As the title suggests, this article is meant for people who want to see China and are not interested in booking a group tour program. You can read this after deciding that you are looking for a group route and not a ‘single’ route. That’s good! Regardless of your actual travel plans, I hope you find this helpful as you prepare for your trip to China.
Getting to China, even the idea of going to China, can be a very difficult task. From obtaining visas to researching places, there is a lot to do. I will not have time to go through the process, because everything is available on the websites consulted. I will have time to check on a couple of people before they travel to China. And perhaps the biggest mistake that people make in this situation is not being careful in preparing for the trip, but in preparing for the trip. What is the difference?
It deals with planning and, when complete, provides a road map with an itinerary to complete the vacation. This process creates the most rigid structure in my opinion, but to some extent it is also necessary. More important than the system prepares, including the actual “to-do” items from the plan. From my observation, preparing the experience is much more important than preparing the experience. The experience is going to happen no matter what the plan is, but the experience itself is very much dependent on how prepared you are, psychologically.
When preparing for an adventure in China, it is really important to learn a little Chinese, otherwise your plan will be completely disappointed. In the cities there are enough trained English speakers that you won’t be hungry and you can get around. You might get frustrated but it will work out in the end. This does not happen in the provinces of China. To see the fantastic scenes from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, you have to be outside the states, and this requires nitty-gritty with Chinese. It’s worth it too.
About 90% of readers just stopped reading thinking, “Chinese is too difficult” or “Go on vacation, I don’t want to study”. Good, go, take the price; It will be fantastic and you won’t have to worry about it. For those who are not dissuaded, take heart that the Chinese language is not a difficult language. All languages require only an attentive listener and a conscious thinker. The words will come out if you win language acquisition: listen and think. It’s great that I tell you what you’re learning, and it’s not a huge vocabulary or a big syntax. Learn how to pronounce them! And then spend a little time on how to understand (answers to simple questions) by listening. You don’t need to hold a huge amount of words or remember syntax rules, that’s for people who want to translate. If you want to enjoy culture, pay attention to the small things first. Basic listening and speaking skills will go a long way in enhancing your experience, both for insight and entertainment.
If you don’t live in a very, very town, finding speaking Chinese as simple as one; two, three in America. Make friends with that person, and remember your desire to go to China and learn a little about the Latin language. Most people agree and will welcome your suggestion with open arms. If they don’t feel they can help, maybe they know someone who can. This is the best way to get “guanxi” with the support network in China. It could mean free hospitality, travela, native travel companions, who knows?
Getting the most out of China requires preparation, not planning.
The next point worth mentioning is the water quality in China like Mexico; you just don’t drink from the faucets. You may get dysentery or experience other similarly difficult and uncomfortable side effects. One of the main reasons why patients should avoid health care coverage is the certainty. I advise you to educate yourself about medical precautions in any country you travel. Plus, if you get sick from the water, you’ll be forced to use the nasty public restroom. Some public resources are good, but the vast majority are a far cry from the lowest standards in the US. You don’t want to get a bowel movement and blow through a hole in the ground cover in other people’s excrement.
To prevent this from happening, always have a happy stomach. This means acting very conservatively for the first few days, if not the entire trip. I definitely recommend dog eating, insects, or whatever else you can find “on a stick” because it’s great! Just be careful what makes you sick; It’s okay for your body to adapt. One way to get the best of both worlds is to drink things that are brewed or prepared, including hot tea, beer, wine, soda, and well-known brands of water. There is no great drink, and neither is mine. While in China, I drank soda two or three times a day, and drank beer and wine from time to time. Because of my travel experiences, I’m confident I’ve avoided a lot of trouble by drinking mostly soda, tea, and beer. The reason I say drink name-brand water is simply that it is not uncommon for people to sell bottled water in their homes and then on the street.
Along the lines of the happy guts, we also recommend scouting western-style toilets whenever possible. Finding an honest toilet can be a major challenge and knowing the right one can be of immense benefit. Prepare by imagining the worst restroom experience so you can be prepared for the best.
On a lighter note, my final suggestion is to plan three to five days in each country or city. You really want to give yourself a chance to see everything China has to offer. But, because of the size, you need to set realistic goals before you start. This will relieve you of the stress of artificial mortification. Remember, you are on vacation to escape your schedule and everyday pressures; No more with grand plans and rigid schedules. Preparing yourself for China means thinking of “empty” days for everything that naturally interests you, whether it’s a day of rest or taking a train to an interesting place.
So being prepared for China doesn’t mean planning to focus on it. It means consideration of the future and keeping that end in mind. Enjoy and get ready!
