NoisebridgeChinaTrip4: Difference between revisions

From Noisebridge
Jump to navigation Jump to search
No edit summary
(17 intermediate revisions by 3 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
= NOISEBRIDGE CHINA TRIP #4<br>-- Start Date:  3-November-2014, in Beijing<br>-- End Date:  24-November-2014, in Shanghai=
= NOISEBRIDGE CHINA TRIP #4<br>-- Start Date:  3-November-2014, in Beijing<br>-- End Date:  24-November-2014, in Shanghai=
{{PastEvent|2014-11-02 to 2014-12-11}}


[[File:KungFuHacking_Nov_2013.jpg|thumb|right|Trip #3 Kung Fu Hacking: Hackers In Residence Kickoff event at Tsinghua University, Beijing]]
[[File:KungFuHacking_Nov_2013.jpg|thumb|right|Trip #3 Kung Fu Hacking: Hackers In Residence Kickoff event at Tsinghua University, Beijing]]
Line 9: Line 11:
[[File:Shanghai_Oct_2009.jpg|thumb|right|Trip #1 Visit to injection molding factory, Shanghai]]
[[File:Shanghai_Oct_2009.jpg|thumb|right|Trip #1 Visit to injection molding factory, Shanghai]]


''Because the first three Noisebridge China Trip were so successful,''<br>
''Because the first Noisebridge China Trips were so successful,''<br>
''I am planning a fourth Hacker Trip To China, including all cities that currently have a hackerspace, and visiting my manufacturer, Seeed Studio, and other manufacturers.  We will also be visiting Tsinghua University, considered the most prestigious university in China, and probably some other schools -- all of which want to start a hackerspace.  We will also go to the International Exhibition of Inventions Kunshan (IEIK 2014), near Shanghai.  And everywhere we go we will be shown around by local geeks, to see what they think is interesting where they live.''<br>
''I am planning a fifth Hacker Trip To China, including all cities that currently have a hackerspace, and visiting my manufacturer, Seeed Studio, and other manufacturers.  We will also visit Tsinghua University, considered the most prestigious university in China, and other schools -- all of which are now starting a hackerspace.  Everywhere we go, we'll be shown around by local geeks, to see what they think is interesting where they live.''<br>
 
''You can also see info on the [[ChinaTrip|Noisebridge China Trip 1]], that happened in 2009,''<br>
''[[NoisebridgeChinaTrip2|Noisebridge China Trip 2]], that happened in 2011,''<br>
''[[NoisebridgeChinaTrip3|Noisebridge China Trip 3]], that happened in 2013,''<br>
 
-- [[User:Maltman23|Mitch]].




'''When:'''  3-November-2014 (Beijing) through 24-November-2014 (Shanghai).
'''When:'''  3-November-2014 (Beijing) through 24-November-2014 (Shanghai).


'''Flight, transportation, and hotel Info''':  We'll each be on our own to book our own air fare to meet in Beijing on 3-November, and fly home from Shanghai on 24-November (or from wherever you decide to fly home from).<br>
'''Flight, transportation, and hotel Info''':  We were each be on our own to book our own air fare to meet in Beijing on 3-November, and fly home from Shanghai on 24-November (or from wherever you decided to fly home from).<br>


I'm organizing the itinerary and the hotels and other transport.  I will pay in advance for all of this.  You pay me back.<br>
I organized the itinerary and the hotels and other transport.  I paid in advance for all of this.  You should have paid me back.<br>




'''Where:'''  In each of the cities we go to we'll visit their local hackerspace(s), and be shown around by local geeks to see what interests them where they live.  We'll also have plenty of time to do "normal" tourist things too -- and the places we'll be going have spectacular sights!<br>
'''Where:'''  In each of the cities we went to, we visited their local hackerspace(s), and were shown around by local geeks to see what interested them where they live.  We also had plenty of time to do "normal" tourist things too -- and the places we went had spectacular sights!<br>


