Guide to China

CHINA FOR TRAVELERS

We spent six weeks (mid-December 2009 through February 2010) traveling through China: we entered in Shanghai and departed from Hong Kong. The following blog posting is a list of our experiences and takeaways. Please note that this is not intended to be a comprehensive travel guide, but is limited to our experiences and some tips that we think might be helpful for travelers.

China is very commercialized and brand-focused and westernized. The food found in normal, ordinary restaurants is INCREDIBLE, but we shied away from the higher priced menus: exotic foods are more expensive and not necessarily on our wish list, and the quality doesn’t usually increase with the price. Learn just a few characters, like those of noodle or soup, and you will be in good stead. We ordered blindly off of menus for the first several weeks and were so delighted by our results that we kept up the practice.

Currently China has a 30/60/90 day tourist visa available for Americans. However, when we obtained our visas in Tokyo, the office neglected to mention that we had to leave the country every thirty days, even if just to a border for a stamp. We didn’t know. So, we stayed for 45 days…China was not happy. Although the penalties were predicted to be very extreme (information from the local police station led us to expect 500y penalty each day over the 30-day limit plus a baseline fine plus paying for two new visas), we were lucky to get off lightly: no additional fines or penalties, just paying for two new visas, even though we were departing for Hong Kong the following day. How did we get off so lightly? It was a combination of luck, rambling in fast English that officials couldn’t keep up with, and maintaining an apologetic, humble, and grateful demeanor. It also helped that Nathan kept mentioning that his family was from Changsha.

Before you arrive in China, get yourself a copy of the fantastic “Point-It” Book if you don’t speak Chinese. It was absolutely invaluable throughout our travels, especially in China. The book is priced somewhere around $10 USD, can’t go wrong. The book has at least 60 pages of images: food, transportation, hotel details, colors, etc.

We learned right off the bat that tea is a staple in China, and it’s very easy to join in the fun! Head to a store and buy yourself a plastic or glass canister, then explore some markets and get a supply of green, oolong, jasmine, or pekoe tea. We travel with a nalgene bottle and it served as a perfect BIG tea canister. All of the trains have hot water, as do many offices, restaurants, hotels, and even bus stations. The boiled water is safe to drink and we became major tea enthusiasts in China. I bet that you will too! Along with tea, the hot water is perfect for ramen and bowls of soup, especially on the trains.

7 Days Inn was a great find for us. At an average of 129 yuan a night, they are pricier than the normal Chinese hotels, but certainly cheaper than many others. The consistency of 7 Days Inns was great, they are a chain with something like 266 hotels across China, with plans to develop more. Rooms are clean with big bathrooms, hot showers, bleached-white towels, cable television (which usually include one or two English movie channels), room heating unit, window that opens, USB internet cable in room and connected computer in the lobby, fairly helpful staff, and if you join the free 7 Days Inn Club, you stay seven nights and get the eighth night free. Plus, membership also includes a free box of milk every night before bed. Sweet deal.

In Hangzhou we had the great fortune of crossing paths with Jerry Chow: The Grassroots Ambassador of Hangzhou. Mobile +8613758255323, jerryzhouhangzhou@hotmail.com. Jerry is a super friendly guy, who speaks very good self-taught excellent English. He knows all the spots in the area and is an expert on China tourism. Honest and helpful and proud of his position. We were so lucky to hail a cab and unexpectedly find Jerry behind the wheel!

Some friends in Changsha took us to Hooligans Pub (Hua Long Chi #1), located in the midst of a major and very popular bar street in Changsha. Ben from Vermont runs this fun pub and can oftentimes be found there, chatting with customers and having a few pints himself! Hooligans is a great place to meet the local “English teachers” in residence and other ex-pats. Very large beer selection. Pricey.

Although we breezed through Nanning rather quickly, we did visit Lotusland Hostel (64 Shanghai Rd, Nanning. Tel#86-771-2432592), the one hostel in Nanning. Booking: lotuslandhotel@163.com. One of the best things about Lotusland is their assistance with travel to and visas for Vietnam. They don’t charge for the visa service, but help travelers with the application and submission. How nice!! Perfect typical backpacker set up: new and spacious common room with wireless and desktop computers. Big TV with movies and cable, books, and even some video games. Pay washing machine available for guest use. Helpful and friendly staff. 120Y with shared bath seemed a bit pricey, but the shared bath is super classy. Great Location.

WADA guesthouse: No. 212,Huanchengxi 1 Road, Guilin. Email: wadahostel@yahoo.com. Typical backpacker hostel in China, but, very good at it. Free maps, tourist info, wifi. Huge common rooms with bar, pool table, outside seating, library.

Trains and Buses: When you are taking an overnight train, the bottom tier is the best. When you are taking an overnight bus, the top bunk is best. Trust me, I wouldn’t lie to you.