Zhuhai- Lovers Road

The coastal path circling Zhuhai is aptly named Lovers Road- I wouldn't suggest going by yourself, reminds you how alone you are!

It starts off in Gongbei and goes through Jida, to the top of Xiangzhou, including stopping off at the Fisher Girl (one of the only good places to be single at on lovers road).

The Fisher Girl Zhuhai Interns in Zhuhai!

As you walk past the Fisher girl and the hundreds of people, you will now be in between Jida and Xiangzhou, as you continue your walk up towards Xiangzhou you start to go through a palm tree lit road (according to a friend, each one cost 20,000 USD):

Lover's Road Zhuhai- Jida to Xianghou

At the top of this road you will find the Island- a small island where the new Opera House is currently being built. On the bridge over to the island you can see the floating restaurant, a great place to eat seafood, but prepare to pay western prices!

Zhuhai's Floating Restaurant 

Why become an intern at The ODM Group, and you could have these views everyday on the way to work!

See our other blogs on Zhuhai:

• Go-Karting in Zhuhai
• Interns in China- Jin Shan Mountain Zhuhai

Ding Ding in Hong Kong

During your stay in Hong Kong, you definitely have to experience the city life by hopping onto the tram, also known as the "Ding Ding". The Tram only travels on Hong Kong Island and our ODM office happens to be located in Wan Chai, lucky me!

The Traditional Looking Tram...

Just recently, Hong Kong Tramways have decided to upgrade this service and I spotted the new Ding Ding during lunch time today!

Upgraded Trams, looking good! 

Changes are made both in terms of the interior and exterior. It does not bring in the traditional vintage style to it anymore but blends in the modern style to it. Parallel seats are also changed to vertical seats just like the normal buses.

Will go into more details after getting a ride on this upgraded tram, stay tuned! A very prominent form of transport in Hong Kong, how about making some stressballs in the shape of the Ding Ding?

Go-Karting in Zhuhai

If there's something you need to do in Zhuhai, it has got to be Go-Karting! It's been told by many that you cannot leave this place without trying it out. Just ask Joe, our ODM staff based in Zhuhai and you will know how exciting it is!

Go Kart In Zhuhai

Underground Car Park Race Track! 

You will be amazed by how they work. There is barely any friction on the ground as you can see from the picture above. The race track is also located in an underground car park! However, safety measures just as helmets are still taken. I think I drifted 4 times within 10 mins and bang into the tyres twice!!! Do try it out if you happen to be in Zhuhai!

Location: Parking Lot, BC Area, South China Mall, Wangjiang District, Dongguan 

Price: 40 RMB/10Mins 

Exciting isn't it? ODM offers internship programs and we have an office in Zhuhai, drop us an email if you're interested! 

Funny Signboards In China

Always keep a look out for Signboards when you are travelling around China. You will see unusual and interesting ones around! This was spotted at the airport of Taizhou Yesterday! 

It is actually a staircase that leads into a ceiling with a sign prohibiting access. Interesting signs with no real purpose? Do keep a look out for these random signs, can be really funny at times! 

Speaking of signboards, they are great way to advertise to your brand! Look at how the combination of colours in the photo above, don't they just capture your attention? 

Why not give our ODM website a look, we have lots of posts with regards to signage!

• Promotional Road Signs- Do not break the law
• LED Lighting and Advertising Signage
• POS Display Sign Holders

Feel free to send us pictures of interesting signs if you see em around! 

Motorbikes in China

Probably one of the reasons that there are not many roller coasters in China- they are everywhere and definitely not for the faint hearted.  Recently I was in Xiamen on business visiting factories (more blogs on this to come!!), and motorbikes are pretty much the only way you can travel in these districts as taxis are so few and far between.

Motorbikes in Xiamen- Interns in Asia!!

The motorbike men sit on the side of the roads, and if you look a little lost- most of them will come and ask you where you want to go. This is one of the cheapest types of transport, usually around half the price of the taxis, even cheaper if two of you share one!

All of these stories are coming to you straight from real interns in a real company- The ODM Group. If you think you have got what it takes, send us an email!!

Practical tips into China

If you are planning to enter China for social or business visits, make sure you do two most important things, collect 'fa piao' upon purchases and learn to drink Chinese tea.

