2 Weeks Vacation: Traveling in China 2011
So I was given 2 weeks vacation from teaching. I wasn't exactly sure what to do, but I have always wanted to go to China and it is better to go early than later, because you must have 6months still left on your teaching contract in Korea to go to China or something like that. It was difficult to coordinate with friends and my Chinese friends were busy so I looked into a tour. I don't care much for tours, but I recommend Gap adventures as it is more like traveling with a group of fun new people and a local guide to help translate recommend things and coordinate for you (which I needed because of my last min decision to go). One tour went on last min sale so I would save about $500 (which was about the cost of my flights return. Travel agent thought I was mad when I said I was thinking of taking the boat from Beijing to Incheon) It cost me $60 for a short term Visa and only took a week to make from my travel agent in town. After all that ........ my adventure begins....Day 1 Sunday August 1st ...
Lost track of time and it took me longer via DongSeoul bus to get to the airport bc of the heavy rain (worst in 10years I think). A friendly Korean helped me call the airport because I realized I was going to arrive too late (45 min ahead of time, so I just missed the check in). They said that it would be no problem to switch me to a later flight, so I waited in the airport....read..ate...and watched live performance dances and comedy acts :) Then they said that they were not sure if I would get a seat and put me on standby...ahhh waited..watched people check in and some angry Chinese mother got upset and throw her family's passports everywhere...Finally they called me to check in and said I had to get through security in 5min and had 30min before my flight was to go!!
The flight was only about 2hrs to Shanghai from Seoul, and they gave us dinner and drinks :) I arrived at 9pm, figured out how to take a subway to where my hotel was as there is English translations around. But when I arrived I couldn't find my hotel! I looked like a lost tourist, and some friendly people came to help who ironically were Koreans :) I took a taxi there, and they helped arrange with the taxi where to go, because some try to make extra money by driving you around in circles!
Day 2
Explore Shanghai. See many Chinese people do morning Tai Chi on the streets. Learn some Chinese. The number system is interesting as they have a way of counting to ten on one hand. 
I also learnt a few other words and sayings. The Chinese language is intonational. So learning to speak can be rather tricky. That evening my friends from the group and I went out on the Bund by the river, and went to a bar where they had couches for us to sit on as we viewed the city by night.http://www.lostheaven.com.cn/main.html Shanghai is nicer at night than during the day, and in August the country is very humid and sticky and the sound of crickets can be heard in all the trees. (like in Korea) I and others were starting to have a sore/dry throat. So like most Chinese we began drinking a herb canned tea.
I also have to explain about the Chinese foot massage experience Anna and I had. We heard it was cheaper and nice so we went. We were in the same room, I had a lady that didn't know English and she had a kind weird guy that could speak some English. They kept wanting us to spend more (typical) money on extra treatment. The experience is unique. The massage is kinda like reflexology but also they pull your toes and foot and slap them. They massage your whole leg as well as move it into stretch positions. Just when we thought this was different, they left and came back with little hammers. Well in Canadian dollars a hr massage cost about $13.
Day3
~Visit Wuzehn village which is like Brugge in Belgium. It took us a few hours from Shanghai to get there. Beautiful 400year old village with canals and bridges which people still live in and just opened to the public. We had a delicious luch of local foods.
~Visit a Buddhist temple with amazing statues of Buddha carved in the limestone rock. My friends and I got necklaces with our Chinese name on them. My name is now ShaSha, Anna is Nana, and Hariet is RuiRui!
-Went to Hangzhou to walk around the famous lake seen on their money. Saw old ladies selling part of a lotus plant that looked like a shower head. We bought one for 3 yen to peel and eat the seeds inside that tasted like nuts. We had a adventure ordering dinner, but it all tasted really good. The other night I tried eel in my stir fry which I liked, and I love the coconut milk
caned drinks here
.
Day3
Flew to Yangshou, I am getting used to hearing cars honk their horns all the time and bikes and scooters with many people on them going through the streets without helmets. Drove to our hotel and then met our local guide who drove us to a nearby river
Our guide is from a farming family in the area and was really friendly and good at English. I loved this city and really enjoyed kayaking with large bamboo trees and limestone mts and water buffalo everywhere. We also passed lots of Chinese fishermen collecting water grass on their bamboo rafts for the water buffalo. We kayaked for about 4 hrs, explored a village, had drinks, swam and then returned to the centre of the city. Shared a delicious meal with everyone and went bargain shopping for cheap items in the night market.
