Some Thoughts And Guidance
This short article will not address the practical issues of travel in China but will instead look at the mental preparation that can get you through the difficult moment and therefore make your journey more enjoyable
Chinese culture is very different from our own. That makes it interesting but also produces opportunities for discord.
Take, for instance, the seemingly harmless matter of laughter. In China, laughter can be an expression of several emotions for which we would find it wholly inappropriate:
to show a lack of understanding;
to help control one’s anger; or
to distance oneself from a tragic situation.
How are you going to feel if when complaining to the hotel receptionist you don’t get the assurance that you seek but a round of giggles from her and her colleagues?
Probably there is some lack of understanding. You might have avoided this in the first place by keeping your choice of words simple. Try ‘Bathroom, water’ rather than a long and detailed explanation with lots of plumbing terminology.
The essential trick here though is to stay calm. An angry reaction from you degenerates quickly into a tense standoff. A chuckle and another attempt might be hard to muster – but is definitely the way forward.
Be clear, Stay calm. It will come with practice and gets easier the more that you do understand about the culture, so read what you can in advance and ask your guide about any situations that intrigue or confuse you. Choosing A Style Of Travel
Your style of travel is worthy of careful consideration. It is probably the most significant factor in determining your state of mind during the trip and your memories thereafter.
Too much adventure can be scary; too little can be boring. Too much organised time can be restrictive; too little can feel chaotic
You have to know where you stand on these issues as well as to form a clear impression of what is on offer. If in doubt, ask.
Most travellers can actually enjoy a range of styles so long as the accommodation is clean, the food is filling and things run smoothly. They can accept a certain loss of freedom in payment for the ease that small-group travel brings
If you have very special requirements then you will almost certainly find that a tailor-made trip is the way to go.
A tailor-made trip offers you many more choices. On the downside, this style of travel costs more and does not allow for the same social interaction, unless, of course, your tailor-made trip is for your own small group. Choosing A Route In China
Choosing a route through China can provide some coherence to your itinerary. The Silk Roads are the most obvious routes but there are many other trading trails and other itineraries to be researched and retraced if that is your interest.
Many good routes can be found by browsing travel literature. Journeys that once took months to complete can now be managed in a matter of weeks and with considerably more comfort.
Remember that China is huge and be realistic about what you can achieve within your time and budget. It may be better to complete a part of a larger journey at leisure than to struggle to complete the whole.
It is up to you just how faithfully you stick to the original route. It may be that you cannot follow it precisely any more, or it may be that you only want the route as a loose guide to focus your attentions. Choosing A Theme In China
A theme can be a much broader concept than a route. You can pretty much choose a theme and how to apply it so the structure that it provides is very much up to you.
A theme is nevertheless a good way of keeping the vastness of China manageable. By directing your searches towards the one topic you eliminate much of the noise and can keep a clearer picture of potential programs.
Picking a theme must be a personal issue. You probably already have some inspiration in that you have arrived here. Further inspiration can be found in books about China and websites including other people’s travel blogs.
Be prepared to change your theme as your research leads you down other avenues. Half of the fun is this wandering even before you leave the front door. Mental Preparation For Travel In China
Preparation begins with knowledge. The more you research your options in China the more confident you will feel in the arrangements that you make. Confidence will help considerably when things do not go as planned.
Knowledge includes knowledge of the language. Learning at least a smattering of Putonghua (Mandarin) will make the good days better and could save a bad one from getting worse.
Think your way through your journey and envisage the things that could go wrong. This kind of preparation ensures that you will not panic when something does go wrong even when, invariably, the thing that does go wrong is not one of the things you considered. Practical Preparation For Travel In China
Almost all travellers coming to China need a visa. You will need to check the latest situation for your nationality and place of application. The rules do change and can be applied differently.
You could come by boat or train but most short-term visitors will fly. Return tickets are the cheapest but you could consider an open-jaw ticket if that saves you returning to your start-point unnecessarily.
This space is too small to elaborate on packing. Suffice it to say that you will need to carry your luggage often so keep that light.
Money is no longer a big issue in China. Always have alternatives available. A mix of cash and cards, and perhaps some emergency traveller’s cheques should see you through.
Consider health and general travel insurance to cover the unexpected. Check what each policy covers; you generally get what you pay for so don’t sacrifice too much in favour of a bargain.
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