It is important to note that the Chinese tend to drink tea during business meetings in the day. Hence, it is crucial to understand and practise the basic Chinese tea etiquette, to show mutual understanding between hosts and guests.

Hong Kong Tea Culture

Generally, there is only one point to take note on Chinese tea drinking, to show your appreciation to those who served you tea. While someone is pouring you tea on your cup (normally the host), tap the table with your index and middle fingers (occasionally with ring finger too). This is an alternative to express thanks whenever you are in the middle of a conversation. A more polite way is to acknowledge with a nod or simply say 'thanks'.

ODM has wrote about a blog on 'fa piao' and its rather interesting... Have a look here!

Tell us about your past stories on internship in Asia! Drop us a comment below!

Hiker's Guide: Jardine's Lookout

With the lovely weather shining across Hong Kong on a Saturday, I decided to sweat it out by going Hiking! Instead of finding a easier mountain to climb, I aimed for the toughest(regretting now) which is Jardine's Lookout! Getting there is relatively easy, just board bus 6 or 66 from Central Bus Terminal and get off somewhere near Wong Nai Chung Gap.

Start of the Trial...

Headed off at 12pm with the Sun at its best. You really get to sweat it out despite the weather in Hong Kong at this moment! Not to mention there's a bbq pit area near there too!

The "not so steep" version...

FINALLYYYYY(!!!)

After 1.5 of strenuous climbing, I finally reached the top!! Indeed a challenging and tough process but you get a certain sense of achievement when you reach the very top. The amazing view simply takes your breath away...

Check this out!

You can basically see the whole Hong Kong from the top, literally. If you're looking at enjoying some great scenery, hiking is just about the right thing to do every weekend. However, the muscle aches are currently killing me right now. Stay tune for the next hiking post! (Crossing fingers for a great weather)

Never go hiking without proper equipment, check out ODM thoughts on outdoor equipment!

• Promotional Sunscreen Products
• Towels for Outdoor Activities
• Outdoor Shower Bag
• Revo Outdoor Gear
• Arnette Outdoor Pack

Michelin Starred Dim Sum in Hong Kong: Tim Ho Wan

This is perhaps the World's cheapest Michelin Star Restaurant, Tim Ho Wan. Michelin ratings ranges from 1-3 in the world and they are usually very very expensive! At Tim Ho Wan, most of it dim sum are below HKD 20 

Tim Ho Wan, which actually translates to "Add Good Luck"

There have 2 outlets in Mong Kok and Sham Shui Po, and their latest branch in Hong Kong Station. It usually takes about a 2hr wait before you get seated, but lucky me went to the one at Sham Shui Po and there wasn't any queue!

Displaying their featured dishes...

Signature Baked Bun with BBQ Pork- "Char Siew Pao"

Check out the filling! 

This has got to be 1 of my favourite dishes, I ordered 2 sets of this!!! Unlike the usual steamed Char Siew Pao, Tim Ho Wan's version is the combination of Po Luo Pao and BBQ pork pastry. With a little bit of sweetness on the bun and chewy fillings, this has got to be the best out of the entire range. 

Glutinous Rice 

Similar to "Zong Zi", sticky rice stuffed with mushrooms, chicken and sausages is steamed in lotus leaf. A killer for the stomach as it is very filling!

Steamed Rice Roll - "Char Siew Cheong Fun"

Cheong Fun usually comes in 3 different fillings, prawns/scallop/char siew. I ordered the Char Siew fillings. The smooth silky rice roll with the sauce is definitely something!

Steamed Prawn Dumpling- "Har Gow"

Big juicy prawns wrapped in very thin skin. Definitely worth the money at HKD 20 per plate!

"Siew Mai"

Similar to Har Gow, Siew Mai is a mixture of minced meat and prawns. A common item that is ordered at a dim sum restaurant!

As the saying goes, you can never leave Hong Kong without tasting their Dim Sum. Cheap and quality food? Tim Ho Wan is the place. Intern with ODM and you can will get to eat Dim Sum Breakfast every weekend :D

Sushi Lovers in Hong Kong

When I first came to Hong Kong, I noticed the substantial amount of Jap Stalls around. After researching, it is proven that Hong Kong citizens secretly loves Sushi!!