Day 4.
Cheap breakfast of watermelon juice fruit and mmmm banana (grown there)pancakes! Went to rent bikes and we were guided through the villages and mountains. I said Knee How to a local Chinese guy who corrected me to say nee how! Also if you want to take a picture of the local farmers you must pay. Makes sense as they need extra money, but maybe they should pay to have a picture of us westerners. (just joking bc so many sneak photos of us and ask to have pictures with us, especially my blonde haired friends.
We continued cycling to moon mt (one that looks like a arch). It was hot, and a long climb of 800steps, but worth the view. There were also many older Chinese women who followed us selling "ice water" and "postcards". At times it was annoying and other times it was nice because they would fan us as we walked up. They knew many bits of languages from doing this job for many years. They complained that their husbands were poor farmers and they needed money for their children. The view at the top was amazing!
After the hike we biked into the local village to have lunch made by a local of nice Chinese dishes. My fav is egg and tomato. We washed our hands and the hot seat of our bike with the water pump by the house and made our way to a tourist shop. Here we gave some money to some people to take us to a Water Mud Cave. We put on helmets and flip flops that they gave us, sat in a small boat that they pulled into the cave, got out, and ventured in. We made our way to the back of the cave where there was a pool of mud knee deep to bath and slide in. I freaked everyone there by soaking my waterproof camera in mud :)Then you could go deeper and clean off in another pool of clean water before going back and sitting by another pool next to a hot spring . Ahhh I love this place! I wanted to stay there for a long time but 3hrs we left to bike back into towm and to shower at our hotel. We explored the night market again, and us girls shared a amazing dinner of all sorts of side dishes. Saw Mule and frog on the menu.
Day 6
Left early to fly to Chang quing. Ate the fresh mango that I bought yesterday from a local farmer for 2yen! (25 at the airport) This city was quite big, we shopped for snacks (bought seaweed flavoured pringles!) and water and wine before heading to the Princess 6 boat. So begins our cruise down the Yangze river!
Day7
Enjoyed nice shared dishes for all meals with served by friendly staff. (Our English guide's name is Colour) Made a stop to check out a "Gohst city". Watched and took part in demos of Chinese reflexology, and body massage. Also the demo on cupping and acupuncture. Relaxed on deck where a 8year old was pushed to speak English with me. Soon she was def not shy with me and we did language exchange and played games many times! That evening the staff performed Chinese dances for us.
Day 8
Relaxed on the boat as it went through the 3 gorges. Beautiful scenery except for the brown river water with garbage floating and we saw many people throw things overboard:( We made a stop to get on to another boat that took us down the Shennang Stream to visit a minority Chinese group of people. They lost a lot of land when the river water raised from the building of the Dam, but they had 6 years to move and were given a place and money to move to. The mountains were beautiful, there were some paths in them and inside some high cliffs were ancient hanging coffins. Its a mystery how they got there.
Tourism helps their income now so when we went on to a small canoe, I felt bad that they were doing all the work in rowing us and in shallow water they got out and pulled the boat, but the tips and money help them make a living. Our guide was dressed in traditional clothes from the area and sang folk songs on the boat
Day 9
We got off the boat and did a bus/walking tour of the dam. Then we went back to the boat to go through the last gorge (xiling). We packed up and left the boat. It is required that a local carry our bags (gives them a job bc they lost theirs and have been displaced by the dam.
We boarded a sleeper train with 3 level bunks and traveled for 16hrs having instant noodles and snacks till we got to Xian city.
Day 10
Got to our hotel by 9 and left as a group to go for lunch in Cindy's home city. Then we explored the city and went on a bike ride on the City wall for 13.7 km. Was very bumpy bc of the old stone bricks, wish I had a mt bike. After we explored the shops, found a couples and family matching clothes shop, and a arcade before heading to the Muslim quarter where the best markets are. There are lots of really cheap items, you just need to know how to bargain for them, as they always double the price. ie final bargain down from 600yen for a necklace to 70. Had a 20yen dinner of dumplings and soup, lady next to me called her middle school aged son down to practice English with me! Met the others and did some crazy dares in the city We took a rickshaw back for 10yen. Was crazy! He went through red lights and up a one way street. We had to suddenly pull over when buses were coming towards us and look at a map!
