Winston in China! Updates and Photos

[Winston]

Hi all,
I'm in Shenzhen, China now, which is right next to Hong Kong. I took the Hong Kong subway and then walked across the border bridge to the Shenzhen subway. It was very convenient.

Shenzhen is pretty first world and modernized. But the vibe is different. China people seem more crude and abrupt. But there is something very authentic about them. It's hard to explain. It's a different vibe from Hong Kong for sure.

I've tried cold approaching some women here. The women are approachable here. They don't have that paranoid vibe or wall around them and they are more down-to-earth too. However, they are not curious or open to talking to strangers either. When you talk to them, they don't seem curious to know where you are from, even if you have a foreign accent or look exotic and different. Basically, they are not paranoid, but not interested or enthusiastic either. They seem apathetic or neutral toward strangers, like they just don't care.

So it's not as easy to meet or pickup girls as I thought. I don't know about the rest of China though. Shenzhen is very clean and modernized, like a first world city. Maybe women are more open in smaller less modernized areas of China. I don't know. But two forum members, Ethan_sg and Zboy1, both told me that cold approach doesn't work well here too. Better to try to meet girls online, they said. We will see.

[Winston]

Why are you approaching women, I thought you were traveling with Dianne and Angelo? Or did you send them home already? You scoundrel, you!

You sure imagine things. Where did I say I was traveling with Dianne and Angelo? My Hong Kong trip report only said Dianne. Dianne already went back to the Philippines. Didn't you know? She can't get into China because she has no visa to enter there. Come on man. You are so naive. lol

[xiongmao]

I think the problem is you're cold approaching girls who are doing other things, not out looking for husbands. Chinese girls go online or go to dating parties to look for husbands. Dating is big business in China but you have to take a while to find out where the good girls go (that's if you're marriage minded in the first place).

If you're staying in Shenzhen for a while there are some bars where foreigners hang out. I think they were near the Shopping Park metro, but I might be wrong on this (it was a while ago and I had to rush back to my hotel after a bad McDonalds!!!). Anyway, it might be a good place to meet girls who want to meet foreigners.

Otherwise go on Chinese Love Links, there are plenty of Sz girls on there.

Finally there are lots of h00kers round, er, most of Sz really. Futian district especially, I think I was the only non "John" who was staying in my hotel. The girls are pretty but they have fairly blank expressions - don't expect anything in the way of personality.

[Jester]

You scoundrel, you!

[Jester]

She can't get into China because she has no visa to enter there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jm3zV1pCTQ8

[Jester]

.... if she was still there, that'd mean you would be hitting on women while she was traveling with you.

Now see THAT would be some big balls.

[Winston]

Last night, Ethan Sg and a Chinese girl I know from qq celebrated my birthday with me here in Shenzhen, China.

We went to dinner and then a KTV where she invited three of her colleagues and paid for it all. I was amazed at her generosity. I've never seen that in the Philippines. Lol. Anyway we had a great time and drank lots of beer while singing songs.

Ethan is an interesting guy and very diverse in that he can have deep philosophical conversations, yet also talk with mainstream people about normal practical things too.

Today, Ethan and I are meeting up with Zboy1, who is coming to Shenzhen. We are all staying in the same hotel. Maybe we should record a podcast or something. Lol

[zboy1]

It was great meeting Winston in person in Shenzhen! He's a very interesting person, and I must say, he's also quite easy to talk to--and someone you can discuss many topics with, too. I also met up again with EthanSg--whose a great guy himself. He's really high on China and absolutely loves Chinese girls, while Winston is seemingly undecided about the women here.

I guess I can see both their points about China and Chinese women.

Although Shenzhen just isn't the city for me, I do like to go back once-in-a-while to check out the city. It's certainly interesting to see how fast the city is developing and changing.

[Winston]

For some reason, this site loads very slowly in China. I don't know why. I guess the firewall in China makes the internet slower. But it's mostly this forum that's affected. The page hangs on every load for a while before completing the load. It doesn't do that with the home page though, only the forum pages. Any of you notice this too when in China?