At the end of my 1st week of work at ODM, I made my way to Sushi One together with the other colleagues. Reason being? There's 50% off all sushi after 10pm!!! Being Singaporeans, we went there at 9pm and there was a long queue right outside the shop.

The perfect place to enjoy a sushi buffet...

While queuing, we were given a piece of paper so we could start placing our orders(making the best of our time). To be honest I had difficulty trying to decipher the name of the dishes cause it sounded pretty weird!

As we all know, there isn't exactly any good deal without paying a price for it! To be entitled to the 50% off, there is a minimum spending of $80HKD per head excluding service charge. However, the food was acceptable and definitely a great place for feasting! 

There's unlimited supply of Sashimi for just about everyone...

Guess we lost track of our orders!! 

PS: This promotion is available EVERYDAY (: Make your way to Hong Kong now to enjoy this special treat! 

Meanwhile, check out some Jap related posts on our odmgroup website...

• Win a buffet voucher for 1 at Roda Japanese Buffet Restaurant
• Hello Kitty Promo Items
• Evisu Keychain GWP
• Doraemon POS Display
• Makita Promotional Gifts

Disneyland Hong Kong - "Happiest Place on Earth" (Part 1)

Joe had previously covered Ocean Park, which he regard as the Disneyland of Hong Kong. I will now take you through the real Disneyland! Getting there is relatively easy....

Spot the Disneyland Icon?

1. Board the nearest MTR Station and make your way towards the Tung Chung line(Yellow Line). Tung Chung, known for its famous City Gate Outlet shopping mall is a shopping paradise! Renowned brands such as Coach, Timberland, Ralph Lauren are priced slightly cheaper than the specialty stores.

A separate line just for Disneyland..

2. Alight at Sunny Bay and change to purple line that will take you directly to Disneyland. I can't believe they actually had a train just for Disneyland itself, simply amazing!

Speechless 

3. I was definitely taken aback when I saw the train approaching. Other than a separate line, they even designed the exterior with their trademark Micky Mouse mirrors! & When I took my 1st step into the train.....

"Cinema Seats"

Customized Handles...

Statues of Disney Characters...

Simply love how they decorate it to make it a full experience!! Customizing handles and etc to make it a very own Disneyland train. Taking about POS display, no one explains it better than ODM!

Journey of getting there is definitely exciting, and BEING there is way better. Do return for our very next episode of this adventure!

"Disney" had definitely made a name for itself and is now used in various ways such as through the means of promotional products! Check out the links below on how Disney further market itself!

• Lion King Tote Bag & Water Bottle
• Pixar Cars Plush Toy
• Winnie the Pooh Promo Products
• Toy Story Plush
• Winnie the Pooh Towel Set

Interns in China take over Jida BBQ

This weekend for a friends 24th birthday me and around 30 other interns in Zhuhai went for a BBQ on the Jida beach.

Interns take over Jida BBQ in Zhuhai

Jida beach BBQ is part of the beach that has been cornered off and filled with stone BBQs. It can be a little pricey, we paid 80 RMB for each of our BBQs- but it is definitely worth it, with cheap beer and unlimited time to relax, its the perfect place to go after a hard days work!!!  

The interns BBQ!!

See some these blogs on our mother website, The ODM Group:

• BBQs
• BBQs Equipment

Or check out other blogs at Intern China!

A travelling intern to Xiamen

I just returned from a factory visit in Xiamen, and I must admit it was rather educational, especially for an intern like me. Regardless of how frequent your travelling is, being abroad means that you must ensure the following are in place:

• Flights
  
• Accommodation
• Contact person when you arrive
• Foreign currency (Chinese Yuan in this case)
• Visa (if you require one)
  
• Objectives to achieve
• Local SIM Card
• Camera

If you are looking for affordable flights into China, try www.ctrip.com!

If you are looking to go into factory visits into China, most factories will arrange to pick you up personally at the airport. Most will also arrange your accommodation and willingly pay for it (after all its part of their entertainment expense) Here is a picture of factory staff bringing me to the hotel..

Note: Client treatment vary in China, not all factories treat you the same way..

