My adventure didn't start with China    -General- | GAZZA20 | Jun 13, 2007 01:14 GMT-6

Courteous readers;

I only have a few big tips and that is to keep an open mind and try to learn some of the language. People will appreciate it and you will go far in making friends if you do these things.

Try not to discuss politics such as Taiwan. It is too sensitive. I have lived on Taiwan and find the thinking alien to the Mainland and vice versa.

Most people I meet are shy and won't discuss things so openly with us as outsiders. Topics such as those which contain adult content make most people feel uncomfortable, but that seems to be changing.

I guess the most challenging thing I have ever done was to go from a weight of 300 pounds in 3 years to 180 pounds where i am now.

Just keep trying, whatever it is you are doing and you will get it right one day and succeed. Do not be put off or have your heart broken by failure.

Success comes to those who are pateint, especially if you are learning English. I find Chinese very challengiing and rewarding.

Happy journey.
Gary

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Study in Kunming    Kunming | CALEB | May 11, 2007 04:02 GMT-6

Summit Foreign Language School is an excellent study option for short term or long term mandarin study in Kunming. They can help extend or arrange visas and offer flexible and professional tuition and classes with qualified teachers who speak standard mandarin (hard to find in Yunnan from my experience!). They also have a really good location near wenlin jie. I definitely recommend them to any traveller or anyone wanting to while a way some time in beautiful Kunming!!!

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Photographic tips    -General- | DAVEC | Apr 14, 2007 15:12 GMT-6

As a photographer myself there are some essential items to take that occassionally get overlooked. First to pack has to be silica sachets, air conditioning and in and out of rooms will produce condensation and they help big time. Small screwdrivers, just a tiny cheap set for the 'what if' situation. Spares of everything, batteries,film or memory cards because there is every chance you will need them. On the subject of memory cards take more than 1 and change it in the canera regularly, so if you ever lose or damage 1 then you still get a good selection of images. Dont forget to format your memory cards too ( but then you knew that anyway). Consider a well padded and weatherproof case for your gear it is a good investment. Personnaly I use lowepro and swear by it, great protection AND a lifetime guarantee.
Enjoy your trip to China and if you see a big guy carrying a huge backpack full of too much photo gear looking worn out that will be me, smile and say hi!!

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VISA TO ENTER CHINA    -General- | JOSE | Apr 1, 2007 20:55 GMT-6

If you don´t have a China Visa, you can get it easyly in Hong Kong, only have to wait some 24 hours and you will have it.

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Hong Kong    -General- | JOSE | Apr 1, 2007 20:49 GMT-6

Apr. 2006. Really modern city. Excellent night life. I spent my birthday there in a Irish pub drinking good Guiness beer. The YMCA is a good option to have lodging at low cost in a clean and safe place.

I suggest to take a taxi and ask the driver to take you to visit the main points of the city. Must spent one night in the Soho, , viist the HKTC and take the ferry.

Many many foreign comunities. Hong Kong looks like a meeting point of all cultures, like westerns, chineses, arabs, africans, etc.

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Changzhou    -General- | JOSE | Apr 1, 2007 20:43 GMT-6

Sep 2004. From Wuxi to Changzhou I visited small factories of electric parts and metal working. These are the really chinese manufacturing plants, where the small parts are made. Many young girls seat one by the other in long tables assembling parts. I looked like them as strange.

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Jinan and Dongying    -General- | JOSE | Apr 1, 2007 20:37 GMT-6

I knew the famous Yellow River. Traveling from Jinan to Dongying Is a good opportunity to know the inner country of this part of china.

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Chongqing    -General- | JOSE | Apr 1, 2007 20:27 GMT-6

Sept. 2004. A nice city with wonderful people. I stayed for 3 days on business, but taking the chance to know everything I can of the local people and the city. It is very cheap to eat there, just one RMB for a cup of rice!. I tasted the snake, the hot pot and a very strong alcoholic beverage made from herbs and pieces of snakes. According to my translator, this will make me more "strong" with the girl. But I had it at once, some 50 cc and this makes my face red in flames!.

Also when I arrived to the hotel, a wedding was taking place there, and I had been inmediatly invited to the party!, I got an offer of cigarret (a local tradition). Very good people!

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