A Rough First Month In Guangzhou

If you are just arriving in Hong Kong and need to transit to Guangzhou there are some things you should try to avoid. Number one would be to make sure that you have some rest at the airport. Maybe a couple of hours in the airport bar, especially after your 12-hour flight. 

If you are heading for China, may I suggest you take a train? You really don’t want to have to drag yourself and your luggage to the 3hours + bus, with a one hour wait at the border in Shenzhen. If this is the first time in China, you really must try to book a hotel where the staff can speak English. 

Unfortunately, I was guilty of all of these. Although in my defence, I hadn’t booked the bus or the hotel. These were arranged by my employer, and I had little say in the matter. 

When you sign up with a teach abroad programme, your head gets full of wild ideas of trekking the Himalayas, the great wall of China, exotic romance. But the first couple of days were spent doing mundane tasks that amazed me only in that they were done with the most mind-numbing bureaucracy imaginable.

That terrible bus journey, all the way from Hong Kong to the inner city of Guangzhou , made me realise how much concrete I was going to see. Not only that but the place looked like Korea did before it became cool. 

After eventually finding the hotel (tip: for gods sake choose somewhere central)I then had to think about eating. What’s that smell? When you can breathe something other than pollution, you’ll see that food is all around you. You choose between eating in one of the cheap canteen style places, or somewhere more upmarket, like a shopping mall restaurant. the first meal I had was some kind of beef offal noodles and it was totally delicious.

I thought I had come to the wrong place…

After the first night in Guangzhou, I was soon to discover just how total and all encompassing tool the Chinese system was. It seems that all long-term visitors are required to submit to detailed medical checks. This could not be done at a small private clinic, but a vast public building. The main task was to process us as quick as possible. This meant that the blood tests were carried out in the open, not behind closed doors. It’s more efficient, though less private way of carrying out procedures. In less than two hours, I was given kidney, lung, heart and urinary tests. This was done with the maximum of efficiency and the minimum of bedside manner or privacy. Yet they msut have taken care of 250 +arrivals that morning alone. I was forced to admit the sheer task of it was something to admire. 

Back at the hotel, I was starting to appreciate the extra touches that were available. A pool would have been a boon on the stuffy afternoons. In Guangzhou, the heat stays on the ground , and never moves from morning to night .

I was subjected to a battery of tests on my first day.

But the hotel offered a gym, and a laundry room And every afternoon, staff laid out fresh cakes and fruit in the restaurant area. There were still surprises when it came to breakfast. Sometimes , there would be croissants, other times not. Egg came hard boiled or fried. And there were only a couple of cereal options. 

It was fun to open up the large steaming serving dishes and think of what to have. There was a choice of rice porridge, and several condiments that seemed to make the bland dish jump alive with flavour. 

I followed my cue from the mostly Chinese diners.  Every so often I would spot a non-Chinese face, this was extremely rare however. They were mostly as bemused by the situation as I was . the situation was not like t standard international hotel that could have been anywhere. Instead, this was strictly a Chinese hotel that made few allowances for non-locals.

Another shock was seeing that the bedrooms on one side of the building did not come with an outward facing window. The only opening window opened to the landing, the only air flow then came from opening the door, and the air-condioning. If you’re a light sleeper, you’ll find it difficult to sleep if the bed is near the AC unit. 

My first impression of China was extremely negative. Partly this was my fault. If you go to a country knowing nothing beyond some loose ideas from what you’ve heard or seen, you are going to be surprised. In my case, I believed that reading too much would possibly cause me to have ideas that China was worse than it really was,. 

In any case, you don’t really know how it’s going to feel until you live in a country. And however much you can read, when you get there the place you come to is often not the one that you pictured.

On my third night, I took a walk to the Pearl River Bridge. Across the street next to the underground metro is a giant shopping mall. It was full of teenagers, dressed in their best clothes and seeming to be moving around, excitedly taking photos, milling in and out of shops but never buying anything. It was a common sight wherever I went in the next few weeks. A few scrappy street vendors selling things on skewers, but inside, teens waited in front of restuaurants for a seat inside. The old Chinese style was giving way to shiny comsumerism. 

There were coffee shops, American fast food restaurants alongside more traditional Chinese tearooms and roast duck restaurants.

I walked past stalls selling durian and piles of CROCS. Inside the old restaurants sat mostly older men, their chaests bared,  smoking and eating from steaming cauldrons. Most of these restaunts only had signs in Chinese. But I could tell from the shiny pictures what I was going to be given. At one beef noodle restaurant, I paid less than two pounds for a glossy bowl of beef soup, vegetables and rice. 

I went in to a gleaming Starbucks occupying a prime location next to the Pearl River. Coffee was marketed as a luxury product, with prices to match. One medium freshly brewed coffee was nearly double the price of my noodles. None of the well-heeled locals seemed to mind. 

