I'm in China!

I'm in China! Guangzhou to be exact and no,  I'm not a virgin to these parts as I have already made the tourist trip to Shanghai a few years earlier, that  trip was so different and a lot colder for one .. this place is warm .. too warm in fact my packing will and is already proving to be inadequate . so how Im going to show off that wonderful new collection that I have with me remains to be seen ..  possibly the least of my worries as  I navigate this new country from a business perspective.

Guangzhou

I left NZ on St Patricks Day .. a big mistake calling the ones I love at the last minute! Yep you guessed it ... they were well and truly 3 sheets to the wind in fact even more than three sheets possibly 6 in some cases! When I called some very silly conversations and lots of declarations of love, I switched off my phone and boarded Air NZ's  midnight flight .. I'm still suitability frustrated by the lack of free range product  in Business class,  it is non existent even after several emails from me  .. come on Air NZ  this is your chance to lead the world and  enable so many animals to have a better life, and surely it is achievable at the business class level!

I selected my food from a much reduced menu, given the smattering of pork and chicken dishes  and wondered how I would cope with the Chinese offerings that were yet to come, in that don't they eat anything? .. and knowing we have an extensive itinerary of hosting I simply decided it was time to put on my vegetarian hat again and minimise the offence that I otherwise may chase by rejecting the pork, chicken and egg dishes.

I am traveling with an MBA group from Auckland Uni. They are in their final year and two of the Girls Sarah and Kirstin are doing an assignment on the manufacturing and sourcing capability for my company in this country .. and today we are off to a jewelry and shoe market . Even the two Girls are excited as they sell single items  here, pity about the sizing, 38 seems to be the biggest in this market environment .. its makes one feel a bit like Sasquatch ! 

Sarah and Kirstin from Auckland Uni

So we have been here for two days, have done some touristy stuff  sampled some of the food, although we have yet to taste chinese food such is the variety in this city. We have checked out the shopping and in Kirstins words, shes great at these little sayings they just pour from her lips ... "the malls look like the West has just spewed up on the East"  and shes right .. you guessed it all the usual suspects are here from Louis Vuitton to H&M! The prices are relatively cheap by NZ standards, we have only been badly ripped off once for a 400 RMB taxi ride from the train to the hotel in Guangzhou that should have been 15RMB, but then we were distracted in that we had just discovered that one of the bags we had was not ours .. so some frantic calls and an expensive bag swap occurred all instigated by Air NZs baggage agent . but not without a few RMBs changing hands possibly the least of our worries as the missing case had all the very  necessary chinese gifts.

Hotel in Guangzhou

Yesterday we went to Shamian Island  an important port of Guangzhou's foreign trade. We saw some wonderful architecture  but the highlight for me had to be the many brides and grooms that were having there wedding photos taken. It seems it is custom to do this a few weeks before, rather than on the day  so this area was littered with them literally or as Kristin said.... "I do I do I do I do",

My interest was peaked as to the custom of marriage in this country and I as barraged my KEA dinner guests with more questions  I also wondered how so many of them, they appear to live such frugal lives could afford all this ongoing pomp and ceremony? The photos, the wedding, the parties etc...

Weddings are expensive right ??? .. not so in China, apparently you can even make money  on your  wedding .. as all the guests bring money .. not gifts...  gone are all the useless toasters! Yep they get money and lots of it .. weddings are a money making venture in China ..   well aren't they a clever race??? 

Yes I have alot to learn ... and learning is the stuff I enjoy most.

Our first official day of meetings is today ..   I can almost smell the opportunities !!!!