Day 11.
Took a private bus for a hr to the Terracotta warrior museum! AMAZING! There are 4 buildings with lots to see, a dream to see it all in real life. I bought a book signed by a local farmer who discovered the site. Got subway and some local pomegranate fruit. Went back to go shopping and explore the Muslim quarter again. Was in a hurry so I got a ride on the back of a scooter from a local. I don't know how legit this service is, but I see the locals travel that way, and although he also drove crazy my little Chinese helped me get to the hotel! :) We grabbed our things and headed to the train station eating moon cake for snack
Day 12.
Arrive in Beijing, and take a taxi to the hotel. People here stare a lot at us that it can be quite disturbing. Although when kids have photos with us it can be kinda cute.
Had to give extra money for gas to the taxi driver. Waited to get into the hotel, used the Internet and found a way to access Facebook too. Had lunch (delicious especially the eggplant and fried banana), showered and then we walked into the city. There is no smoking allowed in places, but rules do not matter much to people here we notice. (including traffic signs) We explore Tienanmen square, the Forbidden Palace, and then take a local bus to the centre for dinner at the food court (cheap and good. I was brave enough to eat a whole fish head) and explore the night market with its strange food (even strange for the Chinese) including live scorpion (they fry it after) on a stick! Was about to try, but the people started swearing at me so I didn't. In Beijing people can be rather pushy, noisy, rude, and unclean. Babies don't ware dippers, so they can go anywhere at anytime we observed.
Day 13
Happy day, we took a private bus for 2hrs to the Great Wall. It was a nice day and not too crowded. We took the cable car up for 20yen, and hiked along the way (gets steep at many parts so much that only locals can go past one spot). Amazing! Then we had the chance to toboggan down a metal slide to the bottom for 40yen! So worth it! Subway for lunch, & bargained from 80-30 for a picture
We headed back into the main city to go out for a nice farewell dinner of Beijing duck and veggies. There is a special way to eat it with the side sauces. Had jujube juice and local beer. We then went to centre to drink, and partake in dancing exercise with hundreds of Chinese ppl. Then my friends dared me to dance on the street. I started dancing to my ipod and got strange looks, then I started highland dancing and all of a sudden hundreds of people stopped by to watch and take videos/pictures of and with me! I had many come up after and give me money to take a photo with me, and made 20yen in umm 15min. :) Then took a taxi to a bar street by a lake. Somewhat disappointing and expensive. After Harriet and I tried to get a cab back but they were asking to much. Suddenly a guy on a rickshaw shouted 30 so we went with him and realized later why he was so quick to take us any where. Ok yes you feel like you could almost die when you get a ride in Asia, but this time even more. In the middle of a big intersection, his scooter ran out of gas! He literally got out and pushed us across! We paid him early and walked home, bc it wasn't worth him pushing us the whole way!
Day 14 my last day
I feel as though 2 weeks is enough time to travel through China. I was starting to get a sore throat and running nose.I needed fresh air! Went for lunch and then to the summer palace (and saw this older man wearing a shirt that says "Sorry I can't hear you. I'm shuffeling!"). The palace is huge and we ended up just exploring the gardens that had plastic art creations everywhere. Takes a while by subway to get there and people were really pushy and kept giving us weird looks. It was nice for the four of us to meet up later for dinner at a really good restaurant in snack street.
Day 15
Subway opens at around 5am, so at 5:30 I took it to get to the airport (you have to know what terminal you are at because it divides into 3 sections) for my 8:30 flight. I enjoyed my travels in China, but was very happy to arrive back in Korea. The washrooms and everywhere are cleaner, people speak more English, no pushing on the subway or as many weird stares. Koreans are simply more friendly, environmentally aware and respectful. Then I got home to Sokcho to fresh air and after a few days of some cold medicine and tea and fresh air I felt much healthier. My only problem now is to clean my apartment of mold and dirt from the humid weather and me not being home.
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