The Canton Tower, a recent addition to the city (finished in 2008) was brightly lit and stood out from the boxy grey towers.  Right next to it is another major Guangzhou landmark. The National Theatre, designed by Zaha Hadid, was one of several new buildings by so-called star-chitects. the sloping steel concrete design looks like the body of a giant whale. Inside, the walls represent the pebbles smoothed by the Pearl River, all very poetic.

China may be currently facing a mass retirement with the largest group of pensioners in history, but with the easing of the one child rule, there are babies, children, and teens everywhere. And whilst the young are squeezing themselves into packed subway trains, their elders live a slower life, pushing babies in strollers between dancing Tai Chi in the park. 

At night I read more about China’s history. In 1979, Deng Xiaopeng singed reforms allowing limited free trade in China. Wham played the first rock concert EVER in 1985 a few years before THE LAST EMPEROR was filmed in the Forbidden City. A period of modernisation led to the democratic uprising that was brutally crushed. But nothing could stop the rapid industrialisation. A country that hadn’t changed for centuries hosted the Olympics and had the highest steel production in the world, rising to 1 billion tonnes in 2015. 

I suddenly had to reformulate everything I thought I knew and develop a new understanding, and it was going to take much longer than a few weeks.

Hotel or Airbnb? Why it’s not such an easy decision to make.

You’d think there would be no contest because Airbnbs are nearly always cheaper than a hotel in any category. But it’s not so simple as one being cheaper than others. We know from experience that using a hotel can be more amenable than staying in an airbnb.

Location

Hotels are often in more convenient locations that can be accessed easily. Whereas airbnbs can be in all kinds of far-off places and certainly won’t be listed on any tourist map… you can be led astray when booking an airbnb due to misleading titles and location information, but hotels will always show their actual address, meaning it’s much easier to choose somewhere in a central location.

Price vs Added Extras

Whilst airbnbs are mostly cheaper than most hotels in a 4 or 5 star range, you’re getting certain amenities when you stay in a hotel that airbnbs can’t provide. Are you looking for a gym, pool or rooftop bar where you can meet other travellers? You’re better off staying in a hotel or a hostel , where these are likely to be available. Are brand new sheets, air-conditioning a priority? Hotels are likely to work better for you.

On the other hand, staying in an Airbnb could work out if you are looking to build relationship with the host and learn about the area. Then again, there is nothing like being able to consult the concierge of a hotel who will know the local area and so can give you all the information to get around the area.

Finding the ‘right’ airbnb

The hard part is finding the appropriate Airbnb for you and the best located property. Most major cities have accepted Airbnb for short term lets, meaning that anyone with a property can list it as a ‘holiday home’. It doesn’t even need to be a property that they own and may just be a property that they sublet. This is clearly not necessarily a good thing. Take major cities like London or Paris, which have the highest number of airbnbs. Travelers looking to save some money might end up somewhere with no proper facilities, transport links or any hospitality to speak of.

Blame the Airbnb review system, which makes it difficult for users to write anything less than glowing reviews. We don’t know why guests can be more honest when it comes to reviewing a hotel. But something about visiting someone’s house, perhaps meeting the owners means that most if not all guests feel obliged to leave glowing reviews for what was just an ordinary stay in an average home with nothing to recopmmend it. A case in point is a stay in Ibiza. Whilst some reviews clearly indicate that the host is not a nice woman, the honest reviews are overwhelmed by the sycophantic reviews which somehow suggest that the host is the nicest woman ever, even whilst she can’t be because she has a list of things you can’t do that is as long as the property description. 

The negative effect that Airbnb has on local communities

Staying in airbnbs has shown me that not everyone has what it takes to be a good host. But what may be an even stronger reason not to use airbnbs is the effect they have on communities. If landlords think they can earn more renting out their rooms to overseas visitors ,rather than locals, they will do so. It then makes it harder for hotels – which have a beneficial relationship to communites – to, a, find guests, but also to pay the taxes and staff’s wages. This may ultimately be why it’s better to stay in hotels than airbnbs, especially in poorer countries which rely on foreign visitors to stay in hotels.

Unimpressed with Hilton Bankside London

http://<a href=”https://tp.media/click?shmarker=415286&promo_id=4491&source_type=banner&type=click&campaign_id=155&trs=214028″ target=”_blank”> <img src=”https://c155.travelpayouts.com/content?promo_id=4491&shmarker=415286&type=init&trs=214028″ width=”160″ height=”600″ alt=”Hilton Points”> </a>

Located near the Tate Modern and Shakespeare’s globe, Bankside is one of the Hilton’s most well-reviewed hotels in London. With a google average score of 4.6, it rates highly for customer satisfaction and service and general experience.

I booked at stay in February, using the ‘points and cash option’. A typical points redemption for a standard room is between 60-90,000 honours points. That puts it at the higher end of the brand’s portfolio, but it’s not the most expensive hotel per night.

