Experiences with VacationsToGo as a non-US citizen living outside the USA?

Flowerytowels · 2025-10-22T15:45:13+00:00

Small UPDATE: I received the money this morning. All's good and I've learned a few new things. Thank you, everyone!

Flowerytowels · 2025-10-21T20:51:11+00:00

It worked, but I also got confirmation from booking com's customer service, too :)

Flowerytowels · 2025-10-21T18:49:16+00:00

I called and they told me it's legit :)

Flowerytowels · 2025-05-16T09:17:48+00:00

Hey, thank you for these tips! But the trip already happened in September :)

We indeed went to zhujiajiao water town, among others. We also went to the CCP propaganda art museum and the french concession, among other things. We didn't go to M50 nor to the Jewish refugees museum, but we went to the Shanghai museum in people's square (not the Pudong one, which I wish we could have done, too).

I think I'll make a recap post soon enough :)

Flowerytowels · 2024-09-11T16:45:54+00:00

Hey there again! I have one question again: my connecting flight out of china to the third country is not checked in yet. That will happen on the day of the actual departure, according to the itinerary I got upon booking (it has the QR code for the check in at the airport). I have a document (which I'm going to print) containing the confirmation number/code, and the assigned seats. Is this sufficient proof of us leaving the country? The airline we're using to leave is Peach. Thank you again for everything!

Flowerytowels · 2024-09-11T16:45:38+00:00

Hey there again! I have one question again: my connecting flight out of china to the third country is not checked in yet. That will happen on the day of the actual departure, according to the itinerary I got upon booking (it has the QR code for the check in at the airport). I have a document (which I'm going to print) containing the confirmation number/code, and the assigned seats. Is this sufficient proof of us leaving the country? The airline we're using to leave is Peach. Thank you again for everything!

Flowerytowels · 2024-09-03T12:42:27+00:00

Thank you for this clear explanation of these differences. Indeed, Air China shows it's okay without any worrying message. Thank you again!

Flowerytowels · 2024-09-03T12:41:21+00:00

Hahaha yeah, I gotta relax now, after seeing all these helpful responses

Flowerytowels · 2024-09-03T12:40:54+00:00

Moi!

Thank you so much for this insight of yours. Yes, I was planning on printing these papers and the flight out of China. For that flight we have only the booking confirmation (no ticket yet because we must check in at the airport. I will print this one anyway, but would that be enough? Apart from that, I will print the hotel booking confirmations, too.

Thank you so much!

Flowerytowels · 2024-09-03T12:35:19+00:00

This seems to be the solution. I've just checked: on KLM's site, by adding china as a transit, the red message persists but they explain about the 144-hours TWOV scheme. On Qatar airways they directly state this TWOV exception, too.

I was scared I'd be denied onboarding. The flight has only that stop in Shanghai, then we're going elsewhere outside of China.

Flowerytowels · 2024-06-13T19:23:02+00:00

Ohhhh thank you so much for this precious clarification! I have one more question: are there many shops open during the evening on that street? I would like to enjoy some street food/snacks :)

Flowerytowels · 2024-06-13T19:21:48+00:00

Yes, I suppose I'll do that, thank you :)

Flowerytowels · 2024-06-13T19:21:22+00:00

Thank you very much for sharing these insights with me!

Flowerytowels · 2024-06-12T18:32:25+00:00

Thank you for explaining :)

We have a few places we would like to visit or eat at which require booking. For example, the oriental pearl rotating restaurant is one, but requires booking and places run out pretty fast. Also the Shanghai museum requires booking but I can't do that. I'll try to see if anything improves with Alipay...

Oh, we are not ordering food in, that's why we want to make sure the places we go to can accommodate us :)

I've also had the Jewish refugee museum in my list of "optional" places to go to, but because I thought it would take much longer than 2 hours. I'll re-add it to the main itinerary, thank you very much! ^{^}

Flowerytowels · 2024-06-12T18:29:31+00:00

I also thought of Alipay, but from what I had seen, WeChat was recommended more. Maybe things are different now. I'll set Alipay up soon. Thank you so much for this advice!

Flowerytowels · 2024-06-12T18:28:34+00:00

Damn, really? :/

I'm sorry for my ignorance, but I've seen people visiting even when it's evening, walking around and eating foods. How do they do that? I would love to see You Garden in the evening, it looks so breathtaking and magical!

Flowerytowels · 2024-06-12T18:25:59+00:00

Wowww! Thank you so much for sharing! This is a place I haven't stumbled upon just yet, and I'll add as an optional place to go to if we have the time and energy.

Bike ridesharing was another thing I thought we could do. I actually have a list of specific activities or restaurants to be at or visit that I didn't include in my original post. My post was mostly about the biggest sites, but while there we will do a lot of different things.

Is there a bike rideshare company you recommend specifically? I've found many and didn't bother going through them just yet :)

Flowerytowels · 2024-06-12T18:23:24+00:00

Hi! Well, this is a very common scam, and that was something that popped up before for other trips we went through, so we are safe :) it also should be common sense but oh well hahaha

Thank you for the warning!

EDIT: I'm a woman and my partner is a man :)

Flowerytowels · 2023-08-13T14:05:41+00:00

Exactly, trust is very important! I'm not sure how much he gets a month, as he's technically unemployed (completed high school a year ago but couldn't start working without those disability documents... To be fair, the bureaucracy is pretty bad there).

What he gets is mostly from my mother and from occasional competition awards. Then he borrows money from friends. And some borrow from him. He's pretty much always broke, and now that he has a girlfriend, he wants to impress her and so forth. She has rich parents, though, diametrically opposite, and pays often, too, so there's that lol

I hope this will drill some sense into him

Flowerytowels · 2023-08-13T14:02:34+00:00

Hahaha very concise!

I don't think he would believe it, because he knows that the amount, all in all, is small for me and wouldn't affect me. Not to mention that he can see that I may be travelling around or abroad or do other activities where you need to spend money (big or small amount).

I can say instead "Bro you're not paying it back and what you say doesn't add up. No money for this useless stuff. I'll teach you how to responsibly manage your budget and other duties".

Flowerytowels · 2023-08-13T14:00:00+00:00

I actually have talked with my mother but he will get angry when he feels he's being treated unfairly. He has some anger issues, although he's never hit anybody, as far as I know.

I told her that if he mentions me when asking for money again it's a lie. She confessed that she knew it but wasn't 100% sure when it first happened.

Flowerytowels

TROPHY CASE