Val Roque takes in
the sights as the
train hurtles past old
villages. But even
the most
unconventional
tour is not complete
without a viisit to the
Forbidden City.
the sights as the
train hurtles past old
villages. But even
the most
unconventional
tour is not complete
without a viisit to the
Forbidden City.
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Roughing it back to China's past
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filipino globe online edition
Val Roque the backpacker takes the road less travelled
JOSE MARCELO HONG KONG
When Val Roque set out on a nine-day trip to the mainland last month, he knew
exactly what he wanted: A real adventure that would take him into the heart of
China, deeper and more fulfilling than any guided tour could offer.
With a bag on his back, time on his hands and a thirst for discovery, he got all
that he came for – and more.
JOSE MARCELO HONG KONG
When Val Roque set out on a nine-day trip to the mainland last month, he knew
exactly what he wanted: A real adventure that would take him into the heart of
China, deeper and more fulfilling than any guided tour could offer.
With a bag on his back, time on his hands and a thirst for discovery, he got all
that he came for – and more.
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If you fly, you
travel from
point to point.
It may be
convenient,
but what you
do not know
is that you’re
missing out
on a lot of
things
travel from
point to point.
It may be
convenient,
but what you
do not know
is that you’re
missing out
on a lot of
things
“I’ve always loved backpacking and exploring
new places. I used to do it with friends back
home,” said the boyish-looking head of the
consulate’s Assistance to Nationals section.
“But this was only the second time that I did it
alone.”
From the time he stepped inside the Hung
Hom train station on April 5, Roque’s had
been a journey outside the conventional.
Plane and taxis were out. In their places were
trains and sleeper buses.
Theme parks and malls were scratched in
favor of long walks on cobblestone roads in
age-old villages. Five-star hotels were out;
hostels were in.
new places. I used to do it with friends back
home,” said the boyish-looking head of the
consulate’s Assistance to Nationals section.
“But this was only the second time that I did it
alone.”
From the time he stepped inside the Hung
Hom train station on April 5, Roque’s had
been a journey outside the conventional.
Plane and taxis were out. In their places were
trains and sleeper buses.
Theme parks and malls were scratched in
favor of long walks on cobblestone roads in
age-old villages. Five-star hotels were out;
hostels were in.
But the road less traveled led him face to face with the real China, the one
untouched by progress and often bypassed by travel tours.
“If you fly, you travel from point to point,” he said. It may be convenient, he
continued, but what you do not know is that you’re missing out on a lot of
things.
“For the adventurous with enough time, this is what I would recommend.”
Train rides from Hong Kong to Beijing to Shanghai to Hangzhou to Xiamen
ate up most of Roque’s time. But savoring the sights in the countryside, he
said, is like “leafing through the pages of a Chinese coffee table book.”
Train fares are also easier on the pocket for those on a tight budget. Beds on
a deluxe sleeper, which is a cabin with two beds, cost $1,100; on a soft
sleeper (cabin with four bunk beds) about $800, and on hard sleeper (six
beds) a little over HK$600.
“I took the hard sleeper,” Roque said. “Aside from the fact na mura, you get to
interact more with fellow backpackers and regular Chinese passengers.”
Emerging from the Beijing train station, Roque found a whole new world to
explore, beginning with the can’t-miss destinations like the Great Wall, the
Summer Palace, the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square and the Temple of
Heaven.
But not being part of a guided tour, Roque said, allows you to step beyond
that. A good place to start would be the ancient villages – with their Hutong
(narrow alleys) and traditional houses with brick walls and chimneys, which
are just a short bus ride away.
“It’s like going back in time,” he said.
For someone fascinated with trains since he was a kid, a trip on the famed
high-speed maglev was a must for Roque once he set foot on Shanghai on
Day Five. The rush from riding at speeds of up to 430 kilometers per hour is
indescribable, he gushed.
Nights were spent in hostels, which are everywhere in the mainland. They
may not have five-star amenities and room service, but they are a lot cheaper
(prices range from 40 to 50 yuan) and are all that a weary traveler needs.
“Magaganda at malilinis. Dormitory-style,” Roque said. “Pagpasok mo roon,
bibigyan ka nila ng bagong bedsheets at punda ng unan. Tapos ikaw na ang
maglalagay. Pag-check out mo, ibabalik mo sa kanila.”
Notwithstanding stricter rules on the issuance of visas, he said border
crossings are not much of a hassle for Hong Kong-based Filipinos, unless
you travel on long holiday weekends.
Tourists from the Philippines must get their visas in Manila, Roque said.
Every single detail of Roque’s trip was laid down with the help of the internet.