The stay

I arrived at the hotel a little earlier than 2pm. There were several people at the reception at separate desks.

There was no one greeting at the door which was a little strange. In nearly all of the five star London hotels there is at least one if not two door staff.

The receptionist found my booking and asked for a card to enter into the system. I find this one of the more irritating aspects of staying in Hilton hotels.

The check-in

I asked if they had any twin beds available and I was told that they were very busy and couldn’t offer one. I was given room number 236. I looked around for someone to help me carry my luggage to the room, and I then gave my room key to one of the staff in the lobby. I was taken aback when he thought I was checking out of the hotel. If had been paying attention he would have noticed that I was checking in just two minutes earlier.

I’m not sure if it’s their policy but not assisiting customers with luggage is very unwelcoming.

I was shown the lifts and found the room.

I needed to swipe the key to access the floor number. It’s bizarre that Hilton need to do this. You would think they would easily be able to distinguish genuine guests from intruders.

The Room

The room was a standard room, with some design features I quite liked. But there was a separate floor area that wasn’t particularly comfortable. The bath room had a walk in shower, but no bath. There were the standard fixed toiletries on the wall, with no disposable toiletries that you might have been given before the no-plastic rule.

The hotel had a hidden closet that is part of the streamlined design of the hotel, but it would have been nice if the closet was easier to access. There was an ironing board, iron, and hairdryer in a box on the desk. Stangely, there were no dressing gowns in the room . a real disappointment. I rang housekeeping to ask them where I could find a robe and they couldn’t tell me. I found this quite upsetting.

The room had a kettle with some teabags, instant coffee and two packs of biscuits. I was really hoping that they would have some espresso pods, but it wasn’t to be…. This would distinguish hotel from lower cost brands such as DoubleTree and Garden Inns.

The Bar

The hotel has an open and airy bar/restaurant in the ground floor. Coming in, it was not clear to us where we could sit. It didn’t feel like it was a bar or a restaurant and more like they were trying to fit both into the same space.

I started to film the empty area on my phone but was quickly approached by the member of staff on duty who wanted to know what I was doing. It was quite upsetting to be spoken to like this. I explained that I wanted to record the bar for a video, he seemed satisfied by this explantion.

The bar menu had a usual drinks menu, and we didn’t want any of the food. I made a point of ordering the Valentine’s cocktail which was strong and well-mixed, but a little pricey at 12 pounds, My partner ordered the sparkling rose. The bar is running a promotion with Chapel Down, but unfortunately, they had already run out of it, the manager was unable to explain when they would have any bottles delivered.

The bed

I felt that the bed was certainly a higher quality than that of other Hilton brands. I got a reasonable night’s sleep. In the morning, I went down to the restaurant for breakfast. At 9.20, I had probably chosen the busiest time of all for breakfast.

Breakfast

Staff led me to my table and explained some of the choices available.

The food was artistically displayed. I took my phone out and was ready to record the display. Sadly, I wasn’t able to film very much as two members of staff hurried over to ask me to stop filming right away. I was quite annoyed at this point. One of the reasons that I stay in hotels is to record the experience for myself and other guests. If I can’t do this , I will be less willing to use Hilton Hotels.

Price

It was £20 for the full breakfast. That’s a lot. But do note you can order bespoke items from the kitchen, such as home-made waffles, and omelettes. I tried both, and the omelette was really superb. I certainly didn’t need to order any more eggs after that. The other selections of food were very much in line with what you would expect to see. Maybe they could add something uniquely British, such as a Chelsea bun or an eccles cake?

Pool and Gym

After making a video in the room. I went back down to tuse the fitness area. There is a gym and a swimming pool. The gymn was empty, so I was able to get a good workout done.

Then it was into the pool, this was quiet too. Hilton have designed a very impressive pool that is the highlight of the hotel. It’s lit in such away that the area feels bigger than it is. It’s just a pool, there is no sauna. It wasn’t a problem for me as I wanted to swim and that’s what I did.

Checking out

I left my key with reception and I was on my way. To be honest, the staff could have treated me with more gratitude, I expect after the phone filming incident they were happy to see me leave. In fact, felt that the staff could have been more proactive and helpful during my stay.

Verdict

I’m not in love with this hotel. It’s small, the design isn’t very impressive. If you are a first time visitor, it will be a good first place to stay but bear in mind you will be miles from decent shops. There are many hotels nearby that may offer better value, so look around.

A confession : Why I prefer Swimsuits over Bikinis

Now I like a bikini as much as any man. But whislt a lot of women wear them, most women simply don’t have the body for them. So here’s why I think swimsuits are more suitable for women.

1. A swimsuit has more coverage than a twopiece bikini set. The stomach area is not especially attractive and the swimsuit does a great job concealing it. 

