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Thread: Three weeks in China

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[quote=BARONTWANGLE,277499]Holyguac.

I hope your tour is enjoyable, but let me predict that you will not see any of the real China.  You'll be rushed from major tourist destination to major tourist destination, constantly followed by people trying to sell you t-shirts, beer, and postcards.  You'll be taken to eat at crap restaurants, and you'll soon realise that doing a tour in China is really not the best way to see it.

I recently (and mistakenly) opted for a tour to walk the Great Wall at Simatai and Jinshanling.  The only reason I did this was because it turned out cheaper than doing it by myself, and appeared to be more convenient.  I have been to the wall several times before, but this was the first time I have been on a tour.  It will also be the last.  You can't beat siting on top of a watch tower at sunrise, being able to see the wall stretching for miles into the distance as it snakes its way over the mountains, and not be able to see a single other person.  This is what I have done so many times before, and compared to the experience of being in the company of bickering Americans, persistent post card sales people, and a tour guide who is constantly hurrying you along, well, there is no comparison.  Even though I wisely opted to not pay an extra 31 Yuan for the set lunch (which looked truly foul), the entire day was a misery.  The thought of doing that for 2 weeks would make me rather stay at home.

I could of course be wrong, and for your sake I hope I am, but I imagine Jen will have a much richer experience by slowing down, and going independent.  Let us know how it goes when you get back.

Good luck.[/quote]

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