My 77 year old father had a major operation last year in May, to remove a cancer tumor from his stomach. I had promised him to bring him to the cruise after he recovered. He fully recovered after a few months.
He could only walk about 100m and climb upstairs less than 10 steps. So this trip is very challenging for us. I had to bring along the wheelchair. I travelled alone with my father, because I dislike going with tour groups. I speak fluent Mandarin, and I have previously travelled to many cities in China, so I didn't worry too much. The problem is getting the wheelchair into taxis and upstairs, since I am not a very strong woman.
I booked all hotels, air tickets, cruise on the internet. For Intercontinental Chong Qing and Holiday Inn Shifu Guangzhou hotels, I booked directly from the hotel website, which guaranteed the lowest rate. My air tickets from Singapore - Guangzhou was booked on Singapore Airlines website. Domestic air tickets from Guangzhou - Yichang, and Yichang - Chong Qing, was booked with China Southern Airlines. They had the cheapest airfare online, but I wasn't able to install the proper software to do online payment. Websites in China require some special security software, which I couldn't figure out how to install. I called the airline, was told that I can do bank transfer. It was really a lot of hassle and phonecalls to the China office, but I managed to get the online discounted price, and that really saved me a lot of money. If I buy the tickets from their office in Singapore, I would have to pay more than S$1000 for 2 adults, but now I paid only about S$400 !
The cruise was booked with Baicen Travel , a travel agency in Chong Qing. I emailed them to make a booking, but I had to pay using Western Union, since they don't accept international credit card. I find their service quite good and hassle free. They even provided me with a 24 hour telephone number, which really came in useful during my trip.
The cruise ship was MV Emperor, 4 nights from Yichang to Chong Qing, USD380 per person, including all meals and 3 shore excursions. I chose this ship because it is one of the very few ships on the Yangtze, that has an elevator.
On Day 1, we flew from Singapore to Guangzhou. At the airport, the staff helped to push my father on his wheelchair to the taxi stand. The staff and the driver helped me load the wheelchair into the taxi.
We stayed at the Holiday Inn at Shifu Road. The room is spacious, very clean and comfortable. The hotel is right on Shang Xia Jiu Road (上下九路), where no cars are allowed. On both sides of the roads are interesting old buildings and many shops. Here is where locals shop for their clothes, bags, shoes, accessories. You don't see many tourist souvenirs here. I could push my father around very easily.
There are some very famous restaurants within walking distance from the hotel. One of it is Guangzhou Restaurant. We had dinner there. The service is good so I wanted to leave a tip on the table. But the waitress chased after me and returned me the money. I was quite surprised.
Day 2 (21 May 2007)
We had to catch a flight at 8:00am to Yichang, so we left the hotel at 6:00am. I got a shock when we reached the airport. The plane was re-scheduled to 6:00pm in the evening !!! I immediately called Baicen Travel, the person who answered the phone, inform me that our cruise ship was anchored at Yichang, and would only sail on 22 May 2007 morning. He assured me that it was OK for me to reach there in the evening, and he gave me instructions as to how to reach the port from the airport by taking a taxi. I am quite impressed by the service, I didn't expect that I can get help from the travel agency before 7am in the morning !
The airline arranged for free hotel stay and free meals. We spent most of the day sleeping, since there was nothing much to do at the hotel.
Finally at around 8:00pm, we landed in Yichang, and took a taxi to the port where the MV Emperor is docked.
The ship crew came out to help us with the wheelchair and the luggage. We had to walk down about 20 steps, then about 100m into the ship. It was quite easy.
The room was very small, but the beds and bathroom are clean. We had the cheapest standard room, but I was happy that we had a balcony. The room was on the 2nd floor. Here's a photo of our room.
Here's a photo of my father in the lobby.
The airline arranged for free hotel stay and free meals. We spent most of the day sleeping, since there was nothing much to do at the hotel.
Finally at around 8:00pm, we landed in Yichang, and took a taxi to the port where the MV Emperor is docked.
The ship crew came out to help us with the wheelchair and the luggage. We had to walk down about 20 steps, then about 100m into the ship. It was quite easy.
The room was very small, but the beds and bathroom are clean. We had the cheapest standard room, but I was happy that we had a balcony. The room was on the 2nd floor. Here's a photo of our room.