The hotels in Xiamen and for the rest of China are relatively economical in price. For the hotel I lived in (refer to picture below), Jinjiang Inn, the factory staff even dished out their privilege card to enjoy discounts. Only logical to do so especially they receive many clients..

They are also open to bring you around Xiamen for dinner and entertainment. In China, most business meals involves drinking. I was lucky enough to get away twice from drinking with my face red! All business associates I met in this trip also offer cigarettes during meetings.. Their casual gesture, but kindly rejected as I wasn’t a smoker.

I will elaborate on the practices of tea drinking during business meetings and the importance of tax invoices (发票) next time. Stay tuned! Meanwhile, drop by the ODM Group for some information on factory visits!

Shenzhen

Shenzhen is the first Chinese city north of Hong Kong and the entrance by land to China. You can see the influence of Hong Kong here- perfect subway, a lot of very nice skyscrapers and a few more English speakers than you do in Zhuhai.

A friend told me that for most people in Guangdong go to Shenzhen to make their money- it has a number of multi-national corporations head quartered there and is as close to Hong Kong without leaving the mainland as you will get.

Shenzhen, China- Interns could work HERE

One of the ODM Group’s offices is situated in Shenzhen, so maybe in the near future you could be living here!

Check out our  jobs page to see the latest internships with us in Guangdong and Hong Kong, or check it out here on our mother site!

KTVs

KTVs, or Karaoke TeleVision bars in other cultures are massive in China. If you come here you can guarantee at some point that you will go in one, and if you are the only foreigner, you will be expected to sing.

KTVs are not as daunting as you first think as you rent out rooms that have a large flat screen television and a microphone, and then buy/bring whatever drinks etc you like.  They can vary from ultra-exclusive KTVs were you will pay around 5000 RMB for a room, to a more standard 100 RMB.

KTVs- a great way for interns to relax in China!

The other slightly nerve-racking element is that- without generalising a whole nation- Chinese people are very good at singing. Not so long ago I was invited to a KTV in Shenzhen where I was the only foreigner in a room of around 40. As soon as I walked in they wanted me to sing a song, and I managed to at least get a little Dutch courage before I sang what maybe the most monotone version of ‘Hey Jude’ by the Beatles every sung.  

I think basically if you sing like there is no tomorrow people will like your voice even if it isn’t as good as theirs, but you just have to throw caution to the wind and sing your heart out!!

See our related posts on KTVs:

• Blue Girl Karaoke Company Promotion
• On pack promotion- for goodness Shakes Launches its biggest promotion

Hong Kong "Street Food"

You can never leave a country without trying their so called "Street Food", whereas Hong Kong is a city flooded with street food delights! Below is how a typical Street Stall looks like. Some places where you can find lots of cheap and delicious snacks like this are at Mong Kok or Temple Street.

The sight of this makes you go "WOW"..

  Here are some food that I've tasted and recommend, eat at your own risk though!!!


1. Egg Tarts

$5 HKD

You gotta try the delicious egg tarts in Hong Kong, almost every shop sells it! The egg texture is so soft it kinda "flows away" when you swing a little!!! Highly recommended ones can be found at Honolulu cafe in Wan Chai or Tai Cheong Bakery(many outlets). The butter based ones at Tai Cheong is my favourite though (:

2. Egg Waffle also known as "Ga Dan Zhai"

Around $12-$15HKD, price ranges

Once you smell a strong pancake aroma, it gotta be this! Light fluffy crispy snack is definitely addictive, also available with chocolate fillings as well!

3. Fishball also known as "Yu Dan"

$6 HKD

A very popular snack in Hong Kong and you can see them in a ultra big tub. Comes in either original or spicy flavour and usually served with some curry sauce. Please note that this isn't the kind of fishball like "Old Chang Kee" in Singapore, texture is slightly different.

4. Rice Roll also known as "Chee Cheong Fan"

Around $10 HKD for 4 rolls

I was walking around Sham Shui Po one day and I saw this really long queue. Told myself I had to check it out and I saw this push cart selling chee cheong fan. That was for takeaway and they had a restaurant where one can sit back and relax with other snacks as well. Had to try this and I really love it!! Something special about the Chee Cheong Fan over here is the PEANUT SAUCE! The mixture of flavours were so good and texture of the rice roll were smooth too...

