A Bryson in China: November 2006

Getting Back to China

A funny thing happened on the way to China: I ended up in South Bend, Indiana! And I did not want to be in South Bend!! No! That was not planned. So of course, I now am in Chicago for an extra night!! All because of a little rain delaying my flight enough to miss my connection! We had gone to South Bend for more fuel when we got delayed too long.

So I had to check into a hotel for the night. And wouldn't ya know it: the hotel lost electrical power!! Oh great! At least they were digging out free beer for guests that could find or feel their way to the bar. Seems something had struck the electrical in the area and knocked out power at the hotel for a couple of hours. What luck!

But don't expect me to look too great when I finally get to China. My clothes and toiletries are all locked in my luggage at O'Hare! The hotel had even run out of those free amenities. At least they did find me a toothbrush.

Oh well..........

Turkey & BBQ

So good to be home eating BBQ and turkey! Ohhhhhhhhhh…… is it ever gooooooooooooooood! I had two great Thanksgiving dinners and have found barbecue at least three good times since in the USA! I wonder if I’m gaining weight? Oops!

The game last week was not so good. Certainly didn’t go my way. But I was with my daughter! Why do I go to that game? I’ve sure not been there for luck the last few times. Oh well.

Back to China tomorrow! Still some business to settle while here! I head back on Wednesday, with arrival Thursday, Hong Kong time.

It’s been great to see everyone! Keep writing and stay in touch!

Photos from the McCracken Family Thanksgiving at Lake Junaluska can be accessed from the link under Photos in right column. Enjoy!

What Day is It?

I think I am finally getting to know what day it is here. Man, these time zone changes from the other side of the world are awfully tough. I got a good night’s sleep last night……. Finally……….. So maybe today will be a little easier. I sure hope so. I need to be able to get through the day without feeling so tired.

My cell phone is working here. Number in effect for the next few weeks is:

336 – 508 - 0676

My Opposite

As I've mentioned before, I am often amazed here in China to meet someone I've known or worked with for years. Recently I have been reacquainted with a former employee of mine that I hired almost 20 years ago. When you are in such a small industry and most furniture is now being made here in China, I guess it should not be such a surprise.

Last week, I had a rather unusual twist on this story though. Finishing a round of golf at the local Hillview Golf Club (I finally go to play again - not so good - but back feels better!), when I relaxed in the lobby waiting for a taxi. As I sat there waiting, a Chinese lady sat down in the lobby near me. Of all things, she had a shirt that said: ASHEVILLE SCHOOL.

Now under most circumstances one would be jumping to meet someone from their home, but I was actually a little more suspect of the situation. You see, it is not uncommon for English names and schools on the apparrel worn in this country. Never do you see Chinese characters! Don't ask me why!? No, they rather have English, and only wear it because of the look, and rarely for the actual school on a shirt or whatever name is promoted.

So I was a little cautious in asking the lady, but I did: "Do you know Asheville School?" "My daughter goes there!" was her quick reply! Well, what a shock! Here she was here visiting her family home here, while this Chinese lady now lives in Asheville, and here she was talking to me a guy from near Asheville now living in her hometown of Dongguan. How the world has evolved!

NO Commercials Here!!

How about that……….Here it is election day in the US, and I’ve gone through this whole political campaign season without seeing mud slinging commercials! Okay, I guess I did see two. But they were of my own accord. One was actually on a newscast from back home and the other was a youtube.com clip of a newsworthy commercial that featured Dongguan. I just had to see that. Otherwise: NONE! ZIPO! NADA! Oh how nice!

Okay, I haven’t escaped entirely unscathed. Some camps did get my email address, and I constantly get political spam. Now if I could just get those to stop!

Travel Time Again!!

It’s going to be a long trip! I start out on Friday the 10th for a day trip to Hong Kong to see my doctor. That will probably be two ferry rides and a lot of cabs and car transport.

On Sunday I travel from Guangzhou to Bangkok for a quick visit to the factory we do business with in Thailand. I’ve never flown out of Guangzhou, but I am hoping that I can save a little time by going to this sister city of Dongguan a little faster, by foregoing the double customs passage as when traveling to Hong Kong.

