Welcome to Korea

In my (Dave’s) experience, Korea is a place that most Americans know little about, even less so than China.  Until I first visited Korea about 15 years ago, I would have been lucky to find it on a map.  Korea is rarely in the US news except for the North Korean missile program, and the old TV program MASH is probably the only other thing to come to mind.

As you likely realize, whenever someone says that they are visiting Korea, it automatically means South Korea.  North Korea is one of the most closed countries on earth, arguably the single most.

I have traveled to Korea several times over the years, including during our time in China (Seoul is just a 2 hour flight from Shanghai).  I made another quick trip (from the US) just before Christmas, and given how little known it is, I thought would be worth sharing.

Geographically, South Korea is almost exactly the same size as Indiana, but is hilly and has a population of nearly 50 million- 8 times that of Indiana.  Land is put to good use everywhere, with fields in every available space growing crops such as rice, and many small factories.

South Korea is a well developed democratic country, in many ways similar to Japan or Taiwan, with cities that are neat and clean, and good infrastructure, all of it years ahead of mainland China.  Korean society is also like Japan in its formality.  Even after several meetings together, customers from large companies such as Hyundai still called me “Mr. Schweikert”, never using my first name. 

Korea’s transportation system is excellent.  I traveled from Seoul to the southern city of Daegu via high speed train (about 2 hours to traverse the entire north-south length of the country), and on a spur of the moment, decided to take the subway to my hotel instead of a taxi.  Both trains and subways were simple to navigate, and I easily found my way.  Highways are modern and, aside from signage, you would have a hard time telling the difference from a US interstate.

Waiting for my train back to Seoul: no “Happy Holidays” here! Unique in Asia, Christianity is South Korea’s largest religion, with more believers than Buddhism.

South Koreans are without question the hardest workers I have ever met, with the typical workday from 8am to 10pm.  On my December trip, I had a full day of meetings including a visit to our plant, followed by dinner with the plant manager.  After a conference call with the US, I finally left about 945pm to head back to my hotel, nearly asleep on my feet.  As I left the office, a few people were just starting to depart.  I was exhausted after what I considered a long, hard day.  To everyone at the office, it was just another routine day!

View from the high speed train (my favorite way to travel in any country)- with hills everywhere in Korea

As in China, Koreans say their name in reverse from Westerners: family name then given name.  The phrases “first name” and “last name” are meaningless.  But to simplify for Westerners, they do not take an “English name” as is done in China.  Instead, Koreans use their initials.  For example, someone named Lee Jae Hyun (where “Lee” is their family name), when dealing with Westerners, might use the name Michael Lee if he were Chinese and JH Lee if he were Korean.

The most common dining experience in Korea is Korean BBQ.  Everyone sits on mats on the floor at low tables, and cooks thin strips of beef over charcoal.  Then you wrap the beef with spices such as garlic into what looks like a tree leaf- which tastes a bit like mint- and the whole thing is eaten in one bite.  It is extremely tasty, and you can have several of these at dinner.  

Kimchi- served at every meal in Korea- has a bad reputation among westerners, and I also usually avoid it.  There are many varieties, though it most commonly is like an especially pungent and spicy sauerkraut (fermented cabbage).  But I am told that kimchi is better translated as “side dish”.  On my last trip, one of the kimchi versions was a large and tangy variety of radish. 

Just like China, there are definitely unappetizing dishes in Korea: a fermented fish is one of the worst things I have ever smelled in a restaurant.  For the most part though, eating is different but not a problem for Western travelers, just avoid the “special meat” (trust me).

Talk of Korea inevitably leads to discussion of North vs. South.  The history of the 2 Koreas and the war is quite brief.  All of Korea was one country until it was split in 2 following WWII, similar to Germany, with the North under control of the Soviet Union and the South under control of the Allies.  In 1950, the North Korean founder and leader Kim Il-Sung invaded the south (as you may know, the leadership of North Korea passed from Kim Il-Sung to his son and recently to his grandson).    

Within the first couple weeks, the North Koreans overran Seoul (which is in the northwest of South Korea, only about 30 miles from the border) and pushed to the very south, around Busan (formerly called Pusan).  The US and 16 other UN countries frantically brought reinforcements, and within a couple of months had completely reversed momentum, and drove the North Koreans back all the way to the Chinese border. 

Map showing how North Korea nearly conquered the South in 1950

For a short period of time, Koreans were euphoric that their country would be reunified after 5 years of separation.  Then the Chinese attacked in numerous human waves and drove the South Korean, US, and UN forces back south.  After only a few months, the border ended right where it had started, with the 2 Koreas divided by the 38^th Parallel, and hundreds of thousands of people killed.

Re-creation at the Korean War Museum of refugees fleeing the invaders from the North in 1950

2 ½ more years of periodic fighting did little to change the boundaries.  Finally a cease-fire was negotiated, which remains in place today.  Technically, North and South Korea have been in a state of war for over 60 years.

The Korean War Museum included many American planes, including this massive B-52 too large for a single photo.

One of the most unique aspects of South Korea in my experience is that it is the most welcoming of the American military of anywhere that I have ever visited.  Despite the war having occurred over 2 generations ago, most South Koreans seem very cognizant that if not for the presence of the US military- about 30,000 troops remain stationed there- North Korea would take over the Korean peninsula. 

South Korean gunboat riddled with holes from a 2002 sea battle with North Korea that killed about a dozen sailors- who are honored for their defense of freedom.

On one of my first trips to Korea in the late 1990’s, I visited the DMZ, and it is an amazing experience.  The military is not just for show.  It is a real life Mexican stand-off, with guns pointed across the DMZ (a cleared swath of land about a mile across).  A popular tourist attraction, we also went down into one of the 4 tunnels that were discovered in the 1970’s and 80’s, which North Korea dug in preparation for an invasion.

Change in Rules of Engagement following 2002 battle- gets right to the point

 If you have never visited Asia, it is tempting to lump major countries such as China (Taiwan and the mainland), Japan, and the Koreas together, but they are each individual, unique places.  South Korea is definitely worthy of a visit if you ever spend time in Asia.  While the society is formal, people are friendly and welcoming, and it is a scenic and enjoyable country to see.  Just don’t get into a contest of who is a harder worker!

Yellow Mountain (Mount Huangshan)

I’m not sure if anyone is still following this since our family returned from China (is anyone out there?)  But since Dave continues to travel to China, there are always new things to share.

On my most recent trip in late September, I had planned to visit a potential customer in Taiwan, including a weekend day.  That trip was cancelled but I may write a post in the future.  I have been to Taiwan a few times but always short trips of one or two nights.  Taiwan is a unique part of China with a shared history, but is very different from the mainland and I’d like to share some of it.

With my Taiwan visit cancelled, and everyone off work for China’s mid-Autumn Festival and National Days (which recognizes the founding of the People’s Republic of China), I had 2 days to fill at the end of my trip.  

When I knew that we would live in China, I made a list of places to visit.  We checked off every destination on our family list but I was left with 2 more- down to 1 after my trip to Yellow Mountain, or Mount Huangshan.  Mt. Huangshan, southwest of Shanghai in Anhui Province, is China’s most famous natural site and is a frequent subject of artwork, often shrouded in mist and clouds.  It is the first place that my colleagues recommended we visit, not the Great Wall or other more famous places (to Westerners), and somewhere all of them had been themselves.

With the holidays starting, all trains were booked, leaving me with one choice- take a bus or not go.  Although buses are far and away my least favorite form of transportation- slow and no facilities being my biggest complaints- I’m always up to trying something once.  But give me a train any day.  I headed off for what I expected to be a 6-7 hour bus ride from Shanghai.  But free tolls for the holidays on the Chinese freeways caused some of the worst traffic I have ever seen.  The tolls are prohibitive (taking into account income differences, a 500 mile drive costs the typical family the equivalent of $300 just in tolls). 

The bus ride lasted over 10 hours, simply due to constant stop and go traffic.  I was the only Westerner on the bus, and sat next to a young guy traveling with who appeared to be his wife and mother-in-law.  I never assume that Chinese speak any English and we barely spoke on the trip (and he obviously did not know whether I spoke English, French, German, or some other language).

