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Advice on Travelling to China

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After getting regular email messages from people planning on going to China, I thought I'd summarize some of the suggestions I have for would-be travellers. You know about getting a visa and which innoculations are suggested, but planning for the day-to-day is ellusive. What should you take? Which books are good to have?

Little Things

I found it extremely handy to have a little compass on my keychain along with one of those tiny LED squeeze flashlights - the power was always going out and there were plenty of dark stairways and alleys to navigate. Without the compass I would quickly lose my sense of direction in the endless foreign sprawl.

Books

If you want any free reading material, better bring it along. Some bookstores offer some English selections, but even the big "Friendship" bookstore in Beijing didn't have much more than Jane Austin or Scott Fitzgerald. It seems like every traveller needs a guidebook. I recommend the Lonely Planet Guidebook : China The Lonely Planet series has good historical articles, maps, and countless practical bits about what and what not to do. The full blown China guide costs about $30, but if you're short on cash (or room in your suitcase) you can often pick up a slightly used copy from someone once you arrive there. Lonely Planet also makes a great Mandarin Phrasebook One friend of mine used this alone to get around half of China -- he could just point to a phrase and be on his way. If you are looking to learn Mandarin more thoroughly, I recommend "Beginner's Chinese" by Yong Ho. It mixes useful vocabulary with common and versatile sentence patterns and it is so much more effective than the poorly organized books you are likely to find in China. Amazon.com ships there, so if you don't mind higher fees, a bit of a wait, and the possibility of censorship, the literary world is open to you.

Clothes

I left for China with 2 pairs of pants, 3 t-shirts, and a sweater. Most of my students and co-workers had 2 or 3 outfits for the week, so I didn't want to draw attention to myself with a flashly new outfit for each day. Clothes are cheap in China, even if you have them tailor made. The only exception I would make to this rule is for footware: it's difficult to find thick cotton socks, and if you have big feet, better bring along the shoes you plan to wear.

Attitude

you will turn your hairs gray playing the Consistency Police in China. Yes, the way they do things can be grossly inefficient. Yes, it's dirty. Yes, getting stared at is annoying. But remember that you are a guest in their country, and you act as an ambassador to your own. The Chinese are very dear people, and a smile will open a lot of doors for you if you let it.

Keep Reading...

Of course this is a shameless plug, but the best way to get an idea of what China is like is to talk to someone who has been there. This site is one of many where you can hear some stories and see some pictures before you go.

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