Savor every bit of your outing and get pampered with Manly accommodation
Your Sydney escapade will take you to Manly, which has grown to be an ultimate beach spot. Manly ensures that its guests find everything to have a wonderful stay out here. This trendy beach destination endows its travelers a wide range of luxury beach accommodation amid some exciting and adventurous seaside activities.
Manly accommodation comes down to travelers in varied range and entails budget accommodation and beachfront accommodation in reasonable pricing. Manly accommodation wraps all the activities and amenities like accommodation in Manly beach, adventure sports, leisure strolls, tours, wine and dining, conferencing, festivals and events and what not
Travelers from across the globe throng to avail the exciting Array of Manly accommodation that has turned the place into a hot spot. Accommodation in Manly beach gets further charming with stretched and miles long beaches and fair weather round the year. They have the best of beachfront hotel accommodations and services, so planning got to be chalked-out well before heading, to get the maximum out of here.
Manly beach accommodation and luxury holiday accommodation here simply cannot be expected to be secured by the last minutes toiling, as accommodation in manly beach gets enormous crowd. But then, a proper planning can fetch you the craved budget accommodation with loads of apartments at discount rates. Besides the budget accommodation, the Manly beach accommodation comprise of luxurious hotels, motels, amazing villas and resorts to make your stay a lifelong memorable experience.
Manly accommodation superbly meets the specific domestic and global tastes and lets its tourists enjoy the way they like things better. The beachfront accommodation catches the fancy of those who love space, luxury and peace. Beach villas are luxury holiday accommodation that delight travelers to no end.
Manly accommodation is fairly easy to be booked and getting its services goes the same way. Direct calling and internet booking get maximumly used for enjoying the Manly beach accommodation. Exclusive five hotels, easy on the pocket guesthouses, top-notch amenities and supreme prices are some of the traits you get with your Manly accommodation.
Besides the traveling, Manly offers lots of exciting prospects by presenting quite a few honeymoon resorts. Thus, it’s clear that every taste gets catered in a unique way through Manly accommodation and coming here to relish might well be a wonderful idea for anyone.
So, lets get ready to lay your hands on Manly accommodation to bring home a memory that will delight you forever.
Best of 2008: Vacation destinations
Choosing the best vacation destination of 2008 isn’t an easy task. For starters, everyone has very different views on what constitutes the ideal holiday. For some it will be sun and sand and the chance to relax whilst reading a good book, whilst for others it may be snowboarding off-piste or kayaking down dangerous rapids. Then, there’s the fact that some people are looking for a family-friendly holiday destination, whilst others may be looking for somewhere with a lively nightlife for singles.
On top of all this, a quick look at a travel agency’s holiday destination brochure, or at their websites, reveals a bewildering and bewitching Array of destinations that are available to the traveler. New holiday destinations are opening up all the time and cater for a wide range of tastes from sun seekers to adrenalin junkies. Our generation is incredibly lucky that we live in an era when world-wide travel has been made affordable to most households’ budgets and when it has become possible to broaden our horizons beyond the usual suspects.
Given the diversity of destinations and the types of holidays that people crave, it’s never going to be possible to reveal one utopian destination that will somehow meet everyone’s tastes. However, some of the destinations that I have been to in recent years, and would thoroughly recommend, include Iceland, Prague, Italy (including Venice) and Australia. Going back a bit further, I loved Vancouver Island, San Francisco and New Orleans. However, 2008 was a year when I holidayed in two places, Malta and Ireland, so I will limit selection process to a straight contest between these two wonderful European islands.
In Ireland, my wife and I visited family in West Cork and it is amongst my most favorite places in the world. It is very rural, with rugged landscapes, warm hospitality and the lure of the sea. The place that we visited (Union Hall / Glandore) is very popular with people who are into sailing and other water sports and attracts tourists from a surprising variety of countries. For people who like water sports or who like beautiful rural retreats, then West Cork is a joy. You can spend your time exploring the winding roads and hidden coves, picnic on a beach and then snuggle up in a traditional Irish pub in the evening. If you’re lucky there might even be some singing to finish the night! We also were treated to the regular appearance of some very playful seals down at the pier, who lay on their backs observing the tourists,
Welcome to Dubai!
Dubai is a modern city surrounded by beautiful beaches, desert landscape and rugged mountains. Frequently referred to as the “City of Gold,” Dubai is where Middle Eastern traditionalism meets Western glitz. It is noted for being a very safe, tolerant and friendly city and renowned for its beautiful beaches, modern architecture and cosmopolitan community.
Dubai is situated on the Persian Gulf coast of the United Arab Emirates, directly within the Arabian Desert. The city has no natural river bodies or oases, but does have a natural inlet, Dubai Creek, which has been dredged to make it deep enough for large vessels to pass through. Dubai is an important tourist destination and its port, Jebel Ali, constructed in the 1970s, has the largest man-made harbor in the world. Dubai is increasingly developing as a hub for service industries such as technology and finance.
Of the seven Emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates, Dubai has the largest population. Dubai’s population comprises mainly of expatriates, with UAE nationals constituting the minority. According to the UAE Ministry of Labor, more than one million residents of Dubai, or 83% of the population is foreign born. The majority of foreign nationals hail from India (51%), followed by Pakistan (16%). Dubai is home to some 100,000 Western Expats.
The official language of Dubuai is Arabic but English is widely spoken, especially in the business sector. Since most road and shop signs, restaurant menus, etc., are in both English and Arabic, one could live quite easily in this city without speaking Arabic. Persian, Malayalam, Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, and Tagalog also widely spoken.
Dubai has a desert climate with temperatures ranging from 50 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter to 118 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer. Rainfall is infrequent and UAE residents term the climate as “seven months in paradise and five more in an inferno.” The warm climate makes it acceptable to wear shorts and T-shirts however, as Dubai is a Muslim city, visitors should be aware of their attire: shoulders should be covered and women should avoid wearing tight-fitting clothing.
All visitors, except for nationals of the Arab Gulf Co-operation Council (AGCC), which includes visitors from Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and Saudi Arabia, will need to have a visa sponsored by a local entity such as a hotel or tour company. British citizens with the right of abode in the UK and expatriate residents of the AGCC of certain nationalities and professions may qualify for automatic 30 day visit visas on arrival, but regulations should be checked before traveling.
There are several items that should not be brought into the UAE including alcohol, pornography, ivory, drugs, walkie talkies, remote & cordless telephones, religious items (crosses, Buddhas, videos with biblical images), firearms, ammunition, draggers, knives, swords and spears.