[Rock]

For some reason, this site loads very slowly in China. I don't know why. I guess the firewall in China makes the internet slower. But it's mostly this forum that's affected. The page hangs on every load for a while before completing the load. It doesn't do that with the home page though, only the forum pages. Any of you notice this too when in China?

Yea when I was in China last December, Internet was awful.

1. I couldn't access Youtube, Google (even Google HK didn't really work), or Facebook

2. My Viber didn't work

3. My Skype was often slow and choppy for making calls

4 This forum was unreliable when I tried to post or even read pages.

I stayed in multiple places too with supposedly decent Internet.

People talk about how unfree the US is these days. Well in some ways, China is worse.

[Winston]

For some reason, this site loads very slowly in China. I don't know why. I guess the firewall in China makes the internet slower. But it's mostly this forum that's affected. The page hangs on every load for a while before completing the load. It doesn't do that with the home page though, only the forum pages. Any of you notice this too when in China?

Yea when I was in China last December, Internet was awful.

1. I couldn't access Youtube, Google (even Google HK didn't really work), or Facebook

2. My Viber didn't work

3. My Skype was often slow and choppy for making calls

4 This forum was unreliable when I tried to post or even read pages.

I stayed in multiple places too with supposedly decent Internet.

People talk about how unfree the US is these days. Well in some ways, China is worse.

Ethan told me that you can use a VPN to access Google and Facebook in China. He said they are easy and cheap and only cost 4 dollars per month to use. You can sign up for one at many sites, such as this one:

http://www.astrill.com

So next time you're in China, you can try using that to access the internet.

[Winston]

When I first arrived in Shenzhen, China, I immediately got my first taste of China style incompetence. See my email below to HostelWorld.com describing what happened:

Dear HostelWorld,
I have a booking guarantee claim and complaint. I booked the Harbour Hostel last week in Shenzhen, China. But when I arrived, it turned out not to exist. I showed the address to many people on the street. None of them knew where it was.

Finally one person was kind enough to call the hostel for me. When she did, the man who answered the phone said that the hostel had moved somewhere far away from the address given on HostelWorld.

She called him back to ask him for directions. But he was not very helpful. Finally he referred me to another hostel called I Heart, which was nearby. So I ended up going to another hostel and paying cash there.

Apparently, the owner of Harbour Hostel was too lazy to update his address and info on HostelWorld, even though he moved the hostel several months ago. That kind of incompetence is NOT acceptable, as you know.

Please issue a warning to the owner about this, that he must update his info or be removed from the system. Otherwise, other travelers who booked this hostel will end up getting lost there too, like I did, which the owner doesn't seem to care about. It would seem that he has no shame or conscience.

How do I get my credit back plus the $$50 credit mentioned in your booking guarantee? Was my credit card charged already? If so, can you refund it please?

Here is my reference number:
88915-147646319

And here is the property I'm referring to:
http://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetail ... pNum=88915

Thanks,
Winston

[Winston]

Hi all,
The other night Zboy, Ethan_sg and I went to some clubs in Shenzhen, China. We just walked around to explore since there was no entrance fee. There were lots of hot girls but all of them were in either groups or standing around looking self-absorbed like divas. They were totally standoffish and impossible to connect with. And they looked trashy with dark vibes too.

So I don't get something. Why are clubs considered socially acceptable places to meet people? And if these girls are supposed to be out having fun, then why are they so stuck up and don't want to talk to strangers? I don't get it. Furthermore, if these nightlife people are rebelling against society by partying at night against the mainstream, then wouldn't that make them supposedly open minded people since non-conformists are supposed to be open-minded? Yet open minded people aren't that stuck up. How do you explain that?

Also, all the normal girls we know in China have to sleep early so they can get up to go to work early. So how are these girls in the club able to be out so late? Are they from rich families? If so, why would rich parents allow them to stay out all night against Chinese tradition and customs? And how do these club girls support themselves if they don't have to work? I've always wondered about that. Any of you know?

