| need some guidance | |
|---|---|
| Feb 17, 2010 16:26 |   |
 | Hi all I am coming to China in April for about 4 weeks. I will arrive in Shanghai and stay there 3-4 days. I leave China from HK. I have read everything I can find about travel in China in this and other forums. Also read LP guidebook etc. What I have found is a lot of information and sometimes conflicting advice that has left me confused and so I am looking for help. I am interested in Chinese culture, history, good food and people. I am not the kind of traveller that "power visits" a city with a checklist and timetable. I am travelling alone and speak only English. I am male over 55. I lean towards more urban than rural landscapes. I know it's difficult alone but I am prepared for some mistakes and glitches. I expect to hire local guides along the way. My tentative plan is SH-BJ-Xian-Chengdu-Kunming (Dali, Lijiang etc) then Guilin'/Yangshio and finally Shenzhen and HK. I am very flexible and my plan is "carved in butter" and if I like a place I will stay longer and adjust my plans accordingly. I hope to travel mostly by train. Any thoughts, advice or tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. |
| Feb 19, 2010 22:21 | #1 |
| Sounds like a great trip. Do you have an itouch or iphone? I downloaded some great free software from LingvoSoft. One app is mandarin, the other is cantonese. These have got me through most of the out of way places where english is not so common. They are based on the machine so no active phone connection is required to use them. That said there are very few places you can go where someone cant help or sign language has failed. Another trick is when you leave your hotel in the morning get them to write down all the places you may be going to and put the english next to it. then you can just show the taxi driver. Have done lots of train trips and agree this is a great way to go around too. Happy to help further if you have any questions. |
| Feb 21, 2010 06:41 | #2 |
| Thanks Crosis. No itouch or iphone as yet. I am not sure I understand how the software will work in terms of helping me to communicate. I am bring a small laptop. Can this do the same function. Great advice about getting hotel staff to write things down. Did I read here or elsewhere you have just published a book about China travel? |
| Feb 21, 2010 10:43 | #3 |
| It sounds like Xi'an would be a great place for you, considering your interests. It is steeped in history, and you can explore the Muslim Quarter and meet people of all backgrounds. You may want to consider giving yourself some extra time in that city. I also recommend getting into some of the regular neighborhoods outside of the city walls and exploring the alleys that are full of shops. It is a different feel from the hutongs in Beijing. It is another great way to soak up some of the local atmosphere. I do NOT recommend the Tang Dynasty dinner show. There is very little that is authentic about it, and it won't be much different from a show you could see in Vegas. I would recommend that you do learn some basic Mandarin before you leave. It makes a big difference to be able to say basic phrases, especially things like "excuse me", "thank you", "please", and "do you speak English?". I found that the Pimsleur method CD's were great for gaining a base knowledge of the language. If you can spare a half hour per day, a few days per week, you will be surprised at how well you can pick up the basics. |
| Feb 23, 2010 07:31 | #4 |
| 1. Prepare some notes with Chinese names of your destinations. Not enough Chinese speak English. So if you can't speak Chinese and you want to go somewhere and you're afraid of getting lost, you could always show the Chinese charactors to any Chinese people on the road and most of them would be able to show you how to go. 2. Don't trust the traffic lights. I'm not saying anything bad about China but sometimes the traffic lights and the drivers don't get good cooperation. So when you want to cross road, especially in a smaller city than Beijing, you'd better trust your eyes more than the traffic lights. 3. About the toilets in China. There's often no toilet paper in the toilet and the floor is usually wet. (I'm not talking about the luxurious places, but the normal and most of the places in China) So if you want to go to the toilet and there's some possibility for you to use any tissue, take some with you before you find it's too late. 4. Don't trust the saleman on the road. Most of the time, the qualities of the goods are not ok. It's not worth to buy at all. And they always try to offer a crazy foriegn prize for you. Well... at least most of the time. 5. If you don't want to be cheated by any tour company or guide, you'd better tell them before they have the chance to do something naughty. Most of the time they will expect you. But if you don't make it clearly, you're giving them some excuse to cheat on you yourself. |
| Feb 23, 2010 07:37 | #5 |
| I typed a loong message but unfortunately, I clicked the wrong button and lost it... So just attached something I wrote a long time ago. But at least you might want to know these things. Most of Chinese people are friendly and always waiting to help people. So don't get too worried. What you need to do is to relax and enjoy your trip... But one thing, it should be Yangshuo, not Yangshio... Another thing is that not all the hotel staff could speak English even if you stay in 5-star hotels... So if you plan to ask someone to write the Chinese names, you might want to do it earlier... But to take an address of the hotel is always a smart choice... Bear in mind that the nearer to May, the more crowded you will get both on the train and in the sightseeings becauce of the three days-off in China... You mentioned good food in China. Xi'an and Shanghai are two nice choices. But be careful with the food quality. Hmmm... that's as far as I could think of. Maybe I could think of something more, but always feel free to contact and ask for help. As I said, most Chinese are nice and would like to help people... |
| Feb 23, 2010 07:39 | #6 |
| We don't tip here in China. And there is a price for foreigners if you couldn't speak Chinese. I'm not saying if it's good or not... Just a reminder... But on the whole, Chinese are nice.. |
| Feb 24, 2010 09:15 | #7 |
| Thanks JENMARIE and HERBEAT for the advice. |
| Feb 24, 2010 23:00 | #8 |
| You are welcome... |
| Feb 25, 2010 01:15 | #9 |
| My tip; Relax! Go with the flow..and enjoy. Half the fun is getting lost and discovering something new. China is safe, friendly, respectful of age, and highly contageous. I envy you. The cities you mentioned are all different, but all intresting in their own way. HERBEATs advice is sound. Do yourself a favor and arrange to meet her in Beijing to show you around. Hiring local guides as you go is not really necessary for directions, but it's great for insights. You will learn much more talking and listening than looking. Train travel is comfortable, providing you pay a little extra, plus you have the benefit of a captive audience. I am about your age and have now visited China 15 times. I speak very little Chinese but have never had trouble making myself understood through pantomime or gestures. If you need help, just stand still and look bewildered. Within minutes a young Chinese university student will aproach to practice their English... and help. My only "complaint" is that not many Chinese of our vintage speak English which leaves most conversations stilted and unsatisfying. If you can find someone your own age who speaks English you will have found my nirvana. |
Last edited by BOBERT: Feb 25, 2010 01:17 |
| Feb 25, 2010 18:48 | #10 |
| My first travel publication! It is a collection of my photos from traveling for 3 months in 2008/09. We have done 5 trips over the time and it means we got to see places in different seasons too. I have broken it down into people, places, food and the wall. Didnt mean to do a book it just grew into that and I had so many people want to buy it that it was easier to publish. I have a couple of images in my album.  |
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