After a short day in Thailand, I return to Hong Kong on Monday night for a single night stay near the airport before the long flight to the USA on Tuesday. I arrive in Greensboro late Tuesday night and soon head to Cary for a couple of days of software business again.

By the weekend of the 18^th, I’m hopefully recovered to Eastern Standard Time so that I can enjoy NCSU whipping up on UNC in Chapel Hill!! YES! And if I’m lucky I’ll make it back to Winston-Salem for a singles dance that night at the Piedmont Club. I could be a little tired from all the travel and time zone changes………….

Thanksgiving will be the annual McCracken feast in Lake Junaluska. I love getting together with all the family there. It’s a real Norman Rockwell type reunion!

In between I’ll be around High Point, Greensboro, Charlotte, Chapel Hill, Rutherfordton, and more than a few BBQ houses! Offer me a tray of slaw and pork with some hush puppies, and I’ll be there! See ya soon!

Travel Plans

November
10	Hong Kong Day Trip	Return to Dongguan City
11	Dongguan City	Apartment / Home
12	Guangzhou to Bangkok	Novotel Bangkok Airport
13	Bangkok to Hong Kong	Novotel Citygate
14	Hong Kong to Chicago to Greensboro	High Point Hotel
15-17	Cary, NC	Marriott Courtyard, Cary
18	NCSU vs. UNC & Piedmont Club Black & White Dance
19-22	Winston-Salem & Greensboro Area
23-25	Waynesville	Father’s Home
26-29	Undefined
29-30	Greensboro to Hong Kong	Return to Dongguan

Trying to Reach Me?

I’ve heard from enough of you that it is difficult to reach me on my Decca phone during many hours of the day. Here is an alternative that may work better:

+86 139 2920 3910

This is a phone card for China that works well around my apartment and most places in Dongguan City.

My original Decca phone number is still preferred during China business hours, when it works very well at the factory: +86 769 8486 8935

Sorry for all the confusion with several phone numbers, but I’m just trying to be cost effective, yet available as necessary too.

Summary of Phone Numbers for Gene Bryson

China Business Hours	+86 769 8486 8935
China	+86 139 2920 3910
China Home Phone	+86 769 2276 3547
Hong Kong	+852 6535 7553
Thailand	+66 015785451
USA	+1 336-508-0676

Dennis hugging the bull to try in vain to keep from falling off!

Another Visitor.............. Another Tour...........

But no massage trip for this guest! No matter how many times I offered, he just didn’t seem interested. I think he had read Ed’s earlier posting about our last experience locally.

Dennis was in from our Atlanta office for the weekend. So it was off for another tour of Dongguan and all the sites of this big city. Much of the tour was the same as with Ed on his recent visit, but we did find many new spots too.

Our Saturday afternoon happened to coincide with another get together for Toby from the Royal Lagoon. An intern for the previous year there at my favorite haunt, Toby is moving on to brighter pastures in Hong Kong soon. For the last two weeks, there have been non-stop parties in his honor………. okay, maybe not his “honor”.... it’s more like “good excuses” to party. Saturday afternoon was no exception. This time the location was the new Wild Side Saloon. I had looked in on this western themed bar and restaurant on one other occasion, and even visited for a dinner recently (not the best western food in China), but this time we were there to party.

The main attraction at the Wild Side was a big bull! Okay the girls were pretty too. I was one of the few that didn’t venture a ride on the mechanical beast. Heck, I haven’t played golf in months, I wasn’t about to risk my bad back on a bull. No one got injured, but there were some sore legs and backs for the next few days by more than one rider! Bull riding in China…………. Who woulda thunk it!

We also toured the Dongguan City Central Square with all the fountains and museums. We even found some very old and interesting gardens, Kenyuan Gardens. A group of 13 of us gathered for Japaneses style tepanyaki dinner. And we took in the South China Mall, supposedly the world’s biggest mall……….. although it would be better billed as world’s biggest “ghost” mall. And I’m not referring to the mechanical ghosts in the Halloween tunnel. No this was more like a ghost town. Very few stores are open. The gondola ride is pretty neat going around the complex, but even it would be better billed as a speed boat ride rather than a gondola ride. Dennis seemed to enjoy the tour….. but maybe not as much as the girls at Wild Side.