to see the view. When we reached the top, we can see the view, not very great view but very windy.

After visiting the temple, my Beijing friend and I going to Jimei town, my Shanghai friend catching her train back to Shanghai, so we depart our own way outside the temple.

Jimei (3^rd Jan'2007)

We took a long distance bus to Jimei, it was a few hour journey and we both fell asleep on the bus. On the way to Jimei was having bad traffic jammed and it took us longer journey to reach there.

When we reach there it was about 1 or 2pm, we were very hungry and we went for our lunch. On the street, I was approaching the local, asking for direction where to get lunch, the lady told us to try their local duck noodle soup, we walked to a stall which sell duck noodle soup, it was just like our back home duck noodle soup.

After lunch, we walked and explore around, we walked and found a Memorial Park, we pick up from the floor a pamphlet of the Memorial Park museum, it was just a small museum which we were not willing to pay RMB20 just to go in.

Jimei have not much to offer and I don't know why the lonely planet book recommended Jimei School Village, it is quiet town with many small local shops.

As we reach Jimei in the afternoon, so there was not much time to explore around and we have to catch the bus back to Xiamen town before the sky went dark.

Xiamen

When we reach Xiamen town, it was already evening, we went to explore around, walked from street to street which we have not walk before and try their local snacks and had our dinner. After dinner, my Beijing friend has to catch her flight back to Beijing. I sent her to the bus stop and say good bye to her.

After they had left, I was alone staying in the youth hostel with a lady from Europe, she has been traveling for 7 years, and she travels and works her way through. Wow…if I can travel and get pay for, it will be a leisure life to work. How nice someone fully paid for my travel. Anyone? Any organization wants to sponsor or employ me to travel and provide information to you? Ha..ha.. Can contact me, hee…hee…we can discuss over it.

On next day (4 Jan'2007), I went to China embassy, my China friends has help me to find out the address before they left so I went all the way and find my way there. The youth hostel workers have no idea where to apply for visa extension and they have no idea how to go about it.

I wasted one whole day just to get my visa apply, when I reached the embassy, they said; I must have the hotel or youth hostel letter to proof that I've a place to stay before they can extend my stay, I need a photo also. I rash back to youth hostel and ask for a letter or form, and they told me they don't have the form, they told me that I've to go to police post to get it, I find my way to the nearest police post, I ask for the form and the police told me that the youth hostel should have it. I was really mad inside me, why the youth hostel doesn't have the form with them as an International Youth Hostel.

I've no other choice, I've to ask politely from the police whether she can help me by giving me the form. The police told me that the Youth Hostel should purchase it and they have called the Youth Hostel to inform them before and they are not purchasing it. She was very nice to me, giving me a form and letting me know that I still need the Youth Hostel company stamp in order to submit the form to the embassy. The police also ask me to inform the Youth Hostel that they have to purchase it; that was the last form they will be issue out.

I went back to the Youth Hostel and get my form stamp and rash back to the embassy. The embassy was far away from the Youth Hostel and I've take bus back to the embassy. The embassy will close for lunch time and open at 2pm and will closed the operation by 4pm. I've to make my way there before 4pm to get it settle. I thought it take 3 or 4 working days to get my visa but end up I've to wait for one week in order to get my visa.

I was stuck in Xiamen and I was really bore in Xiamen town. If I travel out of Fujian, I'll have to make a “U” turn back to collect my passport. Due to Xiamen was so bore, I decided to travel out of Xiamen within Fujian province.

I decided to go another town name Quanzhou, to hear about Quanzhou, please click next.

To read other journals of mine, click on the link: - http://realtravel.com/member-m652835-afa.html