- If your taxi driver can’t read, just apologize and leave. They’ll act like they can because “Saving face” is a big part of Chinese culture. You have to use your judgement.

 

- When buying a train ticket, don’t worry about the length of the line. Try to find a clerk who isn’t growling and barking into their microphone. They might actually try to help you.

 

- There is a debate on which of the three bunks to get on a sleeper train;

   Bottom - You’ll have more room but people will be climbing past you and will use your bed as seats                                   when not sleeping

   Middle  - There is a little less space than on the bottom but more than at the top.

   Top       - Less headroom than others but very high (safe) and next to large storage compartment where                            you can put and be with your bags. (Claustrophobs be wary, but I think it gives greatest                                    peace of mind)

 

- Catching a train is an adventure in itself. Be prepared for clawing, pushing, ditching, chair climbing, and shouting as everybody tramples each other to get to their assigned seats. I asked a Chinese guy, “Why?’, while pointing at the mayhem, and he said, “There are a lot of people in China.”

 

- On the trains,  be prepared for lengthy and loud sales presentations about business socks, toys, and the like.

 

- Human waste goes directly onto the train tracks, so you can’t use the restroom when the train is stopped at a station. If you need to “go,” remember that the stops can take awhile.

 

- Bring ramen noodles for a long train trip. They will provide hot water.

 

- There is very limited English in China compared to other countries. Our guide book was worth its weight in gold. We used Lonely Planet.

 

- The Chinese have different hand gestures for numbers above “5” than we do. It helps to learn them.

 

- Beer is an extraordinary value but check the back of the bottle because sometimes the alcohol level can drop below 2%.

 

- The pollution is worse than you were told, and worse than you could probably imagine.

 

- Be prepared to negotiate prices. Discounts of up to 90% can be had.

 

- China seems relatively safe but we’ve heard tales of pickpockets.

 

- Our Chinese host told us that punishments for crimes against foreigners are harsher than committing similar crimes against Chinese.

 

- When eating ... Follow these two guidelines ... “People and Pictures.”

 

- There is a bizarre herb in a lot of Chinese food that numbs your mouth and in my case, sends my salt receptors into a frenzy. Even bottled water tastes like the ocean.

 

- Staring on buses, trains, and subways can go beyond curiosity into flat out creepy.

 

- Extending an American visa requires you to wire $100 into a Chinese bank account for every day you’d like to extend.

 

- Americans pay more for a thirty day visa than any other nationality ($130). We think it’s retaliation for the high prices American visas cost the Chinese.

 

- The “communistic” vibe you were told to expect from the media isn’t here.

 

- There is a surprisingly large Muslim population in China. Seek out their restaurants for cheap prices, decent food, and most importantly, pictures.

 

- Most foreigners that we’ve met in China are making a serious effort to learn the language. In Korea, that wasn’t the case.

 

- Remember that any fresh water fish was probably caught from a local water source that is most likely loaded with pollutants.

 

- Our most useful phrases in China have been “She She” = Thank You and “Boo Yao” = I don’t need it.

 

- Bring a cheap calculator so you can negotiate and get prices from merchants and hotels. Since many Chinese don’t speak English and since they have different hand signals for numbers, our calculator helped us avoid a lot of awkward situations.

 

- Chinese supermarkets are sticklers for exact change - even when they have it available.

 

- Get your change from a taxi driver before handing them money. I’ve been laughed at and stiffed twice for expecting to get some change.

 

- The Chinese have a lot of electrical bikes and scooters. You’d have to be a brave son of bitch to risk riding one though. Buses will hit you.

What We’ve Learned

 

- China is a country of extremes when it comes to income.

 

- Use http://english.ctrip.com/  for great values on actual hotels with great service, prices,                                                         and rooms.

         http://www.chinahighlights.com/ - for train schedules in English (you can’t buy them                                                                         online however)

 

- Buses are faster and more expensive. Trains are slower and cheaper. Taxi’s are relatively cheap and useful for your first ride in a new city. Make sure the meter is on.

 

- When you book a place to stay, try to use Google Earth or the Google translator to get a very clear idea of where you are going. Even better, get someone to write it in Chinese for the taxi driver.

 

- When you arrive at your hotel/hostel get their card and keep it on you. It should have their number and directions on it. (It’s very easy to get lost in Chinese cities and the taxi won’t understand the name or directions to your hotel without a card.)