Xichang cosmodrome

[shoogerbrugge]

Hi there....<br /><br />I've been a lurker for quite some time now, about 2 years. But this time decided to post something, because I need some help/advise<br /><br />Im travelling in China for a couple of months and find myself rather close to Xichang, the main cosmodrome (or whatever the Chinese call it). I know there are organised tours (sometimes) and that there aren't any launches planned for the next few months from this base.<br /><br />But has anybody here done the tour before, is it any good? Its quite a hassle (red tape is still wide spread in china, and with gov issues its even worse) So before I commit myself to this tour I wanted to have some peak previews<br /><br />Thanks in advance<br /><br />

 

[JonClarke]

I don't think anyone here has been so you should definitely go and tell us all about it!<br /><br />Jon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>

 

[shoogerbrugge]

Pffffff, this is really shamefull..........<br /><br /><br />I am in Xichang, home of the long march programme. There are two agency's that take care the red tape involved with visiting the Cosmodrome as a foreign national.<br /><br />BUT<br /><br />I've got no clue where to find these agency's. For one, the red star hotel, nobody seems to have heard of it and no clue where it is. The second is XITS (Xichang International Travel Service), I've got 3 different adresses and a phonenumber of this agency, but one day walking around in Xichang has resulted into nothing. Its supposed to be in a back alley of a main street, but there are many many many (and I mean a lot) back alley's in this town. I've seen them all twice today. Tried everything, let the hotel call the agency to get directions, ask deskies at major hotels (the most likely to speak English) for help. Sure doesn't help that i don't speak Chinese, because it's certainly needed in this city. I've been able to travel half of the country with 3 words of chinese and a lot of pointing and drawing, but finding this agency poses a problem<br /><br />I'm gonna give it one more try tomorrow, if not. I was close, yet so far from my goal........ <img src="/images/icons/frown.gif" />