Due to the late arrival, I skipped other sightseeing I had planned for the afternoon.  I arranged a taxi and left my hotel before 5am the next morning.  Arriving at Mt. Huangshan around 6, I quickly realized that I should have started at least an hour earlier.  It was mobbed and I had difficulty finding where to get a ticket among crowds like you would see at a concert or sporting event.

Suddenly I felt a tap on my arm, it was the same guy I had sat next to on the bus from Shanghai!    He his family all laughed at the coincidence, and I discovered speak decent English.  They immediately helped me find where to get a ticket, then waved me over to join them in line.

Sam and family

On a hair-raising shuttle bus ride (flying around hairpin curves) up to the cable car that would take us partway up the mountain, we chatted, and I learned his “English name” is Sam.  I could not remember or repeat his actual Chinese name.  At the cable car, we parted ways as I got my entrance ticket.  Then I got to wait in line for 2 hours to get on.  How quickly I forget that waiting in line is simply part of life in China, especially at tourist sites, and especially on holidays.

Riding the Yupin cable car up Mt. Huangshan

But the traffic and crowd delays were worth it. A beautiful, sunny autumn day enchanced the gorgeous scenery.  I climbed the highest peak in the park, Lotus Peak, where quite literally I was grabbing the steps in front of me to climb up.  If you are afraid of heights- and I most certainly am- this is not the place to be.  But I overcame my heart pounding terror and climbed to the top for an incredible view of the mountains.

Looking up at the stairs to Lotus Peak- the tallest peak on Mt. Huangshan

notice the narrow walkway on the side of the mountain

Although there were none of the clouds or mist that Mt. Huangshan is famous for, it was still an unbelievable visit.  The thousands of visitors certainly hampered things a bit, but people were extremely friendly as I tried to interpret maps and confusing- or missing- directional signs.  The pictures below simply do not do justice to this place.  The higher peaks make you feel like you are on top of the world, looking out at the surrounding mountains.  In mist and clouds, it must be surreal.

Thousands of people climbing the stairs and paths on Mt. Huangshan; I hiked to the meteorological observatory in the background

The top of Mt. Huangshan felt like the top of the world (click on the photo for a better view of the panoramic)

As if the earlier coincidence was not enough, after a couple hours of hiking, I came up behind a young couple that I recognized as Sam and his family.  “We meet again” I said, and they turned around and of course burst out smiling and laughing.  We hiked together for a while and I think it was one of the better personal connections that I have made in China!

Lotus Peak- look closely to see people standing on top

one of many interesting rock formations

a lonely pine tree on top of a rock formation

Even with the awesome scenery, making personal connections was the theme of this trip. Partway through the day, I saw a young western couple studying a map. We briefly traded thoughts, I took their picture, and again we headed off our separate ways. A half hour later, I found myself hiking behind them. Déjà vu! We ended up spending the next hour or so going down Mount Huangshan together and even shared a taxi back to the city of Tunxi, where they were staying and I had to catch my bus back to Shanghai. Jeff and Laura are both Americans who teach 6th grade at one of the international schools in Shanghai, and were enjoyable to share a small bit of the visit to Mount Huangshan. They had stayed in a hotel on top of the mountain- there are several- which provide the opportunity to see the sunset and sunrise- and that is certainly a reason to return.

back breaking loads carried by porters- the only way to get supplies up the mountain

more peaks and one of the hotels on top of the mountain

Although I only spent about 6 hours hiking on Mount Huangshan, it definitely goes down with the likes of Yellowstone, Mount Blanc and the Alps, and Chimney Rock Park on my list of most exhilarating mountains visited.

Old Street in Tunxi- which had a European feel with shops and outdoor cafes

If you’re wondering about the last entry on my China “must see” places, it is Tibet. But Tibet’s remote western location would require a week to visit and a significantly larger budget, so time will tell if I ever make it there. And if go to Tibet, Nepal and the Himalayas are practically in the neighborhood, so how could I possibly skip the world’s tallest mountain range, a bucket list item if there ever was one. . .

The Best of China: Top 10 and more

Top 10+ Positive Things about living in China

Now that we have returned from China and are settling back into a routine again, this will probably be our final China blog post, unless Dave experiences something notable to share as he continues his periodic travels to China.  Our time in China (and beyond) was filled with amazing experiences, many undoubtedly will be once in a lifetime events.  This is a family list, but David created it so the order is his.  Each of us would certainly have put different things at the top.

16.  Being able to look people in the eye without straining my neck (David’s).  With the average Chinese man standing just 5’5″ (5 inches shorter than the average American man), it was unusual to have to look up at someone.

15.  Australia and New Zealand.  Being closer made the trip possible.  The experiences of koalas, kangaroos, kookaburras, Tasmanian Devils, the Great Barrier Reef, rainforests, fjords, Sydney, Tasmania, historical sites, and endless breathtaking scenery, nature, and clean air made for 2½ of the most amazing weeks of our lives.  If this were a list of favorite destinations, it could easily be #1.

Holding a koala- what an experience!

Dave’s favorite- Milford Sound in New Zealand

14.  Relaxed mornings.  In the US, I (Dave) nearly always leave home with my family still sleeping.  In China, at 830am I am often the first person in the office.  My workday in China usually starts at home around 5am with overnight email from the US, but the later office start time allows for a cup of coffee and seeing my girls before heading to the office.  Although the days are longer, with the last email or conference call not ending until 10pm or later, my daily China schedule is a far more relaxed way to start the day.

13.  River views.  Although we thought about renting an old lane house in Shanghai, we decided that a more unique (for us) experience would be a high-rise apartment building.  We are glad we did, with views of the Huangpu River and the Shanghai skyline, it is likely the only time in our lives that we will live in such a place.

Our living room view in Shanghai

12.  Personal service.  Low labor costs help, from a personal driver to maid service to living in an apartment that would sell for over $1 million, living in China may be challenging at times, but the reality is that as expats we have lived a much higher lifestyle in Shanghai than we are accustomed to.

11.  Deliveries to your door.  Our favorite service is Sherpa’s- less than $3 to bring a hot takeout meal from the restaurant of your choice in under an hour.  Train tickets, bottled water, and anything else you might need are easily arranged.  Couriers and delivery drivers might be the most common occupation in Shanghai with thousands upon thousands of them, all driving little scooters.

10.  Affordable tailored clothes.  Something that we once viewed as high-end and as likely for us to own as a Ferrari, but now we all have at least a couple of tailored items.  Dave started with tailored shirts in Hong Kong.  The price (about the same as what we pay for good quality off-the-rack in the US) was well worth it for higher quality fabric and a perfect fit that both looks and feels great.

9.  Innumerable historic sites.

Yuyuan Pagoda- 1000 years old but little known outside China

The Yuyuan Pagoda (leaning pagoda) at Tiger Hill in Suzhou; a thousand year old structure that should be as famous as the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and perhaps will be one day, as China’s tourist sites become more developed.  Buddhist Temple Architecture, beautiful, ornate places with quiet gardens.  Old city neighborhoods with residents living much the same as they have for 100 years.  There are many, many similar examples throughout the country.

The amazing Terra Cotta Army (Emperor Qin’s tomb), one of Jenna’s favorite places in China

the water village of Xitang- one of many around Shanghai

8.  Separated bicycle lanes.  In Chinese cities, like many countries, there are often barriers and even landscaping to protect bicyclists from cars.  The US could learn a lesson: busy streets for cars, separated paved lanes for bikes, and sidewalks for- you guessed it- walking.

7.  Trains.  We’ve ridden the world’s 2 fastest trains: the Maglev in Shanghai (268mph!) and the high speed line between Shanghai and Beijing.  190mph for 5 hours with just 2 stops was a fantastic and scenic journey.  Just as in Europe and Japan, the speed, comfort, and convenience of traveling by train is definitely something that we wish we could do more of in the U.S.

6.  Walking to the neighborhood grocery store and fruit vendors.  While we can walk to many places such as the coffee shop and hardware store in Noblesville, we wish we had a small grocery store on the square.

5.  Walls.

We saved one of the best for last- the incredible Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China is the country’s top tourist destination and for good reason.  It is an astounding engineering achievement and was one of our favorite trips.  But in Xi’an, after visiting the Terra Cotta Warriors that were every bit as impressive as expected, we were surprised by the city wall.  The Xi’an city wall is vastly larger and more impressive than the more famous walled cities of Europe.