'''Here's some possible places we'll visit:'''<br>
'''Here's some possible places we thought we'd visit:'''<br>
* We'll start our trip in <span style="color:red">'''Beijing'''</span>.  We'll visit the [http://www.bjmakerspace.com/ Beijing Maxpace] hackerspace.  We'll also visit Tsinghua University.  We can all give presentations and workshops (if you like).<br>
* We started our trip in <span style="color:red">'''Beijing'''</span>.  We visited the [http://www.bjmakerspace.com/ Beijing Maxpace] hackerspace.  We also visited Tsinghua University.  We could all have given presentations and workshops (if you had liked).<br>
* We'll go to <span style="color:red">'''Shenzhen / Guangzhou'''</span> for a few days to visit [http://www.chaihuo.org/ Chaihuo Makerspace] and [http://www.szdiy.org/ SZDIY] hackerspaces, visit [http://www.seeedstudio.com Seeed Studio], the open source hardware company, to meet the cool folks there and to see their manufacturing facilities, and visit with [http://dangerousprototypes.com/ Dangerous Prototypes], another open source hardware company.  We'll also go to the famous (and totally awesome!) [http://www.evilmadscientist.com/article.php/shenzhen/print Huaqiangbei electronics market] in Shenzhen.<br>
* We went to <span style="color:red">'''Shenzhen / Guangzhou'''</span> for a few days to visit [http://www.chaihuo.org/ Chaihuo Makerspace] and [http://www.szdiy.org/ SZDIY] hackerspaces, to visit [http://www.seeedstudio.com Seeed Studio] - the open source hardware company - to meet the cool folks there and to see their manufacturing facilities, and to visit with [http://dangerousprototypes.com/ Dangerous Prototypes] - another open source hardware company.  We also went to the famous (and totally awesome!) [http://www.evilmadscientist.com/article.php/shenzhen/print Huaqiangbei electronics market] in Shenzhen.<br>
* We'll go to <span style="color:red">'''Shanghai'''</span> to visit [http://www.etonnet.com/ my manufacturer (Etonnet)] that I use for [http://www.tvbgone.com TV-B-Gone] remote controls and [http://www.neurodreamer.com NeuroDreamer] sleep masks, where we'll all get to see how products are made, from start to finish, learning how manufacturing works.  We'll also visit [http://xinchejian.com/ XinCheJian] hackerspace in Shanghai, [http://site.douban.com/133681/ Onion Capsule Makerspace] in nearby Hangzhou, and there will be time to visit the [http://www.flickr.com/photos/maltman23/4064240200/in/set-72157622640069902/ Shanghai electronics mall].
* We went to <span style="color:red">'''Shanghai'''</span> to visit [http://www.etonnet.com/ my manufacturer (Etonnet)] that I have used for [http://www.tvbgone.com TV-B-Gone] remote controls and [http://www.neurodreamer.com NeuroDreamer] sleep masks, where we all got to see how products are made, from start to finish, learning how manufacturing works.  We also visited [http://xinchejian.com/ XinCheJian] hackerspace in Shanghai, [http://site.douban.com/133681/ Onion Capsule Makerspace] in nearby Hangzhou, and there was time to visit the [http://www.flickr.com/photos/maltman23/4064240200/in/set-72157622640069902/ Shanghai electronics mall].
* We'll go to <span style="color:red">'''Kunshan'''</span>, which is supposed to be a beautiful city, near Shanghai, to go to the International Exhibition of Inventions Kunshan (IEIK 2014), which is a huge Maker-Faire-ish event where we will have a table to show off stuff, if you like.<br>
* We went to <span style="color:red">'''Kunshan'''</span>, which was a beautiful city, near Shanghai, to go to the International Exhibition of Inventions Kunshan (IEIK 2014), which was a huge Maker-Faire-ish event where we had a table to show off stuff, if you had liked.<br>


I will go on from Shanghai, eventually back to Beijing, where I'll fly to Singapore on 1-December.  I'll be part of a mini-maker-fair-ish set of events there that go on for several days, organized by [http://sgmakers.com/ Singapore Makers], and fly home from Singapore to San Francisco on 11-December.  Everyone is welcome to join me for any or all of these further advantures.  (And, of course, you are free to leave whenever you like.)<br>
I went on from Shanghai, eventually back to Beijing, where I'll fly to Singapore on 1-December.  I'll be part of a mini-Maker-Faire-ish set of events there that go on for several days, organized by [http://sgmakers.com/ Singapore Makers], and fly home from Singapore to San Francisco on 11-December.  Everyone was and is welcome to join me for any or all of these further adventures.  (And, of course, you were and are free to leave whenever you like.)<br>




'''Cost:'''  For the third Noisebridge China trip, I paid about $2k total, including air fare from SF and food and everything -- including all the electronics stuff that I bought.<br>
'''Cost:'''  For the third Noisebridge China trip, I paid about $2k total, including air fare from SF and food and everything -- including all the electronics stuff that I bought.<br>
''It is possible that part of our trip will be paid for by Tsinghua and IEIK 2014).''
''Part of our trip was paid for by Tsinghua and IEIK 2014.''




