How do you usually spend your long National Holiday?
By williamjisir
@williamjisir (22819)
China
September 26, 2009 7:22am CST
Hello, my dear fellow mylotters and friends,
Our National Day is coming soon. To be exact, it is October 1st, but we will start to have our eight-day National Holiday on September 29th till October 6th. Speaking of the long National Holiday, every one of us teachers and students in our school are getting excited either to travel home or somewhere else for the holiday.
As I work far away from my hometown, I don't usually have enough time to go back to my hometown, so it is a good time for me to travel to my hometown for the holiday.
Well, nine days ago, I went to the ticket booking office to book in advance a train ticket back to my hometown, but what was sad was that I failed to get a direct train ticket back home, no berth ticket or seat ticket. Anyway, I managed to get a berth ticket though it is not a direct train. I will have to take the trouble to transfer from Nanchang to Ganzhou.
It is a long train trip that I will have to take since I have to transfer without a direct train, but it is good that I have got a lower berth ticket and it won't make me feel tired for the first part of my travel on the train for ten hours. Then I still need to have another five hours on another train during the day.
It is very difficult to get a train ticket when some very important holidays of ours come because everyone is on the move from one place to another.
So when your important holidays come, what do you do?
Do you travel home if you work far away from your hometown?
Or do you prefer to stay where you are for a good rest without taking the trouble of traveling on crowded trains, buses or such?
By the way, I will be leaving from Hangzhou to Nanchang at 19:41p.m tomorrow evening (September 27th, 2009). I am really very excited for my coming trip and will start to do some packing tonight.
Take care, my dear friends.
Love from williamjisir
4 people like this
14 responses
@shia88 (4571)
• Malaysia
26 Sep 09
Hi William,
So happy that you will be back to your hometown soon. That kind of feeling is undescribeable.
It happened to me all the time as I am far away from my hometown too.
Once I graduated from my high school, I went to overseas for further studies,Therefore,I have been away from my hometown for about 15 years now.
Now , I am married and I live in malaysia while my hometown is in Indonesia.
I will be going back to my hometown this coming December. I am counting down my days now. I always book my air tickets at least 6 months before my departure. I am going for promotion fare all the time.
I never back to my hometown during Malaysia National Day,it is just a one day holiday and I prefer to stay at home,spend my times with my family or cook something nice for my family.
I can imagine how happy you are now...looking forward to meet your families at Nanchang and hope you enjoy every moments there.
Have a pleasant journey and do share with us your holiday trip.
Takecare !!
2 people like this
@williamjisir (22819)
• China
26 Sep 09
Hello shia. It is really a long distance of yours from Malaysia to Indonesia, but thanks to the invention of planes, it shortens the distance a lot. You have been away from your hometown for fifteen years, but I have also been working away from my hometown for twelve years long. As it is ao far away from my hometown, I can only travel home during the long holidays, like summer and winter vacations and National Holidays. It is not easy though due to the long distance and lack of enough time to travel home.
@Buchi_bulla (8298)
• India
26 Sep 09
Wish you a very happy, safe and enjoyable journey. Enjoy well. At least you could secure ticket though it is a breakable journey is it not? Your wish is fulfilled to go to your home town. Had you booked earlier, may be you would have got the direct train. Come to India for a National Holiday. Have a nice time. Take banana tree trunk's middle part juice if you can. The trunk part will be white in colour.
1 person likes this
@Buchi_bulla (8298)
• India
26 Sep 09
When my in-laws were with me, for any holiday, my husband's side people used to come and stay with us. So we never went out. But rarely on few occasions, we went to pilgrimage and few site seeing places on the way.
1 person likes this
@Buchi_bulla (8298)
• India
26 Sep 09
The invitation is for your full family, you, spouse, children and parents. May be I should have mentioned it. For these rare visits, you must come with your family. You are right. India's civilization is very old and you must visit the old temples and see the architecture. Visit Taj Mahal, a rare marble construction which is one of the 9th wonder. Hope my family gets a chance of meeting your family and spend some time together to know about the cultures of both our countries.