The massive city wall in Xi’An- visible in satellite images

4.  History.  It is not uncommon to visit somewhere in China and find buildings and historical references dating back 2 or 3 thousand years.  Even Europe cannot compare where history is usually measured in hundreds of years, not thousands, and the historic sites in the US would be considered practically new.  The girls have visited 18 different UNESCO World Heritage Sites- a third of them during their time in China, all historical.

3.  Hong Kong.

Hong Kong Island and the iconic Star Ferry (taken from another Star Ferry)

Dave has traveled around the world and considers Hong Kong among his favorite cities.  We liked it so much that despite our limited time, we managed a second visit, the only place we visited more than once.  Its legacy as a British colony makes it both more Western and more developed, and the skyline and Victoria Harbour are amazing sights, both day and night.  Views from The Peak are arguably the best city views in the world, making for some of the most expensive real estate on earth.

Victoria Harbour and Hong Kong, from The Peak- is there a better city view anywhere on earth?

2.  Pandas.  Gentle, lovable, and highly endangered creatures that live in just 2 provinces in western China.  The efforts of the Giant Panda Research Center are helping to save this species.  The day that we spent there will provide lifelong memories for all of us.

We could almost reach out and touch this lovable giant at the Giant Panda Research Center in Chengdu, Sichuan

1.  Cultural immersion.  While vacations and business trips provide great ways to see the world, there is no better way to truly understand a culture than to live in it, which is the main reason we (well- mostly Dave) sought this experience.  Apartment hunting, grocery shopping, interacting with a wide variety of average citizens, finding leisure activities, living everyday life, and the time to casually explore Shanghai has given us- especially the girls- a depth of experience not otherwise possible.  There are many other countries and cities that we would have preferred to live as expats, but we will all benefit from our time in this country that is becoming such a huge influence on the world in the 21^st century.

Top 12 Things We Will Not Miss About China

As our time in China ends, we naturally have thought about our time here, what we have liked and what we haven’t.  So we started to list some.  We’ll start with the experiences and challenges that we are looking forward to being done with.  In a few days, we’ll end on a positive note, with a post of what we have been fortunate to experience.

10 wasn’t enough so here are:

The Top 12 Things We Will Not Miss About China

12.  Squat toilets.  And having to bring our own tp to public restrooms.

11.  No air-conditioning.  Although most public buildings are heated and cooled, the systems are unreliable and thermostats are set well beyond what we consider comfortable.  The office that Dave works in is often over 80F in the summer, and public places like trains stations can be miserable with so many people compounding the problem.  Getting accustomed to being sticky and hot is part of working in China.  Winter is better but similarly out of our normal comfort zone.  Indoor temperatures in the low 60s are not unusual.

10.  Unreliable and censored Internet service.  It’s not just Facebook and Youtube that are blocked in China.  We had to purchase a private vpn service to allow Carol Ann to reach some of the sites she uses for her job, even the WordPress blog site that you are reading this on is blocked, and Google maps is often inaccessible.  The Chinese government’s internet censorship is a complex and huge bureaucracy, employing thousands of people.  Sharing a one-line vpn was a hassle.

9.  Lack of manners.  It seems contradictory, but rudeness does not exist in China.  Pushing, shoving, shouting, cutting in front on the sidewalk, in line, or the highway- all are not considered rude here.  They are just how people move about and get what they need to.

8.  Language.  We are very conscious that we are visitors here, but the tonal language is extremely difficult to learn and our vocabulary is minimal, even after several months of Mandarin lessons.  The huge variety of complex written characters adds to the difficulty.  Everyday things like telling the hair stylist how long to cut our hair or asking our driver to make a quick stop at Starbucks or the grocery store are excruciatingly difficult.  Some of Shanghai is bilingual- such as road signs- but that disappears quickly in areas less frequented by Westerners.

7.  Noise.  We obviously can’t have the same expectations in a city of 23 million that we do in our home town of 50,000, but there is never a moment of peace.  From jackhammers and quite literally 24/7 construction sounds to fireworks and firecrackers at any hour of day or night to constantly honking horns, we long for a quiet day.  Not even the parks are quiet places of refuge.

6.  Not seeing stars at night.  The combination of city lights, smog, and hazy skies that are common in most Chinese cities prevents seeing stars at night.  We relished the views during our trip to Australia where the lack of population and clean air provided incredible views of thousands of stars.

5.  Chaotic and dangerous roads.  Cars weave and wind on the road, with lane markers being irrelevant and the daily deadly dance with taxis- they actually do seem to speed up and aim for pedestrians- is an experience we will definitely not miss.  The girls and I often played a “game” where we would guess how many points a driver would get if they hit westerners, American, blonde American, or multiples at the same time.

4.  Smoking.  As Carol Ann likes to say, Americans may be killing ourselves with heart disease and diabetes through our poor diets and lack of exercise, but the Chinese are going to collectively die from lung cancer.  There is a pending health epidemic of massive proportions with the hundreds of millions of smokers.  It is everywhere, and no smoking signs are routinely ignored.  When the country’s largest tobacco company is state-owned, making billions of dollars a year in profits, it’s hard to see the situation changing anytime soon.

3.  Food.  Most Chinese food is different but not unappealing- though there are exceptions (chicken feet is the classic example).  With less meat and more vegetables, it is much healthier than western diets.  But the ability to recognize and know what we are eating is something we will relish back in the US.  We also must constantly be careful to avoid any food that may have been washed with contaminated water.  Especially with Jenna’s nut allergy, traveling is a struggle.  When we do find something familiar, it is usually unhealthy fast food.  We yearn for our first backyard cookout of burgers and hot dogs on the grill with a fresh salad and yummy watermelon.

2.  Pollution and sanitation.  From garbage and sewage in the streets to open air meat markets without refrigeration to luxurious 5-star hotels without clean drinking water to some of the worst air pollution in the world to other less mentionables (trust us when we say you don’t want to know), the sights, smells- and the risk of illness- can be overwhelming.

1.  Freedom.  The Chinese people go about their daily lives on the surface and appear to be like any other country.   Yet, the internet is censored.  They do not control their destiny in careers or family-planning.  They do not vote for their leaders.  And, most importantly they have no freedom to worship God in the way that they choose.  There is nothing more precious than freedom.  China is far more open than in the past, but the single party government still has total control of power.  Even with all of our imperfections, we are incredibly blessed to have the fundamental freedoms bestowed upon us as Americans.

Piracy: China and the U.S.

It is impossible to discuss China without piracy being one of the first topics of conversation, and is something that we have come into contact with many times during our time here.

Piracy is everywhere in China.  “Knockoffs”, “fake goods” and other euphemisms are in everyday conversation.  There are entire markets devoted to these products, often prominently featured in travel books.  In areas frequented by Westerners, you get pestered with “fake watch sir?”, “lady handbag sir?  Cheap!” and similar from the street peddlers.  At least they’re honest that it’s fake. . .  Walking down the Nanjing Road pedestrian mall, you may get asked 10 times in one block!  The going rate is about $50 for a fake Rolex.

I’ll never forget walking through a Shanghai market on my first trip to China several years ago.  At the time, Mission Impossible 3 had been in US theaters for less than a week.  Already pirated DVD’s were being sold in the market- for only a couple of dollars.

I honestly think that many Americans don’t even realize pirated goods are stolen.  Stealing of course will always be wrong, it is a timeless value that technology does not change.  Copying music, videos, and books has become so easy, that it is widespread.  The average person would not steal a CD from a store, yet, they share songs among friends.  I must confess that I have in the past copied music and computer software.  I am not proud of it, it was wrong, and I hope I never do it again intentionally.

I read many comments looking down on China for the lack of intellectual property rights.  And we should, but must also be consistent.  Just because downloading or sharing music without paying for it is cheap or convenient, it is still stealing.  Someone created the music, they own it.  They have every right to charge for the right to use what they worked so hard to create.

Even small things are pirated.  We bought an UNO card game to play in our apartment.  After using it for a while, we noticed there was no copyright or distributor information.  It is undoubtedly pirated.  This is especially ironic since UNO is distributed by a company in Indianapolis that is having financial difficulties, and here we are buying a game that they never got paid for.  The game is now in the trash.

Yahtzee card game on the left we brought from the US- it has distributor name and contact information and copyright; Uno game on the right we bought in China and later noticed it is blank except for the game logos- unmistakable signs of a forgery.