Line 38: Line 46:




== Tentative Itinerary sketch for Hacker Trip to China 4 ==
== Actual Itinerary sketch for Hacker Trip to China 4 ==


  ''2-November-2014 -- Leave home for Beijing''
  ''2-November-2014 -- Left home for Beijing''
  ''3-November-2014 -- Meet in Beijing''
  ''3-November-2014 -- Met in Beijing''
  3-November to 10-November -- Beijing  
  3-November to 10-November -- Beijing  
  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -- 5-Nov through 10-Nov: brainstorming with Tsinghua and other universities re hackerspaces
  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -- 5-Nov through 10-Nov: brainstormed with Tsinghua and other universities re hackerspaces
  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -- 6-Nov, 11am: visit with WW  
  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -- 6-Nov, 11am: Visited with WW  
  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -- 7-Nov, 7pm-9pm: THU Makerspace workshop
  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -- 7-Nov, 7pm-9pm: THU Makerspace workshop
  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -- 8-Nov, 2pm: Beijing Makerspace workshop  
  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -- 8-Nov, 2pm: Beijing Makerspace workshop  
Line 50: Line 58:
  10-November to 15-November -- Shenzhen  
  10-November to 15-November -- Shenzhen  
  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -- 10-Nov, 6:30pm: Big group dinner at restaurant at Vienna Hotel  
  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -- 10-Nov, 6:30pm: Big group dinner at restaurant at Vienna Hotel  
  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -- 11-Nov, 10:30am: visit 3Nod
  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -- 11-Nov, 10:30am: Visited 3Nod
  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2pm: Tsinghua/UC-Berkeley Shenzhen event
  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2pm: Tsinghua/UC-Berkeley Shenzhen event
  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8pm: Chaihuo presentations
  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8pm: Chaihuo presentations
  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -- 12-Nov: visit Seeed Studio and other factories  
  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -- 12-Nov: Visited Seeed Studio and other factories  
  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -- 13-Nov,10am: visit Huaqianbei electronics markets with the buyer of DealExtreme  
  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -- 13-Nov,10am: Visited Huaqianbei electronics markets with the buyer of DealExtreme  
  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5pm: visit HAXLR8R  
  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5pm: Visited HAXLR8R  
  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -- 14-Nov,11am: visit Makeblock
  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -- 14-Nov,11am: Visited Makeblock
  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7:30pm: visit Tech Space  
  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7:30pm: Visited Tech Space  
  15-November to 18-November -- Shanghai
  15-November to 18-November -- Shanghai
  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -- 16-Nov, 2pm: Arduino For Total Newbies workshop, at XinCheJian  
  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -- 16-Nov, 2pm: Arduino For Total Newbies workshop, at XinCheJian  
  18-November to 21-November -- Kunshan
  18-November to 21-November -- Kunshan
  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -- 18-Nov: check into Kunshan hotels
  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -- 18-Nov: Checked into Kunshan hotels
  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -- 19-Nov: 9am: International Exhibition of Inventions opening ceremony  
  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -- 19-Nov: 9am: International Exhibition of Inventions opening ceremony  
  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;10am: projects at our booth
  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;10am: projects at our booth
Line 70: Line 78:
  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -- 23-Nov, 4pm: Presentations at XinCheJian hackerspace  
  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -- 23-Nov, 4pm: Presentations at XinCheJian hackerspace  
  ''24-November-2014 -- fly home (arrive NA or EU on same day)''
  ''24-November-2014 -- fly home (arrive NA or EU on same day)''
''Everyone is welcome to join me for any or all adventures after 24-November''
''Everyone was welcome to join me for any or all adventures after 24-November -- Her Flupke and Cedric joined me.''


I'll continue to stay in China, eventually getting back to Beijing, where I'll fly to Singapore:<br>
I stayed in China, going back to Beijing for awhile, and flew from there to Singapore:<br>
  26-November to 1-December -- Beijing
  26-November to 1-December -- Beijing
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -- 27-Dec: Visited Tianjin College of Mechanics and Electricity
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -- 29-Dec: Inaugural Tsinghua University Maker's Day
  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -- 30-Dec, 3pm: presentation at Beijing LGBT Center  
  &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -- 30-Dec, 3pm: presentation at Beijing LGBT Center  
  1-December to 11-December -- Singapore
  1-December to 11-December -- Singapore
  11-December-2014 -- fly home
  11-December-2014 -- fly home


== Photos from Hacker Trip to China #3==
== Photos from Hacker Trip to China #4==
<gallery>
<gallery>
File:Beijing_F_Oct_2013.jpg
File:HTTC2014WelcomeHackers.jpg
File:Beijing_Oct_2013.jpg
File:HTTC20143Nod_b.jpg
File:Beijing_B_Oct_2013.jpg
File:HTTC2014AiWeiWei.jpg
File:Beijing_C_Oct_2013.jpg
File:HTTC2014BeijingLGBTcentre.jpg
File:Beijing_D_Oct_2013.jpg
File:HTTC2014Brooms.jpg
File:Beijing_E_Oct_2013.jpg
File:HTTC2014CableFactory.jpg
File:Beijing_G_Oct_2013.jpg
File:HTTC2014ChaiHuo.jpg
File:Shanghai_Oct_2013.jpg
File:HTTC2014GiantSewing.jpg
File:Shanghai_B_Oct_2013.jpg
File:HTTC2014Huaqianbei.jpg
File:Shanghai_C_Oct_2013.jpg
File:HTTC2014IEIK2014.jpg
File:Shenzhen_Oct_2013.jpg
File:HTTC2014SeeedStudio.jpg
File:Beijing_Nov-2013.jpg
File:HTTC2014Shanghai.jpg
File:HTTC2014Tianjin.jpg
File:HTTC2014Tienanmen.jpg
File:HTTC2014TrainConvenienceStore.jpg
File:HTTC2014TsinghuaMakersDay.jpg
File:HTTC20143Nod.jpg
File:HTTC2014XinCheJian.jpg
</gallery>
</gallery>


