First Trip to China
 

Hi!

I may be going to China in December and I have no idea what I am doing. I have never been on an airplane before and I've only left my state once. Even then I didn't go far. I'm not going for business, just personal reasons. I've got an application for a visa and I've done a little research on plane tickets. I've also got someone to pick me up at the airport once I'm there, but I've still got a lot of holes left to fill in the planning. Can anyone give me any advice? I'm worried about a lot of things, like hotels (should I make reservations or just kind of pop in?), how to deal with airports and luggage and all that, is there anything that I should be aware of or be cautious about, and a whole lot of other stuff that I'm sure I haven't thought of yet. I'm basically really really nervous and kind of scared. So please any help you could give me would be really appreciated! Feel free to explain things to me very detailed and simple because it's all very new to me. Thanks so much!

where in china are you going to
 

make hotel reservation in advance.

You didn't mention where in China you're going -- it's an awful big country, you know.

China is a wonderful destination. I've been there many times.

In major international trading cities, e.g. Shenzhen, Shanghai, Beijing, you will find that most hotels that cater to westerners have staff that speak English. It is still a good idea (as it is in any country) to pick up a guide book with a phrase guide and learn the basics in Mandarin, e.g. "thank you" (she she), "hello" (ni hao), etc. Mandarin is not spoken universally across the country, and there are dialects of Mandarin that are so different that one regions speakers will not understand another region's. However, basic Mandarin phrases will be understood most everywhere you go, including those regions that speak Cantonese.

Don't count on cab drivers to understand English. It's a good idea to get someone from your hotel to write down the characters for your destination, as well as the name of the hotel for your return.

I'd recommend getting a hotel reservation in advance. Visitors can usually manage quite well without advance reservations, but since you're new to international travel, it's good for your peace of mind to know you've got a room ready when you arrive.

Don't drink anything but bottled or boiled water. Your hotel room will have large thermoses with boiled water and/or tea. More upscale hotels will have bottled water.

You're generally fine eating any cooked food anywhere, though I avoid street sellers. Never eat raw, unpeeled fruits or vegetables.

China has one of the most varied and interesting cuisines in the world. Eating in REAL Chinese restaurants is one of the best things about visiting China -- you'll find the food quite different, and far better, than what you're used to as "Chinese food" in the West.

Chinese people tend to be warm and friendly, and many will want to practice their English with you. Chinese people don't queue up for lines -- getting on a bus or train can be a mob scene.

There are many cultural differences between Chinese and the west -- far too many to list here. It's a good idea to get a guidebook that discusses these. "Face," i.e. public perception, is very important to Chinese, so it is important not to inadvertently give offense. If you're going for business, it is critical that you learn a bit about the basics of Chinese business etiquette -- for example, how you hand someone your business card could either brand you as a thoughtless barbarian or a courteous and knowledgable guest, depending on how it is done.

DO NOT VIOLATE ANY LAWS. You will be treated well, even preferentially, by Chinese police and military PROVIDED that you respect the laws. Don't exchange money on the black market unless you know exactly who you are dealing with, e.g. you have a local host. Don't, ever, under any circumstances possess or use illegal drugs. Depending on where you are staying, be careful about bringing local guests of the opposite sex to your room. In some cities and hotels it doesn't matter. In some, however, it will.

With that said, here are my Three Universal Rules of International Travel which have served me well all over the world (including China):

1. Never forget that you are a guest in someone else's country. Act like a guest at all times. If you are a courteous and considerate guest, respectful of your host, you will be valued and treated well. As a corollary, particularly in these times, remember that you will be viewed as a de facto ambassador of your country; represent it well.

2. If in doubt ask. It is far better to risk appearing a little foolish by asking about simple things, than to assume incorrectly and embarass yourself and insult your hosts. China is moving rapidly into the 21st century and, in many ways, it has already surpassed the west in a number of ways. However, there can be a huge cultural gulf -- this is a society and culture with a strong, continuous 4,000 year history. People in different countries do things differently -- so ask.

3. If you're going to err, do so on the side of generosity. It is better to tip too much than too little. It is better to pay too much, than to strike such a hard bargain that the other person feels abused. As a generaly rule, prices in China are very, very low in comparison to prices in the west and, particularly, the US.

You'll have a wonderful time. If you could be more specific about where you are going, we can give you better advice.

Airlines may cancel flights one week before departure. Actually just happened recently. :td: So it's good to allow room for surprises in schedules.

I am thinking of going to China at Christmas, my plan is to fly into Shanghai, explore for a week or so then take a train to Beijing for a few days and fly home from there. I have bought Insight guide books of each city - www.insightguides.com, which are really good.

http://www.cdc.gov/travel/eastasia.htm

Read and heed, especially the vaccinations section.

Thanks for all the wonderful advice! I'm going to Hangzhou, and I'll be arriving through an airport in Shanghai. I'm planning to leave the day after Christmas and I'll come back Jan. 10th.

