Get out of Town!!
By GERALDINE | 7/27/2006 9:27:09 PM
The cities of China are full of interesting sites and wonderful opportunities to watch the life of the chinese people but you just have to get out of town and in to the country to see the beauty and peacefulness of China. Coming from NZ I found the cities of China really large!! Remember NZ only has 4 million people in total so the large cities were quite different to what I was used to. Being a kid from the country I adored the cities but could not wait to get out in to the country side. And it was there that we saw a completely different side to China. The laughter and smiles of the people in the country was infectious and the way in which we were welcomed in to the villages delighted us. To see this side of China really is a must when you travel there. The usual sites are great and should not be missed but take the time to visit the ordinary person in their village and you will be pleasantly surprised at what you find!!
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Bamboo rafting in Yangshuo
By GERALDINE | 7/27/2006 10:08:24 PM
Organised by the lovely guide Esther- to be found in West Street- we went out for an amazing bamboo raft ride down the Li River. It is wonderful to get away from the noise and bustle of the town and out in to the country. The two men who Esther organised to take us were fantastic as they did not just take us down the river, they stopped off at alot of places on the way where we got off the raft and followed them along the banks to see a variety of culturally interesting places. Cave paintings at one place, an interesting irrigation system that raised water from the river up three metres to the fields with no machinery used!! An explanation of how the irrigation channels worked- a look at the village life along the river. So the leisurely trip also became a knowledgable experience in to some of the ways of Chinese life. It really is a must do- especially with the rush of the raft over the many weirs that line the Li river and control it's flow!!
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Online English Language Train Schedules/Timetables
By LEMONCACTUS | 7/18/2006 9:05:32 PM
I just want to point out a few online sources for finding trains in China, in English.
1. Is TCG's own of course: http://www.travelchinaguide.com/china-trains/index.htm
2. http://treehouse.ofb.net/guide/searchtrainroutes?lang=en
3. http://www.chinahighlights.com/china-trains/
Train travel in China is cheap, efficient and fun. ENJOY!
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How to Explore a New City
By RUNNERMORE | 7/18/2006 6:49:41 PM
Explore a new city, whether in your own country or abroad
Steps:
1.Obtain a free city map from the airport, bus station, or your hotel. If you can't get a free one, you may need to purchase one from a newstand.
2.When you step out the front door of your hotel, take stock of your surroundings. Look for interesting buildings and note the street or corner your hotel is located on. Mark this on your map with an X. The interesting building will alert you when you are getting back to your hotel.
3.Look around you to see where the action seems to be.
4.For your first sightseeing excursion, it would be well to choose a famous landmark that you can walk to. This will be your "center". From now on you should be able to navigate by this landmark, and the items on your map will become clear to you, because you will be able to see whether sights are closer to your hotel or that landmark. If the landmark is a tall one, that helps, because you can see it from several blocks away.
5.From now on you will be able to venture out in an ever widening radius from your hotel, and you will (almost) never get lost. It depends on how adventurous you are.
Tips:
Check for interesting features on the buildings as you walk. This will help you know when you are going back by the same route.
Warnings
Don't get so caught up looking at architecture that you fail to notice the other pedestrians around you.
Things You'll Need
1.map
2.good walking shoes
3.an alert mind
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IMPORTANT: creditcards and bankcards in China
By GRIZ326 | 7/13/2006 12:33:47 PM
I used my bank card one time in Beijing to get cash. The next day, my bank card was my card was locked.
The bank told me the card was locked because of rampant identity theft and fraud in China...at least that is their excuse... The truth is probably that most bank and credit cards ensure the user that they will not be liable for loss due to fraud; the bank is...so the banks are protecting themselves from losses.
If you alert your bank and credit card companies of your travel plans abroad, they will not/may not lock your creditcard or bankcard.
The locking of my bank card forced me to take a cash advance from my creditcard for the first time ever. You know you get klobbered with interest on cash advances!
If you notify the bank and creditcard companies you may be able to avoid this inconvenience.
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The best times to visit Hangzhou
By ANTAM | 7/11/2006 1:13:25 AM
The best time to visit the city is spring time when plum and cherry blossoms are in bloom, from late Feb to early April. Nice weather too.
See my blog
http://www.annatam.com
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Domestic flights
By BIRDIEJK | 7/10/2006 9:51:45 PM
Fares fluctuate daily. Grab good deals (40%-60% discount off published fares) from agents. Lesser discount on or near the departure date. Don't buy them at the airport - much more expensive.
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Taxi fares
By BIRDIEJK | 7/10/2006 9:42:44 PM
Contrary to what is usually advised, do agree on the taxi fare before the ride (especially if your destination is quite a distance away). [Prior to hailing a taxi, you would have checked the estimated fare for your destination]. Locals will tell you that this is the best way not to get cheated. If you follow the metered fare, the taxi driver could bring you 'round the world' and you would never know for sure whether he is taking the correct or a 'crooked' route.
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