Mitch's photos from [https://www.flickr.com/photos/maltman23/sets/72157635945868776/ Beijing, Sep-2013]<br>
Mitch's photos from [https://www.flickr.com/photos/maltman23/sets/72157646894397704/ Beijing, Nov-2014]<br>
Mitch's photos from [https://www.flickr.com/photos/maltman23/sets/72157637264302083/ Beijing Oct-2013]<br>
Mitch's photos from [https://www.flickr.com/photos/maltman23/sets/72157648975298719/ Shanghai, Nov-2014]<br>
Mitch's photos from [https://www.flickr.com/photos/maltman23/sets/72157636975044666/ Shenzhen, Oct-2013]<br>
Mitch's photos from [https://www.flickr.com/photos/maltman23/sets/72157648981933060/ Shenzhen, Nov-2014]<br>
Mitch's photos from [https://www.flickr.com/photos/maltman23/sets/72157636656872606/ Shanghai, Oct-2013]<br>
Mitch's photos from [https://www.flickr.com/photos/maltman23/sets/72157649396351315/ Kunshan, Nov-2014]<br>
Mitch's photos from [https://www.flickr.com/photos/maltman23/sets/72157636342659273/ Beijing 2, Oct-2013]<br>
Mitch's photos from [https://www.flickr.com/photos/maltman23/sets/72157649148594118/ Shanghai (2), Nov-2014]<br>
Mitch's photos from [https://www.flickr.com/photos/maltman23/sets/72157637253655566/ Beijing, Nov-2013]<br>
Mitch's photos from [https://www.flickr.com/photos/maltman23/sets/72157649146775640/ Beijing (2), Nov-2014]<br>
 
Mitch's photos from [https://www.flickr.com/photos/maltman23/sets/72157649146987360/ Tianjin, Nov-2014]<br>
Mitch's photos from [https://www.flickr.com/photos/maltman23/sets/72157647372474753/ Beijing (3), Nov-2014]<br>
Mitch's photos from [https://www.flickr.com/photos/maltman23/sets/72157649287546450/ Singapore, Dec-2014]<br>


== You Need a Chinese Visa!! ==
== You Need a Chinese Visa!! ==
To go to China you need to get a visa!
To go to China, you needed to get a visa!


* And to get a visa, you need to have a passport that is valid ''at least'' 6 months after you plan to fly away from China (so, e.g., if you are leaving China on 24-April, then your passport needs to be valid through 25-October-2013).  Your passport must also have at least ''one entirely blank page''.
* And to get a visa, you needed to have a passport that was valid ''at least'' 6 months after you planned to fly away from China (so, e.g., if you were leaving China on 24-April-2014, then your passport needed to be valid through 25-October-2013).  Your passport must also have had at least ''one entirely blank page''.


* You also need:
* You also needed:
** a printout of a filled-out [http://www.chinaconsulatesf.org/chn/qianzhen/zgqz/P020130828366275572026.pdf Visa Application Form V. 2013 of the People's Republic of China] (I'll email you my filled out form as an example to follow).
** a printout of a filled-out [http://www.chinaconsulatesf.org/chn/qianzhen/zgqz/P020130828366275572026.pdf Visa Application Form V. 2013 of the People's Republic of China] (I emailed you my filled out form as an example to follow).
** a copy of the information pages of your passport.
** a copy of the information pages of your passport.
** a copy of your most Chinese visa (if you have been to China before).
** a copy of your most Chinese visa (if you have been to China before).
** one 2"x2" recent color photo (not a printout).
** one 2"x2" recent color photo (not a printout).
** a screenshot or printout of hotel reservation confirmation (I'll email this to you).
** a screenshot or printout of hotel reservation confirmation (I emailed this to you).
** a printout of your invite letter (I'll email this to you).
** a printout of your invite letter (I emailed this to you).
** a copy of your airline ticket.
** a copy of your airline ticket.


* For US citizens, the visa costs $140 (much cheaper for other nationalities).  You can get a single-entry, or a multiple-entry visa.  I recommend getting a '''multiple-entry visa''' valid for 1 year, since multiple-entry visas cost the same as single-entry, and they are equally easy to obtain.  I recommend getting a '''Tourist L visa''', which is very easy.
* For US citizens, the visa cost $140 (much cheaper for other nationalities).  You could have gotten a single-entry, or a multiple-entry visa.  I recommended getting a '''multiple-entry visa''' valid for 1 year, since multiple-entry visas cost the same as single-entry, and they are equally easy to obtain.  I recommended getting a '''Tourist L visa''', which is very easy.