We have a DVD player in our apartment that cannot play our US DVD’s (a protection against copying).  So I asked the guys I work with, where can I buy legal DVD’s in China?  They couldn’t help me!   Piracy is so rampant in China that legal copies don’t exist.  Talk about making it hard to be honest!

For the most part, Chinese do not see piracy for what it is, it doesn’t even occur to them.  They do not view the ownership of intellectual property to be the creator of the material.  Copying and selling is viewed positively as entrepreneurial, and to be admired.  While I normally respect the cultural differences, this is one area that there simply is no gray area.  Just as what we call corruption or bribes is viewed as a sincere gift in some cultures (like we would take a customer to dinner), piracy is also viewed as part of business and the culture here.

Part of the reason for the cultural difference is the Asian emphasis on “face”, or appearances.  Chinese willingly buy inferior, poor quality products if it gives them prestige (such as designer clothes or a handbag).  It’s the label that matters, not what the product is made of.  Inevitably, many western brands are among those viewed as desirable.  It does not matter if the fake designer clothes wear out quickly, and a “no name” brand is more durable.

The prevalence of piracy is exacerbated by China’s ruthless capitalism.  In the country’s rush to catch up with the rest of the world economically, anything that can make a profit is aggressively marketed and sold.

There does appear to be increasing awareness of the problem.  One of the markets we visited in Beijing had signs posted to the effect of “Please respect creativity.  No illegal DVD’s.”  But just down the street from our apartment is a store selling DVD’s- all of them pirated, being sold in full view of the public and the police.  How can we tell you might wonder?  No plastic wrap or official packaging, mis-spellings and errors on the labels (like spam emails), but the giveaway is the price.  Only a few dollars for something that we’d pay $20-25 for.  It’s easy to sell them cheaply when the only cost is a blank DVD.

A DVD store near our apartment sells nothing but pirated DVDs.

A sign posted in the fabric market detailing how it’s illegal to sell fake goods and that you can be prosecuted for it. But, as our Great Wall guide said, “In China, there is law and there is reality.”

The problem of intellectual property protection (or IP as we shorten it) is very real for more than just music, videos, software, and clothing.  My company is very cognizant of the risk in China of our patents and trade secrets (such as manufacturing knowledge that is not patented) being taken.  In my job, I have to take extra cautions to prevent disclosure of sensitive information, and even limit what information my engineering team can access.  We do not allow customers to disassemble our motors, and we limit access to our IP as much as possible.  It’s what we get paid to create as engineers- why would we allow it to be stolen?  Piracy and IP protection affects everyone, not just movie and rock stars.

I also find our engineers using pirated software- which they view positively for saving the company money.  I love the cost savings focus- but I tell them to remove it anyhow.

Until recently, even the Chinese government allowed pirated software on computers in government offices.  The increased pressure from western countries on China to eliminate pirated products is having an affect.  But it is a very slow process that will take many years, perhaps several generations, to change.  It’s not a matter of just changing what people can do, but also the mindset that does not see anything wrong.

Traveling in China: Dave’s experiences

In my time in China, I have visited much of the country- 14 of the 23 provinces plus Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan- with many unique experiences I would not have seen in Shanghai.

Cities I’ve visited in China

Hong Kong and Macao are “Special Autonomous Regions” and require passports to enter.  Chinese citizens must obtain visas- but not Americans!  Despite the US’s long-standing “One China Policy”, Taiwan is a separate country in all ways, with an elected democratic government.  The capital of Taipei is a direct 2 hour flight from Shanghai, and is very nice, surrounded by mountains.  It is a clean and thoroughly developed modern city and country, quite a contrast to mainland China.

Traveling in China- across the street or across the country- is an adventure and can be downright dangerous.  As you may recall from past blogs, paying constant attention is essential.  Crosswalks mean nothing, you must put your head on a swivel, constantly looking around for vehicles- especially taxis and scooters- running red lights and going the wrong direction.

I have been fortunate to never see a serious accident.  My uncle came to visit China recently and was not so lucky, witnessing 2 fatal pedestrian accidents.  I often say that not having seen an accident is proof of God’s existence, since divine intervention is the only logical explanation there aren’t more.  You have to see intersections to understand what we mean, 30 scooters running a red light with cars and buses coming right at them.  Somehow everyone brakes and swerves around each other.  It is not the craziest place I have ever seen- that distinction falls to India where roads are total anarchy- but China is a respectable second.

The chaos of a Chinese intersection in Xi’An, with no traffic signals or stop signs- cars, buses, pedestrians, and scooters dodging each other; the picture doesn’t it justice

Unlike the US, where we travel mostly by car or plane, Chinese and most other countries rely on many methods.  Walking is not just for people too poor to own a car.  I was in Los Angeles recently for a trade show, and the Americans (myself included, I hate to admit) drove our rental cars or took a taxi from the hotel to the convention center, even though it was only a mile away.  Our Chinese co-workers, who arrived later, walked without giving it a second thought.

Having visited large cities all over the world, walking in combination with public transportation is usually the best way to get around, both for sightseeing and practical everyday use.

Traveling- in China and elsewhere- is quite logical and is relatively consistent with distance:

Distance	Method
~1 mile	Walk
1 to 10 miles	Electric scooter, Subway, or City Bus (sometimes Taxi)
10 to 20 miles	Personal car or Taxi
20 to 250 miles	High speed train, or personal car
250 to 500 miles	High speed train; Bus or plane if limited rail connections
Over 500 miles	Fly (poorer people take bus and train trips of several days)

Several of the engineers on my team have daily commutes of about 90 minutes– each way.  They walk 10-15 minutes to a bus stop, take 1 or 2 buses to the subway station, then the subway the rest of the way to our office, changing trains once or twice.  Fortunately, our office is located across the street from a station on the main east-west subway line.

Subways are convenient but are often packed, on weekends as well as rush hour.  The individual lines and stops are marked in Chinese and English, by number, and by color, so you have 3 ways to figure out the right train and where to go.  The subway is the best travel value by far.  The minimum fare is 3 yuan (less than 50 cents), the maximum fare for a 90 minute ride across the city is about $1.50. 

Passengers are aggressive, shoving their way onto the train before people have a chance to exit, and pushing and shoving from the train to the exits.  Forming a line is virtually non-existent in China, but the behavior is cultural, and is definitely not considered rude.  With so many people, Chinese seem to have an ingrained aggressiveness to get what they need.  It permeates Chinese society, from yelling at waitresses, to pushing and shoving, to copying others’ work (that will be the subject of a future blog).

Traffic laws are openly flaunted- but then you see fire trucks waiting at a stop light (lights flashing and sirens blaring)

I commuted daily on the subway when I was here last summer and fall, and use it occasionally now.  The constant shoving in public places has been one of the tougher adjustments to living in China.  I often stopped at Starbucks on my way to the station, and used hot coffee as a shield against being pushed.  It actually worked quite well!

Only about 10% of the Chinese population has a car, mostly using them for family trips, and less so for daily commuting.  As car sales increase past 20 million per year (with China now the largest car market in the world), personal mobility will increase rapidly.  In large cities such as Shanghai where traffic is already bad and air quality is horrendous, I cannot imagine how it will be in 10 years.  Like most of the world, driving is expensive in China, considering gas (equivalent to $6-7 per gallon), tolls, and in large cities, parking.

Saturday afternoon stop-and-go traffic in Shanghai; thank goodness we have a driver

Taxi rides can be hair raising.  The taxis are poorly maintained, the drivers drive like maniacs at high speed (and I’m not known as a timid driver myself) on bald tires and worn out shocks, changing lanes and blowing the horn constantly.  Buckle up, don’t eat a heavy meal first, and say your prayers are all good advice for taxi rides.  The locals, of course, are so used to it, they don’t notice anything unusual.

A busy street in Xi’An with its accompanying smog and plethora of buses

We often depend on company cars with drivers provided by customers as we travel, rental cars are uncommon (I’ve never been in one in all my time here).  Trips from the airport to factories and company offices are nearly as good as an amusement park ride.  Routes weave and wind through cities (a great way to see the real China up close) and on modern freeways equivalent to any in the US.  Highways can suddenly end for construction, and we find ourselves on rocky, dirt roads in the construction zone.  These drivers often aren’t much different than Shanghai taxi drivers, hardly slowing down for obstacles.

