Guangzhou Day 1: My Unfiltered Rant
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Alright, buddy, it looks like you’ve been getting a lot of surprises right from the start here in Guangzhou! Let me help you sort out your first impressions and offer some advice to fellow foreign travelers. Maybe I can also find some tasty restaurants for you in the process!
Just off an overnight flight and stepping onto the land of Guangzhou for the first time, there are a few initial impressions that need to be shared!
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On the Guangzhou Subway:
- Wow, the subway in Guangzhou - how do I put this... It's more 'dynamic' than I expected!
- When it starts moving, it feels jolted and noisy; even though I am not prone to car sickness, somehow the ride made me feel a bit queasy.
- Note: China's urban metro systems are generally well-developed, but the experience might vary. For instance, I found the metro in Hangzhou to be particularly quiet and smoother.
- And it's not just me – when I got out at my stop, I saw someone actually throwing up at the platform. That's pretty dramatic.
- After exiting the station to catch a bus, I could still feel the vibrations of the subway passing by under my feet.
️ Advice for those with car-sickness-prone constitutions:
- If sensitivity to motion affects you, consider taking anti-nausea medicine or prepare yourself mentally before taking the Guangzhou subway – just like I did. Otherwise, you might end up feeling quite uncomfortable.
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On Motor Scooters on the Roads (electric scooters/motorbikes):
- While waiting for the bus, another observation caught my attention: many people riding motor scooters don’t wear helmets!
- Rough estimate suggests about a 50/50 split. In my hometown, no one would dare go without helmets as they’d face hefty fines.
- Note: Motor scooters are a very common mode of transportation in China, especially in southern cities, but rules and enforcement regarding helmet wearing can vary widely across regions.
- ️ Safety Tips for Tourists:
- Be particularly cautious when strolling or crossing roads in Guangzhou, especially around these motor scooters. Unlike cars, they might not always scrupulously follow traffic rules, and can zoom by at surprisingly high speeds. Prioritize your safety!
- If you’re planning on riding motor scooters in Guangzhou (though whether tourists have easy access is debatable), please remember to prioritize safety first and consider wearing a helmet.
There! All done with my ramblings!
Are there any must-try eateries in Guangzhou or Shunde (heard it’s another paradise of yummy food, not too far from Guangzhou! ) that you could recommend?
I’m going to catch up on sleep now and embark on my Guangzhou food adventure early tomorrow!#MellowTravel #GuangzhouTravel #ShundeTravel
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No need to rush, I'm already home. Let me clarify, I'm not from Hangzhou, so there's no need to bash Hangzhou because of me. Also, everyone is welcome to visit Zhejiang, and feel free to share your critiques. I don't think complaining means you should avoid a place entirely. I've actually had a pretty good time these past few days and would still recommend it to tourists. The subway in the city center doesn't cause motion sickness at all; only Line 3 near the airport is a bit different. Many people in the comments below have explained it's due to different construction eras.
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Excuse me, locals, I'll definitely be back to Guangzhou for a second visit!
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I was born and raised in Guangzhou and have lived here for 29 years. I've never seen anyone get motion sickness and vomit on the Guangzhou subway. This is the first I'm hearing of it.
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Yeah, just how frail must this person be?
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Vomiting? Isn't that a bit of an exaggeration? You could take a taxi; the downtown area isn't very congested lately. It's just that they mostly add a Spring Festival surcharge, so it might be a few yuan more expensive. Those e-bikes are such a menace. The riders are so inconsiderate. I've reported them many times, but nothing ever gets done.
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I recommend the Thai restaurant called 'Datou Xia' (Big Head Prawn) at 548 Huifu East Road. It's delicious, and most Guangzhou locals have probably eaten there.
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I hope there are more posts like this; give me back my peaceful Guangzhou.
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Nice and quiet, everything neat and tidy.
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To be honest, the Guangzhou Metro is older than I am. I've ridden it countless times and have truly never seen anyone get so motion sick they actually vomited!
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Just because you haven't seen it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. And I have no reason to make things up just to get flamed by you all.
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First time I've ever heard of someone getting motion sickness on the subway. Maybe you just shouldn't come then.
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Riding Line 3 for over ten stops really made me throw up... I vomited before I even got out of the station. I've lived in Guangzhou for 20 years and never thrown up on the subway before, but four days ago, it really got me...
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There are a bunch of posts warning people off Guangzhou or complaining about it. What I want to say is, first, it's not about the environment adapting to you, but you adapting to the environment. Second, isn't it possible that the behavior making you uncomfortable was actually from people from your own region?
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Oh, and another thing, most of the people telling others to 'steer clear of Guangzhou' are actually Guangzhou locals. Visitors from other places have never said that. Guangzhou is a lot of fun!
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Come if you like, don't if you don't. Just stay in your Hangzhou and don't bother leaving.
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Do you really have to be so harsh and mean? I don't get what we did to offend you.
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Huh? First time I've ever heard of someone throwing up on the subway. Unless they already had a health problem or were really drunk.
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If even the subway makes you vomit, you probably can't handle any other form of transportation.
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Guangzhou subway trains run fast and make many turns, so the noise can be quite loud. You can't expect them to be built to high-speed rail standards, so the soundproofing might not be great. The metro system is quite old, so the tracks are aging too. As for the e-bikes... even Guangzhou locals want to complain. All I can say is that their regulation is seriously problematic.