The unit of currency is the UAE Dirham (Dh), and there are 100 fils in each Dirham. The Dirham is available in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1,000 notes and in 25 fils, 50 fils. For every day purchases, such as groceries, cash and credit cards are commonly used. Automatic teller machines (ATMs) are available around the clock.
The most popular neighborhoods for expats are areas such as Jumeirah, Umm Sequim, Emirates Lakes, Emirates Hills, Mirdiff for villas and Bur Dubai & Sheikh Zayed for apartments. Each of these areas is prized for its proximity to good schools and shopping. Most expats tend to rent, as until recently they were not allowed to own property in the UAE. However, beginning in the Summer 2002, this started changing. Today, many expatriate subdivisions (including the Dubai Marina, The Greens, The Meadows, Arabian Ranches, the Palm Project, etc.) are available with the option to buy.
For Expats renting a home in Dubai, their rent is usually paid by check. To open a bank account, a passport and visa (or application) will be needed. A work contract or No Objection Letter from a sponsor and a document that can identify one as a local resident, such as a utility bill or driver’s license, may suffice. Non-residents are not able to open bank accounts.
Due to the high expatriate population, the educational system in Dubai is extremely diverse. English is the most common teaching language. The majority of the British curriculum schools have waiting lists and availability of other schools will vary depending on the time of the year the student will be enrolling. Local schools generally have three terms: Autumn, which runs from mid-September to mid-December; Spring, which runs from early January to early April; and Summer, which runs from mid-April through early July.
For university education, many expatriates tend to send their children back to their home country or to Western countries. Even though Dubai has plans to increase more accredited colleges, they continue to send 90% of all potential secondary school students to India for a stronger technological education. A sizable number of foreign accredited universities have been set up in the city over the last ten years. More and more ‘A’ level and International Baccalaurate education institutions are being establishing in the region.
Driving is the most popular mode of transport in Dubai, where people drive on the right hand side of the road. Valid license holders from certain countries will be able to “swap” their licenses for a Dubai one. These countries are: Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom and United States.
Anyone holding a license from a country not listed above will have to take a local driving test.
It is mandatory for front seat passengers to wear seatbelts in cars and it is illegal for children under the age of 10 to sit in the front seat. Taxis are plentiful and neighborhood buses are available but most people prefer to drive. If it’s convenient, the abra, a water taxi that crosses Dubai Creek, is another option. There are also buses that provide transportation to many destinations including outside Dubai and throughout the Emirates.
Stores in Dubai are generally open for longer hours than in other countries. Many are open from 10:00am to 10:00pm, with the exception of Fridays when they may be open from 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm. Some of the smaller shops keep to the old tradition of closing for a siesta from 1:00pm to 4:00pm. Dubai has international food companies, white goods stores and pharmacies, all selling a wide variety of items at competitive prices. There are retail outlets to suit most shapes, sizes and budgets. There are also many local tailors who will make virtually anything at a reasonable cost.
For the children, Dubai is comparable to many large towns throughout Europe or North America with a wide range of activities tailored especially for the youngsters. Some of the more popular kid-friendly attractions in the area are softball parks, Wild Wadi Water Park, Dubai Zoo, Cyber Games Park, Children’s City, Wonderland Theme Park and Magic Planet. There are many activities available both during weekends and after school, ranging from sports to arts. One important thing to remember is that the hot sun of Dubai can be very dangerous for young children. It is essential that they drink plenty of water and use sun block.
Like most major cities, Dubai’s malls are a very popular gathering place for teenagers. To help teenagers learn more about the culture and local customs, a good source of information is the Sheikh Mohammed Center for Cultural understanding. This organization hosts an Array of opportunities such as Mosque visits with explanations, and “Question & Answer” sessions.
Dubia has a impressive nightlife, a variety of sports and beach clubs, etc., where singles and married couples and families can easily meet others who share their interests. Most Dubai residents have at one point been new to the city. This being the case, Emiratis are eager to welcome newcomers and are well known for being welcoming, hospitable, tolerant and friendly.
Written by:
Chris Draeger, Group Vice President, Crown Relocations
Crown Relocations has been providing international moving and relocation services since 1965. With 200 offices in 50 countries, Crown has “people on the ground” in all the major Expat communities around the world. Crown provides a range of services to help Expats and their families move and settle into their new home ranging from Orientation Tours, Home finding, School Search and more. Crown also organizes Expat Clubs with regular events to help people meet and socialize with other Expats.
We also serve corporate clients as they develop and manage the relocation policies and employee benefit programs for the staff moving overseas. Services include expense management, program development, policy counseling, customized online reporting and full departure and destination services for the employees.
Crown is a private organization headquartered in Hong Kong, with European HQ in London and Americas HQ in Los Angeles California.
Crown provides free moving quotations on its website at http://www.crownrelo.com
One-on-one Ccie R&s 18-day Combo Training (c-rs-18d)
This package is designed for CCIE Routing and Switching Training exam candidates who would like to strengthen their weakness areas by studying on customized scenarios as well as obtain in-depth understand on the full-scale labs which highly reflect the actual CCIE R&S Training exam.
You will study with your instructor one-on-one during the training. Our highly skilled instructors will step-by-step show you the best way to configure each scenario and full-scale lab.
Before you finish this course, you will be provided a full set of our full-scale lab materials which highly reflect the most current lab exam. The materials contain CCIE Training questions, requirements and solutions, which can be comfortably studied and practiced during the gap between your course finishing date and the lab exam date.
Location: Guangzhou, China
Price: $9,800.00 USD
What is included:
18 days’ One-on-one classroom study
Day 1 ~ Day 4:
Complete several advanced, technology-focused scenarios accompanied by your personal CCIE instructors. These scenarios cover most lab exam content and are especially focused on your weakness areas. In addition, a detailed explanation will be provided about the technologies covered, interpretations of the questions, and common mistakes that students have made with relation to each topic.
Day 5 ~ Day 11:
Complete all the full-scale labs step-by-step together with your instructor. You will be given the best solution and detailed explanation on each lab question. Also, your instructor will show you how to avoid the easily made mistakes based on the testing experience of hundreds of our previous students.
Day 12 ~ Day 18:
You are required to go over and complete all the labs once again by yourself. Your instructor will sit next to you and provide assistance only when necessary. At the end of each date, he/she will grade and correct your configurations and summarize your daily works and give you helpful suggestions on your future exam preparations.
