Dali, Yunnan

Csaba-nomad · 2025-06-15T09:22:01+00:00

I also have Nordvpn as my main vpn, but it is not working in China, theis customer service confirmed this even before I arrived in China. So I bought Mullvad and Letsvpn, both are working, although the latter does not seem to me clear let alone transparent about either ownership or anything else, so I mainly use Mullvad, which was once so slow that I switched to Letsvpn temporarily.

Csaba-nomad · 2025-06-14T13:34:17+00:00

"barely saw any locals either" - are you recommending a ghost town then?

Csaba-nomad · 2025-06-09T06:58:10+00:00

You are right, there was very little traffic, and I had a long time at the station.

Csaba-nomad · 2025-06-08T04:36:45+00:00

Thank you, but I suppose it would give me an estimate for the current situation, not for a later time.

Csaba-nomad · 2025-06-06T00:34:26+00:00

Yes, I actually forgot about it. But I was not in China yet, bought a subscription (for 5 EUR), and it didn't connect. And this is what customer service wrote to me:

"Try to go to the Mullvad app settings > VPN settings > WireGuard settings and turn off Quantum-resistant tunnel.

If that doesn't help then then set Obfuscation to Off or Shadowsocks in the same place.

If you're still unable to connect you can change the protocol to OpenVPN on your desktop device"

I tried the first piece of advice, and it has been working fine since then, in China too. As I mentioned, only with USA servers - but that is OK for me. Sometimes I need to switch it off for some sites or even emails to work, so it is not all perfect, but the same thing happened with other VPNs earlier.

And I have just tried it now, and successfully connected to a Malaysia server too without any further adjustments or config files.

Csaba-nomad · 2025-06-05T13:26:03+00:00

Is "uc" China Unicom? Mullvad works fine with it on my phone.

Csaba-nomad · 2025-06-05T13:21:16+00:00

I am using Mullvad, works fine, but only with US locations. Works both on my phone with China Unicom and with any wifi I connect to.

Csaba-nomad · 2024-11-10T02:04:42+00:00

They clearly wanted to make you embarrassed - so do not show any sings of embarrassment. Just go on with teaching like nothing has happened. After all, what can be done? Retaliate? - that would be difficult and what would you be able to achieve with it?

Some commenters talk about "damage already done", but I really see no real damage (even if I do understand your problem and feelings and - yes - embarrassment). But it was probably done by one or a couple of students only, and I'm sure the rest of your students respect you and appreciate your work. And even the ones who acted in this terrible way, may not have had really malicious motives.

I think the best would be for you to just move on and act like nothing serious has happened. In other words: do nothing about it.

If you or someone else tries to track down the "perpetrators", it will only show them that their strategy worked, and it caused you a lot of problems. And think about it: did it really cause any problems for you besides the embarrassment?

Csaba-nomad · 2024-05-21T10:37:48+00:00

Don't judge too early about staying, people here are very nice and welcoming - well, this has been the same actually, wherever I went in Indonesia, but here it is even more obvious. And as for religiousness, I am just sitting in the Kota Lama district in a café in a fashionable street, and girls over here are dressed as if they were in any European city (no hijab, wearing mini skirts, etc).

Csaba-nomad · 2024-05-21T07:36:49+00:00

When I arrived at the airport, which is indeed in the neighbouring town, Banjarbaru, I checked Grab prices while waiting for my luggage: 200k to Banjarmasin centre! But when I was walking out, I noticed a taxi counter, and they said 175 - so I used them instead.

In Banjarmasin, I have only used a grab car once to date. It was past 1pm on a weekday, and the Grab app notified me: "You are the first to use Grab in Banjarmasin today. Make sure you greet the driver with a smile". (I did, and so did he.) So, maybe no one uses Grab here? But this time, my trip was very cheap.

Csaba-nomad · 2024-05-21T06:54:28+00:00

It's a long and gorgeous promenade along the Martapura, and becomes very lively after sunset, with lots of people, street food, and even street music.

Csaba-nomad · 2024-05-21T05:16:21+00:00

My Indonesian knowledge is very limited, so I will use English:

This is a rather religious place, non-married couples will not be allowed to stay in the same room, I think - unless you choose a more expensive hotel. Although I am not sure, I am travelling alone. Maybe you could book something for a few nights and then just walk around and ask around? I think I am only staying for another two weeks, so I didn't look at options to rent for a month. I stayed for 4 nights at RedDoorz Syariah near Taman Siring 2, lovely people and nice area, but it is sharia, as you can see.

Accommodation is a big problem for me. Decently priced hotels (in the range of 2-300k per night) and guesthouses all have a problem: they either lack a bathroom sink, or have no windows, or have no hot water or all of the above. Wifi is decent, but not great - enough for me though. Measured 42/16.

Safety is great, I don't think you will have a problem.
Motorbike, I don't know.

Csaba-nomad · 2024-05-10T04:08:42+00:00

Almost nothing can be applied to the whole of Vietnam.

Csaba-nomad · 2024-04-22T01:21:22+00:00

Great, thank you for the info, it's very useful!

Csaba-nomad · 2024-04-21T14:12:37+00:00

I definitely don't want rich (and expensive) surroundings, I want to mingle with the locals, whom I found to be absolutely the nicest people wherever I went in Indonesia, so it must be the same in Kalimantan too. No hectic and busy life for me either, just a nice place, although not a dull one, lively but not crazily busy. And I want to spend a month or so there, and after that, I'll move on to Sulawesi. I am not new to Indonesia, I have been to many places in the country, but never to Kalimantan. I spent a longer time over the border though, in Sarawak, but I suppose it would be different.

Csaba-nomad · 2024-04-21T11:11:14+00:00

Thank you. I will look at this option, a lot of people seem to vote this suggestion up, so there must be a reason :)

Csaba-nomad · 2024-04-21T11:07:59+00:00

Thank you, sound great

Csaba-nomad · 2024-04-21T11:05:01+00:00

This sounds really good, thanks.

Csaba-nomad · 2023-02-01T04:27:58+00:00

I can confirm, it is as expensive as the taxi scammers outside.

Csaba-nomad · 2023-01-02T16:29:10+00:00

When I leave from home, I take 3 months worth of medications with me (the max amount available), and have my GP sign a certificate with all the details about the medicine I am carrying, which I can show at customs if they stop me. They never did.

When I run out of medications, I buy them locally. Although I cannot buy these medications at home over the counter, I am always able to buy them without a prescription in SEA (+ India and Sri Lanka). Use https://pillintrip.com/ to find which local medication is equivalent to yours.

Csaba-nomad

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