China to develop Hello Kitty theme park

The cult like hero Hello Kitty will be opening a new park in the city of Anji which is about 65km from Hangzhou. The development is expected to begin in the second half of next year and the completion is planned in 2013. Upon immediate completion it is safe to say that I will be there with my wife and all her 30 something friends who are Hello Kitty Fans. All those interested in more information about the Hello Kitty China Invasion tour, feel free to drop me a line.

Go Nucks!

Otis Ashby
Sales & Operations

Knock off watches, knock off wines…

During one of my trips to China, I was relaxing in the trendy Beijing area of Shi Sha Hai and enjoying some drinks with a few of our local guides. We were sitting outside enjoying the fresh air, the lively scenery and laughing it up. After I had ordered my second scotch and soda, one of my guides said, "You better not order another glass. Sometimes these bars will serve people who are too drunk counterfeit alcohol." I knew China had knock offs for almost anything but a knock off of my favourite alcohol? That is where I draw the line!

Well, it looks like China's black market has taken knock off alcohol to a whole new level. With an emerging market for high end wines in China, limited supply and very little wine education out there, there is now a huge market for empty bottles of very famous wines. These coveted empty bottles which are worth up to CAD 600 a piece are refilled with subpar vintages and sold to the very rich at very expensive prices.

With Chinese New Year coming up around the corner, I sadly expect the black market to be thriving this year.

Cheers!

Otis Ashby

Sales & Operations

Managing Jetlag

Being in the travel business, my friends and colleagues frequently ask me how do I deal with jetlag when travelling to Asia. So I thought I would share my travel tips with you.

1. Adjust your internal and external clock before you board the plane. When travelling to Asia I try to minimize the amount of time I sleep on the plane as most flights arrive in the afternoon/evening. By the time I have cleared customs, picked up my bags and checked into my hotel, it is time for a light dinner and then bedtime!

2. Take short naps, but never for more than an hour. This is probably the hardest thing to do as your body is desperately asking for more sleep.

3. Do not sleep in late and try to be active first thing in the morning. Taking an early morning walking tour is a great way to see the city and get some fresh air and sunlight.

4. Drink lots of water to avoid dehydration.

5. Try to avoid caffeine. Let your body try to find its natural sleep rhythm, adding a cup of joe will delay the adjustment.

Best regards,

Otis Ashby
Sales & Operations

Back to the Wall

Last week I had the opportunity to visit the Great Wall of China. This excursion was my 4th time to the Wall; however, it was my first time to the Mutianyu section of the Wall.

So, what is so special about the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall? For starters, this section is much further from Beijing than the other popular sections of the wall such as Badaling. Second of all, the stairs and walkways are also much steeper than the Badaling section.

But if you have the time and sense of adventure, I highly recommend that you make the trip to Mutianyu. The crowds are minimal, the contrast of scenery is much more dramatic and if you are a shutterbug, there are lots of opportunities to capture that perfect picture of this man made wonder.

Best regards,

Otis Ashby
Sales & Operations