TRIP REPORT – THE GUANGZHOU EXPERIENCE
Chapter 1
Produced during periods of inactivity for my own therapeutic benefit.
Names have been changed to protect the guilty.
Table of Contents
An aside- and a big ‘bee in my bonnet’. 7
Left Manchester
6thApril at 18.35 – flying economy.
This trip is a pilot for potential future, more profitable, programmes.
Arrive Hong Kong
Arrived Hong Kong 05.30 following day – to travel up to Guangzhou later that day.
Arrived with shoulder bag, laptop and a case weighing about 35 kilos – course materials -lot of paper, support materials, projector and business clothes for three one day seminars and a four day course, training local potential trainers to deliver a 2-day ‘Introduction to Export’ seminar – as agreed with my host Mr. A, who is the local representative of the Institute of Export (IoE).
IoE, a registered educational charity in the UK and the accredited Awarding Body for all qualifications in International trade. In addition to the examined qualifications, they run a wide range of short courses in the UK and overseas and I am employed as their lead trainer on a large part of that programme.
Cleared Customs and met by A, after a bit of a wait. Discover that no one day seminars have actually been arranged, (no time) so only one 4-day course.
Today is the 7th
– I start work on the 16th!
Then, we discover it is not possible to obtain a visa into China for me, at HK airport – as advised to me by J, back in the UK (not her fault – regulation recently changed – now 24 hours waiting period)! – allegedly because the UK is too tight on entry visas for Chinese visitors).
Finding out involved three circuits and at least five different desks of HK airport in the wake of A (he had fast legs) – everybody pointing to a different desk and nobody actually saying ‘no you can’t have one’ (my first lesson on the Chinese difficulty in saying ‘No’, because it is impolite).
Eventually, somehow, learned that I could get a visa on the Chinese border. Queued for a bus! to a small rail station nearer to the Chinese frontier (1 ½ hours ride on the bus – A does not drive and didn’t seem to be aware of the existence of taxis) – humped bags into rail station – for a train to the Chinese frontier – I think – (purpose of most journeys continued to remain unclear).
Suddenly discovered a visa could be applied for there and collected next day. (Yes, it did occur to me that we could have done that by staying overnight in HK). So, posed for a photograph at the station shop – first three included random commuters who seemed to think it was a family picture.
Then dragged bags to a shopping mall – I was just following by now, (½ hour in 32 degrees – 96% humidity). Up to the restaurant on the 4th floor, now met by Mrs A (a very nice woman) and had a meal (surrounded by my bags and now theirs – as it seemed that they were travelling with me) The meal was a taster of things to come – sharks fin soup,(I was later told that it’s not really shark’s fins – just fish fins) and actually OK- but squid and smoked duck on the bone a bit chewy.
21.30 ish. – dragged bags to the nearest bus terminal! – bus back to Kowloon (1½ hours – in a bus not built for suitcases) into a small hotel (1 star) for, it appears, a single night.
Left alone – my day had started about 05.30, now about 23,00 -I go to bed.
Thurs. 8th.
Arranged to meet A at 10.00 – he arrived 10.35 and said incredulously ‘have you been waiting’? I have no idea where they stayed overnight- maybe, just went home.
Then -sightseeing in Kowloon! – my opinion not sought! Another bus to the ferry terminal and back – at least he was paying the fares. Return ferry trip to HK island -well worth doing, it has to be said).
Back to collect bags from hotel – taxi to Kowloon mainline train/bus station (A now carrying his wife’s bags and discovered taxis)
Two hours on station concourse – then met his wife who had by then collected my visa from the rail station – remember? I am beginning to feel sorry for her – rather than myself.
Arrive Guangzhou
Another bus (a very old London double decker – honest) to Guangzhou (4 ½ hours – I had a kip) until – clearance on foot through Chinese frontier – and monsoon like rain most of trip).
Arrived at Guangzhou – formerly known as Canton, sited on the south coast of China at the head of the Pearl River and a major international marine trading port for centuries – in particular, – the highly competitive tea clipper trade into the lucrative London market of the 18/19th century – the Cutty Sark being the UK’s fastest and most famous clipper in the 19th century – I had always taken an academic interest in the subject.
Random fact – the largest fleet of American clippers, and the most competitive, were the Kentucky clippers – the whole fleet had Witch as a name e.g. Witch of the Waves, The Sea Witch etc. – because their home port was Salem.
So, arrived in Guangzhou – got off the bus at the Gardens Hotel, best in town – unfortunately we were staying at the Golden Eagle hotel – pick up taxi turned up ¾ hour later.