2. A swimsuit is more stable and will be less likely to fall off, reveal breasts or other body parts.

3. Swimsuits are more archicterual and come with more support, although bikinis have differences, none are very different.

4. Swimsuits are available in custom designs, and shapes. For someone not sure, there is even the option of a monokini. Usually it’s a swimsuit with a part cut out and therefore more revealing than a standard swimsuit but still a one-piece. 

5. Women look better in a swimsuit. Larger women shouldn’t wear a bikini, whislt younger women often do, it’s tricky to find a bikini that looks good. Swimsuits are therefore the safest option for anyone who doesn’t have a perfectly toned body, or isn’t 8 years old.

Legs Miss-behave in Bulgaria

VISITORS to Bulgaria will notice that alongside the Cyrillic alphabet, mashed carrot, and powerful rackia, the country is noted for its traditional yet glamorous women.

Although we will see women in Western Europe still sometimes wearing feminine dress, it’s more of a fashion statement as opposed to regular uniform, because the rules on dress have loosened considerably.

Typically, Bulgarian women dress in a noticeably more feminine way. That means typically longer hair, modest dress, and make-up. And it’s far more common that women in Bulgaria wear tights or stockings underneath their trousers and skirts, in all weathers. As in many countries, the ordained dress code for professional women has included strict guidelines for what women should wear to the office.

As in Japan, Spain,  Eastern Europe, Bulgarian women still dress in a more formal and professional way.

I wondered if there were other reasons why Bulgarian women are more likely to cover their legs. Was it the weather? I couldn’t discount it, although it was not particularly cold when I was there.

Was it because there are factories in the city where nylons and stockings are manufactured, making them more affordable than in other cities? That may be a more likely reason.

To try to understand the phenomenon more closely, I visited a small, kiosk in the city centre selling all manner of ladies hosiery. At around 6:30, the store was attended by an old, somewhat matronly lady of about 55. I was aware that my visit was greeted by some surprise, but I wasn’t put off from browsing through the various items on display.

There were dark, tan, and flesh coloured tights in various denier. In the end, I purchased the pair (*pictured below). Not knowing the word for stockings, I couldn’t exchange my purchase for what I really wanted. But it was a nice experience all the same. I imagined how it must feel to wear fabric that clung so sensuously close to the skin. To be aware of it and to be have to adjust it now and again, as women often did.

At the end of my trip, I was still not to sure if women really wore stockings more commonly, or it was just the ones I encountered that did. But it was true of various women I encountered. The expensively dressed glamazons entereing a state function in the government building definitely were wearing stockings or tights (an expert would be able to tell either way). And the last Bulgarian women to really impress me, could well have been wearing stockings under her official airport uniform – if only she hadn’t been behind a desk.

And so, I came away from my trip with a greater appreciation for the women I had met, if only for a very short period of time.

Flying Business Class: Is it worth it?

Is flying Business Class worth it?

The main Reasons for flying business class

Greater seat room.

You can spread out more. And there is more space next to you due to one seat kept empty, in most economy cabins there are three seats in each row, with a narrow gap for the aisle. Sit on the aisle and you have people knocking your shoulder as they walk past. There is a gap between the seats Business, meaning you won’t be given the least popular middle seat.

With economy, you also tend to be closer to the engine, and this makes for a noisier flight. All seats in business are nearer the front, but you will still hear some of the engine noise.

Faster check-in

You have your own queue for checking in and boarding. When I flew economy from London, I was able to self-check in. That was not the case when I came back by business. The second time, I had luggage to check in. Business class gives you 2 bags you can check in, whereas in economy, you pay for all your checked luggage. Something I really appreciate is being able to board with just a small bag, and I don’t want to have to worry about any liquids being thrown away. I was very pleased when I watched the ground staff member carefully wrap a tag on my luggage marked ‘priority’ and the bag was well looked after with no damages on the other end, something which won’t always be the case when travelling economy.

A separate queue for boarding.

Economy passengers must wait longer because they can’t board first. However, I joined a separate queue for business travellers so I could enjoy more time in the airport café instead of wasting time queuing. I could also have used my business ticket for entry to the lounge, but I couldn’t see the need for it as I knew I was going to be eating and drinking on the plane.

A nicer experience generally

There is more of a sense of being looked-after when in first or business. The flight out had only two crew members in the main cabin. It was obvious that there were more staff out in front. My business flight confirmed this as true. There were four cabin crew in business. I never had to look around to see where the FAs were, and I never felt ignored.

Food and beverage options

I’m used to being given only a bag of crisps and water as a ‘snack’ when I travel economy with British airways. If you want more , you’l need to order online, paying for the privilege so that you can have something extra to eat. Yet in business, I was offered a full meal, bread roll, then coffee. All of this was clearly airplane food, but it was nice to have. It’s true that airlines make sure that economy must be basic so that customers are made to feel more special if they fly business. Unfortunately, the reality is also if you are a business traveller you will have more food than you need. Often this food would be more appreciated by those who are never offered it and sit there going hungry.

