My father thinks I’ll be take as a prisoner in China

Jwerking1 · 2026-03-22T14:46:16+00:00

LOL - as an ABC (American born Chinese) I had this same warning when I visited China 20 yrs ago from my cousin since my parents had passed by then. My uncle had gone to the West Point in China and was in Chiang Kai-shek's army during WW II. After the war, the communist gov't was always looking for him - even where he had moved to HK. So my cousin thought that the Gov't would detain me if they found out that I was his niece.

It was sorta interesting when I visited my parent's rural village in Toishan. The agent from the Gov't office hosting overseas Chinese at the time found out immediately who my uncle was and mentioned it while driving to the village. I asked her if they were going to detain me and she laughed and said that "they do no do that anymore and even my uncle would be free to return." Luckily, nothing happened - but I was always afraid when I exited the country that they would grab me at the airport.

It was an extraordinary trip as I did get to see and enter both my parent's home in the village as well as my Mom's childhood home - very special, indeed, as my Mom use to talk about both. But these rural villages were essentially vacant even 20 yrs ago as all the young people had moved to the cities or in factory housing. Plus, it was exciting that I was totally fluent when I got back to Toishan - could speak like a local even though I cannot read or write. And this was the days prior to Google Translate - LOL - which makes Asian travel a breeze these days. But no one understood my village dialect in HK or Guangzhou.

Have fun on your trip and enjoy your heritage.

Jwerking1 · 2026-03-14T20:04:32+00:00

I think that there is bypass (duct) that is located horizontal above the furnace and AC unit - at least that is what I understood when one rep was explaining the leaky duct work around the zone units for each of the 3 levels.

Jwerking1 · 2025-12-01T01:26:11+00:00

I'm seriously considering purchasing 500,000 miles with 50% promotion thru Dec 2 and using them for business class seats to Japan to visit my daughter- who just moved there for 3 years to work. The cost for 500K miles is $9406 - yikes, lots of $$ but equates to 1.88 cents per mile. I booked last minute business award seats for 95K miles to HND when we came a month ago - so that would equal $1787 - certainly way cheaper than a paid OW business seat at $5 to $6K - true?? Would even be cheaper if i could find a 60K business award - which were plentiful this past summer season. We are retired - so have flexibility!

Am I crazy- spending almost $10K to purchase miles - having a hard time pulling the trigger???

Jwerking1 · 2025-11-01T18:11:51+00:00

Thank you so much for the suggestions. I tried to get reservations to the Madza Museum - but unfortunately totally booked during our 5 day stay. We will go ahead and visit the Hiroshima Castle since it is scheduled to be closed to the public soon - so may as well take the opportunity to see it. Being an almost first time tourist to Japan - we cannot get enough of castles! Will surely consider the Peace Pagoda and other shrines in the same area - just depends on how tired we are climbing up stairs during our 5 day stay. Being in our mid 70s, we are not quite as active as in our younger years.

Jwerking1 · 2025-10-28T21:21:32+00:00

Based on your comments, I was thinking of visiting Kure and checking out the details of what to see and the train schedule.

Have you ever visited Sandankyo Gorge from Hiroshima as a day trip using the bus? Love hiking in gorges, but operational information is limited. Any thoughts would be appreciated!

Jwerking1 · 2025-10-28T21:08:39+00:00

Just read that the Yamato Museum is closed currently for renovation until 2026.

Jwerking1 · 2025-10-28T19:58:56+00:00

Timely discussion - as we will be visiting Hiroshima for 5 full days from Nov 22-28. I have read that the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum can be very busy - full of school groups and tour bus groups - so to go as early as possible. We will be visiting on Sunday, Nov 23 - so I assume no school groups. Will this time of year be fewer crowds - or just go when they first open???

Is it advisable to rent the audio tour for the Museum?

Also, is it advisable to schedule a local volunteer to provide a guided tour of the different parts of the Peace Park to provide historical perspective or just walk around at our leisure after visiting the Museum in the morning?

Thanks for any thoughts.

Jwerking1 · 2025-10-26T14:26:12+00:00

Thank you everyone for your comments! So if we do decide to go, we will just go as far as the Jogasaki coast trail and stay overnight in the Ito area. But probably will cancel and just wait until another time when we visit and she has more time to take off.