Because the highway system was mostly built in the last 10-15 years instead of being developed over several decades, they have been tacked on top of the cities.  The freeways are elevated, soaring 50 – 100 feet in the air, passing close to buildings, and the elevation provides for nice views.  Bridges are modern and architecturally appealing- one of our pleasant surprises in Shanghai has been the amazing architecture throughout the city.

Nanpu Bridge at sunrise

As for the cars themselves, the Chinese car companies have all set up joint ventures with global companies.  VW and GM are the largest, cars are a mix of numerous local brands and international ones that you would recognize.  Ironically Buick, which has struggled in the US, is GM’s leading brand here, along with Chevrolet.  Ford and Chrysler were slower to expand to China.  German luxury cars are very common with the newly rich of China, and driving one is not considered showing off, but is a sign of accomplishment.  We have seen two Aston Martin dealers in the Pudong District of Shanghai alone.  Style and quality are rapidly improving on Chinese built cars, but there is still a significant gap between the local and global companies, similar to Japan and Korea 20-40 years ago.  

We saw our first Chinese car dealership outside China when we were in Tasmania, but whether we will see Chinese cars in the US is definitely a subject of debate.  I personally think it is inevitable, maybe a decade from now.  Consumers invariably purchase the lowest cost product they can find, hence Wal-Mart and other discount retailers’ successes.  Countering that argument is the lack of success of Chinese brands to expand globally.  Lenovo computers is the notable exception, but it got a jump-start by purchasing IBM’s personal computer business.  Volvo cars is also now owned by the Chinese car maker Geely.

In 2010, I drove across Lake Pontchartrain (north of New Orleans) on what was then the world’s longest road bridge.  But it is now #2 and soon to be #3.  Last summer, my colleagues and I rode across the new title holder just a few days after it opened, an amazing 26.4 mile long bridge!  (see the link below for photos of it).  But another bridge in Guangdong Province (near Hong Kong and Macau) will open in 2016 that will be 30 miles long!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2009748/That-bridge-far-Worlds-longest-sea-bridge-opens-traffic-China–hold-title-years.html

There are long distance buses between cities, and I have been in bus factories that make 2 level buses with beds on the upper level.  But I have never ridden one, even my co-workers scoff at them as slow and uncomfortable.  They are cheaper than trains, and only the poorest Chinese appear to ride them.  Buses are everywhere in Chinese cities, subways were only built in the last few years.

There are several passenger ferries in Shanghai- they are the only pedestrian way to cross the Huangpu River from Puxi (Old Shanghai) to Pudong (New Shanghai).  They are a great value, 0.5 yuan for a one way ticket, about 6 cents!  Double that if you are bringing your bicycle, and 2.5 yuan for scooters.  The 5 minute trip across the river provides great views- Jenna always insists on going to the upper deck.  From our apartment we watch them dodge river traffic all day long.

Bicycles are still prevalent- there are millions in Shanghai, used by everyone from school age children riding multilane highways to police on their way to work to construction workers to professional females in dresses (which I’ve also seen in Europe, definitely not unique to China).  Bikes are stolen often, so they are usually old and rusty beaters.  I only ride my bike for fun and exercise, and never leave it out of sight if I do stop somewhere.  There is a great cycling community here, both expats and locals, but I have a new appreciation for what I used to consider as boring rides amongst the corn fields of Indiana.  

This refrigerator on a bike is still one of my all-time favorite travel sights, from my first visit to Shanghai in 2006

A Chinese bicycle and scooter parking lot at a grocery store

The high speed rail network is definitely the shining star of traveling in China.  Trains are clean, fast, efficient, and very comparable to those in Western Europe.  The major difference is the service.  In Europe, there is a wide variety of food and drink, both in the stations and on-board.  In China, there are few dining options, with just an unappetizing microwaved rice and beef dish and a few drinks.  The stations are as packed as subways, with literally thousands of people milling around inside and out. 

The train stops in the station for less than 5 minutes, and you join several hundred other people getting on.  But the speeds are impressive, the newest trains travel 300 kph (~185mph) with an extremely smooth ride, comfortable seats, and power outlets for your laptop.  It is definitely my favorite way to travel in any country. 

Just saying where you are going can be fun as well.  Some city names are hard to pronounce but my favorite trip was going from Hefei (“Hu fay”) to Wuhu (“Woo hoo”)!

As you enter a train station, after having your ID verified (foreigners must have their passport), you go through an airport style metal detector, but everyone sets it off.  The manual check with a hand-held metal detector is nothing more than a quick swipe- which itself goes off- and then you are waved through.  What the purpose is, I have no idea.

The Maglev (Magnetic Levitation) train in Shanghai is a bucket list item for anyone remotely interested in train travel.  It is powered solely by magnets (no motor or wheels) and is the world’s fastest regular service train, peaking at 431kph (268mph), with banked curves and a very smooth ride.  I bragged about it incessantly and when the girls finally rode it, they were surprisingly impressed, asking when we could take it again.  Unfortunately, there is only a single line, running about 20 miles from the Shanghai airport towards the city.  It is convenient enough that I ride it regularly when I travel for business, only about $7 one-way. 

Here comes the Maglev

The high speed and futuristic Maglev pulling into the station

Flying is not much different than the US.  Since overall air traffic volume is still relatively low and there are many large Chinese cities, it is more convenient with direct flights instead of the “hub and spoke” connections we are used to.  Private aircraft, however, are rare.  The US has over 50% of the entire world’s private airplanes, so private pilots and 4-6 seat Cessna type planes are uniquely American.  That is starting to change with the increasing wealth of China.

On commercial flights, most of the same security rules apply such as no liquids, etc. but you don’t have to remove belts or shoes.  Just like train stations, the metal detectors are set so sensitively that nearly everyone sets them off.  Unlike the train stations, the pat-down searches with hand-held metal detectors are very thorough and would result in news stories and lawsuits in the US.  To call them frisky is an understatement.  I am very ticklish, and it is often all I can do not to burst out laughing.

Almost all flights are on jets, but one recent trip was on a turboprop (propeller) driven plane that seats about 50.  I have ridden these many times in the US, they are noisy, bumpy, and slow but fortunately the flights are not much more than an hour.  Out of curiosity, in the middle of the flight I asked my 2 co-workers if they had ever been on a propeller driven plane.  Neither had, and our Chinese sales manager, without even turning his head to look at me, quickly replied “don’t talk to me right now, I am very nervous!”  You have to know Robert, but I nearly laughed out loud at him!

Security signs are also a source of humor.  I was in the city of Kunming recently, and next to signs for no knives, no lighters, etc. was a sign for- I am not making this up– no refrigerators!  Well that explains why my carryon felt so heavy, I wonder who stuck one in. . .

Planes, trains, automobiles, boats, subways, buses, bicycles, walking: each one is an experience unto itself when traveling in China.

CYCLING IN NEW ZEALAND- THE FINISH

Day 5

With another 100 miles to go but no deadline on my final day, I allowed myself a little extra sleep after the previous day’s effort.  Starting around 7, I headed east from Cromwell to ride a stretch of the Otago Central Rail Trail.  It is New Zealand’s longest rail trail at 150km (a little less than 100 miles) and is part of the fabulous new New Zealand Cycle Trail network, which will include about 1500 miles of trails when completed this year.  Although mostly a packed gravel surface (not ideal for a road bike), I wanted to try a section.

As I headed to the trail, the terrain changed again, becoming arid and rocky.  This is gold rush country, much of the area being settled in the 1860s.

Approaching Clyde, in the area where gold was first discovered in Otago

The trailhead is in Clyde, yet another quaint little New Zealand town. 

the main road through Clyde- full of B&B’s, bakeries and coffee shops, and even a bike shop for riders on the rail trail

the Muttontown Viaduct on the Central Otago Rail Trail, with beautiful Fall colors

After a few miles on the rail trail, which is a popular family ride at a casual pace over a few days (great idea for a return trip to New Zealand!), I turned back west towards Queenstown, my thoughts turning to the finish of the tour. 

This part of New Zealand is a popular wine growing region, and there are dozens of wineries in the area.

the vineyards were beautiful in the fall, these were a couple of the many that I passed

The road entered the Kawarau River Gorge, yet another new landscape.  Climbing the hills that wind along the gorge was no longer a hard effort, after several days of climbing mountain passes.