Free drinks

The choice of drinks is great when flying  on a higher status ticket. I was given champagne, tomato juice, and then wine with meal. I could have had more, but that would have been greedy, I even asked for ginger ale, and that was given to me. And some customers were able to order Baileys.  These would need to be paid for in ecomony, so you can factor in the cost of free drinks when you fly Business Class.

Mixing with interesting passengers

In some ways, the business class section of a flight can be like a member’s club. Not that I fly business all too regularly, but this is the impression I have. The passengers I flew with on Saturday were all likely to have been frequent flyers with the British Airways Club Europe membership privilege programme.

When I fly economy, I always worry that I’ll be sat next to someone who either wants to talk too much, or doesn’t want to talk at all. Or just a very boring person that isn’t interesting to interact with. It’s possible that you could meet a better class of passenger flying business. But The downside of business is you might not feel confident starting a conversation with someone who may have a higher status than you.

On my way out, I was talking to a flyer who was only flying out to come back again, all so that he could maintain his status with British Airways Club Europe.

In fact, the reason why Sofia is a popular destination is it’s one of the only airports to allow passengers to arrive at the airport and depart without going through security. No wonder then that there were so many travellers flying business on the Saturday I flew. They had probably gone out on the 7:40 London flight, and come back on the next available flight at 1:50.

More mileage points.

BA have recently changed their points allocation, instead of points being issued per mile flown, you’ll receive points for the number of pounds spent on your ticket.

I’m not expecting many points for my £49 economy ticket, but my return business class seat was 25,000 aveos plus €128 euros. I probably spent too many aveos for the flight, but still, I’ll receive at least 6000 points back in my account for a single outward journey. When you book a flight, the price really depends on so many factors, for example the time, day of the week and the demand for the destination. If you search around, you can fly one way in Business for £300, short haul.

Ultimately, is it worth it?

The price can be very high for benefits you won’t necessarily need. On the other hand, it’s a very pleasant experience that you won’t find in many other places. Because BA cabin crew really enjoy their job, they take pleasure in serving their customers. You can really feel it. I don’t know of any other area of the service industry that is so consistent when it comes to hospitality. BA like to treat their Club Europe travellers members well, because they don’t want to lose them. It may be unfair, but economy passengers don’t receive such glowing service because they aren’t so valuable to the airline.

I’ll continue to fly business when I can, but I’ll be using economy more.

The price difference does not always make sense. With an early morning flight, it’s more common to want to sleep than enjoy meal service on board. If eating is important to you and you don’t want to fly business, you can always bring your own food on the airport it’s the afternoon and evening flights where the service and the food offerings really come into their own. It would be nice to see the standards of economy rise, but I don’t see that as very likely, so that instead of getting the very least in service and food and beverage, you receive something closer to what is given in business class.

Is Taiwan your next Destin-Asian?

IS THIS your next DESTIN-Asian?

Taiwan has long gone under the radar as an Asian travel venue. It seems that travellers skip if for Japan, or Korea, or even China. Yet why Taiwan has fewer visitors than these countries isn’t so clear . As well as beaches and mountains, the country has a warm climate all-year round. 

It has one of the highest standards of living in all of asia, being one of the economic powers of the post war eras.The country offers free access to internet and western democratic freedoms. 

On top of this, the people are noticeably more kind, likely to help and polite, something that really comes across when you spend any time with them

The country might be a bit expensive for a backpacker, but still, it’s similar in price to Japan and more affordable than Singapore.

Here are some places you can visit on your first trip to Taipei, the capital of Taiwan.

Shilin Night Market

Shown recently in the hit comedy, Fresh off the Boat, this is a great place if you want to eat food at night. Just make sure to tell the difference between the good fakes and the bad fakes, or you might end up like Eddie.

Taiwan National University

Founded in 1928, this prestigious research university has 7 campuses & a botanical garden.

Kenting

Although it’s not as famous as beaches in Thailand or Bali, Kenting has many beautiful places for swimming, sunbathing and cycling.

Photo: Alexis JetSets
Photo: dj.Kaihan

MOONSTAR 360

THE LAST place I have to recommend is MOONSTAR 360. An incinerator is the last place you would expect to find a revolving restaurant! Perched 120 meters up, the restaurant is a great lookout at the city of Taipei. In case you are concerned about the air quality, to make the air quality safe for the restaurant, the incinerator was fitted with special anti pollution devices.

The restaurant uses the power from the incinerator, a great way to recycle all of the city’s waste.

There is a viewing platform 4 meters below the restaurant that offers panoramic view of the estuary of the Tamshui river and its bird reservation, as well as the distant mountain ranges. You can also see Yangming Shan, Kuan-yin Shan and the whole of the Taipei Basin.

