| Safe to travel alone??? | |
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| Jan 23, 2006 00:16 | #21   |
 | <Joining a tour group before leaving to China? OR Fly to China first, then join from there> It's not important when to join but to what type of tour you plan to join. I know there is a kind of cheap/ budget tour, called "optional tours", surprisingly cheap at the first place, but all the must-see places are arranged as optional. This is the way they get the money back, for example, Summer Palace, USD50, Great Wall USD80, etc join it or not. Usually the guides and drivers of this kind of tour agency have very low salaries or no salaries at all. So, forcing the tourists into the tourist shops are inevitable. I don't know exactly what kind of tour you're going to join, I hope not "optional tours".:-) So, change your idea not to travel alone, Javagurl? |
| Jan 23, 2006 02:59 | #22 |
| Yes, I agree with Rita. It's not important when to join a package tour, but join a trusted one! If you don't know English, you'd better join an agency with english speaking staffs and english quotation. So that u can fully understand what they can provide, right? |
| Jan 23, 2006 04:55 | #23 |
| Rita, you're the best! You've been soooo sooo helpful to me! The thought of joining a tour makes a lot of sense because when you're traveling alone, you don't know where to start. At least professional people knows where to take you, not just to one place, but six or seven other cities. I figure, traveling alone in a tour group makes me feel more at ease knowing that I'm not really "alone alone"...you know. Package deals are always tempting and sometimes hard to resist. I guess I'll just have to trust my instincts and go with the flow. I had some kind poster in my other forum helping me translate the hotel names listed on the flyer. When I look at them, they are sooo beautiful, but somehow, I feel like it's too good to be true. Thank you May for the extra info. I do speak fluent English. No problems with Cantonese or Mandarin, so joining a tour speaking one of those languages is perfectly fine with me =) That's the last thing I should worry about =) |
| Jan 23, 2006 19:11 | #24 |
| Author: MAY001 | Guangzhou | 2006-01-23 02:59:58 GMT-6 Yes, I agree with Rita. It's not important when to join a package tour, but join a trusted one! If you don't know English, you'd better join an agency with english speaking staffs and english quotation. So that u can fully understand what they can provide, right? SORRY!! What I wanted to say is ' IF you don't know Chinese'. But u said u know Chinese and Cantonese, that's great! |
| Jan 25, 2006 04:42 | #25 |
| Hi, I know I'm late to this discussion, but I'd just like to say that I've been on my own in China for a year now (and I'm female) and have encountered no major problems at all. The only violence I've seen in a year occurred on an incredibly packed train yesterday and involved 2 women, one of whom gave the other a smack on the back. Much shouting ensued and general laughter from the Chinese passengers (I couldn't understand), and that was it!! On the whole I find the Chinese are curious about me as I regularly seem to be the only Westerner around! People on the trains are often kind. Ie: helping me lift my huge rucksack onto luggage racks etc. Travelling alone is an excellent way to meet new people and gain extra experiences that you just wouldn't have if you were with other people. Of course, you just need to be careful, but that is the same anywhere. I personally feel much safer here than I do at home in England. Whatever you do for your trip, have a wonderful time, China is fabulous!! |
| Jan 25, 2006 10:51 | #26 |
| Thank you Lemoncactus! I am truly motivated by your personal experience in China. I am also thankful for TCG for allowing me to collect all these valuable information before my travel. I want to be like you someday, to be able to travel anywhere without feeling alone or weak. If I continue to think everywhere's unsafe and chaotic, I wouldn't need to go anywhere...just lock myself at home. So you're never too late to give feedbacks Lemoncactus! I really appreciate it! I don't know how to send personal messages to individuals yet, so I'll just ask you here Lemoncactus: WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO TRAVEL ALONE AND WHY CHINA OF ALL PLACES? So far, I am reading guide books of China. Very interesting stuff in there! Talk about being a native born and yet know nothing about it =( |
| Jan 25, 2006 19:31 | #27 |
| Hi Javagurl :) first of all if you want to send a personal message to anyone, just click on their name. You will go to their profile and on the right of the photograph is an option to 'send a message', click on this and you can send a PM to that person. I love China and travelling very much and so I'm only too happy that it inspires you... travelling opens your heart and your mind, makes you a richer person in spirit and experience. Initially I had to travel alone because none of my friends were free. Now I prefer it to travelling with someone. There is only 1 negative: Sometimes travelling alone can be lonely and if you don't meet anyone you have to experience things alone. However, there are so many positives. You get to know yourself very well ;) You can do ANYTHING you want to, stay somewhere or leave, whenever you want: you are free! You can meet people much more easily, people are more likely to come up to you if you are alone. China, I came here to teach and travel. To experience somewhere completely different to England. To absorb a different culture, history, way of life. The food, the people, the language, the hugeness, the variety all attracted me. Also how EXCITING China is right now, it changes as you look, everything is new and different every day. It's sometimes crazy, frustrating and illogical, but it is always amazing to me. I will leave on 12th February and I don't want to go home :( I truly hope you can come here and experience it for yourself Javagurl. Any questions just ask, most of us here on the forum love China and sharing what we can. Good Luck :) |
| Jan 25, 2006 19:37 | #28 |
| Click the name of whom you want to send msg, you can see her/his profile. Then choose 'Send XXX a msg' to the right of his/her photo! |
| Jan 25, 2006 20:05 | #29 |
| Hi,Javagurl Sometimes I love travelling alone,because you have to make everything yourself!You should make a plan,find hotels,plan a route......So much!During this process,you can obtain so much the can't get it from books! And there was a problem for me,because I want to eat more loacl food,but I can't order so much myself,at that time,I want to have a partner:-)Even,at last,I have Luoyang Shuixi with a beggar.That's so interesting! During your travelling,you can meet new persons just like you,love travelling or history,or the others,share sth with them,it is a happy thing! Welcome to China,and have a nice trip! |
| Jan 25, 2006 23:58 | #30 |
| Again, very thankful to those who have respond to my last post! =) I've learn something new again! Funny how I check in to TCG more often than I do with my emails haha. This is such an exciting place to explore around! I feel like I'm already in China! I am looking forward to this trip! Maybe even bump into some of you there too ^_^. My first stop is to head north, then work my way down south. I will keep everyone update on my travel and pictures coming soon =) Thanks again Lemoncactus for sharing more of your experiences! |
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