You can pay the fee by Visa, MasterCard, Money Order, Cashier's Check or Company Check. ''Cash or Personal checks are not acceptable.''
You can pay the fee by Visa, MasterCard, Money Order, Cashier's Check or Company Check. ''Cash or Personal checks are not acceptable.''


To get a visa, you can go to your local Chinese consulate (which are all closed on 23-Jan and 24-Jan for Chinese New Year).  No appointment is required.  You go in one day, and it will be ready for pick up 4 business days later.  My experience is that it takes about an hour the first day, and takes only a few minutes to pick up the visa a few days later.  (2 to 3 business-day and 1 business day/same-day express service is avaliable for $20 or $30.)
To get a visa, you can go to your local Chinese consulate (which are all closed on 23-Jan and 24-Jan for Chinese New Year).  No appointment is required.  You go in one day, and it will be ready for pick up 4 business days later.  My experience is that it takes about an hour the first day, and takes only a few minutes to pick up the visa a few days later.  (2 to 3 business-day and 1 business day/same-day express service is available for $20 or $30.)


(Citizens of US and Europe ''do not'' need a separate visa for Hong Kong.)
(Citizens of US and Europe ''do not'' need a separate visa for Hong Kong.)
Line 129: Line 147:
http://www.chinaconsulatesf.org/chn/qianzhen/zgqz/P020130828366275572026.pdf
http://www.chinaconsulatesf.org/chn/qianzhen/zgqz/P020130828366275572026.pdf


'''I'll email you my filled out form as an example to follow -- but here is the basic idea:'''<br>
'''I emailed you my filled out form as an example to follow -- but here is the basic idea:'''<br>


On this form, most of the fields are obvious.   
On this form, most of the fields are obvious.   
* For section 2.1, check "Tourism".   
* For section 2.1, check "Tourism".   
* The date of first entry in section 2.4 is the date we will be entering China, which is 2014-11-03.
* The date of first entry in section 2.4 is the date we entered China, which was 2014-11-03.
* Longest intended stay -- section 2.5:  30 days.
* Longest intended stay -- section 2.5:  30 days.
* Itinerary in China -- section 2.6:
* Itinerary in China -- section 2.6:
Line 173: Line 191:
''mitch *AT* CornfieldElectronics *DOT* com''
''mitch *AT* CornfieldElectronics *DOT* com''


The trip is limited to 10 people total (including Mitch), so the first 9 people on this list (after Mitch) who buy their plane tickets to arrive in Beijing on or before 3-November will be able to join us (this probably means leaving your home on 2-November):<br>
The trip was limited to 10 people total (including Mitch), so the first 9 people on this list (after Mitch) who bought their plane tickets to arrive in Beijing on or before 3-November would have been able to join us (this probably meant leaving your home on 2-November):<br>