Ethan told me that some of the club divas at the front were hired by the management to make the club look good. lol

What's odd is that I find the girls in the daytime to be even more approachable than the ones late at night around the clubs and night markets. For some reason, the late night AM party girls have a dark vibe and energy about them that makes them even colder and less approachable than the girls in the daytime. Weird. It's like they are the product of dark forces or something. lol. Can anyone explain why? I'm too down-to-earth to understand this. lol

Update:

This morning I got my first number here via cold approach. She was a hot 20 year old with a perfect looking face. However, her voice sounded crude, rough and ghetto. I don't know why. I've never seen such a pretty face with such a rough voice.

But at least half of the people in China sound like that - crude, rough, ghetto, kind of dumb and clueless. Most people can't even give proper directions when you ask them. They are almost like Filipinos, not very educated or refined, and kind of clueless, like barbarian brutes or cavemen. lol

[droid]

Can anyone explain why? I'm too down-to-earth to understand this. lol

Good observations Winston.
Night Clubs -like malls- are just prepackaged concepts that will be about the same no matter where you go. The concept here is to be "cool" and "better" than most other people, thus the stuck-up attitude. It's not about 'meeting new people' anymore, and more about going to "socialize" with people you already know (wtf?).

It used to be that discos and clubs were about actual couple-dancing, where you got a chance to meet ladies via your dancing skills. There are still places like that, for example here in southamerica or even the states. But more and more it's turning into either individualistic electronic music for zombies, or already-aquainted cliques dancing 'reggeaton' in a circle. Or like in America's bar-scene, where you just stand and try to bullshit your way into some bitch's pants, knowing full well you were already pre-approved or not based on your looks alone.

Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but i think Asia skipped the whole couple-dancing scene and went straight from traditional family-introductions into the individualistic techno/electronic vibe and stand up bars ??

Edit:
As far as "rebellious" and "open-minded" goes, that's all actually mainstream bullshit now, che-guevara tatoo and all. Try being the traditionalist instead these days and now you'll see yourself ostracized like a leper.
That's my take on why you see those supposedly "rebel" ones being so cliquish and stuck-up, they think they hold some "truth".

This morning I got my first number here via cold approach. She was a hot 20 year old with a perfect looking face. However, her voice sounded crude, rough and ghetto. I don't know why. I've never seen such a pretty face with such a rough voice.

That's great man, can you give more details on how this happened?

But at least half of the people in China sound like that - crude, rough, ghetto, kind of dumb and clueless. Most people can't even give proper directions when you ask them. They are almost like Filipinos, not very educated or refined, and kind of clueless, like barbarian brutes or cavemen. lol

That's a bit tough and condescending man.
I did not find them so rough. Maybe a little bit country side or what not. But maybe it's because you do speak the language.
They seemed authentic though.

[Winston]

Ethan told me that you can use a VPN to access Google and Facebook in China. He said they are easy and cheap and only cost 4 dollars per month to use. You can sign up for one at many sites, such as this one:

http://www.astrill.com

So next time you're in China, you can try using that to access the internet.

Actually, Astrill is blocked in China. But you can probably download it first in your country and then use it in China. The site explains how to use it. Or you can use other VPN services. There are many.

Btw, when in China, it's best to book hotels and domestic flights on Ctrip at http://www.ctrip.com . They have the best rates and allow you to earn points that give you discounts and rebates on bookings. Me and Ian found some great deals on there.

We also found this interesting Space Capsule hotel in Shenzhen that we wanna try out. It looks really cool and makes you feel like you're on a space ship or space station. lol. It has these capsules that look like beds on a space station, and little robots that serve drinks. The theme looks like something out of a science fiction movie. Check out the pics at the link below and you'll see what I mean. lol. It's only 13 dollars a night too. Wow.

http://english.ctrip.com/hotels/shenzhe ... les-hotel/