The Kawarau River gorge, that winds for about 20 miles

The winding road along the river

One of the best parts of bicycle touring- the ability to stop anywhere for a photo, no parking space required

Continuing past Queenstown, the last road to ride was to Glenorchy.  Unfortunately, I ran out of time to ride the entire distance, a shame since it is another road of amazing scenery, featured in many TV ads and movies- including James Bond chase scenes.

Like the first day’s ride, the road was nestled amongst trees between The Remarkables and Lake Wakatipu, but is much less traveled.

The road to Glenorchy- notice the steamship on Lake Wakatipu

As I turned around and pedaled the last few miles back into Queenstown, finishing up a 4^th straight day over 100 miles, I was left with a sense of accomplishment, looking forward to seeing my girls the next morning back in Sydney, and the thrill of having experienced such an amazing place. 

I cannot think of a better 4 days of my life that weren’t spent with my family.

map and elevation profile of Day 5 ride from Cromwell to Clyde to Queenstown and road to Glenorchy

Even before I left, I long to come back to New Zealand.   The world is full of places I have never seen.  Given a choice, I rarely visit the same place twice, preferring the unknown.  Even after 450 miles of riding, there is so much more to see just on the South Island.  There is Doubtful Sound, which is much larger than Milford Sound, and requires driving, then a boat ride across a lake, and then a hike to reach.  I’d love to go hiking on a glacier, ride some of the new Cycle Trails, and explore more of the coasts and historic small towns.  It is a beautiful country, definitely one of my favorites of the 30+ I have visited.

Do I have to leave?

And I need more goals to continually be challenged- such as longer rides and more of them.  Above all, I want to do a cross-country ride, and I hope I can find the right purpose and motivation for it.

CYCLING IN NEW ZEALAND- PART 2

Day 3

After a short overnight stop in Queenstown, I headed out early Friday morning for 3 more days of touring solely by bicycle.  After about 15 miles, I reached what would be my toughest climb– of the tour and of my life.  The Crown Range Road is a legend, for both cyclists and car enthusiasts.  Cresting at 1076m, it is New Zealand’s highest public road, with spectacular views along the way. 

The “zig-zags” on the lower section of the Crown Range Road.

Beginning the ascent with zig-zag hairpin curves, I spent most of the next hour and a half in my lowest “granny gear”.  After the zig-zags, the climb temporarily relents but then gets steeper, so much so that I had to weave across both lanes to lessen the grade and keep moving: at 3-4mph much of the way up! 

I got a close-up view of the Crown Range Road as I flew in to Queenstown.

Near the top, I came across a road construction crew, and the flagman called out “almost there, mate!”  “Almost there?  Awesome!” was my panted reply. Unfortunately, “almost there” to him was relative to being in a car.  It was probably another mile, which doesn’t seem like much, but that’s 15 more minutes of riding at 4 mph with the steep grade. 

The view makes the climb worth the effort!  (my camera battery was dead, so this photo was borrowed from the NZ Tourism website)

Cresting the Crown Range pass, I headed down.  Fast.  My Bike Friday is very convenient, but the short wheelbase makes for twitchy handling and I had to limit descents to under 30mph.  With a full-size road bike and nerves stronger than mine, it would have been easy to hit 40-50mph or more.  I never stopped on the ascent, but was forced to on the descent in order to cool my brakes.  A couple times I hit a bump and thought I might go down, which can get very scary, very fast on a road like this.  I did make it through the entire tour with only 1 minor crash, when I dropped the chain on a steep hill, but it was nothing serious as no cars were around. 

Sidebar: please ALWAYS allow at least 3 feet/1 meter when passing a cyclist.  This is already required by law in many US states and foreign countries, to create public awareness. Having space to maneuver around those bumps and potholes is even scarier when motorists pass with inches to spare.  I know it is frustrating to wait for room to pass behind a slow moving bike, but a minor crash or swerving around obstacles can become a deadly event if a car is passing too close.  And NEVER honk to “let the cyclist know you are there”.  While very well intentioned, it startles the cyclist and can cause a crash.  THANK YOU!!

Enjoying the morning sun and a descent that gradually turned rolling, I came to Wanaka, a gorgeous and active lakeside community.  I could live here; Wanaka was my favorite town I visited. 

the shores of Lake Wanaka

You have to love a town where 3 coffee shops side-by-side are all doing a brisk business, as everyone takes in the lake and mountain views.  

I stopped in one café for a rare break, for some strong coffee and a snack of real food (energy bars get very tiring), but more importantly to borrow an outlet to charge my camera battery.

Tearing myself away from Wanaka, I headed out for a few hills as the road wound along between Lakes Wanaka and Hawea. 

Lake Hawea

The hills slowly gave way to the Makarora River valley, another lush, scenic, and thankfully relatively flat terrain, and into Mount Aspiring National Park.  If I had one more day, I would have continued on this road to the west coast of New Zealand where there are several glaciers.

It was hard not to keep stopping for photos!  When I did stop, my bike made for a great conversation starter. 

At this scenic overlook, I chatted with a young couple- he was from Germany and she from Holland- who were driving through. Even though they had spent several months in New Zealand, they were just as mesmerized by the breathtaking scenery.

Topping 100 miles again, my Friday night stop was in the village of Makarora (population 30).  This was my favorite overnight, I stayed in a spartan but comfortable private cabin that can sleep 4, that cost me 33 New Zealand dollars (less than 25 US dollars).  It might have been the first time in my life that my hotel room cost about the same as my dinner.

My cabin in Makarora (front 1/2 of the one on the left), where my bike is parked

The view from the front porch of my cabin.

Dinner in the adjoining café was simple but perfect for a bike tour, a tasty vegetable pasta accompanied by one of New Zealand’s great local beers.  Searching for healthy, hearty, and convenient food was a minor challenge each evening, since riding 100 miles at a relatively moderate pace burns an extra ~4000 calories per day.

Many cycle tourists bring their own food (and often camp out), but I packed light, with just a change of clothes, bike tools, and a load of energy bars to get me through each day.  That doesn’t seem like much, but with temperatures ranging from the upper 30s to the mid 60s (F), I had to carry a wide variety of cycling attire and my panniers (saddlebags) were stuffed full.

map and elevation profile of Day 3 ride, from Queenstown to Makarora via the Crown Range Road

Day 4

Saturday was another pre-dawn start, having turned around at Makarora and taking advantage of what was now a tailwind that I had fought for much of the previous afternoon.  I aimed for my longest ride on Saturday, so I needed an early start.

Early Saturday morning, I came across a mountain bike event- passing hundreds of cyclists, most of whom smiled and waved as we passed in opposite directions.

Mountain bikers on the road at dawn.

The hills and mountains were gorgeous (I’m out of adjectives) at sunrise-

Lake Hawea at dawn.

Skirting Lake Hawea, I started the long climb up the Lindis Pass, one of the highest in New Zealand at 971m, but with a much more gradual slope. 

The grassy slopes along the way to the Lindis Pass.

A common sight in New Zealand- herds of sheep.

The terrain varied again, from the mountain lakes, to valleys of scrub brush and trees, and as I climbed the pass, mostly grass covered slopes with few trees- but always sheep! 

Look closely at lower right.

Turning around at the Lindis Pass, I headed back down the mountain, and encountered another cycle tourist.  Rich, an older gentleman who lives on the North Island, stopped as he came the other direction.  We had a very nice chat on the side of the road for at least 20 minutes, talking about New Zealand and cycle touring.  As I raved about how much I loved New Zealand and want to come back with my family, he gave me some encouraging tips on family friendly multi-day hiking routes (or tramping as they call it here), with cabins for overnight stops- no camping required.  I only wish I had thought to take his picture.

A great viewpoint for the day.

Approaching the Lindis Pass.

The descent is always worth the climbing effort!

The story of today’s ride was a lack of water.  Most of the New Zealand state highways have many rest areas where I could refill my water bottles.  Today, however, I found none so I started to ration water early in the day.  Finally, with about 15 miles to go, I came across a rest area.  Hallelujah I thought!  This will make the last bit of the ride easier, having already gone about 115 miles under mostly sunny skies.  Pouring Gatorade powder into my bottles, I turned the corner into the men’s room, relief just seconds away.  Then I stopped at the sign on the door “non potable water (do not drink)”.  I was not happy!  The long driveway into the rest area had done nothing but add another mile to my ride.