Are phone cards available in the airport? Would it be best if I bought one once I arrived at the airport in China or before I go?

yes, you can get sims at the airport, on ebay, and in many stores. you could also simply borrow one from a friend before going (i have a few extras if the prospect of buying through the afforementioned channels seems at all daunting). you'll also want to have a gsm (900 or 1800, can't recall which one) phone.

unlike some of the others that have posted here, i'm of the opinion that china is pretty easy to handle on the whole. when i first lived in beijing 10 years ago, my chinese was none too good and i could barely use chopsticks, but i never got serious lost, slept on a street, or went hungry. i would probably book a hotel in advance, but if you don't, take solace in the fact that most, if not all, hotels in china will make things happen if you show them some green (or red, as the case may be).

shanghai to hangzhou is pretty easy to pull off. assuming you're planning on spending at least a night in shanghai, the train may well be your best mode of transit. otherwise, there are always lots of busses and cars available.

thanks! I'm not actually planning on staying in Shanghai for a night. My boyfriend will be picking me up and we are going straight to Hangzhou, I assume.

Could I ask some more questions if you don't mind please?

Can I go ahead and buy my plane ticket or should I wait to get my visa first?

Also, on the visa application there is a place for you to write where you are going. There's also a place for the name, address, and phone number of the person who invited you. My boyfriend invited me, but he lives in Pu Yang. I'm going to Hangzhou because he will be there for at least the next 3 months. A friend told me that I should write down the contact information of where my boyfriend is staying in Hangzhou. Should I do this? Or should I write down the contact information for where he lives in Pu Yang?

sure, you can get a plane ticket. for the all the hooplah, the visa application process is pretty benign. let us know if you have trouble getting decent fares. people here are pretty good at finding deals. also, be advised that you can fly directly to hangzhou on jl, ka, and at least one of the korean carriers iirc. when i know in advance that i need to go to a place like that, i usually book an open jaw (e.g. into hangzhou out of beijing/shanghai) because not having to deal with the shanghai-hangzhou is almost always worth the fare difference (if any).
i usually tell people to just pick a hotel (e.g. portman shanghai; phone 6279-8888) and write it in and say the purpose of their visit is tourism (no invitation required). you've heard china is a beautiful country with a rich history and want to see it for yourself.
it really doesn't matter. while i find the hotel route is easier for the authorities to grasp mentally (they naturally assume that foreigners stay in fancy foreign hotels), i'm pretty sure that no one cares where you go or what you do, as long as you don't break any laws.

If you mean your ticket to China, there's no reason to wait. Visas are routine, and I've never heard of someone being denied one for a casual visit.

It doesn't really matter. Most times, I just write down the name of my hotel. Other times, I'll give my in-law's address (they live in Guanghou).

You may purchase phone cards in the arrival lobby. Make sure it can be used in Hangzhou and not just Shanghai.

The best way to get a visa to China is through one of the Chinese travel agencies(if there is one in your town). They will charge you a $15-20 processing fee on top of the visa fee, but you will get the visa almost 100% of the time and in about a week.

Hangzhou is a beautiful place, WestLake Park in Hangzhou is absolutely wonderful and I would recommend visiting it for sure. The Hangzhou airport was more modern then I expected my first visit.

As far as phone cards go, if you have a tri-band GSM or Quad-Band GSM cell phone, I'd recommend getting a SIM card in Hangzhou. Might sound like a lot but the SIM cards are sold all over China (and cheap) and it gives you a local Chinese Number so you can call locally or overseas easily. Just make sure your cell phone is unlocked so you can put in a new sim card. A calling card only can be found all over the city, but different cards use different phone banks from what I understand.

I would not worry too much about your Visa, for a tourist Visa it is common to just write a hotel down and say you want to visit the country very much. For a business visa they are more strict about and require (or have required from me) official invitations.

One piece of advice, watch the luggage issues. Carry on is weighed and has been strictly enforced on my trips, and if you are over you gotta repack or toss out items. The weight limit for travel inside china is a whole lot different then international travel and the charges for excessive weight are plentiful. You can go online at China Southern Airlines or such and look at their weight limitations and that would be a general guide to all of the local Chinese carriers. I forget what they are exactly but maybe 10 kg for carry on.

Before you check your luggage, weight your carry on at the station, usually they have guards standing right there to verify, if it is OK then go ahead and check in your bag(s). If it is overweight take items out and pack in the carry on.

About the only other thing I do is to start taking anti-biotics the day of the trip, and take them through the trip. A lower dossage anti-biotic, but daily, just to help ward off any infection or virus that may start up. But I do this for a lot of trips I take not just China. There's nothing worse then getting sick on a trip for me.

As far as being nervous, I was my first trip. But I found the people in China (Zhejiang Province including Hangzhou) to be friendlier then American's, more helpful then American's, and I felt safer then I do in America.

I found just the opposite. I find the locals rude, and thought streets in America are safer. Then again, I am from a small town.