Took a taxi about an hour to the manufacturing area of Shenzhen, Bao’on. When we got in it seemed like there was something wrong with the car or driver, 3rd and 4th gears seemed nonexistent.
Initially I though maybe we should swap cabs, its a long trip after all. But that seemed just too paranoid.
Paranoia in this case was founded. In the middle of nowhere, on a toll road, the car starts to crap out. The driver, unphased, ignored our suggestion to pull over and drove the thing until it died in the middle of the high speed road.
Being a toll road there aren’t any taxis trolling for pickups, and Uber was nowhere to be found. Standing on the shoulder of a Chinese road is terrifying as it became a temporary lane, compensating for the one occupied by the broken taxi. Eventually with enough pleading another taxi came to pick us up.
To his credit the driver added water and oil and got the car going. Didn’t sound like it would make it far though.
In conclusion I leave you with a photo of a Tsing Tao beer adversisment on the toll booth we just past.
That’s crazy! What the H&*#! was this guy thinking!?? Did you make it to your destination eventually?
Having tea with the boss right now. And some German jewelry designer. China :)
Having tea with the boss right now. And some German jewelry designer. China :)
You should be happy that only his engine died. Imagane driving through shenzhen with a broken horn ;) Got to love China!
I assume that was Bao’an.
I’ve never tried it (as nobody told me it was there on the several occasions I’ve travelled in or out of Shenzhen via the airport, and I was silly enough to not notice until recently) but a subway line runs to by the airport from central Shenzhen (Luobao line). I’d guess that in many cases a train ride to Bao’an and a taxi link at the far end would be quicker and more restful (and cheaper than taxi fwiw). Based on other outer city lines it probably runs above ground for much of the journey – if so you’d get a better view than from the car.
Ah – http://www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/guangdong/shenzhen/subway/line1.htm
They say 70 minutes Luohu to Bao’an.
I’ve never had a Shenzhen (or any other Chines city) taxi die on me – you must be special :-)
– Russell McMahon
Yes, bao’on. You can take the metro and then taxi, and I know people that have, but its about 40 minutes faster to go taxi the whole way. Plus you get to sit on a comfy seat :) cost savings is maybe 20usd because of tolls, not so tiny, but this is on expense account :)