- If your taxi driver can’t read, just apologize and leave. “Saving face” is a big part of Chinese culture.

 

- 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.

 

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

 

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

 

- We heard from a Chinese host 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 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 isn’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.

 

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

 

- Get your change from a taxi driver before handing them the money. I’ve been laughed at and stiffed twice.

 

- 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 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.