{| style="color:green; background-color:#ffffcc;" cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0" border="1"
{| style="color:green; background-color:#ffffcc;" cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0" border="1"
Line 184: Line 202:
|[[user: maltman23 | Mitch Altman]]
|[[user: maltman23 | Mitch Altman]]
|align="center"|yes
|align="center"|yes
|Arriving: 1-November-2014, 4:25pm, on United UA889 from SFO
|Arrived: 1-November-2014, 4:25pm, on United UA889 from SFO
|-
|-
|2
|2
|Jeff Putney
|Jeff Putney
|align="center"|yes
|align="center"|yes
|Arriving: 3-November-2014, 4:50pm, on Air Canada AC031 from YYZ
|Arrived: 3-November-2014, 4:50pm, on Air Canada AC031 from YYZ
|-
|-
|3
|3
|Rachel McConnell
|Rachel McConnell
|align="center"|yes
|align="center"|yes
|Arriving: 3-November-2014, 4:00pm, on Air Canada flight AC029 from YVR
|Arrived: 3-November-2014, 4:00pm, on Air Canada flight AC029 from YVR
|-
|-
|4
|4
|Zimmer Barnes
|Zimmer Barnes
|align="center"|yes
|align="center"|yes
|Arriving: 1-November-2014, 4:25pm, on United flight UA889 from SFO
|Arrived: 1-November-2014, 4:25pm, on United flight UA889 from SFO
|-
|-
|5
|5
|<strike>Leandro Pereira</strike>
|<strike>Leandro Pereira</strike>
|align="center"|<strike>yes</strike>
|align="center"|<strike>yes</strike>
|<strike>Arriving: 3-November-2014, 6:15am, on Air China CA966 from FRA</strike><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(didn't apply for Chinese visa in time)
|<strike>Arrived: 3-November-2014, 6:15am, on Air China CA966 from FRA</strike><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(didn't apply for Chinese visa in time)
|-
|-
|6
|6
|[[user:Unixjazz | Luis Felipe R. Murillo]]
|[[user:Unixjazz | Luis Felipe R. Murillo]]
|align="center"|yes
|align="center"|yes
|Arriving: 1-November-2014, 6:50pm, on Hainan Airlines HU0482 from BOS
|Arrived: 1-November-2014, 6:50pm, on Hainan Airlines HU0482 from BOS
|-
|-
|7
|7
|Liz Cole
|Liz Cole
|align="center"|yes
|align="center"|yes
|Arriving: 3-November-2014, 7:25pm, on American Airlines AA187 from ORD
|Arrived: 3-November-2014, 7:25pm, on American Airlines AA187 from ORD
|-
|-
|8
|8
|Adam Williams
|Adam Williams
|align="center"|yes
|align="center"|yes
|Arriving: 13-November-2014
|Arrived: 13-November-2014
|-
|-
|9
|9
|[[user:cedric | Cedric Honnet]]
|[[user:cedric | Cedric Honnet]]
|align="center"|yes
|align="center"|yes
|Arriving: 3-November-2014, 6:55am, on China Southern Airlines KL4303 from Amsterdam
|Arrived: 3-November-2014, 6:55am, on China Southern Airlines KL4303 from Amsterdam
|-
|-
| 10
| 10
|herr flupke
|herr flupke
|align="center"|yes
|align="center"|yes
|Arriving: 12-November-2014 in Shenzhen, 4:40pm, on Air China CA1303 from Beijing
|Arrived: 12-November-2014 in Shenzhen, 4:40pm, on Air China CA1303 from Beijing
|-
|-
|11
|11
|Charles Paul
|Charles Paul
|align="center"|yes
|align="center"|yes
|Arriving: 5-November-2014<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(only with group through 6-November)
|Arrived: 5-November-2014<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(only with group through 6-November)
|-
|-
|12
|12
|Rachael Turner
|Rachael Turner
|align="center"|yes
|align="center"|yes
|Arriving: 9-November-2014 in Hong Kong on Qatar Airways QR0816 from Manchester/Doha (Then 10-11-14 in Shenzhen)<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(only with group through 15-November)
|Arrived: 9-November-2014 in Hong Kong on Qatar Airways QR0816 from Manchester/Doha (Then 10-11-14 in Shenzhen)<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(only with group through 15-November)
|-
|-
|13
|13
|Asa Calow
|Asa Calow
|align="center"|yes
|align="center"|yes
|Arriving: 9-November-2014 in Hong Kong on Qatar Airways QR0816 from Manchester/Doha (Then 10-11-14 in Shenzhen)<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(only with group through 15-November)
|Arrived: 9-November-2014 in Hong Kong on Qatar Airways QR0816 from Manchester/Doha (Then 10-11-14 in Shenzhen)<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(only with group through 15-November)
|}
|}


[[Category:Travel]]
[[Category:Travel]]
[[Category:Projects]]

Revision as of 01:02, 10 July 2019

NOISEBRIDGE CHINA TRIP #4
-- Start Date: 3-November-2014, in Beijing
-- End Date: 24-November-2014, in Shanghai

Oldcomputer.png

Note: This page is about an event that has already happened. It took place on 2014-11-02 to 2014-12-11. | Edit

Trip #3 Kung Fu Hacking: Hackers In Residence Kickoff event at Tsinghua University, Beijing
Trip #2 Visit to Petrochemical Univeristy, Beijing
Trip #1 Jingshan Park, Beijing
Trip #1 Visit to injection molding factory, Shanghai

Because the first Noisebridge China Trips were so successful,
I am planning a fifth Hacker Trip To China, including all cities that currently have a hackerspace, and visiting my manufacturer, Seeed Studio, and other manufacturers. We will also visit Tsinghua University, considered the most prestigious university in China, and other schools -- all of which are now starting a hackerspace. Everywhere we go, we'll be shown around by local geeks, to see what they think is interesting where they live.

You can also see info on the Noisebridge China Trip 1, that happened in 2009,
Noisebridge China Trip 2, that happened in 2011,
Noisebridge China Trip 3, that happened in 2013,

-- Mitch.


When: 3-November-2014 (Beijing) through 24-November-2014 (Shanghai).

Flight, transportation, and hotel Info: We were each be on our own to book our own air fare to meet in Beijing on 3-November, and fly home from Shanghai on 24-November (or from wherever you decided to fly home from).

I organized the itinerary and the hotels and other transport. I paid in advance for all of this. You should have paid me back.


Where: In each of the cities we went to, we visited their local hackerspace(s), and were shown around by local geeks to see what interested them where they live. We also had plenty of time to do "normal" tourist things too -- and the places we went had spectacular sights!

