Packing list:

Im not sure if I am a good example.
I have a backpackers soul. I like to travel as light as possible
and as packed as necessary. Which means on a trip for a month I only travel with my small army backpack.
It is 50x35x25cm only!
(If you are travelling with your girl things look different of course. Romantic travelling is more convinient travelling)
Medicine is most important.
Toiletpaper comes second in China.
A LP guide is never a mistake. But I reduce it to the most necessary information of my route on a seperate paper in case I lose the guidebook (transportation, alternative places to stay, copies of some maps...). Youth hostels are always a breeding point of the latest travel information. It is a big backpacker family.
I only have just a few things of clothes, two trousers, a few t-shirts , a few socks, one or two pullover and so on to change. Jacket on my body.
If you need new clothes you can buy them very cheap or if you stay at a place for a couple of days wash your used clothes.
I hope you are not too much disgusted. Always have something to drink with you. Money, traveller cheques, passport, tickets - everything important is in my moneybelt.
My wallet is just for some little money you need every day. It does not hurt when you lose it or it gets stolen, or even robbed. But I normally wear it
in a front pocket while I? travelling. (China is one of the safest countries I have travelled to. It is more dangerous to take the wrong exit in a major US city;-)

The weight is right when you are able to walk with it for at least half a day - everyday ;-)
Nomally when you reach a city, I look for the place to stay first. But
that can take some time. Than you can reduce the weight, leave everything in
the hotel you can afford to lose and start your exploration!

I hope this is a help for everyone who wants to experience a little bit more andvanturous travelling independently.

Cheap one:

Captain YH on Fuzhou Lu No. 37 which is right at the Bund situated in a colonial building. www.captainhostel.com, phone (21)-63219331. You can see the Pearl Tower from the window! In 2003 they charged 55 kuai for dormitory, around New Year 04/05 they asked for 60.
Showers and toilets are in western style, a washing machine is waiting for you.

Best one:

PU JIANG or ASTOR HOUSE on Huang Pu Lu No. 15 (the end or beginning of the Bund). WWW.Pujianghotel.com or www.astorhouse.com,
phone: (21)-63246388.
It is the pure rich colonial style! Supposed to be the first and oldest hotel of Shanghai. People like Einstein, Charlie Chaplin, Bertrand Russell and US President Grant stayed here. I stayed in a 45 qm doubleroom with beautiful old wood floor, 3 meter and something high ceiling with old stucco works and so on for 380 Yuan (16 Euros per person). It is the cheaper version of the Peace Hotel - with a great quality!

But if you are 100 per cent backpacker you can also enjoy this atmosphere at the Astor House for 70 Kuai in dormitory.

The picture shows the Astor House at snowfall.

Well, I have a backpacker soul, so when I travel with a friend or on my own I try to find some cheap places, but still the best quality for a certain amount of money.
If you travel with your girlfriend things look different - they make travelling so expensive;-)

Finding luxury places to stay in is nothing special. The challenge is to find cheap Hotels with the best quality.
Here are my results for Chongqing:

In spring 2004 the HUIXIANLOU (on MinzhuLu No. 186 leading to the JiefangBei Monument, phone: (023)-63845101)offered the best dormitory rooms in Chongqing around JiefangBei. Despite a 6-bed-room it was great because the walls were completely of glass offering an amazing view down to the busy shopping streets to the JiefangBei monument. They charged me with 50 Yuan a night.

But around Christmas and New Year in 04/05 they closed down any dormitory offers.
Maybe you are lucky next time, but it seems they got too greedy and that dormitory does not fit into their concept anymore.

I checked several other hotels like the SHIPIN DASHA (72 ShaanxiLu No.72, phone: (023)-638476775) which is closer to the harbour. But it is totally run down and even their so called better double rooms 100 to 180 yuan are not worth thinking about it. There is also a Karaoke Bar in the building which does not make it better.

A Chinese friend helped me to find a great place, the SHUANGHUI LIJING HOTEL. From JiefangBei Monument you walk down the Minzhu Lu for 5-10 minutes to the big Carrefour Supermarket. In front of this market turn left and the next possibility right again. Right behind the Carrefour, approximately the 4th building on the left side, there you find it. My doubleroom was on 15th floor with a nice view and cost 100 Yuan. Rooms are very clean, nice service and western style bathrooms.
They are flexible with prices because on the board there was no room under 300 Yuan. Maybe I was lucky, but you should give it a try! It is the best quality for your money!

The pic shows the SHUANGHUI LIJING HOTEL.

If you want to travel from Hangzhou to Suzhou (or the other way round) try something special. Of course you can go by train, bus, and so on....even faster.
But I think the Emperors Channel is more adventurous and also a nice change from regular means of transport. In past times it was possible to go all the way from Beijing to Hangzhou on the Emperors Channel.
Today the boat leaves in the late afternoon from Hangzhou and arrives in Suzhou in the early morning. You can choose between luxury double rooms with the best view on top and 4 to 6 and even more bed cabins below deck. As far as I remeber I paid 60 kuai in a four bed cabin under deck, which means you have two portholes or windows just over the water level.
Well, beds were a little bit short for my size - but that happens in sleeper trains, too.

Hk is the most expensive city in China. If you want to keep it cheap for a backpacker it is not that easy.

But as long as you are travelling without girlfriend (they make travelling soooooo expensive;-)
I can tell you of the MIRADOR ARCADE right on Nathan Road No. 58, the main shopping road of TsimShaTsui Kowloon District, HK. There are many Guesthouses inside.
It is possible to stay there for 50 HKD a night in dormitory rooms. Which sometimes means 14 beds - yes, every square centimeter is expensive and has to be used in HK!
The building is totally run down just like the Chungking Mansions, which is famous of the movie Chungking Express. Some scenes show the bunker atmosphere quite well. Inside both buildings you find a mixture of Pakistani, Indian, African shops. There is whistling from every corner: (Fake Rolex? Cheap suit? Marijuana? Girls?!?)
But inside the Chungking Mansions there are also delicious Indian restaurants. They are quite famous, that is why I sometimes had to wait up to 45 minutes to get a table - but it was worth it!