Here's a photo of my father in the lobby.
Day 3 (22 May 2007)
Breakfast was buffet style, at the 3rd floor restaurant. We were assigned seats at a large table of 10. The breakfast buffet was average.
At 8:30am, we went for the shore excursion to view the dam. I brought along the wheelchair, and we had to walk up about 20 steps to the main road. My father managed to walk up very slowly, while I carried the wheelchair up. We took a tour bus which brought us first to a hill above the dam, where we could view the dam from a high point, as well as a model of the dam.
Later the tour bus took us to the shore where we can have another view of the dam.
In the afternoon, the ship went through the ship locks. We went up to the top deck and had an amazing view. It was very interesting.
First the ship sailed into a huge chamber, along with 3 other ships.
Then the gates closed. And the water level started to rise.
My father enjoyed it very much. But then after a while he asked me: "Where are we ? Where is the cruise ship ?" I told him "We are on the top deck of the cruise ship !" Then I realized, that my father is really getting old, and I probably may not be able to bring him on another trip.
After the ship came out from the locks, we passed through the Xi Ling Gorge.
At 8:30am, we went for the shore excursion to view the dam. I brought along the wheelchair, and we had to walk up about 20 steps to the main road. My father managed to walk up very slowly, while I carried the wheelchair up. We took a tour bus which brought us first to a hill above the dam, where we could view the dam from a high point, as well as a model of the dam.
Later the tour bus took us to the shore where we can have another view of the dam.
In the afternoon, the ship went through the ship locks. We went up to the top deck and had an amazing view. It was very interesting.
First the ship sailed into a huge chamber, along with 3 other ships.
Then the gates closed. And the water level started to rise.
My father enjoyed it very much. But then after a while he asked me: "Where are we ? Where is the cruise ship ?" I told him "We are on the top deck of the cruise ship !" Then I realized, that my father is really getting old, and I probably may not be able to bring him on another trip.
After the ship came out from the locks, we passed through the Xi Ling Gorge.
Day 4 (23 May 2007)
At about 7am, the ship passed through the spectacular Wu Gorge. It was very foggy at first, but the fog cleared and we managed to get good views. The tour guide on the ship gave a very good explanation, and pointed out to us the famous peaks.
We went for the shore excursion to the Shen Nong Stream and Little Three Gorges. I checked with our ship tour guide, and thought that we didn't need to bring the wheelchair. First we need to move to a smaller boat, which can take around 100 people. The walk from our ship to the boat was mostly flat, about 100m. Lots of places to sit on the boat. Later we need to change to an even smaller wooden boat for about 30 people, we only had to walk about 30 m, very easy. Here's the photo of the distance between the 2 boats.
The scenery was very nice. The boat ride was very steady and comfortable.
In the afternoon, we passed through the Qu Tang Gorge.
There was a shore excursion to the Bai Di Cheng, but this was not free, 180 RMB per person. Since there were many steps, I decided to skip it.
We went for the shore excursion to the Shen Nong Stream and Little Three Gorges. I checked with our ship tour guide, and thought that we didn't need to bring the wheelchair. First we need to move to a smaller boat, which can take around 100 people. The walk from our ship to the boat was mostly flat, about 100m. Lots of places to sit on the boat. Later we need to change to an even smaller wooden boat for about 30 people, we only had to walk about 30 m, very easy. Here's the photo of the distance between the 2 boats.
The scenery was very nice. The boat ride was very steady and comfortable.
In the afternoon, we passed through the Qu Tang Gorge.
There was a shore excursion to the Bai Di Cheng, but this was not free, 180 RMB per person. Since there were many steps, I decided to skip it.
Day 5 (24 May 2007)
There was a shore excursion to Feng Du, but since there were 600 steps, we had to skip it. There is a cable car, but the tour guide told me that even if we take the cable car, we still had to walk 400 steps, which was impossible for us.
It was raining very heavily, so I was glad we stayed on the ship. Here's a photo of the pagoda at Feng Du, with my father.
The MV Emperor was very small, compared to the huge ocean cruise ships I have been to, like the Star Princess (to Alaska) and Superstar Virgo. There was nothing much to do. Nothing much to watch on TV. So we just lazed around and slept all day.