1 month after class support (could be upgraded to 3 months)
On the last date of your course, you will be provided with the study materials which contain the most updated full-scale labs which have not been practiced during the course. These materials reflect the latest update of the real lab exam and come with complete solutions.
Along with this, we will update your study materials free of charge and provide email support (48 hours response guarantee) for 1 month. Not enough? You can buy our “Material update and technical support extension service (E-MUTS)” at an affordable price. For detailed information, please check with your training advisor.
FREE 100 hours remote rack access
After the course, you will be provided FREE 100 hours remote access time so that you can practice the labs by connecting to our rack. Simply drop an email to rackschedule@cathayschool.com to reserve your rack and we will make necessary arrangement.
Location
This boot camp is held in Guangzhou, which is the biggest and the most developed city in South China. Learn more about Guangzhou…
Traval & Transportation
It is very convenient to travel to Guangzhou.
You can either fly into Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN) or Hong Kong International Airport (HKG). There are direct flights from the following major cities to Guangzhou every week: Europe: Frankfurt, Helsinki, Paris North America: Los Angles, San Francisco, New York, Toronto Australia: Sydney, Melbourne Asia: Tokyo, Seoul, Dubai, Singapore
Also, there are over a hundred international flights to Hong Kong. You can fly to Hong Kong first and then transfer to Guangzhou by train (duration: 2 hours and the expense is covered by CathaySchool).
Our friendly staff will meet you at the airport or train station when you arrive and then transfer you to the hotel. This is free of charge.
Hotels
Students will be accommodated at the 4-star luxury hotel (President Hotel or same grade hotel), which is across the road from our training center. Each hotel room has king-size bed, air condition, internet access (free of charge), tub, flat screen television, 24-hour room service and more. You also have the option to upgrade to a 5-star hotel (Royal Mediterranean Hotel, The Westin Guangzhou or Shangri-La Hotel GuangZhou). All these hotels are within 10 minutes driving distance from the school.
Meals
All meals are included.
Breakfast is provided in the hotel restaurant. For lunch and dinner, you will receive cash to be used at the wide variety of sit-down restaurants, cafes and buffets. MacDonald, KFC, PizzaHut and StarBuck are all within walking distance.
Drinks and snacks through out the date are also included.
After class activites
You will never feel boring in Guangzhou. After class, we can arrange the following activities at a reasonable cost:
Culture tour, Shopping tour, Zoo, Fun park, Hot springs, Disco bar, Show bar, B.Y.O party, Chinese traditional massage, etc.
You can choose all these options when you are signing up with us.
Advanced Upgrade Package
Training PLUS:
6 hours (per day) one-on- one guaranteed
Two month after training support (Materials update + Email support by instructor)
Accommodation & Meals PLUS:
Hotel accommodation (5 stars premium room)
Lunch and Dinner standard – 150 RMB / per day
Free unlimited laundry service
Unlimited access to the gym in the hotel
Add-on Service (complimentary) PLUS:
Chinese traditional massage/spa at one of the biggest spa in Asia (1 time)
A big entertainment show, including Chinese dancing, magic show and acrobatics (3 hours)
Car hire with driver (4 hours)
Price: $3,250.00 USD
Deluxe Upgrade Package
Training PLUS:
8 hours (per day) one-on- one guaranteed
Three month after training support (Materials update + Email support by instructor)
Accommodation & Meals PLUS:
Hotel accommodation (5 stars executive room)
Lunch and Dinner standard – 200 RMB / per day
Free unlimited laundry service
Unlimited access to the gym in the hotel
Add-on Service (complimentary) PLUS:
Airport pick up and drop off by Mercedes-Benz
Chinese traditional massage/spa at one of the biggest spa in Asia (2 times)
A big entertainment show, including Chinese dancing, magic show and acrobatics (3 hours)
Car hire with driver (8 hours)
Price: $6,500.00 USD
I. Bridging and Switching
A. Frame relay
B. Catalyst configuration: VLANs, VTP, STP, MSTP, RSTP, Trunk, Etherchannel, management, features, advanced configuration, Layer 3
C. Tunneling
II. IP IGP Routing
A. OSPF
B. EIGRP
C. RIPv2
D. IPv6: Addressing, RIPng, OSPFv3
E. GRE
F. ODR
G. Filtering, redistribution, summarization and other advanced features
III. BGP
A. IBGP
B. EBGP
C. Filtering, redistribution, summarization, synchronization, attributes and other advanced features
IV. IP and IOS Features
A. IP addressing
B. DHCP
C. HSRP
D. IP services
E. IOS user interfaces
F. System management
G. NAT
H. NTP
I. SNMP
J. RMON
K. Accounting
L. SLA
V. IP Multicast
A. PIM-SM, bi-directional PIM
B. MSDP
C. Multicast tools, source specific multicast
D. DVMRP
E. Anycast
VI. QoS
A. Quality of service solutions
B. Classification
C. Congestion management, congestion avoidance
D. Policing and shaping
E. Signaling
F. Link efficiency mechanisms
G. Modular QoS command line
VII. Security
A. AAA
B. Security server protocols
C. Traffic filtering and firewalls
D. Access lists
E. Routing protocols security, catalyst security
F. CBAC
G. Other security features
R&S Equipment List: and IOS Version:
The lab exam tests any feature that can be configured on the equipment and the IOS versions indicated below. You may see more recent IOS versions installed in the lab, but you will not be tested on the new features of a release unless indicated below.
· 3725 series routers – IOS 12.4 mainline – Advanced Enterprise Services
· 3825 series routers – IOS 12.4 mainline – Advanced Enterprise Services
· Catalyst 3550 series switches running IOS version 12.2 – IP Services
· Catalyst 3560 Series switches running IOS version 12.2 – Advanced IP Services
Our one-on-one CCIE boot camp produces the No.1 one time passing rate in the industry. In the last 3 years, 90% of our international students pass the lab exam at the first attempt. At CathaySchool, We help you secure your investment by providing each student the unbeatable and practical triple insurance:
First guarantee – What happen if I am not satisfied with your training?
Each student has 2 days to evaluate our course. If you find our boot camp is not the one which will definitely help you pass your lab exam at first attempt, simply notify your instructor before the 3rd day to withdraw from the course and get your money back.
* For more information, please refer to our course cancellation policy.
Second guarantee – What happen if I failed the lab exam at the 1st attempt?