Into the next hotel, took an hour to check in – with what turned out to be a common prolonged debate, subject of which completely escaped me. Dump bags – they swapped rooms with me to give me the better one – (they are basically nice people)
Straight to dinner – Banana Leaf Curry House – no plates or cutlery, just a banana leaf – with gradually three or four dollops of curries, ladled out of small buckets and few balls of rice – all eaten with your fingers.
The best meal since I arrived!
No beer. But I did try ‘Pour Tea’ – black tea with condensed milk, mixed between two jugs held above the server’s head about four feet apart, without spilling a drop.
More of a juggler’s act really, but entertaining.
Quite drinkable but very sweet.
Back to hotel 22.30 – still raining – asked for an iron (told no problem) – finally unpack. and ……sleep!
Fri. 9th
To meet at 10 – he turned up at 10.30. Breakfast near hotel – congee with fish belly (could be worse – I managed to pass on the congee with raw snails)
Some work discussion in my room. Then, with no notice – A says ‘now we look at training rooms’ – off for drive around what turned out to be possible venues for the 4-day course (for 20 delegates). Not yet booked for a course starting in seven days!
Madame H (another business partner of A) now driving – Chinese drivers make the Italians look overly polite. Luckily, I was sat in the back with my eyes closed.
First possible room would have comfortably sat about six.
We somehow discover that Guangzhou University has training rooms for hire and maybe residential accommodation!
This is becoming more than seat of the pants stuff. Some suggestion that I could move there, (having completely unpacked the previous night – clothes, papers, projector, files gifts etc. – and re-assembled the hotel wardrobe to get them in.
Next possible training room (I thought) turned out to be a private dining room booked for lunch. Usual – plus dried chicken liver which I am still chewing.
I am, by now, aware that we don’t miss many meals – just drinks.
Into A’s office – Institute of Export (IoE) crest everywhere, – pictures of its Patron, Duke of Kent, on the wall plus A’s IoE Diploma from 1978. Even his framed letter from the Director General, saying A represents the IoE in Hong Kong.
Pick up my e-mails and eventually able to make an appointment for Monday, for a hosted visit at the local British Consulate,
UK Consulates throughout the world, represent the commercial interests of the UK in business and trade issues in their respective countries.
The Embassies being more responsible for diplomatic/ political relations.
The UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO), (now the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office) govern and manage the network of Consulates, world-wide.
The IoE has long standing professional and personal contacts with them. I had worked, over the last few years, in the IoE headquarters in the UK, with two different secondees from the FCO – to get them toughened up at the pointed end of exporting.
An aside- and a big ‘bee in my bonnet’.
Every time there is a change in government or a Cabinet re-shuffle the new Minister seems to feel obliged to take over their department and change – everything – the Mission Statement, staffing – numbers and hierarchy, office locations and most costly, changing the name (as we have seen above, with the FCO).
In my experience, working as an ancillary- – that is – not a full-time staff member – but a contracted third party with security clearance (a photo pass, got me into most government departments, for about thirty years – mostly used for departments responsible for developing the UK’s export trade – I worked, essentially withe same department – which had five different names –
Name changes – In chronological order from the beginning -we have had:
– the Board of Trade & Plantations 1696 (I wasn’t around then).
- The Board of Trade
- British Overseas Trade Board.
– Department of Trade and Industry-
- Department of Trade
- Department of Trade & Prices & Consumer Protection
- Trade Partners UK (known by the staff as ‘T Puke’
- UK Trade & Investment
and now (from 2016)– the blindingly obvious:
- Department for International Trade
Cost of ‘re-branding? – (imagine, with a new name and over 2,000 staff, replacing all the:
letterheads, comp. slips, business cards, websites, promotional literature, posters, videos, interactive tutorials, exhibition displays, security badges -and the relocation of staff, redundancy costs, early retirement on full pension, Refurbishment and conversions of office accommodation, new signage outside and inside offices and on and on.
Of course, We will never find out the cost – but it is clearly in the millions – probably, billions across all departments and over many years – and all, in my opinion – based totally, on the ego of the new Ministers and invariably, in, (this time) my informed opinion, creating no measurable improvements at all, in their efficiency, effectiveness or professionalism.
Back to the local British Consulate – I am obliged to introduce myself in their territory and explain why I am there, primarily to be polite, but also, they will invariably offer help and personal participation, if they think the project is legitimate and worthwhile – and I was known to them – – so it was.
I had no idea if A had made contact himself, he had never mentioned it, but I suspected he had not bothered. A locally conceived project, with no UK input at the beginning – would not be top of their list.
I also had a trump card – one of their young UK origin staff was a distance learning student registered on the IoE professional qualification and coming up to do some exams. I intended to offer a bit of mentoring.
I remember the China trip, and Jean’s daily updates on what you ate. I’m surprised you even remember any of it; sounds surreal.