Back on the bike, I toughed out the last few miles.  Reaching my room in a camping park in Cromwell, I quickly filled my water bottles, immediately downed about 40oz of Gatorade, and took a 20-minute nap to recover.  Total for the day: 129.1 miles, my longest day ever, goal #1 accomplished!

The lack of guardrails on some of the hilly, twisty roads were a bit scary:

I rode in the middle of the lane on this road, otherwise one slip and it would have been a very long fall.

The only negative aspect of long days of cycling in New Zealand was the rough surface of the chip and seal roads.  As I rode, my arms were oscillating like a banjo string, which beat up my shoulders and neck, by far the toughest aspect of the tour.

Map and elevation profile of Day 4 ride from Makarora to Cromwell via the Lindis Pass

Next up: the tour finish with rail trails, river gorges, and movie scenes

CYCLING IN NEW ZEALAND- PART 1

Map of my planned bike tour

One of the places I (Dave) have always wanted to visit is New Zealand, its remote location and reputation for natural beauty have long enticed me. The girls (my wife and 2 daughters) decided they would rather relax with some beach time and see more of Australia than add another destination, so for the first time ever, we split up our vacation time. After reading about the great cycling in NZ, I mapped out a 4 ½ day visit, bicycling several routes centered around Queenstown, on the South Island.

Queenstown, on Lake Wakatipu

Queenstown is a town of about 15,000 where bungee jumping was invented, and bills itself as “The Adrenalin Capital of the World”. Other popular activities include skydiving, skiing, mountain biking, heli-ski or biking (a helicopter drops you off on trails inaccessible by road, then you ski or mountain bike down), whitewater rafting, jet skiing, and many others. If you need adventure in any season, this is the place for it!

The suspension bridge that was the site of the world’s first commercial bungee jumping operation in 1988. I rode past it on the last day of my tour and watched one person jump– and one person chicken out.

New Zealand also abounds with nature trails for hikes that can vary in length from a half hour to several days.

Queenstown has the feel of a college and ski town combined. I only saw a few fellow middle-aged people, it is mostly frequented by college students- many from Europe on their gap year- on backpacking trips, and well-off retirees.  Queenstown is filled with pubs and restaurants, backpacking hostels, and outdoors shops, in a compact downtown surrounded by hillside homes on the shores of Lake Wakatipu. Wakatipu is a Maori name (the Maori are the indigenous people of NZ, like the Aborigines of Australia), and legend says it was formed from the depression of a giant sleeping on his side.

I set several cycling goals for myself every year, and decided to use this trip to attempt 2: my longest ride ever (longer than 200km/124 miles) and 4 consecutive “century” (100 mile) rides. Why? To challenge myself of course, but also as training for the US cross-country ride that I want to do. A cross-country ride must be more than just a personal challenge; however, I want to use it for a charitable purpose of some sort.  I just don’t which of many noble causes yet (and am open to ideas. . .)

As I flew into Queenstown, crossing the South Island from Auckland on the North Island, it was easy to get excited about the days ahead, with views of snow-capped mountain peaks, beautiful lakes in the valleys, and very little development (there are only about 1 million residents of the South Island, which is 50% larger in area than the entire state of Indiana).

Almost there!

As I stepped off the plane onto the tarmac, I breathed what has to be the freshest air of my life, on a sunny and crisp Autumn day in April.

Queenstown Airport is often ranked among the world’s top 10 airports to get a window seat when flying into (am I glad I did). It is easy to see why.

As beautiful as New Zealand is, if a picture is worth a thousand words, seeing it in person must be worth 10,000 pictures. Words and photos are so insufficient!

Arriving on Wednesday afternoon after a layover in Auckland, I quickly rented a car, assembled my bike, and headed out. Driving and riding on the left (“wrong”) side of the road in Australia and New Zealand was enough of an adjustment, especially after not driving a car at all for several months while we’ve lived in Shanghai.  Shifting the manual transmission rental with my left hand definitely took some getting used to.

My first taste of New Zealand cycling was a short 30-mile warm up ride on the gently rolling road between the shores of Lake Wakatipu and the mountain range named appropriately, The Remarkables.

Welcome to New Zealand! The Remarkables and Lake Wakatipu.

The road along Lake Wakatipu was a thrill both to drive and ride.

In awe of the beautiful surroundings, I wish I had time to ride longer, but had to reach my stop for the night in Te Anau.  Traveling fast and light into remote towns and villages, I stayed in mostly backpacker type hostels that close at 8 or 9.

For my cycling buddies, I was riding my folding travel bike that I originally purchased to use while living in Shanghai.  There are a surprising number of companies that build folding bikes, and after much research I settled on a Bike Friday.  It is built in Oregon with standard components (Shimano drivetrain, etc.) making it easy to service and is equipped with eyelets for mounting racks and panniers (saddlebags).  I chose a model with drop-bar road bike handlebars.

Bike Fridays are known for being ridden all over the world by bicycle tourists.  I love mine; it has a similar riding position to my Specialized road bike, though is a bit lower with different handling characteristics.  Since it has a steel frame vs. aluminum or carbon, it is heavier.  With its small 20-inch wheels, it can be mistaken for a kid’s bike and gets many strange looks.  But those characteristics allow it to be disassembled and folded into a standard-size hard shell suitcase in about 20 minutes, so I will use it for years to come as I travel.

There are more sheep than people in New Zealand- this one eyed me as if to say “what are you doing here?”

Day 2
I was on the bike by 5am so that I could ride 100 miles to reach Milford Sound by lunchtime for a cruise of the fjords. I always like to watch the sunrise from the saddle, but this was especially the case in New Zealand.  The mountains create a prolonged dawn, as the sun rises behind the peaks, so the sky lightens for a couple hours before you actually see the sun.

I took this picture during the slow sunrise, as I rode through valleys and past lakes into Fjordland National Park, and flat grassland gave way to hilly rainforest.

As I climbed my first of 3 mountain passes on the trip to 1000 meters of elevation, I entered what appeared to be a cul-de-sac of mountains, with a semi-circular ridge of solid rock at least a couple of thousand feet above the road.  Finally, I arrived at the Homer Tunnel, which was hand hewn from 1936 until finally being completed in 1954 (you can see the rough interior from the picks).

climbing up to the Homer Tunnel

The mountains here are the southern Alps- and in Australia also.  I have always considered the Alps in Switzerland, Austria, southern Germany, and Slovenia as perhaps my favorite destination anywhere in the world.  I never knew that there were mountains named the Alps outside of Europe!

Having read about cycling through the Homer Tunnel, I can’t say that I looked forward to the experience, facing a slick descent in a dark narrow tunnel with traffic.  Fortunately, I reached the entrance to follow several other cars through, as lights alternated the direction of traffic, and did not get passed as I gingerly rode through the 1.3km long tunnel.

The entrance to the Homer Tunnel- a bit intimidating for a cyclist.

I took a minute for a picture at the exit and was rewarded with a view of a snaking descent that was the most exhilarating road I have ever bicycled.  It reminded me of a smaller version of the Stelvio Pass in Italy (a bucket list item to ride or drive).  What a thrill it was to twist and turn towards the ocean, down the forest covered mountain road that was not as steep or treacherous as later descents, reaping the benefits of the effort uphill.  For several miles, I only pedaled occasionally and took in the surroundings (one of the advantages of bicycle touring: time to enjoy the scenery).

The descent from the Homer Tunnel- spectacular! (click the linked photo for a better image of the panoramic).

I made it to Milford Sound with time to spare, and headed out on a cruise to see the Sound (technically a fjord) up close. The pictures speak for themselves, what incredible natural beauty!

As beautiful a scene as I have ever witnessed in my life. (click the linked photo for a better view of the panoramic).

I was there!

Looking back towards Milford Sound.

Have you ever seen such blue sky?

An hour and a half on the water flew by much too fast.

On the way back, I met 2 college interns, one from Chicago and one from Norway. The one from Norway commented that the mountains in New Zealand’s Fjordland were much higher and more majestic than Norway’s, and he seemed very impressed.  This is a relatively remote place, 175 miles from the nearest major airport with only one road in, so anyone who visits is making a concerted effort to see this picturesque and unspoiled place.