1 person likes this
@williamjisir (22819)
• China
26 Sep 09
Hello Buchi_bulla. Thank you for the invitation for me to pay a visit to India. I hope to see it in person some day together with my family, but not alone. You know, India is as old a country as China, the origination of ancient civilization. There is so much that I like about India, especially Indian movies and its music. Take care, my dear friend.
1 person likes this
@carolbee (16230)
• United States
30 Sep 09
Hello Williamjisir. Have a great holiday with your friends and family.
The next big holiday is Thanksgiving. We will be celebrating Thanksgiving this year at my brother's house with his family. They live about 20 min. from our house so we won't be traveling. Our youngest daughter will fly in with her family so we can spend time with them for about a week. Can't wait to see them. I would prefer not to travel during this time of the year since the airport is extremely crowded and traffic is a major mess just trying to get to the airport.
Christmas this year will also be spent with my brother and his family. One of our daughter's and her husband are firefighters/paramedics and they have to work whether it's a holiday or not. I totally respect their commitment to the community as first responders. Am proud to be their mom and mother-in-law.
Most holidays we stay home and don't travel. Am perfectly content staying in our area but still getting together with family and friends.
Hope you have a great trip,
carolbee
1 person likes this
@williamjisir (22819)
• China
1 Oct 09
Hello carolbee. I am now right home for this holiday. I am very happy for this.
It is wonderful to spend holidays together with the family, a time for the family to get together. I wish you to enjoy every holiday that comes to you, my dear friend.
@Bebs08 (10681)
• United States
5 Oct 09
good for you, you were able to travel back home during holidays. I can't do that even if I want to because my home is across the globe. I need a lot of money and time to be there with my loved one during holidays. I love to be in my home town too during holidays but it need a lot of preparation. Money is the most that I need to travel that far.
@williamjisir (22819)
• China
6 Oct 09
Hello Bebs. I am sorry that your hometown is so far away without being in the same country where you are. I can understand how expensive it is to travel that far. Anyway, I wish you to have more chances to pay a visit to your hometown when money is no big deal for you. Good luck to my dear Bebs.
@maygodblessu44 (7336)
• India
21 Oct 09
Hello my friend williamjisir Ji,
Here in our country booking a seat/birth by train is a great job. We book 90 days in advance. You will be surprised taht I booked my tickets for travel on 02 Nov'09 exactlt 90 days esarlier and never gor seat a sper my choice. I had to make it in a class higher. For this we have everyday as National days. Please believe me that so far in 2009, I have travelled more tahn 27000 Km against some odd 14000 INR.
May God bless You and have a great time.
1 person likes this
@williamjisir (22819)
• China
21 Oct 09
Hello dear friend. It is really quite a far distance that you have travelled this year. But I have never tried to calculate my traveling distance. lol. Bless you, friend.
1 person likes this
@williamjisir (22819)
• China
27 Oct 09
Morning, friend. We have some bullet trains, but there is not a direct bullet train to my hometown. It is usually an Express Train that I take. This kind of train is a direct. I have taken a bullet train for only one time. If I take a bullet train home, then I will have to transfer. So it is usually very difficult to get a direct train ticket back home during winter holidays and our national day and May Day when almost the whole nation enjoy the holidays, traveling back home or elsewhere. But there is no problem to get a transferring ticket, which makes it easier. Have a good day, my dear friend.
1 person likes this
@maygodblessu44 (7336)
• India
22 Oct 09
Hello my friend williamjisir Ji,
So nice of you for your comments. I would further add that it takes more than 30 hrs journy time against 2000 Km plus. Here we have to consider speed of the trains in your country against mu country. You may be having all 'Bullet' trains like concord planes. I think "TELE-TRANSPORTATION", Which our 'Rishi and Muni' had will sooner replace and as we wish and imagine, we would be able to transfer and plant our body there. Haaaaa.
May god bless You and have a great time.