You will be provided an extended 2 months material update (including the lab questions, requirements and solutions), 2 months technical email support (guarantee 48 hours response) and 150 hours rack access time.
Third guarantee – What happened if I fail the lab exam again?
Come back and re-attend our one-on-one course again. This is free of charge, including 4-star hotel accommodation and meals (this definitely beats all our competitors again!!!). At CathaySchool, we believe that there is no reason to have students pay for anything when they need to re-take the course.
We want you to pass… so we are committed more than others
Comparing training vendors? Nobody is committed to your success like CathaySchool. Ask the other companies…
· Do they have a similar pass guarantee program?
· How long are you covered by it?
· When you retake their class, do you get full access to a dedicated rack of equipment again?
· Are the materials updates offered at no charge?
· Do you have to pay for your meals, hotel and rack access when you re-take the course?
· Do they provide one-on-one training?
1. We accept bank wire transfer, Western Union and major credit cards (1) .
2. To make a reservation, you are required to send a $1,000 USD deposit (2) (3).
3. The balance needs to be paid in full one week before your course starting date (4).
(1) Credit card payment will incur a surcharge of 8%.
(2) Deposit amount may be subject to change without notice.
(3) Your deposit is refundable. Cancel the course 60 days prior to the starting date will receive 100% of your deposit; A $500 administration fee will apply if you cancel the course within 30 – 59 days before the course starting date; Deposit is non-refundable if you cancel the course within 30 days before the course starting date.
(4) Balance is preferred to be paid by bank wire transfer. For credit card payment, you will need to afford 8% processing fee and provide scanned copies of both sides of your credit card when you arrive China.
Early bird - Save 5% by registering and funding full payment 30 days ahead.
Multi-student - Save 10% for 2 participants; 15% for 3 participants.
Group training - For four or more participants, please contact us for a substantial discount..
* Only one discount is allowed at a time.
Top 5 City Winter Getaways
Many people suffer from what is commonly called the winter blues. The sunshine and general carefree attitude of society in the summer makes the individual feel light hearted and seems to lift the weight of the world of their shoulders. However, despite the cold chilly weather there are many locations worldwide that could rejuvenate you and lift your spirits to summer heights. Here are the top 10 locations during winter:
1. Sydney – Winter in Sydney is similar to summer periods in colder countries so that temperature is note exactly that cold. Sydney is a beautiful city, with excellent shopping facilities, but even better restaurants and outdoor activities. You can climb the Harbour Bridge, visit the Opera House or enjoy the beach, all in the sunshine and heat of winter! That is why a stay at the Four Points By Sheraton at Darling Harbour can brighten up your winter!
2. Miami – Miami is in a class of its own as far as a vacation destination goes. As it is located in the American South, it is warm all year round, despite having its fair share of rain. The atmosphere is laid back and relaxed, and there are plenty of attractions including Miami Metrozoo and Bayside Marketplace for the extreme shoppers. Staying at a hotel with great facilities, A recommended hotel in Miami would be the San Juan Hotel.
3. Phuket – Although Phuket is now extremely popular with holidaymakers; it is also the perfect destination for a winter break. The weather is beautiful, and the natural environement like the Phi Phi Islands, Phang Nga Bay and Kata Beach are all must visits when touring Phuket. The Allamanda Laguna in Phuket is one of the most luxurious hotels in Thailand and should be one of the first hotels on your list.
4. Montreal – Although Montreal is cold in the winter, its beauty is immense at that time of year. Outdoor ice-skating is extremely fun, as is exploring the historical buildings in the city like the Notre-Dame Basilica. The snow just adds to the atmosphere there. The Days Inn has the perfect location for a base in the downtown area of the city. It is close to everything you would ever want to see and should be considered as accommodation.
5. Dubai – Dubai is generally too hot for Westerners in the summer, but is definitely worth visiting in the winter when it is cooler. The culture is amazing in the city and must be explored via the markets, shops and historical buildings in the centre. You can even hire a boat and sail for a while around the marina. Dubai caters for the tourist trade and looks after its guests well, as is demonstrated by the hospitality. The Ascot Hotel is one of the best in the world for customer service.
A winter break seems to be becoming more popular as the years go by. Winter can be depressing if the sky is grey and your mood begins to mimic the weather. A break can lift your spirits, and these diverse but cultural places can help to give you a new lease of life!
One on one Ccie Sp 12 day Selective Training C sp 12d
This 12 day training course is designed for CCIE Service Provider Bootcamp exam candidates who have some confidence to pass the lab exam but are lacking in, or are desiring; some real testing experience. This course helps you become familiar with each lab question and its solution. This training is also good for the CCIE Service Provider lab exam candidates who have failed the lab exam more than once. Our statistics show that over 95% of them will pass the lab exam after they finish this course. http://www.cathayschool.com/
You will study with your instructor one-on-one during the duration of training. Step by step, our highly skilled instructors will show you the best way to configure each full-scale lab and strengthen your weaknesses as they are identified.
Before you finish this course, you will be provided a full set of our full-scale lab materials which are almost identical to the most current lab exam. The materials contain CCIE Service Provider Boot Camp questions, and requirements and solutions, which can be comfortably studied and practiced during the period between your course finishing date and the lab exam date.
Schedule of events:
Student instruction is conducted privately with one-on-one tuition, so you have the freedom to begin from almost any date of the year.
Location: Guangzhou, China
Price: $9,000.00 USD
What is included:
12 days’ one-on-one classroom study
Day 1 ~ Day 6:
During the first 6 days you will be required to complete all the full-scale labs, step-by-step, together with your instructor. You will be given the best solutions and detailed explanations on each lab question. Also, your instructor will show you how to avoid some common errors based on the testing experience of hundreds of our previous students.
Day 7 ~ Day 12:
During the remaining days of your training you will be required to go over, and complete all the labs once again by yourself. Your instructor will sit next to you and provide assistance only when necessary. At the end of each day, he or she will grade and correct your configurations and summarize your daily work – giving you helpful suggestions for future exam preparations.
1 month after class support (could be upgraded to 3 months)
On the last date of your course, you will be provided with the study materials which contain the most updated full-scale labs which have not been practiced during the course. These materials reflect the latest update of the real lab exam and come with complete solutions.
Along with this, we will update your study materials free of charge and provide email support (48 hour response guarantee) for 1 month. Not enough? You can buy our Material update and technical support extension service (E-MUTS) at an affordable price. For detailed information, please check with your training advisor.
FREE 100 hours remote rack access
After the course, you will be provided FREE 100 hours remote access time so that you can practice the labs by connecting to our rack. Simply drop an email to rackschedule@cathayschool.com to reserve your rack and we will make necessary arrangement.
Location
This boot camp is held in Guangzhou, which is the biggest，and most developed city in southern China.
Traval & Transportation
It is very convenient to travel to Guangzhou.
You can either fly into Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN) or Hong Kong International Airport (HKG). There are direct flights from the following major cities to Guangzhou every week: Europe: Frankfurt, Helsinki, Paris North America: Los Angles, San Francisco, New York, Toronto Australia: Sydney, Melbourne Asia: Tokyo, Seoul, Dubai, Singapore
Also, there are over a hundred international flights to Hong Kong. You can fly to Hong Kong first and then transfer to Guangzhou by train (duration: 2 hours and the expense is covered by CathaySchool).
Our friendly staff will meet you at the airport or train station when you arrive and then transfer you to the hotel. This is free of charge.
Hotels
Students will be accommodated at a 4-star luxury hotel (the President Hotel or another of equal standard), which is located across the road from our training center. Each hotel room is fitted with a king-size bed, air conditioning, internet access (free of charge), western style bathroom, flat screen television, 24-hour room service and more. You also have the option to upgrade to a 5-star hotel (Royal Mediterranean Hotel, The Westin Guangzhou or Shangri-La Hotel GuangZhou). All these hotels are within 10 minutes driving distance from the school.
Meals
All meals are included.
Breakfast is provided in the hotel restaurant. For lunch and dinner, you will receive cash to be used at the wide variety of sit-down restaurants, cafes and buffets. MacDonald, KFC, PizzaHut and StarBucks are all within walking distance.
Drinks and snacks through out the training are also included.
After class activites
You will never feel bored in Guangzhou. After class, we can arrange the following activities at a reasonable cost:
Culture tour, Shopping tour, Zoo, Fun park, Hot springs, Disco bar, Show bar, B.Y.O party, Chinese traditional massage, etc.
You can choose all these options when you are signing up with us.
Advanced Upgrade Package
Training PLUS:
6 hours (per day) one-on- one guaranteed
Two months after training support (Materials update + Email support by instructor)
Accommodation & Meals PLUS:
Hotel accommodation (5 stars premium room)
Lunch and Dinner standard – 150 RMB / per day
Free unlimited laundry service
Unlimited access to the gym in the hotel
Add-on Service (complimentary) PLUS:
Chinese traditional massage/spa at one of the biggest spas in Asia (1 time)
A big entertainment show, including Chinese dancing, magic show and acrobatics (3 hours)
Car hire with driver (4 hours)
Price: $2,700.00 USD
Deluxe Upgrade Package
Training PLUS:
8 hours (per day) one-on- one guaranteed
Three month after training support (Materials update + Email support by instructor)
Accommodation & Meals PLUS:
Hotel accommodation (5 stars executive room)
Lunch and Dinner standard – 200 RMB / per day
Free unlimited laundry service
Unlimited access to the gym in the hotel
Add-on Service (complimentary) PLUS:
Airport pick up and drop off by Mercedes-Benz
Chinese traditional massage/spa at one of the biggest spa in Asia (2 times)
A big entertainment show, including Chinese dancing, magic show and acrobatics (3 hours)
Car hire with driver (8 hours)
ice: $5,200.00 USD
I. Bridging and Switching
A. Frame relay
B. Catalyst configuration: VLANs, VTP, STP, MSTP, RSTP, Trunk, Etherchannel, management, features, advanced configuration, Layer 3
C. Tunneling
II. IP IGP Routing
A. OSPF
B. EIGRP
C. RIPv2
D. IPv6: Addressing, RIPng, OSPFv3
E. GRE
F. ODR
G. Filtering, redistribution, summarization and other advanced features
III. BGP
A. IBGP
B. EBGP
C. Filtering, redistribution, summarization, synchronization, attributes and other advanced features
IV. IP and IOS Features
A. IP addressing
B. DHCP
C. HSRP
D. IP services
E. IOS user interfaces
F. System management
G. NAT
H. NTP
I. SNMP
J. RMON
K. Accounting
L. SLA
V. IP Multicast
A. PIM-SM, bi-directional PIM
B. MSDP
C. Multicast tools, source specific multicast
D. DVMRP
E. Anycast
VI. QoS
A. Quality of service solutions
B. Classification
C. Congestion management, congestion avoidance
D. Policing and shaping
E. Signaling
F. Link efficiency mechanisms
G. Modular QoS command line
VII. Security
A. AAA
B. Security server protocols
C. Traffic filtering and firewalls
D. Access lists
E. Routing protocols security, catalyst security
F. CBAC
G. Other security features
R&S Equipment List: and IOS Version:
The lab exam tests any feature that can be configured on the equipment and the IOS versions indicated below. You may see more recent IOS versions installed in the lab, but you will not be tested on the new features of a release unless indicated below.
3725 series routers – IOS 12.4 mainline – Advanced Enterprise Services
3825 series routers – IOS 12.4 mainline – Advanced Enterprise Services
Catalyst 3550 series switches running IOS version 12.2 – IP Services
Catalyst 3560 Series switches running IOS version 12.2 – Advanced IP Services
Our one-on-one CCIE boot camp produces a No.1 one time passing rate in the industry. In the last 3 years, 90% of our international students pass the lab exam at the first attempt. At CathaySchool, We help you secure your investment by providing each student with the following unbeatable and practical triple insurance:
First guarantee – What happens if I am not satisfied with your training?
Each student has 2 days to evaluate our course. If you find after 2 days that you dont believe our boot camp will definitely help you pass your lab exam at first attempt, simply notify your instructor before the 3rd day to withdraw from the course and get your money back.
* For more information, please refer to our course cancellation policy.
Second guarantee – What happens if I failed the lab exam at the 1st attempt?
You will be provided an extended 2 months material update (including the lab questions, requirements and solutions), 2 months technical email support (guarantee 48 hours response) and 150 hours rack access time.
Third guarantee – What happens if I fail the lab exam again?
Come back and re-attend our one-on-one course again. This is free of charge, including 4-star hotel accommodation and meals (this definitely beats all our competitors again!!!). At CathaySchool, we believe that there is no reason to have students pay for anything when they need to re-take the course.
We are dedicated to helping you pass… so we are committed more than others.
Comparing training vendors? Nobody is committed to your success like CathaySchool. Ask the other companies…..