Photo credit: https://www.google.com/maps/contrib/114219345168727014283/photos/@25.0551306,121.510127,17z/data=!4m3!8m2!3m1!1e1

Can I still live in England?

Some thing happened since the last few years and I don’t think it’s totally related to COVID , but it doesn’t help. I don’t really enjoy living in England. That’s not a new feeling for me but I’ve started to feel progressively stronger anti-UK now.

Although it’s a bit of an exaggeration, I don’t always feel safe here. Something about the language and the people create strong feeling of unease that often leads to paranoia. When I was driving, I didn’t notice so much, but now I’m taking public transport, I see weirdos everywhere, and it’s very uncomfortable to have to face it directly.

Something I’ve tried to shy away from is exclusive male company, which was easy when I was growing up, but is harder now. I’ve become estranged from many of the women I went to school with, not by choice, but because that is what happens as you grow older. But England has always seemed a horribly aggressive place where violence is simmering just below the surface.

England Football fans are notorious for violence at European tournaments

it’s not just men, but women that I’m scared of, the differences between men and women have gradually eroded to leave a mass of people with little to distinguish themselves from each other.

Take a good look at this lady, she’ll soon be a thing of the past.

As a child, I saw that women wore skirts, and men wore trousers. Yet now is rarer to see women wearing skirts, or stockings, or anything that might make them appear feminine. That is no longer the goal, it’s clear. Instead, coarseness, ugliness and violence is the order of the day.

Take look a the video, and you’ll see that I’m not exaggerating.

Sugar Dating

Compensated dating; is it for you?

Seeking is the most popular ‘sugar dating’ site

Changes to user habits

The main thing to know about the dating scene is that when it comes to apps, things change very quickly. The apps of a few years ago aren’t necessariliy the ones people are currently using. Even the way we use dating apps has tended to shift as users find they want something else from them. If tinder was seen as a hook-up app ten years ago when it launched. It’s now likely to be used for relationships….in fact most female users on the app will state that they aren’t interested in casual dating. 

Such changes can be annoying. Whilst tinder seems to be the most popular dating app, it’s been challenged by Bumble and Hinge. I don’e really see much point in having either of these copycat apps, which result in the same issues of not bringing up quality matches for most men. 

The sites that I have found more appealing have come about due to the increading popularity of sugar dating, effectively paid dating but with some commitment to it so that it doesn’t feel totally transactional.

The popularity of ‘Sugar dating’

As strange as it may seem, some people are happy to give money for someone to date them. With ‘Seeking Arrangement’, you can search for users who are often looking for a male to give them a fincanical support, or just  a ‘pay per meet’, to use a common phrase. The common question girls ask is how much can you PPM, effectively money for them to meet you, and in most cases, sex is involved – the practical thing to do is to decline because these girls will ask for more money than an escort, and these tend to be the worst kind of girls out there.

The landing page of Seeking doesn’t mention paid dating, but it’s at the core of i’s users’ activity.

Money CAN buy love

Now there are people who would never want to do this. The idea that you can put a price on someone and then pay them for meeting would seem to go against common-decency. Then again, frustrated with the other apps which require a match before messaging, I find the directness of the sugar dating apps very refreshing. You can message girls whom you like straight away and be clear about your terms. Then it’s on to the date, and in most cases girls want to meet with you straight away. Try to arrange a meeting somewhere fun, and make sure they don’t ask you for some ridiculous amount of money just to meet you. The women I met were happy to meet for a date without asking for money. After that, if both of you like each other, you can make an arrangement to see them. Most girls in London will ask for an allowance, but you’ll only do that if you are sure about them. It could be something like £300, such a price means that you can only realistically do this if you are very rich. And if you are, what’s to stop you! You can have your pick of some of the best women out there. With tinder, you tend to find matches close to your age. But seeking lets you search for any age, and sugar dating tends to be for younger women and older men. 

A site with a similar modus operandi is What’s Your Price? The app allows you to make an offer for a first date, like placing a bid. It’s up to the girl to accept your offer, or ask for a higher price. The fun is waiting to hear back from them. The minimum bid is £5, going up to £500. Then when a bid is countered, you need to bid back at an increment of pounds. Sure, the women are likely to ask for more than you offer, but not always. You can even ask here to suggest the amount she would accept from you. You will get some outrageous requests, like women asking for £500 for a date! Fortunately, most women are more reasonable and will often accept your first offer. 

What I like about it is you can offer what you are willing to pay. Most guys can easily afford 20 or 30 pounds, and the money acts as an incentive. With luck, the girl will like you enough to want to meet you the next time for free, and you can look at the initial cost as an investment in their company. 

Girls can send requests for offers, and it’s up to you to accept or counter.