1 person likes this
@zhouxi (1752)
• China
26 Sep 09
I'm very disappointed to tell you that our eight-days holiday were canceled because of the swineflue.we only have one day rest on 1st october.many teachers and students have to change their plan.some of them have bought ticket.it's a pity!
@williamjisir (22819)
• China
26 Sep 09
Hello zhouxi. I am so sorry to hear that, but I am glad that we still have our regular holiday in this part of China, where I stay and work. Anyway, I wish you to enjoy your one-day holiday.
@williamjisir (22819)
• China
26 Sep 09
I wish to have something new for you friends to share with. Enjoy yourself, my old friend.
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
26 Sep 09
Hi William, enjoy your days and come back soon with lot of stories. Our national holidays mostly comprise of 1-2 days, so I mostly stay at home unless it falls on a weekend like a Friday when we get three days of holiday at a stretch.
Recently, I had a great, long pending trip to my sisters' place in Dubai, Abu Dhabi. I am much recharged now. It was a great holidays and I had fun with the kids. Days went past so soon that 20 days whizzed passed like anything.
Currently, we are having holidays for the most important festival Durga Puja. we have 4 days holiday for the festival is of 5-6 days and we have a blast celebrating each moment.
I wish you all a great trip ahead. I remember, last time you were apprehensive about the swine flu. This time have a nice holiday. Take some bottles of sanitisers. That helps.
1 person likes this
@williamjisir (22819)
• China
26 Sep 09
Hello mimpi. Yes, I was so worried about the swine flu when I had to go home for the summer vacation, but now I am not so afraid of it because it is not so scary as it can be cured. When getting back home, I will not be so active here at mylot because I will spend more time with my family visiting relatives.
I am very happy that you are now back from your nice trip to Dubai. I have never been abroad, but I think that it is very hot in Dubai.
Usually if I get a berth ticket on the train, I start to sleep when I get onto the train. I love to sleep away the time on the train. Take care, dear mimpi.
@youless (112496)
• Guangzhou, China
27 Sep 09
You are right, it's not easy to get the train tickets in the holidays. This is so bad and I hope it can be solved one day. When I was single, I liked to have a travel when there was a holiday. As it's an official holiday and I didn't have to work. But I just had the travel by plane. At least it saved time and it's easier to buy than the train tickets. I could book the airplane tickets via the net. But I couldn't do the same to buy train tickets. This year we planned to go to my husband's hometown. Fortunately I got the train tickets now and thanks for his sister. There is no plane there. We can go there by train or car. It will spend about 4-5 hours and it's not so far away. But the problem is the train tickets as you mentioned.
Have a nice National holiday with your family and I think I won't be able to be online during the time in my husband's hometown.
I love China
@williamjisir (22819)
• China
29 Sep 09
Hello youless. I guess that you are right now in your husband's hometown for the holiday. I wish you to enjoy your holiday there in your husband's hometown. Come back with some stories for us to enjoy, youless. Happy National Day to you and your family.
@OrangJuice (687)
• China
28 Sep 09
Generally speaking, I will stay home. Because wherever you go, there are crowds, so many people.-Yeah, I'm from China.
I even can walk with my normal pace, I have to slow down.
Meanwhile, no matter how I get the destination, it will be a big trouble. If I drive out, it's almost impossible to find a park. And the traffic then is so heavy, you even cannot move your car on the way. If I am by bus, the bus is so crowded. I even cannot get on it. If I'm by bike, it's also impossible to find place to park. So I have to be on foot.
It's not kidding! I think anyone living in China or experience the long holiday in China, they learn it well.
In addition, theives are also busy "working". It's so awful!
Unless I have to go out, I'd like stay home and have a good rest.
1 person likes this
@williamjisir (22819)
• China
29 Sep 09
Hello OJ. What you said is right. I quite agree with you and I wish you to enjoy your holiday as much as you can. Happy National Day.
@iamfine (740)
• China
27 Sep 09
hello williamjisir, nice to see your discussion, I am from China too, and the same to you, we have 8 days national holiday for the national day!