Do they have a similar pass guarantee program?
How long are you covered by it?
When you retake their class, do you get full access to a dedicated rack of equipment again?
Are the material updates offered at no charge?
Do you have to pay for your meals, hotel and rack access when you re-take the course?
Do they provide one-on-one training?
1. We accept bank wire transfer, Western Union and major credit cards(1) .
2. To make a reservation, you are required to send a $1,000 USD deposit (2) (3).
3. The balance needs to be paid in full one week before your course starting date (4).
(1) Credit card payment will incur a surcharge of 8%.
(2) Deposit amount may be subject to change without notice.
(3) Your deposit is refundable. Cancel the course 60 days prior to the starting date will receive 100% of your deposit; A $500 administration fee will apply if you cancel the course within 30 – 59 days before the course starting date; Deposit is non-refundable if you cancel the course within 30 days before the course starting date. (4) Preferred method of payment is bank wire transfer. For credit card payment, 8% processing fee and all necessary proof as required by card processing company on request – which will include scanned copies of both sides of your credit card, passport photo page and hotel bill with signature.
Early bird – Save 5% by registering and funding full payment 30 days ahead.
Multi-student – Save 10% for 2 participants; 15% for 3 participants.
Group training – For four or more participants, please contact us for a substantial discount..
* Only one discount per account is accepted.
If You Build It, They Will Come…not!
About twice a week now I am contacted by a hotel General Manager or Marketing Director who has seen some of the recent research figures for hotel internet revenues that says something like “In 2005 hotel revenues from the internet were 25.0% of all hotel room revenues…”.
The conversation very quickly gets to “I’ve just checked my on-line revenues and they are nowhere near that. What can we do?”
Naturally, the first thing I do is look at their web site. Some are visually stunning, especially on a high speed connection…beautiful “flash” movies (loading, loading, loading), navigation buttons that do pirouettes, music…and usually a mega investment has been made (please give me the name of that sales person, I have some sand that I would like them to sell for me in the Middle East)…and barely an extra room night to show for it.
Why? Because the site turns up on page 17 on Google, Yahoo! or MSN when you search for a suitable keyword or phrase (usually “destination + hotel” eg “Sydney hotel” is the most popular search term in most cities).
70-80% of online activity is people searching for something…all those lost souls who are eager to buy your hotel rooms, if only they could find you…in fact in one recent case, when I was searching for the prospective client’s hotel by it’s very own name their web site turned up way back on page 8 of Google. You and I both know that when we search, if it ain’t on pages 1 or 2 or at a pinch page 3, we’re just not going to look further…and neither does anyone else.
If you retain nothing more from my article please remember this: search engines are blind to images (and deaf if you play music on your site) and especially can’t see “flash” movie files or the text in those fancy navigation buttons (these are images too)…a search engine is a code and text driven binary agent that reads written instructions and words…so without the right code in the “back” of your site and the right text and density of keywords on the “front” pages of your site…you just won’t turn up in the first few pages of search results.
Don’t get me wrong…there IS a place for great visuals and dynamic, inspiring content AFTER you have got them to your site. The overuse and abuse of these dynamic elements is indeed a hurdle to your search engine results, but once the user has arrived, then you need some “bells and whistles” to convert them into a sale (more about conversion in one of my next articles).
Some web sites I see, even for premium properties, are just dogs that were last updated in 2003 (because every time they want a change their designer charges like a wounded bull); and lots of others are in-between but because the sites are not actively managed, they still don’t turn up in the first few pages.
Believe the research data! With 25% of revenues arriving via online channels and a further 25% being influenced by their online experience but booking via another channel, you just have to get your head into this space. Can you imagine what would happen if you ignored your convention market or stopped dealing with the travel industry…as a first step, at least sign up to my weekly “best of the best” e-mail (www.hotelmarketingworkshop.com/register/), so you can start to develop your knowledgebase in this vital area.
Over the next couple of articles I’ll address some of the other questions that I usually ask such as: what e-mail marketing they are doing and how, have they investigated the Pay-per-click options at Google Adwords, Yahoo! Search Marketing or MSN (coming soon) or how easy is it to book on their site. I’ll also touch on conversion but let’s focus in the short term on driving traffic to your site.
So, what can you do? Invest in the Search Engine Optimisation of you site… the art and science of maximising a web site’s ranking in the “natural” Search Engine Results for a key phrase. There is a lot to understand but if you visit our web site you will find some very useful tips and specific things that you can do to optimise your hotel web site…or of course you could give me a call or send me an e-mail and I would be more than happy walk you through the basic principles.
And you know what? I never get calls from hotels that have a smart, well designed but not too “tizzy” site. One that is edited in-house utilising a user-friendly Content Management System. Sites where you can easily navigate around without needing a helmet lamp and pick, that have fresh, recent content and special value-added packages; where you can actually book in real-time through a secure connection and get an instant confirmation. And when you need to make an online enquiry, it is easy and doesn’t ask for my shoe size and twenty other compulsory fields before begrudgingly sending off the data, only for it to take two days for someone to respond…
These sites already turn up in the first few pages, offer a great user experience and these hotels actively manage their online presence…they are well on their way to achieving and exceeding those 25.0% of revenues online that the research people are telling us…and, pardon the shameful plug but, quite a few of them are our clients!
Unique Sydney: The Delights of Darling Harbour
No visit to Sydney is complete without a visit to Darling Harbour. Not only does it offer a grand range of facilities for shopping, dining and things for the kids to do, it’s also the place to go to truly experience Sydney’s aquatic heritage.
Darling Harbour is conveniently located southeast of Circular Quay. You can get there on foot or by monorail but for the full experience, you should arrive by boat. After all, you’re here to explore Sydney’s seafaring past. You can choose a number of ferries and water taxis which dock at its piers and jetties.
First, head for the Australian National Maritime Museum at the northern edge of the Darling Harbour waterfront. The museum includes both in- and outdoor attractions including a wonderful replica of James Cook’s HMB Endeavour. You can clamber aboard the destroyer HMAS Vampire and the submarine HMAS Onslow to get a real feel for maritime life. You can also explore traditional Aboriginal craft and examine the world’s fastest boat – the Spirit of Australia.
Other highlights include a Vietnamese refugee boat that survived the voyage to Australia and a pearling lugger from the north-western pearling town of Broome.
Among the display are ships’ logs, hands-on exhibits, a cinema and computer games. Daily free guided tours are provided in the galleries.