5. Red Bean Pudding also known as "put zhai gou"

$4 HKD

Often seen on HK dramas, I finally got the chance to taste it. They are prepared in either white sugar or brown sugar, which explains the colour. The jelly like soft texture is indeed enjoyable, together with the red beans just made it more chewy! It isn't very sweet and a great snack to munch on. Try the ones at Sham Shui Po, just after coming out the D2 MTR exit you will see a stall selling different varieties of snacks.

6. Glutinous Rice Ball also known as "Tang Yuan"

$20 HKD for 5 balls...

A common dessert in most Asia countries. Peanut soup is often used as the base in Singapore, but in Hong Kong, sugar syrup is used instead. However, the soft texture and various fillings such as sesame/peanut taste as good as it looks! 

Fun Fact: Did you know that "Tang Yuan" is consumed on Lantern Festival? Check out our mother blog for more information!

• Lantern Festival - Tang Yuan 
• Chung Yeung Festival - Chinese Sponge Cakes
• Mid-Autumn Festival - Mooncakes

Interns at Canton Fair- how to get there

Last week we went to the Canton Fair- one of the largest trade shows in the world!! It was safe to say it was very, very busy!


Getting there:

1. Zhuhai- 

• Get a bus from Gongbei Bus Station (buses run every half an hour from 6.30 am) to Guangzhou 
• This journey will take around 2 hours, it is very scenic:

Guangzhou!

This journey should cost you around 75 RMB and is a very nice journey, you can see the sharp contrast between the countryside and the capital of Guangdong- with 10 million people it is the same size as London.

• When on the bus the last stop should be Guangzhou East Railway station. If you are not sure ask when you book the ticket. I relied on the very few English signs dotted around in Guangzhou to tell me if I was going the right way. I have been told all buses end in this station, but you never know when this will change.
• Once at the train station you need to find your way to the Metro (subway/underground). You will have to leave the station, but there are plenty of English signs to the Metro.
• Once on the metro it is relatively easy to work out, you need to go to Pazhou- You go down the orange line 5 stops, change on to the blue line, and go 4 stops. 
• When you get at Pazhou one of the exits is the convention center, exit and go into the convention.

Note: you will need your passport, 1 photo, and 100 RMB to get into the site.

See how the rest of the team got on over on our sister blog, The ODM Group:

• HK and China Trade shows
• ODM Booth at KenFair Mega show 2011 
• Register at Canton Fair
• Travel to Canton Fair
• Bus to Canton Fair
• Train To Canton Fair
• 109th Canton Fair

  

A trip to Tai O fishing village..

Last month I made a trip out to Lantau Island. Instead of visiting the famous Buddha at Ngong Ping 360, I went to Tai O Fishing Village! It's really easy to navigate your way there. You can either take the MTR to Tung Chung and change to a bus OR take the ferry from Central to Mui Wo and take bus no. 1 to Tai O.

A suggested route if you want to avoid the long queue at Tung Chung! 

Let me take you on a tour on their local snacks. Pardon me for blogging about food all the time, it just happens to be the best part of the trip as always!

Cha Guo(also known as Ang Ku Kueh in Singapore)

I tried their local snack, which is also known as Cha Guo in Chinese. It is basically flour made into a chewy texture which consist of peanut fillings. Tasted a bit different from the ones I have in Singapore, definitely less oily and a had a tea taste to it.

BBQ Honey Glazed Chicken...

BBQ Scallop with Garlic 

If you happen to go there, you definitely got to try one of the BBQ stalls! The honey glazed drum stick was simply awesome, never tasted something like that back in Singapore. Of course the scallop with garlic which cost 30 minutes of my time! Not to mention they are relatively cheap as well, around HKD20.

Stilt Houses

Moving on to the cultural area, you can hardly find any Stilt Houses now! Went on a short tour by the river and I can't imagine myself living in this condition. Not to mention Singapore was once a fishing village!! Lucky to be born after world war 2 now!

There are definitely more to Tai O than this! Lots of street market and food, like an entirely different place compared to Hong Kong. Be sure to check it out if you happen to intern at ODMasia (: