If I start charging 1¥ for every selfie taken with me I promise I’m going to be a millionaire before I leave China!
“Can I take a photo with you?”
Chinese are pretty keen on foreigners and they seems pretty honored and happy when you sit next to them on the bus or train. Many times they are so shy to ask for a selfie, which can make things really funny. Getting all the attention, I sometimes feel like I’m a super famous person!
Distances in China are bigger than you think. What it looks like a short ride to city nearby is usually 3-6 h. Seeing trains that go all the way to Beijing and Shanghai is a norm. Although 45 h on the train must be an experience.
China is packed. Cities are pretty much crowded and train stations … holy crap! It is normal to wait for one hour to get your ticket. As a foreigner you can’t use the machines (they accept only Chinese ID), but need to go the counter and get your ticket there – even the one you bought online needs to be exchanged for printed version! This almost cost me to miss a lovely 16h train. Luckily train was late and all went well. At least numbers in Chinese are the same, so with a little efford you figure out your exit and seat numbers.
Haven’t really planned, but missed the last connecting bus and stayed for a night in Fenghuang. The place is amazing by day and night – if you manage to ignore all party clubs by the river at night.
Spent few days hiking around Zhangjiajie national park. Changed my mind about visiting the glass walkway – all good if you don’t mind fighting for your place on earth and moving in a queue for couple of hours 😉
English? Chenglish!
Except people working in hostels, not many people speak English. When you are searching for something specific stuff in a hostel will write it down for you in Chinese. It’s pretty fun showing your paper around and hope it really says what it is supposed to say – don’t trust Egyptian 🙂 🙂
Menus in English? Forget it. Even from pictures is difficult to figure things out, or they will just simply hand you the Chinese menu – Google instant translate have you covered! The thing is pretty amazing, except it sometimes read stuff top to bottom not left to right and next time translations are just as random as open a dictionary on a random page!
Getting just a bowl of noodles for your dinner can turn into a chaos with 20 people around you trying to explain something – I assume is just recommendations and proper dishes descriptions, all in Chinese don’t worry. Be pretty and smile!
Annoying things?
Shit yes!
- Mid age guys walking around with the t-shirt pulled up to “cool down”. Nothing that much against if 90% of those guys wouldn’t have a huge belly.
- People smoke everywhere.
- Munching while eating.
- People like to touch you. But luckily just your hands. Guess they need to check that we are real.
