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Thread: Beijing companion/guide needed for July 2010

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[quote=COLONELTED,390113]I am a Canadian gentleman, 68 years old, who will be visiting Beijing in July 2010 for about two weeks. I need an interpreter, guide and companion for the trip.

I am a retired colonel in the Army, I have lived and worked all over the world but I have a special affection for China.

I have been to Beijing and China before but I have not had the time and leisure, until now, to see as much as I want and at my own pace.

I want to see most of the important and some of the minor sights including, again, the Great Wall. I also want to visit gardens, parks, temples, museums, galleries and some ‘ordinary’ Beijing places where ‘ordinary’ people go about their daily business. I am interested in what people do and how they go about their daily lives. I also want to visit Tianjin for a day and, do a couple of side trips: perhaps an overnight trip to Pingyao and another to Datong. I will look to my companion guide for advice on if, when and how to make these trips.

Although I am 68 years old, I am fit and vigorous. But, as a result of a couple of old injuries, I walk with a cane, but quickly, and I neither see nor hear as well as I would wish.

I am a very early riser but I prefer to start my ‘tourist’ day at about 9:00 AM, giving myself a few hours in the early morning for breakfast, a walk and to check E-mails and do some essential financial things by computer.  Given my age I am, on most days, ready to finish with an early dinner and a drink, but on some evenings I will want to attend a later dinner and a show – acrobats, opera, etc. Thus, I expect that I will want my companion/guide for more than eight hours each day – normally about 12 hours and, sometimes, 14 and even 16 hours may be required. Some days will be taken up with long walks around some of Beijing’s attraction, others will involve considerable sitting in parks and listening to music. So, above all I want an interesting, charming, intelligent, knowledgeable, flexible and patient companion and guide.

I would prefer a companion and guide who is university graduate – I will always have many, many questions about Chinese history, culture, tradition, politics, economics and values. My guide, companion must be prepared to work to my schedule – about 9:00 AM until 9:00 PM most days.

Of course I will pay all expenses and provide reasonable compensation, too.

What is reasonable compensation for the service I seek?
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