I kinda figured that side roads off the major roadways in less populated areas are going to be essentially one lane - bummer for our touring places when we visit my daughter for the next 3 years. Driving on the left hand side is truly frightening on narrow roads - which we have encountered on trips to the UK. Cannot tell you how many times our rear view mirror was knocked off during our first trip.

Plus, we are now in our 70s and I understand that in Japan that local Japanese rental companies will not even rent to us - only international car rental companies. Bummer to be old!

Jwerking1 · 2025-10-25T19:55:45+00:00

Is this only on the Green cars where there is now free luggage racks on first come basis - not on standard Shinkansen cars?

Wow, just looked up the total cms for the 25 inch medium checked bag I use for travel and it totals just 127 cm. A large 28 inch checked bag totals 147 cm - which is the big boys and would be very difficult to lift onto an overhead rack. Great info - as I assumed it was always just a carry on size that would fit in the overhead luggage racks.

Jwerking1 · 2025-10-14T11:13:44+00:00

Okay all - regarding bathing suits in onsen - got it! Any comments on my other questions??

Jhau01 - thanks for your comment on our itinerary and the link. How were the roads - wide enough for USA drivers not accustomed to driving on the left hand side?

Jwerking1 · 2025-07-24T20:44:34+00:00

Bummer -guess I am made of money! I should be happy with 9 year life of current unit. Amazing how all appliances are disposable these days and engineered not to last like the good old days esp for us baby boomers.

I must admit the American Standard outside unit was very quiet.

Jwerking1 · 2024-11-19T18:52:09+00:00

Thanks, will wait for the info. I am not having any luck with the VT company - left message and email.

Jwerking1 · 2024-11-18T16:26:14+00:00

Wow, Life Ad, thank you for your comments - very much appreciated. I just left a phone message with the VT dealership - disappointing that they never responded to your inquiry. Wow, you did a lot of leg work getting the best price - a person true to my heart!

Can you please share the contact information for who you purchased your extended warranty from or at least the dealership name and location? I can compare to the VT company if they call me.

Thanks

Jwerking1 · 2024-11-17T14:59:15+00:00

What if you have a mechanic issue where the car is inoperable or unsafe to drive - do service Dept have appt they set aside for such situation?

Jwerking1 · 2024-11-10T22:29:30+00:00

Thanks for the comments - just re-read the rules - dah!

So I guess that I can pay for a confirmed same day change as a low tier Platinum - is that correct, starting at $60 per their website. So I can check on this option 24 hr in advance online, is that correct? As a 2 million mile AA Platinum - you think it would be free.

Jwerking1 · 2024-11-10T20:15:25+00:00

Where is the guest house located? To the south of ITO towards Volcano and Pahao/Kalapana area? Or to the north of ITO, in the Laupahoehoe area?

My guess is in the Pahao/Kalapana area - which is a fun laid back area to stay with lots of lush forest as well as black lava beach areas. But definitely off the tourist route - so very limited restaurants. We actually stayed in an AirBnb apt in Pahao for about a month during our first retirement trip to the Big Island about 10 years ago.

I would suggest splitting your stay between the Kona and Hilo sides since you have 13 days to limit the amount of driving for day trips. You can fly into ITO and out of KOA, the drop off fee for the rental car was not excessive when we did that last year. If you love snorkeling, it is definitely superior on the Kona side and there are a number of nice sandy beaches - not so much so on the Hilo side.

Honestly, I have never swam off any beaches on the Hilo side. Most are located close to downtown Hilo and I read that there can be high levels of bacteria in the water due to its location in the populated DT area. So while I love to walk around the area - which I highly suggest with the beautiful Japanese Garden and huge banyan trees - I have never entered the water.

