Mister E Posted May 24, 2011 Report Share Posted May 24, 2011 So I am going to China in August. I will visit Beijing, Shanghai, probably the Shaolin Temple and will be taking the train to Tibet as well. Any tips or advice on do's and do not's, or any suggestions of things worth seeing/doing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imoutgoodbye Posted May 24, 2011 Report Share Posted May 24, 2011 So I am going to China in August. I will visit Beijing, Shanghai, probably the Shaolin Temple and will be taking the train to Tibet as well. Any tips or advice on do's and do not's, or any suggestions of things worth seeing/doing? You can't do anything. You have no free speech. You will kiss the feet of the North Korean emperor and return home, disgraced. They're waiting for you. Don't do it! They may even decide you're a spy...which is why we never hear from Celerity or WC anymore... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mali Posted May 24, 2011 Report Share Posted May 24, 2011 Do use a condom. Do bring a bottle of activated charcoal. Do not piss off the government. Do not travel alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inscribed Posted May 24, 2011 Report Share Posted May 24, 2011 i met a chinese general very recently. he seemed chill. i could see myself having a beer with the dude. nothing to do with your trip though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balgashang Posted May 24, 2011 Report Share Posted May 24, 2011 Was it the nameless after a long day of working Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elfrosto Posted May 24, 2011 Report Share Posted May 24, 2011 Don't do anything remotely illegal. Don't be stupid. Don't go out alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mya Posted May 24, 2011 Report Share Posted May 24, 2011 You are a Canadian, you have nothing to fear. Just act normal. If you outside a major citie drink bottled water. There are reports of cyanbacteria in some Vilages. Also China has a bad environmental protection reputation. Don't mention Tibet until you actually ready to go there. Remember that there are no longer Shaolin Monks, only government sponsored actors. If you get into some rural area, remember to have a friendly translator with you. It saves you a lot of worries. Also pack or read "The Romance of the three Kingdoms", it may get you into the spirit of the thing. Get a paper written in Chinese stating stuff. Like a city you want to go, like New Your - KYNFBSDs. Something you can point to and ask. Or a travel guide. Yes, buy a good international travel guide to china. Best advice anyone can give you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bavarianbrew Posted May 30, 2011 Report Share Posted May 30, 2011 Having been to China, and recently, I don't believe there are many if any real do's, to-do's and don'ts. Just be aware of abrasive passive-aggressive notions that can come about suddenly going from: Bestest Friends in the World to "Do I know you?" But, watch out for the scams! They often begin with a young (possibly) cute/attractive always friendly person approaching you and eventually saying: "We're art students." "Do you like tea?" "I'm hungry, do you want to go to a restaurant with me/us?" Just be wary of Chinese English speakers approaching you. Not knowing your timeline, but if you really have a good bit of time, take the train up from Beijing to Mongolia. 36 hour ride, and warp-speed to the past. You'll need a multiple entry VISA. I haven't been to Tibet, so luck to you on that one. Anyways, I could go on and on and on about travel in Asia. My go-to destinations are Northern Thailand, Taiwan, Mongolia and Japan (in that order). But my biggest advice to you: PACK LIGHT. Take ONE carry-on ONLY. No checked baggage. You can buy most everything you'll need, use, expend while on your trip (and cheap too). Bring good deodorant and proper Western razors. If you're seasoned, you'll know this already - so I apologize if you're in the know. Have an excellent trip! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-red- Posted May 30, 2011 Report Share Posted May 30, 2011 I've been living here for almost six years and been all over, so I like to think I know the ins and outs. bavarian brew gave great advice, so I'll just elaborate: Firstly, China, in essence, is not so different from any consumer-driven western country. Many people (read: americans) mistakenly believe they're all communists (some polls place CCP membership at 60million - a small number considering the country has nearly 1.4 billion people), they can all do kung fu, etc. etc. Don't go in with any preconceptions, because they're almost all wrong. That said there are some important differences. Nearly everything is subject to bargaining. If you find yourself in a high-tourist-volume shopping area, the rule of thumb is to reduce their asking price by 75% and start from there. Different people will use different bargaining methods (being overly friendly, being rude and so forth) - remember it's pretty much a game, so don't get bent out of shape about it. Remember that, especially for electronics, you're probably buying fake, that's why they're so cheap. Don't get suckered in to buying an iphone 4 for 300 yuan because it's probably plastic with a AA battery and a magnet. Scams are everywhere. Especially in tourist-y cities you're going to get approached by a myriad of people looking to take your cash, so be suspicious. Scams include; art students who ask you to look at their art (don't do it, under any circumstances), 'friendly' chinese who want to eat with you then charge hundreds for a pot of tea, taxi drivers who charge ridiculous sums for trips (it's always a good idea to ask your hotel receptionist how much a taxi costs to any given destination if you're going to use one), rick-shaw drivers (not worth the experience), and more. Pick-pockets are a pandemic. Always keep your valuables in your front pockets. Not in your back pockets, not in your bag. Be especially wary of crowds, the subway, and the train stations. Most people will speak english, but it's a good idea to learn some basic phrases: Numbers, directions, any allergies, the name of your tour guide, your hotel. Always keep at least two of your hotel's business cards and the number of your tour guide (if you have one) on hand in case you need them. Nightlife: This is probably the most dangerous thing you'll do. Young chinese men are ever wary of foreigners taking their women, so keep an eye out for that. The chinese NEVER fight alone, and they're usually packing some sort of weapon (screwdrivers, small knives, and so forth), so if one wants to start ****, let it go. Smaller towns have a lot less of this going on. I dunno what your itinerary is like, if you have free time, but my personal favorite places are; Beijing (history and nightlife), Xi An (terra-cotta warriors, generally a kick-*** city), Northern Yun Nan (Da Li, Lijiang, Shangri La - great for chinese minority groups), San Ya (seafood, the beach), Guilin is nice for scenery and nearby is Yang Shuo, a place inundated with foreign bars, Shanghai is alright, but the nice thing about that area is nearby Hang Zhou - very pretty, nice nightlife. Haven't been to Tibet yet, lemme know how that goes. I hope this helps, if you managed to read this far, heh. If you have any specific questions, feel free to PM me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Streetfighter Posted May 30, 2011 Report Share Posted May 30, 2011 I am never going to China. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imoutgoodbye Posted May 30, 2011 Report Share Posted May 30, 2011 I am never going to China. Why? It sounds like America. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Streetfighter Posted May 30, 2011 Report Share Posted May 30, 2011 I just read it again and replaced China with America. Touche. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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