Days 1 & 2: Queenstown to Milford Sound (partly via car to Te Anau)

Next up: Day 3, starting with the big climb

Working in China – By Dave

Here is a rare post from Dave.

I get asked a lot about what is it like to work in China.  The first obvious question is why?  There are many reasons that I volunteered.  With Laura starting high school this fall, the window of opportunity for an expatriate position was closing fast.  I was about her age when I first traveled outside the US.  Spending 4 weeks in Europe completely altered my worldview, with the realization of how large, diverse, and exciting the world is.  Our girls have traveled a bit, both in the US and once to Europe, but living overseas provides the chance to experience a culture in depth, and to see America from another vantage point.  They may not develop my wanderlust, but I do want them to see the world and open themselves to the possibilities for their lives.  And to realize how incredibly blessed their lives are, both materially but also their freedoms and the ability to control their destiny.

And honestly, this will be a great addition to my career experience.  I have traveled internationally for the past 15 years- by last count to over 30 countries.  But international business travel is common, being an expat will make me stand out, regardless of what I do for the remainder of my career.

Map of cities David has visited in China and Asia

Finally, the longer period of time allows me to develop deeper relationships and learn more of what and who China really is.  With the time I spend with my co-workers, we get past superficial small talk and I am able to get unique insights into their views on subjects such as:

• the Chinese Communist government (cynical, and many think it will become democratic in their lifetime);
• America (mostly admired but also self-centered);
• Tibet (they think the Dalai Lama is a terrorist); and
• Christianity (have heard of it, but most impressions are only from visiting the US).

But the Chinese are very patriotic and love their country, just as we love ours.

As much as I jumped at this opportunity, China was not my first choice.  It is a very much a developing nation and living here is a challenge.  Paris, London, or Munich would have been far higher on my list.  But there are few such opportunities (the only other time I came close was a job in Poland, but it fell through due to the global recession in 2009).  I feel extremely fortunate to have gotten this one.

Panoramic view of Three Gorges Dam and Reservoir in central China

China is having an increasingly significant impact on our world.  It will soon be the world’s largest economy, the sheer scale of its population and eagerness to join their rightful place among the leading nations of the world make it a country that we need to understand and get to know better as our cultures interact.  There are over 300,000 expatriates living in Shanghai, making it the largest expatriate community in the world.

Some who read this may think that I am contributing to the exporting of American jobs.  Whether job losses are caused by customers seeking low prices or companies seeking excessive profits is a different debate, but my role is focused on building a brand new business in China.  I am responsible to hire and train Chinese engineers to integrate our products into customer applications, for products sold in China.  In fact, my job is a newly created one; if not for the opportunities in China, there would be one less American job.  In effect, Chinese customers pay my salary.

I am responsible for launching our Technical Center for Hybrid and Electric vehicles here in China.  China has extremely poor air quality- though coal-fired power plants are the main contributor rather than car exhaust.  In most large cities such as Shanghai, we almost never see blue sky.  Even on clear days, it is a hazy brown.  The Chinese government- like the US government- is offering incentives to encourage the development of hybrid and electric vehicles, both for cars but especially for city buses and trucks, which are much better uses of hybrid technology.

A river gorge near the Three Gorges area in central China

I have a team of 7 engineers, working directly with customers and suppliers.  It sounds mundane to most of you, but it is exciting!  We must start from scratch, learning what customers need, trying to use our existing products to build business quickly but also to develop specific products for the Chinese market for the long-term.  Working in a developing country in emerging technology is unique and challenging.

If you are wondering about the skills of the Chinese engineers, generally I am impressed.  They are smart, hard working, and incredibly eager to learn and contribute.  My team ranges from a few years of experience to 20+ years, including a PhD. electrical engineer.  For them, there is a certain prestige in working for a western company vs a Chinese one.  The difference is that success is measured by what you accomplish and contribute (western), vs who you know (Chinese).

Since 2009, China has become the largest car market in the world, selling 15-20 million cars per year.  The US is now #2 with 10-15 million, after being the largest for decades.  But in the US and Europe, 75-80% of the adult population owns a car, so the market is saturated.  In China, that number is less than 10%.  There are 300 million cars in the US, an average of more than 1 car per adult.  In China, there are more than 10 adults per every car on the road.  So there is a huge growing market, as the Chinese middle class develops and more people buy a car- most of them for the first time in their life!

So what is a typical day?  That depends on whether I am traveling.  If I’m in Shanghai, I start the day around 5 by checking urgent emails from the US as their day winds down.  I head out for a morning bike ride and enjoy a cup of coffee with my family as their day starts (a nice departure from life in the US when I rarely see them before I leave in the morning).   I leave for the office about 8-8:15, and get home around 6 for dinner and a little family time- often planning trips in China.  Then I catch up on any work deadlines, talk to my US colleagues by phone many nights, and get online for personal email and to keep up with US happenings, before calling it a day around 10.

The company provides a car service, so my daily commute is 20-30 minutes in a Buick minivan, on the phone or doing email (never an idle moment here).  I am fortunate, most of my co-workers commute by bus and subway for 1 to 1.5 hours each way.  When I was first living here in hotels, I commuted on the subways- they are cheap and efficient but jam packed.

If I’m traveling, the day starts about the same time with morning email and then a workout.  Then it’s off to visit customers for meetings to discuss new hybrid vehicle projects, and do email on my blackberry as I head to the airport or train station on the way to a new city.  Dinner is with my Chinese co-workers and customers, talking business and trying to keep up as the conversation swirls around me in Mandarin.  Back to the hotel, I catch up on work, touch base with the girls, have a little computer time, and often a conference call.  By 10-11pm, I’m ready to crash.  And of course, if a flight is delayed, it can be midnight or later.  As a co-worker put it sarcastically yet succinctly just last week, as I traded emails with him from a taxi at 1230am on the way home, “Travel for work is such a glamorous adventure”.

While the days are long, I push hard to make the most of our quickly passing time in Shanghai and China.

Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taiwan, the 2nd tallest building in the world

And truthfully, it can be on occasion.  Once in a while, we will have an hour or 2 free late in the day, and I take advantage of those brief opportunities whenever I can, to go explore a new city.  Taipei, Taiwan was the most recent example, to see the Taipei 101 skyscraper.  For many years, it was the world’s tallest building, though it is now 2^nd (and will soon be 3^rd, a taller one is going up just a mile from our apartment in Shanghai).  Another was to the world’s largest hydroelectric plant, the 3 Gorges Dam.

My participation in customer meetings is mainly for appearances.  They are mostly in Chinese, with a little translation (we take Mandarin lessons once a week, but it would require years to become conversational).  But I am primarily there to show respect to them as an American manager taking time to visit, and to provide some small guidance for the team.  I don’t feel like I contribute much, but I do understand the need, both for our customers and my colleagues to make them feel important and that their work is valued.

Robot sculpture made of auto parts outside a bus factory in Hefei, China, west of Shanghai

Work in Asia is driven largely by the concept of “face”.  In the US, I go to meetings fully prepared with good data to back up my proposals, knowing that if I am not, I will get ripped to shreds.  It is tough, but it is the American way.  In China, there are still the same expectations, but you never let anyone “lose face”.  In public, you cannot let someone feel like they have made an error.  Those situations must be handled delicately and in private.

“Face” makes regular conversation- difficult enough already with the language barrier- extremely challenging.  You can never ask “do you understand?”  The answer will always be “yes, sure”.  The person cannot admit that they do not, to do so would be to lose face.  You must ask them to explain back to you, and listen intently to be certain that they do.

A common example is when I ask about the status of a project, everything is always “fine, it’s ok”.  But then I ask if a deadline was met and find out it was not.  So things are not fine.  It takes a whole series of questions to get the facts.  And then the real work starts.  Why was the deadline missed?  How do we get back on schedule?  Etc.  Entire books are written on this subject, and this aspect of Asian culture challenges me daily to provide leadership and technical direction.

So the variety is great, the days are enjoyable but tiring, and when we repatriate to the US, I can’t imagine how good it will feel to be home in Indiana.  And to have a comfortable, relaxed conversation in English without straining to understand every word and the speaker’s true meaning.