Days there: 30

Route: Beijing-Xi’An-Luoyang-shanghai-Huangshan-Tunxi-Guilin-Yangshou-Nanning

Costs: $1,100
$36.00 / day including all transportation, food, drinks, and accommodation.
I had no budget and spent carelessly in China. $20/day would be easy.

Overview: Strap in and hold on tight. China is a wild ride for all of the senses. The cities are modern, massive, loud, bright, chaotic, polluted and constantly buzzing. They offer the best in entertainment, attractions, food, and general excitement. There is, however, an odd tug-of-war going on between old and new. Behind the neon, Vegas style strips you can step back in time and find some culture in old traditional neighborhoods and oddly serene parks full of Pagodas and temples. While they may keep these old traditional areas and buildings intact, adding glamour and flash seems to be the Chinese way to ‘improve’ everything. The intent may be to improve but unfortunately it tends to come off as tacky and touristy. Quite unfortunate. China still manages to show its roots in some of the old market alleys, smaller cities and its amazingly picturesque countryside and simple rural village life.
China was an incredible experience offering a challenge you cannot find in the rest of Asia. From eating out to taking a taxi, daily routine can be quite difficult due to a serious lack of english speaking, writing, and signage. It is a true test of your patience and general traveling abilities just to get by.

Best Experiences:

Arriving in Beijing, stepping into such a foreign world and having no clue where I was going to go, or how I would get there without verbal communication.
Attempting to buy a Train ticket at the station during rush hour. Something everybody should attempt to try. That’s all I will say about that.

Cultural Highlights:

- The Great Wall of China. Make sure to you go to the Jinshanling section. A 10km stretch of the best preserved wall a few hours out of Beijing, where it is possible to find complete solitude. Tourists flock to the other sections as this can be a difficult and long walk.
-Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. Expect crowds at the largest palace complex in the world in the heart of this massive city.
-Visiting the Terra Cotta Warriors. An amazing site and well preserved but a little tacky in presentation.
-The Longmen Caves.
-Strolling through old markets and finding traditional Tea Houses (rare to find a cheap one)
-Meeting and talking Chinglish with the friendly locals everywhere you go.

Party Spots:

-Beijing offers the best from cutting edge dance clubs to bars to Karaoke bars, to shady sex tourist bars. Check online to keep up with the constantly evolving nightlife.
-Shanghai. Same same, but different. The difference being a lot more Westerners.
-Guilin. Lots of nightlife but a little too sleazy in the tourist areas. A prime spot for sex tourists. See Sexpats. http://canuckingabroad.wordpress.com/thailand/
-Yangshou. A more laid back city with lots of smaller bars, live music, clubs and fun hostels. A great atmosphere.

Best Adventures:

-The 10km Great Wall of China walk.
-Climbing Mt. Huangshan and staying the night on top if this majestic mountain seemingly right out of a fairy tale.
-Rock climbing and mountain biking in the beautiful countryside of Yangshou.
-Getting amazing street food and aimlessly wandering around at 4 am when you leave the bars.
-The Beijing subway.

Food:

-Meals can range from $1 up. Beer $1 up
-Incredibly cheap street and market food lets you wander around trying anything imagineable from shark to starfish.
-Try some dog if you have it in you.
-Street noodles, wantan soup, and dumplings became a daily ritual.
-Hot pot restaurants create a fun way of dining out with friends.
-There is nothing like true Peking duck!

What to Expect:

-While western toilets are emerging, you can still expect to squat over a ceramic hole in the ground about 90% of the time. Interesting on a moving train!
-Spitting everywhere. You will be stepping over piles of ‘hork’ on the street, on trains, on buses and even on the floors of cheap restaurants.
-Floors are the garbage. So spit those chicken foot bones on the floor. They’ll be swept up in no time.
-Personal space does not exist. I woke up on a train to a man sitting on my bed eating breakfast. At least he offered me an orange.
-Long lines, pushing, cutting, and shoving. Don’t hesitate, just get in there.
-Posing for lots of pictures.
-Pollution!
-It seems like everybody smokes, and do so everywhere.
-Some of the nicest people in the world. Always laughing, smiling, and sharing.

Travel Tips:

-Guide books are written in Mandarin as well, so you can point to what you need or want as a last resort.
-A driver’s license works as a student card (since they can’t understand it) and has saved me a lot of Yuan.
-Buy all tickets in the bus or train station. It may be intense and difficult but 3rd party english organizer’s charge very high commissions.
-Drink for free at bars/clubs by walking into the private rooms and saying hello. They love your company and wont let you leave until you’re tipsy.
-Save money by buying beers at the stores and taking them wherever you go. The cheap restaurants allow it.
-Guesthouses are actually cheaper than hostels, and you get your own room. Just go hang out at the hostels to meet people.

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