“All the information is out there,” he said, pointing to Wikitravel and travel
blogs of longtime backpackers as treasure troves of information.
Of course, a little luck can also go a long way. A visit to the Philippine
embassy in Beijing had Roque stumbling on a tip from Ambassador Sonia
Brady about the beauty of Hangzhou, just a two-hour train ride from Shanghai.
Postcard-pretty Hangzhou, Roque said, was everything Brady said it was, its
willow trees, causeways and giant lake making it “one of the most romantic
places in the world”.
Gulangyu island, the main attraction in Xiamen, was just as enthralling,
Roque said.
The final part of his trip was the overnight sleeper bus to the border city of
Shenzhen. By then, Roque had hit five cities in Eastern China, logged around
4,300 kilometers of train travel and collected memories to last a lifetime.
Cost for the whole trip was about $6,000, normally just the price for a couple
of days’ stay in a pricey hotel.
“It’s a great experience, and I can’t wait for my next trip,” Roque said.
Already he is mapping out another trip to Beijing, but this time with his sights
set on a through train bound for Moscow, and perhaps, India.
But that, he said, is for another time.
untouched by progress and often bypassed by travel tours.
“If you fly, you travel from point to point,” he said. It may be convenient, he
continued, but what you do not know is that you’re missing out on a lot of
things.
“For the adventurous with enough time, this is what I would recommend.”
Train rides from Hong Kong to Beijing to Shanghai to Hangzhou to Xiamen
ate up most of Roque’s time. But savoring the sights in the countryside, he
said, is like “leafing through the pages of a Chinese coffee table book.”
Train fares are also easier on the pocket for those on a tight budget. Beds on
a deluxe sleeper, which is a cabin with two beds, cost $1,100; on a soft
sleeper (cabin with four bunk beds) about $800, and on hard sleeper (six
beds) a little over HK$600.
“I took the hard sleeper,” Roque said. “Aside from the fact na mura, you get to
interact more with fellow backpackers and regular Chinese passengers.”
Emerging from the Beijing train station, Roque found a whole new world to
explore, beginning with the can’t-miss destinations like the Great Wall, the
Summer Palace, the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square and the Temple of
Heaven.
But not being part of a guided tour, Roque said, allows you to step beyond
that. A good place to start would be the ancient villages – with their Hutong
(narrow alleys) and traditional houses with brick walls and chimneys, which
are just a short bus ride away.
“It’s like going back in time,” he said.
For someone fascinated with trains since he was a kid, a trip on the famed
high-speed maglev was a must for Roque once he set foot on Shanghai on
Day Five. The rush from riding at speeds of up to 430 kilometers per hour is
indescribable, he gushed.
Nights were spent in hostels, which are everywhere in the mainland. They
may not have five-star amenities and room service, but they are a lot cheaper
(prices range from 40 to 50 yuan) and are all that a weary traveler needs.
“Magaganda at malilinis. Dormitory-style,” Roque said. “Pagpasok mo roon,
bibigyan ka nila ng bagong bedsheets at punda ng unan. Tapos ikaw na ang
maglalagay. Pag-check out mo, ibabalik mo sa kanila.”
Notwithstanding stricter rules on the issuance of visas, he said border
crossings are not much of a hassle for Hong Kong-based Filipinos, unless
you travel on long holiday weekends.
Tourists from the Philippines must get their visas in Manila, Roque said.
Every single detail of Roque’s trip was laid down with the help of the internet.
“All the information is out there,” he said, pointing to Wikitravel and travel
blogs of longtime backpackers as treasure troves of information.
Of course, a little luck can also go a long way. A visit to the Philippine
embassy in Beijing had Roque stumbling on a tip from Ambassador Sonia
Brady about the beauty of Hangzhou, just a two-hour train ride from Shanghai.
Postcard-pretty Hangzhou, Roque said, was everything Brady said it was, its
willow trees, causeways and giant lake making it “one of the most romantic
places in the world”.
Gulangyu island, the main attraction in Xiamen, was just as enthralling,
Roque said.
The final part of his trip was the overnight sleeper bus to the border city of
Shenzhen. By then, Roque had hit five cities in Eastern China, logged around
4,300 kilometers of train travel and collected memories to last a lifetime.
Cost for the whole trip was about $6,000, normally just the price for a couple
of days’ stay in a pricey hotel.
“It’s a great experience, and I can’t wait for my next trip,” Roque said.
Already he is mapping out another trip to Beijing, but this time with his sights
set on a through train bound for Moscow, and perhaps, India.
But that, he said, is for another time.
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