The site mentions that you only pay for the first date, and then you meet for free after that. It also doesn’t process any payments, instead making it clear that you pay them in cash, or transfer directly. Now it’s true that you could arrange to meet someone after they accept the amount and then refuse to pay. The problem is that would make you untrustworthy. The girls will expect you to pay what you offered them. It’s up to you to decide on what you think is a fair amount, and then take them on a date somewhere you know you can afford. By refusing to pay the girl the amount you offered, you have a chance that things will turn unpleasant, with the girl likely to accuse you of taking advantage of them. It will be hard for her to see you again after that, and that’s not what you want!

Where time is precious, the site allows people to find who they want with a lot less fuss and allows them to meet far sooner than if they had used the typical apps. This is the best outcome for everyone.

My birthday sex with high-class Asian escort

Stunning tight-pussy Chinese escort https://tp.media/click?shmarker=415286&promo_id=4492&source_type=link&type=click&campaign_id=155&trs=214028

We’re led to believe that Asian escorts are in high demand, and difficult to find.

Actually the truth is something different. If you seek any Asian escort and aren’t worried about the quality, you can find hundreds of women who meet that description. Unfortunately, most girls listed as a ‘23 year student from Japan’ are nothing of the kind. Most of my searches have led me on a wild goose chase as my efforts to find an Asian who matches the idea I have in my head have been frustrated by the cruel reality of a ‘bait and switch’, or a catfish in modern language.

When you search with a reputable escort agency, you realise that your options are fewer. At the top of the business, escorts may charge anything up to £600 per hour. In London, such prices are not unusual, and some girls will go even higher.  What you are getting is often not entirely clear, but you won’t have to spend that much for a satisfactory experience with a beautiful escort in London – usually it’s between 150 – 250 for one hour.

Haute escorts offers mostly European escorts, and seeing as it was my birthday in July, I looked through the website for someone whom I hoped could relieve my stress. As it’s the summertime, it seems that most of them are now on holiday. But after a phone call with the secretary of Haute Escorts, I was offered Erika. In actual fact, I hadn’t seen her offered on the website. When I made my initial browsing of the site, I hadn’t seen her profile listed. But since the woman I spoke to had ensured me that I would like someone petite, I felt sure that they were someone I could trust.

The details were relayed by text message and a time and location was fixed. Then we settled the price, and the agency explained that the total amount would cover the cost of the taxi to the hotel.

As I was getting closer to my appointment, I entertained ideas about my meeting with Erika. I still didn’t know her appearance…. As a rule, I like to know before I book a model. I dilly-dallied, before my curiosity led me to search for Erika, typing Erika Asian Haute escort, the search soon led me to a escorts page with a girl who matched her likeness. Soon, I was convinced that Erika was the girl I wanted to spend my time with, especially, as I was looking for someone that had the elegance and sexuality I was seeking.

For me, it’s not just enough that she is Asian. She needs to have the mindset and the personality to make the sexual encounter erotic, enjoyable, memorable. The pictures revelaed someone very busty, but with her face partially concealed. It was also hard to guage Erika’s age from the photos.. An old profile from four years ago listed her as being 24, which meant she would be in her late twenties now. She would therefore be an experienced escort, rather than a woman new to the scene. With age, you notice that some women become inured to the experience, but it’s always my hope that I can meet an escort who still finds the job pleasurable and has not become too cynical.

By Friday morning, I had re-confirmed with the agency that Erika would come to my hotel and I was just waiting to receive the room number. I should say that communications with Haute agency had been very positive and they made the experience very smooth from our first telephone call to the on-the-day meeting.

After a slight wait at the desk, I had checked in and got my room key-card from reception. I then let the agency know the number and it was a quick journey up to the room. I dumped the bags and was about to use the in-room kettle, when I heard a knock on the door. Usually, it’s a member of the hotel staff, or room service. But this time, the person standing in front of me was Erika. I had a quick look at her and led her into the room.

Erika was a lovely, pale-skinned Chinese women, possibly early thirties although no older than that.

The first thing I noticed was her extremely long hair which came below her waist. She was wearing a light summer dress with a light brown trench jacket and light brown men’s style shoes.  I was caught off guard temporarily by the fact that Erika was now here with me and it was about to begin, I hadn’t even thought of what I could say to her.

I had the money prepared in an envelope and then handed her the amount requested on the website. *

By this time, Erika had shrugged off her jacket which I hung up on one of the hangers in the wardrobe. By now I could see that she was very busty and her breasts were pushing out her dress. She gave me a full-on kiss although her tongue did not come out all the way. The next thing was to put her on the bed. Without any trouble, I removed her dress and let it fall to the floor. With my free hand I caressed her silky hair and enjoyed the luxurious feeling of it. I was feeling a variety of pleasant sensations that were almost overpowering, the most significant detail was having a sensual Asian woman alone with me and fully focused on pleasing me.

After kissing some more, I asked if I could lift her up and put her on the table night stand. Erika agreed, and as she is very light, I had no trouble lifting her up onto the counter.

