Thanks, I will start there. What do you think of the idea of needing to sign up with several in case of blocks? (Once you're there, it's pretty much too late.)
I already have one VPN, HotspotShield, to use over high-risk public wi-fi networks like cafes and airports here in the U.S., not sure if it works in China.
Express has never been completely blocked, to the best of my knowledge. While it's obviously easier to kick off things outside of China, signing up in China is also doable.