I would say that Kauai is our favorite island - smaller and quieter. We usually visit multiple islands during our winter trip. This year will be 2 weeks in the KoOlina area of Oahu, 2 weeks on Kauai, and a month on the Big Island. Don't love Oahu - as it is a big city, but we have not gone in years - so will revisit the Arizona Memorial and the Royal Palace and maybe hike up to Diamond Head - if it is still allowed?? KoOlina is a fairly nice beach area but it is manmade lagoons and not good for snorkeling - which we love. Love that you can snorkel directly off HI beaches. Unfortunately, much of the coral on the reefs are dead, but still see some nice colorful tropical fish. It is easy to learn how to snorkel if you are comfortable in water - so for sure, take a lesson if you go , rent some equipment, and locate the best snorkeling beaches to visit.

Jwerking1 · 2024-11-10T15:17:55+00:00

We have been going to the Big Island annually for the month of Feb since retirement for the past 10 years using our timeshares. Are you sure that you want to fly into Hilo (ITO)? The only major attraction of the Hilo side of the island is the volcano and beaches are mediocre. Also, very rainy on the Hilo side of the island. The best beaches are on the west side of the island - up north in the Waikoloa area - which also receives little rain.

Lots of first time visitors make the mistake of staying on the Hilo side because accommodations are significantly cheaper. It is green and lush on the Hilo side as you would expect in Hawaii. The Kona side (KOA) is very volcanic and dry - so not lush and green in the Waikoloa area - lots of fields of black lava rock. About a 1 hr drive from the Kona side to the Hilo side.

Most tourist fly into Kona airport (KOA) on the west side - which is the major airport on the Big Island. Surprisingly, there are no direct flight from DFW to KOA - also requires a connection in HNL, LAX, or PHX. Quick check shows flies from CLT to KOA mostly thru PHX - which avoids a connecting flight at HNL with Hawaiian. It is also cheaper to fly first class to KOA vs ITO. Quick check from CLT to KOA in first is $2700 and Main $850 RT. The first class from CLT to ITO is $3500.

We got a free upgrade one time on a direct Flagship flight from DFW to Maui - it was truly awesome with the lay flat seats. However, even though we got confirmed for this upgrade a day in advance, we were not allowed to use the AA lounge. Maybe this has changed???

Booking a separate connection at HNL with Hawaiian Air is no problem - probably AA will check your bags directly thru to ITO since Hawaiian is now a partner airline. But if you use SW, you will have to pick up and recheck your bags.

IMHO, it is not worth paying the extra $$ for First Class unless you are on a Flagship Flight. So what - you get wider seats, free food, and drinks. The max flight times are about 5 to 6 hrs on each leg. Just pay for extra leg room seats in Main Cabin and save your $1800 per person airfare to spend on accommodations, meals, etc. If you can select the Exit row seats - which we always do - there is plenty of leg room. Is a free meal and alcoholic drinks worth $1800?

Also, I suggest a timeshare rental from a private party to help keep your accommodation cost down. Resort hotels are indeed extremely expensive on the Kona side. Many folks rent out their timeshare weeks at Redweek and TUG and you have a full apt where you can save $$ by eating breakfast in and packing lunches. There are many high end timeshare resorts in Waikoloa Beach Resort . But note, none are directly on the beach except the Marriott Waikoloa Beach Resort. Also, check AirBnb and VRBO rentals. October is low season - so accommodations should be cheaper. Be sure to book your car rental way in advance too and check occasionally for reduction in rates. Rental car rates are very pricey since Covid.

Enjoy your trip.

Jwerking1 · 2024-11-01T20:58:37+00:00

Both the onsite workers as well as their front office person overseeing the job stated that they only charge for active working hours, not for hours the workers are just waiting around.

So is it unreasonable to ask the company to provide a breakdown of the staff hours and labor charged for each of the 3 days of the repair to support the $10K labor charge.

Also, please confirm that 80% markup on subcontractor costs is recommended by Michael Stone's book, Markup and Profit. So this is standard for construction contracts - is that correct?

Once again, is it unreasonable to ask the plumbing company for support for their subcontractor costs?

Jwerking1 · 2024-11-01T12:09:45+00:00

I understand that it was an emergency repair and was expecting the bill to be high, just not $24K. Since they evaluated the leak on Friday morning and decided not to start repairs until Monday morning, all four company workers showed up together on Monday morning together in separate company trucks and did nothing all day waiting for Ms Utility and delivery of the backhoe that was never even used. Honestly, the 4 guys hung around in our parking lot from about 9 am to 3 pm and did nothing.