The museum also features the Yots Cafe Bar offering food and local wines and a store hawking maritime books, souvenirs, games and toys.
For your next insight into aquatic Sydney, visit Sydney Aquarium. It’s one of the world’s largest aquariums with over 5000 varieties of local fish exhibited in their natural environments. Altogether, the aquarium houses 11000 water-related creatures including reptiles and mammals including penguins and crocodiles from Australia’s seas and inland waterways.
One unique experience here is the “walk on the ocean floor”. This features underwater tunnels allowing a close up view of giant rays, gray nurse sharks and seals.
There’s also a section devoted to the Great Barrier Reef with countless fish swarming around coral outcrops.
Sydney Aquarium is open 9.30am-9pm daily. The weekend can get very crowded.
Next, it’s pleasant to walk along the foreshore of Cockle Bay which was the original name given to Darling Harbour by the early settlers owing to the fertile shellfish found there. It was later the port of arrival for fresh produce and timber from Parramatta and the north coast. The area later became an industrial zone with port and railway yard. After decades of prosperity, Darling Harbour declined and was revamped for the Sydney Bicentennial celebrations in 1988.
Stop for refreshments at the Cockle Wharf restaurant and cafe complex and perhaps round off your day at Darling Harbour with an evening cruise. You may see the great container shops nosing their way into port.
A visit to Darling Harbour is convenient and fun. A day out here offers wonderful glimpse of Sydney’s maritime past and how important the harbour is to this city. If you’re tempted to stay, you’ll find a wide Array of Darling Harbour hotels and guests houses to suit every mood and pocket.
Why Study in Australia?
Australia is one of the best study abroad destinations places in the world with Australian educational institutions enjoying a very strong reputation for excellence in the international marketplace and a highly innovative policy plan for the sector. You can enjoy the beauty of the Australian beaches, forests and outback whilst you earn your degree. The cost of living is very affordable and yet Australia has a standard of living that is among the highest in the world.
With the 3rd largest number of international students in the English-speaking world behind the USA and UK,Australia has become many students’ choice of destination for international study. Over 250,000 international students now study in Australia. Our Australian Education system provides more than 15,000 internationally recognized courses that are all of world class standard.
Australia is the world’s smallest continent and the largest island. It is like nowhere else in the world. It has an area as big as mainland of the United States but has a population of only 20 million people. The population is comprised of over 130 nationalities which makes Australia one of the most multicultural countries in the world. This broad ethnic mix has created a rich cultural blend of languages, fashions, architecture and cuisines.
Whether you decide to study at a university, English college, international school, TAFE College or vocational institute you will receive a high quality education ensuring future success in your chosen career.
The Australian education and training system has four main sectors: universities, vocational education and training,schools and English language training colleges
The Australian education system has been created to allow students to easily move along training pathways from one from one qualification level to the next. Additionally students can easily transfer from one institution to a new one.
The top Australian universities listed below are all part of what is called the ‘Group of Eight’ Australian universities. These top Australian universities carry out the majority of all Australia research and development and between them secure on average than 60% of all Australian university research funding.
Top Australian Universities for research and Funding (Group of Eight). Universities are listed in alphabetical order:
> The University of Adelaide (Adelaide)
> The Australian National University (ANU)
> The University of Melbourne (UniMelb)
> Monash University (Monash)
> The University of New South Wales (UNSW)
> The University of Queensland (UQ)
> The University of Sydney (Sydney)
> The University of Western Australia (UWA)
For profiles of all the top Australian universities visit our Australian Universities directory on the www.StudyinAustralia.com website. Find top Australian universities in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth, Hobart, Darwin and many other cities around Australia. In Australia, the majority of universities are public. There are a total of 38 universities (and 4 private universities) spanning the eight states and territories of New South Wales, Victoria, Australian Capital Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory.
Every university and colleges that offers courses for international students must be accredited by the Australian Government ensuring that they publish their correct locations, courses, and tuition fees. International students that intend on studying in Australia will need to have a valid student visa for the length of their training in the country. Prospective student need to check with the Australian Embassy in your home country to see whether you are eligible to apply for a student visa prior to receiving your official confirmation of enrollment and then paying your tuition fees. You will additionally require Overseas Student
Health Cover (OSHC)
On arrival in Australia most institutions provide orientation for new students including organizing accommodation and other services required for your study abroad stay in Australia.
Living costs to study in Australia for international students are very affordable with a good range of options available whether you choose to live with other students or on your own. You can choose to live in the following types of accommodation: On Campus for between AU$100-250 PW or Off Campus in share
accommodation, private rental accommodation, home-stay accommodation living with an Australian family or in budget hotels and guest houses.
One of the great things about studying in Australia is the fact that international students can work up to 20 hours each week during their semesters and full-time over their holiday periods.
You can use the www.StudyinAustralia.com website to learn more about Australia, degrees, language courses available, institutions, studying and living costs, application processes, student visas and more.
Rushing to the Great Wall of China
In my capacity as the UK Director of Operations for One World Tours Limited, I am often asked about the destinations I have been to and how it all began in the first place. 10 years ago I embarked on my second trip around the world and I suppose you could say that this is where it truly all began. Here is my first experience of China.
I thought that visiting the Seven Wonders of the world in eight days would be a fun and challenging thing to do. Having decided with my sponsors the airlines and a chain of leading world-wide hotels it was decided that the Seven Wonders of the World were the Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of China, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Golden Gate Bridge, The Empire State Building, Sydney Opera House and the Pyramids of Egypt. This would notch up a staggering 42,000 miles in 8 just days. With very limited funds and a friends borrowed cash card, only to use in emergencies, I set off on my journey of a lifetime.
One of the sponsors had promised a sum of money to help with the expenses of the trip and the quickest that the money would be available was two days into the trip! The money was to be deposited into my bank account and as I was very short of cash I decided to see if my cash card would work in one of the machines at Beijing airport. It was unsuccessful as the machine kept rejecting the card. This would have meant the end of the trip had it not been for the credit card a friend had kindly loaned me. I had promised that I would only use it in an emergency. I felt like it was taking the p to take advantage of Brendan’s kindness. My main concern was whether or not the promised money would ever be on hand to cover anything that I might need to draw from my friends account and there was not a cast iron guarantee. Also if the money did not appear in my account I couldn’t justify taking the hundreds of pounds extra that I needed for the rest of the trip from him. I imagined myself telling him the predicament I now found myself in and could hear him saying that, “you should have used my card that is why I gave it to you!” I decided to take the gamble.