Here's some possible places we thought we'd visit:

  • We started our trip in Beijing. We visited the Beijing Maxpace hackerspace. We also visited Tsinghua University. We could all have given presentations and workshops (if you had liked).
  • We went to Shenzhen / Guangzhou for a few days to visit Chaihuo Makerspace and SZDIY hackerspaces, to visit Seeed Studio - the open source hardware company - to meet the cool folks there and to see their manufacturing facilities, and to visit with Dangerous Prototypes - another open source hardware company. We also went to the famous (and totally awesome!) Huaqiangbei electronics market in Shenzhen.
  • We went to Shanghai to visit my manufacturer (Etonnet) that I have used for TV-B-Gone remote controls and NeuroDreamer sleep masks, where we all got to see how products are made, from start to finish, learning how manufacturing works. We also visited XinCheJian hackerspace in Shanghai, Onion Capsule Makerspace in nearby Hangzhou, and there was time to visit the Shanghai electronics mall.
  • We went to Kunshan, which was a beautiful city, near Shanghai, to go to the International Exhibition of Inventions Kunshan (IEIK 2014), which was a huge Maker-Faire-ish event where we had a table to show off stuff, if you had liked.

I went on from Shanghai, eventually back to Beijing, where I'll fly to Singapore on 1-December. I'll be part of a mini-Maker-Faire-ish set of events there that go on for several days, organized by Singapore Makers, and fly home from Singapore to San Francisco on 11-December. Everyone was and is welcome to join me for any or all of these further adventures. (And, of course, you were and are free to leave whenever you like.)


Cost: For the third Noisebridge China trip, I paid about $2k total, including air fare from SF and food and everything -- including all the electronics stuff that I bought.
Part of our trip was paid for by Tsinghua and IEIK 2014.


#hashtag: #httc2014      (Hacker Trip To China 2014)


Actual Itinerary sketch for Hacker Trip to China 4

2-November-2014 -- Left home for Beijing
3-November-2014 -- Met in Beijing
3-November to 10-November -- Beijing 
        -- 5-Nov through 10-Nov: brainstormed with Tsinghua and other universities re hackerspaces
        -- 6-Nov, 11am: Visited with WW 
        -- 7-Nov, 7pm-9pm: THU Makerspace workshop
        -- 8-Nov, 2pm: Beijing Makerspace workshop 
        -- 9-Nov, 3pm: Swarm Agent Club presentation
10-November to 15-November -- Shenzhen 
        -- 10-Nov, 6:30pm: Big group dinner at restaurant at Vienna Hotel 
        -- 11-Nov, 10:30am: Visited 3Nod
             2pm: Tsinghua/UC-Berkeley Shenzhen event
             8pm: Chaihuo presentations
        -- 12-Nov: Visited Seeed Studio and other factories 
        -- 13-Nov,10am: Visited Huaqianbei electronics markets with the buyer of DealExtreme 
             5pm: Visited HAXLR8R 
        -- 14-Nov,11am: Visited Makeblock
             7:30pm: Visited Tech Space 
15-November to 18-November -- Shanghai
        -- 16-Nov, 2pm: Arduino For Total Newbies workshop, at XinCheJian 
18-November to 21-November -- Kunshan
        -- 18-Nov: Checked into Kunshan hotels
        -- 19-Nov: 9am: International Exhibition of Inventions opening ceremony 
              10am: projects at our booth
        -- 20-Nov, 10am projects at our booth 
              1pm-4pm: presentations on the theme "China and US Maker" 
              (exhibition hall floor 2 meeting room 206)
21-November to 24-November -- Shanghai
        -- 23-Nov, 4pm: Presentations at XinCheJian hackerspace 
24-November-2014 -- fly home (arrive NA or EU on same day)

Everyone was welcome to join me for any or all adventures after 24-November -- Her Flupke and Cedric joined me.

I stayed in China, going back to Beijing for awhile, and flew from there to Singapore:

26-November to 1-December -- Beijing
        -- 27-Dec: Visited Tianjin College of Mechanics and Electricity
        -- 29-Dec: Inaugural Tsinghua University Maker's Day 
        -- 30-Dec, 3pm: presentation at Beijing LGBT Center 
1-December to 11-December -- Singapore
11-December-2014 -- fly home

Photos from Hacker Trip to China #4

Mitch's photos from Beijing, Nov-2014
Mitch's photos from Shanghai, Nov-2014
Mitch's photos from Shenzhen, Nov-2014
Mitch's photos from Kunshan, Nov-2014
Mitch's photos from Shanghai (2), Nov-2014
Mitch's photos from Beijing (2), Nov-2014
Mitch's photos from Tianjin, Nov-2014
Mitch's photos from Beijing (3), Nov-2014
Mitch's photos from Singapore, Dec-2014

You Need a Chinese Visa!!

To go to China, you needed to get a visa!