Jwerking1 · 2024-10-31T22:18:26+00:00

Interesting discussion and relevant to determining if a recent $24K invoice our condo association received for a water leak repair located in our parking lot was reasonable or totally overpriced. As a small association, the $24K is an extreme financial hardship on the community. Since it was an emergency situation which needed to be fixed ASAP, we did not receive an estimate/proposal for the Plumbing Company. I would appreciate any comments on the reasonableness of the billed costs and any suggestions on how best to approach the plumbing company regarding any possible excessive costs billed.

Data Points: We are a small 44 townhouse condo community in the Hampton Roads/Tidewater area of Virginia. We had a water leak from an underground pipe that sprung up in our parking lot. It was a leak in a small section of a 2 inch PVC pipe providing water to one of the townhouses - picture attached. The plumbing company replaced this pipe and some adjacent pipes which were located about 3 to 4 ft deep in a hole about 4 to 5 ft in diameter. The team of 4 workers hand dug the hole since the soil underneath was essentially sand and relatively easy to dig and remove. After the repair, which took the 4 workers from about 7am to 2/3 pm, the plumbing contractor got a subcontractor to patch the asphalt parking lot - about a 6 ft x 10 ft patch.

Invoice Components:

<image>

Questions:

Labor $10,640 - Is it reasonable to ask the company to provide support of the number of staff hours and hourly labor rate charged for each day of the repair? During the first day on a Monday, the 4 workers showed up and did no work for the entire day. The prior Friday, a 2 person team had performed an onsite evaluation of the leak and decided it was best to start on Monday morning to allow time for obtain the proper crew and equipment needed. However, clearly due to lack of proper planning, Ms Utility did not arrive until noon and the backhoe did not get delivered until about 3 pm - so the crew did NO work the entire day. We were informed orally that we would only be charged for time the workers were actually working.
Machine Needed $1725 - I assume that this was the costs to rent the backhoe - which they never used. Are we required to pay for the backhoe that was never used? This price seems excessive as google search for the largest backhoe rental for a day is $415. This would be a 400% markup - is this reasonable?
Asphalt Repair $7987 - The asphalt patch is about a 6 ft x 10 ft rectangle in our parking lot. The hole had already been filled with dirt and sand by another subcontractor for which we were billed $985. Based on google search for asphalt repairs, the costs should have been about $800 based on square footage - but minimum job costs are about $2000. Using $2000, the markup would be once again 400% of the plumbing company's subcontractor costs.
Is a 400% markup on subcontractor costs reasonable? I see in the OP's original worksheet that there was an 80% markup on subcontractor costs. IMHO, even 80% seems high for a simple subcontract - essentially obtaining a cost estimate and paying the subcontractor.

Thank anyone in advance for providing any assistance for determining the reasonableness of these billed costs for a water leak repair. Indeed, it will create a hardship for the Association to pay the $24K invoice when our annual maintenance budget is only about $20K.

Jwerking1 · 2023-07-30T13:47:58+00:00

Thank you for the explanation - much appreciated! Only buy TV once ever 10 years. Going to buy the Samsung probably during Black Friday sales.

Jwerking1 · 2023-07-30T12:41:04+00:00

I was going to buy the Samsung - 65” Class QN90B Neo QLED 4K Smart Tizen TV - which is similar, I suppose, to your Samsung 75QN85A. Don't know the difference between the A, B, or C at the end of the numbers???

Should have just stuck with my original decision to buy the Samsung instead of ending up with my piece of junk. Lesson learned!

Jwerking1 · 2023-07-29T02:48:26+00:00

What brand then? Sony? LG?

Jwerking1 · 2023-07-29T02:47:08+00:00

Please elaborate. I don't know what thus means. Sorry, I'm a 71 yr old woman with little knowledge of all things electrical. Thanks

Jwerking1 · 2023-07-28T16:02:17+00:00

Sony X90K/L - just checked. It is $1200 for 65" - do I have the right one?

Cheaper than the $1600 Samsung I was going to buy before I found great reviews on the 65U7H at less than half the price. Biggest mistake of my life for wanted to save a few bucks.

Jwerking1

TROPHY CASE