Jul 19 2008

Wifi + Desk + Nice Hostel = Productivity

Published by Kirsty at 1:31 am under Wireless Working

hostel setupVillage hopping around China is great for relaxation and even better for the budget but not so good for the whole website updating thing. Some places I visited had the internet but none had wifi which made getting much work done pretty hard for me.

So I arrived in Fenghuang (a large village in Hunan under siege by Chinese tourists) not expecting there to be any wifi but still hoping for the best. My Chinese friend I have been travelling arrived a few days before me and, fortunately for me, she’s also got a computer and is always on the hunt for wireless internet. She combed the streets for two days before finally finding a bar called Greenstone along the river with a dubious connection, terrible coffee and a menu consisting of peanuts and popcorn. Not really an ideal choice but better than nothing.

With nothing really keeping me in Fenghuang, I was ready to head straight to Hong Kong to catch up on some work, drink Frappuccinos and figure out a way back to Beijing. But my Chinese friend didn’t give up on her hunt for a good wifi connection in a nice setting and two days ago she stumbled onto a place called Bingo, a cafe and guesthouse set in a supercool, old wooden building and, most importantly, equipped with a great wifi connection. The food is pretty average and the milkshakes are inexplicably warm, but the six bed dorm is empty besides us and there are workspaces aplenty for me to hide away in and get stuff done.

I’ve decided to stay a few more nights because I’m being uncharacteristically productive here. It’s bizarre. I think I got more done yesterday than I did all of July combined. When motivation rears its head at the same time as I find a great place to work, good things can happen so I’m in no rush to move on, especially since I know how terrible hostels in Hong Kong are.

So for the next few days I’m going to be a hermit and I’m not going to feel guilty about it. I’ve found a great place to work so I just need to hope my motivation sticks with me.

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5 Responses to “Wifi + Desk + Nice Hostel = Productivity”

  1. # Mikeon 19 Jul 2008 at 3:34 am

    I think I went to the same Wifi place. It also took me a while to find it. When I was there it didn’t open until the afternoon. What do you think of the dried pig’s head hanging up everywhere?

  2. # lissieon 19 Jul 2008 at 6:31 am

    You 2 are not really encouraging me to putting China on my travel list! I think will stay to warms spots like Thailand and Indonesia! Dried pigs head - yuk, warm milkshakes even worse! LOL

  3. # Danielon 21 Jul 2008 at 6:55 am

    I love FengHuang!

  4. # Kirstyon 24 Jul 2008 at 4:04 am

    Saw the pigs faces. One even had a fag sticking out of its mouth. There are lots of gross things in that town.

    Lissie don’t let the pigs faces and warm milkshakes put you off… I’ve loved it. The people I’ve met on this little trip around the south have been super friendly and the places have been really stunning. I think I’m more into the villages than the cities though.

  5. # Suzon 28 Jul 2008 at 12:30 pm

    Congrats on the productivity! We’re certanially enjoying reading more frequent blog posts around here!

    … stay away from gross pigs (clean ones ok)

    -Suz

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