I think I would like to join in a short distance journey, travel around cities around the city I am in. Do you know Xiamen? I am living in Xiamen, and my destination will be within Fujian province.
But it depends, I will have to check on the travelling fee, I heard they will increase the price during national day! So if the price too expensive and beyond my budget, I would rather go shopping nearby and buy myself some clothing...
And about the rest of time, I can easily handle them, reading ,watching movie, playing with my boyfriend, spending time on mylot and earn some extra. ...
By the way, I am going to move to another room at the end of the holiday, so I may have to search a new place and so some packing during national day!!
Good luck!
1 person likes this
@williamjisir (22819)
• China
29 Sep 09
Hello friend. So I guess that you will have a busy holiday as you have got so many things to do. I wish you to get them all done during the holiday.
Yes, I have heard about Xiamen, but I have never been there. I hope to have a chance to pay a visit to it some day. Happy National Day to you, friend.
@haiershen (1080)
• China
30 Sep 09
for long holiday, i always would like to go home, as my working place is very far away from my home, it is a good times for us to stay together. but in this case,as the ticket of train is very hard to get it, so my final desision is stay in here, though there is only myself left in my hostel. still now, i have no good idea how to spend this long holiday, maybe i will go to the nearby town to take a travel. good luck and have a nice day!
1 person likes this
@williamjisir (22819)
• China
1 Oct 09
Hello haiershen. I think that it is also a good idea to watch the ceremony of National Day on TV if you still have no idea how to spend it. I will watch it soon when it begins. Have a wonderful day, friend.
@haiershen (1080)
• China
30 Sep 09
Dear my friends, for this national holiday, as my hometomwn is very far away as my lived,and the train ticket is very tight, it is too hard to have one, both for the ticket fee, so that we final decision is stay in here,most of my colleague are going to their hometown,so only myself left, still now, i have no idea for how to spend this long holiday,maybe go to nearby town to take a travel is a good idea. hope the traveling fee isn't very high. good luck and have a nice day!
1 person likes this
@williamjisir (22819)
• China
1 Oct 09
Happy National Day, dear haiershen. It is our National Day today. I am so sorry that you cannot go back home because it is so difficult to get a train ticket. Here I would like to teach you a trick. If you cannot get a direct train, then try your best to get transferring ticket. I made it home this way and now I am very happy to stay home enjoying my holiday. But anyway, have some fun, friend.
@jinyan69 (124)
• China
28 Sep 09
hi,william.hope you have a good time on your trip.in my holiday,i always tale a relaxe ,becuse there are a lot of people in sight spot ,i love to travel ,but ,if many people in there ,i think it will destroy tne beuitful things ,then i will lost interest .the other reason is that i always work hard ,the holiday will make me to have a rest.
@williamjisir (22819)
• China
29 Sep 09
Hello jinyan. I am right now at home enjoying my holiday with my family. I love to have more holidays. I wish you to have a good holiday as well, my dear friend.
@shuying8710 (260)
• China
27 Sep 09
hello williamjisir,wish you have a nice and wonderful holiday.
it's really a goob job as a teacher for you can enjoy summer&winter holidays and long national holidays.if possible,i will work as a teacher in next lifetime:)
for me,i will start my five-day national holidays from October 1th till October 5th for i work in a private industry.
it happen to me also i work far alway from my hometown,i miss my parents very much,but five days is too short for me to go home,you know,it will take me 2 days on the traveling by train.so,i have to stay at home without any traveling.
on China national holidays,most of people like to go outside,the bus,shopping mart,park,restaurant all like these public place wil be crowned of people,so,i prefer to stay at home to watch movies,TV serials and enjoy mylot.
1 person likes this
@williamjisir (22819)
• China
29 Sep 09
Hello shuying. I am so sorry that you can not go home for the holiday as it is not long enough for you. I wish you to enjoy yourself doing what you like during the holiday. Happy National Day to you, friend.