She was wearing a tight black corset style bustier that kept her breasts mostly concealed. I had to pull them out and get a better look at them.

As a breast-lover, I’ve seen a lot of breasts in my time. I’m aware that Asian women aren’t the most endowed in this area, and I often feel somewhat short-changed if they aren’t. What I can see is that Erika had one of the most impressive chests I have ever seen. Light cream in colour with pink arealoe, they jutted out and sat perfectly outwards, her bodice had made slight indentations where it had pressed against her tits. I pulled the bodice down but I didn’t take it off completely, putting my hands between her legs and exploring her incredible upper body, gently kissing her nipples.

Erika made light moans and I took this as a sign to move her back on to the bed. I explained that I like to be dominant, but I also like to be dominated in return. She pulled on my nipples and then sucked and bit them, whilst I pulled down on her hair and felt my way down to her lower body.

Erika is a gentle, very light girl who is here to please. Unlike some Chinese escorts, she is very graceful and polite. Hence why she is a high-class escort rather than a 60 pound an hour girl on a vivastreet ad; when you spend more money, you can really see the difference. Another rarity for an Asian SW is her English speaking ability. Erika’s high level of English denotes an educated woman who no doubt has many qualifications and could easily have a professional career on the side. I will say that her fluent English also makes it far simpler to discuss matters related to sex and there is no chance of anything being ‘lost in translation’.

She asked to see my cock and then pulled my trousers down and released it from my briefs. Despite Erika’s dazzling body, I was not fully erect (something I put down to the heat in the room more than anything else). She went straight for a blowjob, making a firm seal with her mouth until I was fully hard. She continued for a good five minutes and then she moved to find a condom which she quickly rolled on my engorged penis.

I had a close look at Erika’s vagina. It was pale, like the rest of her body, and completely shaved, not even a trace of stubble anywhere. I then placed a middle finger at the entrance of her pussy but she insisted that I only touch the outside, I was a little disappointed.

I then asked if she would mind that I suck her toes – a fetish of mine – and she agreed. I was delighted by this and I jammed her feet into her mouth – she is a size 4 so this wasn’t difficult.

With Erika moaning more, I wanted to get it in, but I wasn’t fully erect, so she sucked me off again. As I grew hard, she put a condom on and entered her, but I couldn’t get the right angle and Erika needed to guide me inside. I was slightly worried at this point as it can be very frustrating for both the woman and myself when my dick is only partially erect.

I tried to get on top of her but I was feeling too sweaty in this position. We went back to the table and I stood up behind Erika in front the mirror – I should have used it sooner! It was great to see Erika’s magnificent breasts in front of me and the reflection of her serene face. Finally, I was fully hard.

We went back on the bed and moved her legs apart for doggy-style. I plunged into her and gave her several hard thrusts. The sound of her light orgasmic moans nearly made me cum but I stopped myself and moved her on to her back. I was able to get deeper this way and listened to Erika’s feminine cries of passion. Her legs are slim enough to be placed on my shoulders, as I was about to cum, I did something I normally never do.

The cum-shot in porn is usually directed on the face or chest, and I knew it had to be on Erika’s tits. Soon, I could feel my orgasm pulsing, so I flicked off the condom and let my cum flood out over her body. The cum shot across her right breast and the sounds of Erika’s surprise made me ECSTATIC. It was much more semen than I can normally produce in a solo session, which I put down to Erika’s skills and my overall horniness at being deprived of such a woman in my life.

The main part of our time was nearly over, but I wanted to experience a massage, and Erika gave me one (although she didn’t have any oil). I would have loved a happy ending, but I was in detumescence, so I let her continue the massage and returned the favour to her, which she very much enjoyed.

I asked her a little about her personal experiences of men and how long they normally last. Perhaps I could have asked if she enjoys it, but I didn’t venture this question.

A knock on the door sent Erika under the covers, but it was room service delivering a birthday dessert.

We shared the chocolate mousse together, and the conversation moved to her work and her general life. I was and still am intrigued to learn more about Erika and what drives her to do this work. I would also enjoy learning about her intimate desires and what she enjoys doing sexually. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Erika, her delightful personality and natural warmth makes her easy to love. We talked a little about her life and whether she can have a relationship. Like everyone, this is not easy to achieve, and much harder for an escort.  I am looking forward to getting to know Erika more – and on our next session I intend to do exactly that.

Date of booking: Friday, 9th July

Place: London Kensignotn Hilton.

*Erika’s price is £150 an hour. £200 for an outcall which included taxi fare. If you have an incall, you never know exactly what time the girl will be ready. There are pros and cons to both.

When you join the Hilton Honors program, you can save points which can be redeemed for future stays, it costs nothing and it won’t take long to move from a bronze to silver. I managed it in less than year.

Click the link to find out more.

https://tp.media/click?shmarker=415286&promo_id=4492&source_type=link&type=click&campaign_id=155&trs=214028

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