I was getting tired of the lunch and dinner, which were served like 10 course chinese banquet. The problem is, almost every course was vegetable or starch, very little meat. I love meat and I just did not feel satisfied. Here's a photo of our food.
It was raining very heavily, so I was glad we stayed on the ship. Here's a photo of the pagoda at Feng Du, with my father.
The MV Emperor was very small, compared to the huge ocean cruise ships I have been to, like the Star Princess (to Alaska) and Superstar Virgo. There was nothing much to do. Nothing much to watch on TV. So we just lazed around and slept all day.
I was getting tired of the lunch and dinner, which were served like 10 course chinese banquet. The problem is, almost every course was vegetable or starch, very little meat. I love meat and I just did not feel satisfied. Here's a photo of our food.
Day 6 (25 May 2007)
The ship docked at Chong Qing. We departed the boat at around 8:30am. I was quite worried when I saw that the ship was about 500m from the shore, and we had to climb up about 4 storey high of steps. Here's the photo.
I managed to ask the ship crew to go out and hire 2 workers for me. They carried my father all the way up, including our 3 pieces of luggage. It was difficult even for 2 strong men, they had to rest 2 times. They asked for 200 RMB per person, so total 400 RMB. I knew this was a ridiculous price, but I paid anyway. Otherwise it would have been a big struggle for me.
We stayed at the Intercontinental Hotel. It was a fabulous hotel, very luxurious, and the beds had feather tops !!! Super comfortable. Only 600 RMB a night, super value ! A hotel of this class would have cost about USD300 in Hong Kong or Singapore.
We had both lunch and dinner at the Chinese restaurant in the hotel. The restaurant is beautiful with superb service. The food is good and very reasonably priced. We spent about 200 RMB each meal, more than enough for 2 persons. I was so deprived of meat on the cruise ship, I ordered half a chicken and finished it with my father.
The hotel is right on the Jie Fang Bei 解放碑 area, where the roads are closed to traffic, and it is very easy to push my father around. There are many large shopping centres around, a very good area for shopping. Here's a photo of my father standing in front of the Jie Fang Bei.
I managed to ask the ship crew to go out and hire 2 workers for me. They carried my father all the way up, including our 3 pieces of luggage. It was difficult even for 2 strong men, they had to rest 2 times. They asked for 200 RMB per person, so total 400 RMB. I knew this was a ridiculous price, but I paid anyway. Otherwise it would have been a big struggle for me.
We stayed at the Intercontinental Hotel. It was a fabulous hotel, very luxurious, and the beds had feather tops !!! Super comfortable. Only 600 RMB a night, super value ! A hotel of this class would have cost about USD300 in Hong Kong or Singapore.
We had both lunch and dinner at the Chinese restaurant in the hotel. The restaurant is beautiful with superb service. The food is good and very reasonably priced. We spent about 200 RMB each meal, more than enough for 2 persons. I was so deprived of meat on the cruise ship, I ordered half a chicken and finished it with my father.
The hotel is right on the Jie Fang Bei 解放碑 area, where the roads are closed to traffic, and it is very easy to push my father around. There are many large shopping centres around, a very good area for shopping. Here's a photo of my father standing in front of the Jie Fang Bei.
Day 7 (26 May 2007)
Our flight from Chong Qing to Guangzhou was at 1pm. In the morning, we hired a taxi for 1 hour, 50 RMB, to do a quick tour of the city.
In the afternoon, we landed in Guang Zhou, and stayed at the Holiday Inn at Shifu Road again. Both foot pedals of my father's wheelchair fell off, so we didn't do much walking around the area.
In the afternoon, we landed in Guang Zhou, and stayed at the Holiday Inn at Shifu Road again. Both foot pedals of my father's wheelchair fell off, so we didn't do much walking around the area.
Day 8 (27 May 2007)
We flew back from Guangzhou to Singapore in the afternoon. We left the wheelchair behind at the Guangzhou airport, since it was very old, I decided to buy a new one back in Singapore.
Overall it was a nice and relaxing trip. Both my father and I enjoyed ourselves. We got a lot of help along the way, from hotel staff, ship crew, taxi drivers, so I was really happy.
Overall it was a nice and relaxing trip. Both my father and I enjoyed ourselves. We got a lot of help along the way, from hotel staff, ship crew, taxi drivers, so I was really happy.
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