Originally Posted by
trueblu
True, but I would keep my passport in the hotel safe, and travel with a photo of it on my phone.
OP: you are over-thinking this. China is not a war zone, but there are occasional hassles here, and that is part of the fun of exploring somewhere new and very different. You will likely get slightly lost, or get into a taxi whose driver doesn't have a clue...but other than being out by $3, and 30 minutes late, no harm will come of it.
Also, please DO NOT import the US-centric tipping culture into China -- it's already worse than it was a couple of years ago, but not having to tip most of the time is really a wonderful pleasure.
tb
PS not sure if you have realised the current AA promo, but your routing will still bring in 20k+ EQMs before year's end, just in case it is relevant.
Great idea having a photo of the passport on my phone. Will also have a photocopy, too.
I'm all for helping keep Western-style tipping at bay. From what I've read, service charges are already built into the price, as is the custom here in Germany. At best, we just round up to the next whole number.
You're right,
tb, I'm sure we're over-thinking this, no doubt something that stayed with us having lived in Germany in the days before the fall of the Berlin Wall. It's past time to relax, go with the flow, and enjoy a new and memorable experience in China!
And I registered both of us for the AA promo as soon as it was announced. Thank you for pointing it out, though. Unfortunately, I couldn't take advantage of Hilton's promo that
rdchen mentioned.