  • And to get a visa, you needed to have a passport that was valid at least 6 months after you planned to fly away from China (so, e.g., if you were leaving China on 24-April-2014, then your passport needed to be valid through 25-October-2013). Your passport must also have had at least one entirely blank page.
  • You also needed:
    • a printout of a filled-out Visa Application Form V. 2013 of the People's Republic of China (I emailed you my filled out form as an example to follow).
    • a copy of the information pages of your passport.
    • a copy of your most Chinese visa (if you have been to China before).
    • one 2"x2" recent color photo (not a printout).
    • a screenshot or printout of hotel reservation confirmation (I emailed this to you).
    • a printout of your invite letter (I emailed this to you).
    • a copy of your airline ticket.
  • For US citizens, the visa cost $140 (much cheaper for other nationalities). You could have gotten a single-entry, or a multiple-entry visa. I recommended getting a multiple-entry visa valid for 1 year, since multiple-entry visas cost the same as single-entry, and they are equally easy to obtain. I recommended getting a Tourist L visa, which is very easy.

You can pay the fee by Visa, MasterCard, Money Order, Cashier's Check or Company Check. Cash or Personal checks are not acceptable.

To get a visa, you can go to your local Chinese consulate (which are all closed on 23-Jan and 24-Jan for Chinese New Year). No appointment is required. You go in one day, and it will be ready for pick up 4 business days later. My experience is that it takes about an hour the first day, and takes only a few minutes to pick up the visa a few days later. (2 to 3 business-day and 1 business day/same-day express service is available for $20 or $30.)

(Citizens of US and Europe do not need a separate visa for Hong Kong.)


Here is the application form for the China Tourist L Visa (same as the link given above):
http://www.chinaconsulatesf.org/chn/qianzhen/zgqz/P020130828366275572026.pdf

I emailed you my filled out form as an example to follow -- but here is the basic idea:

On this form, most of the fields are obvious.

  • For section 2.1, check "Tourism".
  • The date of first entry in section 2.4 is the date we entered China, which was 2014-11-03.
  • Longest intended stay -- section 2.5: 30 days.
  • Itinerary in China -- section 2.6:
    • Date: 3-11-2014
    • Address:
      • Orange Hotel Beijing Zhongguancun
      • 北京市海淀区北下关街道皂君庙甲7号
  • Who will pay -- section 2.7: myself
  • Information of inviter in China -- section 2.8:

          Name: Xia Hui Dong
          Address: Shun De Building #410, Haidian District, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084
          Phone number: +86 186-1832-8671
          Relationship with applicant: host

  • For sections 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5: check the "No" box for all these
  • For sections 3.6, 3.7, 3.8: leave all these blank

Previous Noisebridge China Trips

If you're curious about the previous Noisebridge China Trips, they have their own wiki pages:
Noisebridge China Trip 1
          That first Noisebridge China Trip was inspired by Bunny Huang's "geek tour".

Noisebridge China Trip 2

Hacker Trip to China 3


-- Mitch.



People interested in going on the Hacker Trip to China #4, 2014:

You do not need to be a member of Noisebridge to go on this trip.

Please email me if you are interested in joining us:
mitch *AT* CornfieldElectronics *DOT* com

The trip was limited to 10 people total (including Mitch), so the first 9 people on this list (after Mitch) who bought their plane tickets to arrive in Beijing on or before 3-November would have been able to join us (this probably meant leaving your home on 2-November):

Name Purchased flight? Flight info
1 Mitch Altman yes Arrived: 1-November-2014, 4:25pm, on United UA889 from SFO
2 Jeff Putney yes Arrived: 3-November-2014, 4:50pm, on Air Canada AC031 from YYZ
3 Rachel McConnell yes Arrived: 3-November-2014, 4:00pm, on Air Canada flight AC029 from YVR
4 Zimmer Barnes yes Arrived: 1-November-2014, 4:25pm, on United flight UA889 from SFO
5 Leandro Pereira yes Arrived: 3-November-2014, 6:15am, on Air China CA966 from FRA
        (didn't apply for Chinese visa in time)
6 Luis Felipe R. Murillo yes Arrived: 1-November-2014, 6:50pm, on Hainan Airlines HU0482 from BOS
7 Liz Cole yes Arrived: 3-November-2014, 7:25pm, on American Airlines AA187 from ORD
8 Adam Williams yes Arrived: 13-November-2014
9 Cedric Honnet yes Arrived: 3-November-2014, 6:55am, on China Southern Airlines KL4303 from Amsterdam
10 herr flupke yes Arrived: 12-November-2014 in Shenzhen, 4:40pm, on Air China CA1303 from Beijing
11 Charles Paul yes Arrived: 5-November-2014
        (only with group through 6-November)
12 Rachael Turner yes Arrived: 9-November-2014 in Hong Kong on Qatar Airways QR0816 from Manchester/Doha (Then 10-11-14 in Shenzhen)
        (only with group through 15-November)
13 Asa Calow yes Arrived: 9-November-2014 in Hong Kong on Qatar Airways QR0816 from Manchester/Doha (Then 10-11-14 in Shenzhen)
        (only with group through 15-November)