I drew some money with my friends card because I needed it to get a taxi and I also needed enough for a refundable deposit at the hotel. Once through customs a very persistent Chinese “taxi driver” pestered me to distraction. He was absolutely determined to take us wherever we needed to go! I was very assertive in dealing with him and demanded to see an official card. The Chinese boy took out a homemade ticket from his pocket. It was quite obvious from his manner that he was not the genuine article. I refused to go with him at first and opted to look outside for a proper taxi. It soon became clear that most of the taxi’s had been booked in advance and that this lad was looking to be our only hope. His charge was 300rbs to take me the twenty minutes to our hotel. I didn’t have a choice really. I felt a little uncomfortable having to put my trust in someone that I knew nothing about in a totally foreign environment. Just as I was loading my luggage into the back of his taxi, a young woman approached and enquired as to where I was going. She wasn’t having much luck with drivers either and offered to pay a third of the fare if she could share the cab. I resigned myself to the fact that we would be safer in numbers. Our Chinese escort sped through the town at 140 kilometres an hour.
I arrived at the Tianlun Dynasty Hotel and insisted that I was given my luggage before I handed over the fare. It was rather comical that neither side trusted the other.. I took my first look toward the entrance of the hotel and was astounded by its grandness. When I spotted the elegant doorman I felt like turning on my heels and taking off with the young lady that had shared the cab with me.
I approached the reception desk that was set neatly into the extremely large, extremely elaborate foyer of the hotel. The staff spoke limited English but it was soon established that I had in fact been listed as having a complimentary room. The comical part was to try and organise for a taxi to pick me up at 4am the next morning, to take me to the Great Wall and then return so that I could attend a press conference at 10am. I then had to catch a flight from Beijing to go to Sydney at 11.30am! With the limited communications it was very difficult to get across exactly what it was that we wanted. I managed to sort things out by actually drawing pictures of the hotel, Great Wall taxi etc. The staff were absolutely fantastic and looked after me very well indeed.
As I had spent most of the money I had drawn out on taxi fares, I also had to arrange to be taken to a bank on the way back from the Great Wall too. It was going to cost 1000rbs to hire a driver for the day. The staff bent over backwards to help me even though they knew that I had no money and no guarantee of getting any.
Somehow I managed to wake with a start at 3.05am.
I got up and made my way down to the reception area, if the truth were known I was on automatic pilot! Scottie Lee, the man that had been so helpful when I had first arrived, was still manning the fort. I waited in the reception area and at about 3.50 the driver for the day arrived. When you consider that to drive me around for about seven hours was going to cost 1000rbs you realise just how much the first taxi driver that I had encountered at the Beijing airport had ripped me off!
I followed our driver to his car, a nice black Audi and as with most of the cars in Beijing the back windows were tinted black. The driver was dressed in black too and the whole thing put me in mind of a Bond movie. The driver spoke less English than the staff in the hotel, yet he proved to be to be very valuable in his willingness to help.
The actual journey was relatively boring. It was still very dark and what with the tinted windows, it was difficult to see much at all. I didn’t see any other traffic on the road because of the time I was travelling.
Scottie Lee had estimated that it would take at least 4 hours to get to the Great Wall so when I noticed a tunnel up ahead that announced in red and green lights, The Great Wall of China only 1 hour and forty minutes into the trip, I was very surprised. It wasn’t until the driver actually stopped and got out of the car, that I really believed I was there. It was a beautiful, crisp, dark morning and the stars were still clearly visible. The wall loomed above me and you could just about make out the top of it silhouetted against the starry backdrop. I was worried that the photos may not come out properly because my hands were so shaky! I took as many snaps as was comfortable and drove around to take a few more of the signs announcing the Badling Wall. I arrived back at the hotel at 7.30 much to the surprise of the staff.
With Wonder number two tucked firmly under my belt I decided that I ought to deal with the pressing no cash problem. I took to the streets of Beijing in search of an ATM machine. My excitement at finding one soon evaporated when my card was rejected for the second time. I decided against using my friends card again until I had been to the bank of China at 8.30am as had been arranged previously with the driver through Scottie. He took us through town to the bank and we discovered that it did not open until 9.30am.
I tried to use my card again in the hole in the wall outside the bank still to no avail! I knew that I had to pay the driver the 1000rbs and also the staff for our breakfast so I had no choice but to use my friends card for the second time. I realised that if when I got to Sydney and my card still did not work that I had no choice but to cancel the rest of the trip.
I put my friends card into the cash machine and drew out 350rbs to see if it would work. I still needed another 1000 so I put the card back in again. While I decideded how much more I might need to my utter horror the machine swallowed up the card. At this point I wasn’t too concerned because the bank was now open and I assumed that someone inside would have a key to it.
The driver and I entered the bank and tried to speak to the young lady behind the counter that only spoke limited English. “I send card to you!” she said helpfully. “But I need it today!” I explained. “You have in two days time!” she continued. I couldn’t believe it; apparently the keyholder was on leave and would be back in two days time! For the first time I could see the trip slip away from me. I had well and truly given up all hope of going another step forward and could not hide the disappointment in my heart. I explained that I had a plane to catch at 11.30am, it was roughly 9.40. I still had the press conference to do at 10am. “I send your card to you back home!” the young lady insisted. “But I need money!” I insisted too. I couldn’t blame her for the dilemma I was now facing.
She rang the lady with the key and told me that we would have to wait for an hour as the lady lived that far away from the bank!
The wait at the bank was the longest hour of my entire life. It was a cold, grey and uninviting place. I watched many people come and go whilst watching the big hands of the clock slowly knocking minutes off of the trip.
I watched a lady with a small child enter the bank and soon discovered that she was the lady that held the key to all of my problems, literally. She retrieved the card and gave it to the young lady behind the counter. “May I see passport?” she asked. I offered it to her discreetly hiding the initials under my thumb. She took it from me and compared the details. “This not your card!” she said. “I can’t give back!” she continued. At this point I gave up on ever completing the trip. I experienced the nauseating lurch in my stomach. “I no give!” she insisted. You have to give her credit she was doing her job very well. After a brief chat to the lady that had retrieved the card she gave it back to us.
I made sure that the lady with the key waited while I drew the money out of my friends account.
I was so relieved to be able to pay Lee his long overdue fee for his much-appreciated help. He whisked me off to the airport and we said our goodbyes.
I had achieved the second part of the trip with the very much appreciated and kind help of the Chinese people that I encountered.
