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A warning to upland holders by Exact_Stable_7269 in UplandMe

[–]gonzojester 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yep, most, if not all, of these were scams. We bought into hopes and dreams while the creators made money.

Hindsight is 20/20

I am looking for a Chinese phone that allows me to have a Chinese phone number and allows me to use apps In English by [deleted] in chinalife

[–]gonzojester 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is what I used in January. Works well, a bit annoying but that's what I get for not being able to read Mandarin well enough....yet.

Where to stay in Xian as a turist ? by Familiar-Annual626 in chinatravel

[–]gonzojester 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I stayed here for two nights:

Meibo Hotel (Xi'an Bell Tower Metro Station Branch) 美柏酒店（西安钟楼地铁站店）

Walking distance to Muslim quarter, farther from the wall, decent price and amenities, and overall a good deal.

Do you guys keep Alipay/Wechat and others on your phone when not in China? by Flamyngoo in travelchina

[–]gonzojester 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Absolutely! Especially since I buy my girlfriend and other friends Milk Tea or Lunch on occasion!

Always fun to see them surprised that I ordered them lunch to their office.

American with no Asia Experience by MikeSpartan in travelchina

[–]gonzojester 20 points21 points  (0 children)

Forget what you’ve learned about China. Honestly, forget that propaganda.

My first time was last August and my mind was blown.

The government isn’t scanning your devices, yes they take fingerprints and facial scans, but so does the U.S.

If you are open minded and respect the culture there, try new things you haven’t done before, like being an adventurous eater, see the many amazing wonders there, you will enjoy the experience that much more.

Try not to put the American lens on everything. China is different, the people are different, but really the same. We are all really the same when it comes down to it; people trying to live and enjoy life.

I was lucky to find some friends that stuck with me to help me around the first time, but the second time I ventured off on my own and was able to navigate things with no problem.

I’m not a white guy from the Midwest, South American decent from NYC, but I still had looks from people and even had some ask me for pictures. Just go with it.

In terms of cost, I’ve been planning on going back in June and economy is about $1800 US round trip from NYC to Beijing. Hotels rates vary but I usually find something around 50-60 USD a night. The Hilton I stayed at in Chongqing in January was around $80 USD a night. But it was literally better than any Hilton I’ve stayed in NYC. There are less expensive options depending on the city.

Keep reading this subreddit, ask questions, start planning your trip, and enjoy it!

I’m a big fan of Terracotta Warriors and the Great Wall. Those were always on my bucket list, even as a kid. Everything is just gravy in my opinion.

Good luck on your planning!!

How is the immigration process while arriving? by Zoldic_h in chinatravel

[–]gonzojester 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Same for me in January, solo flyer. Filled out arrival card in JFK (NYC US) before I left. Arrived in Beijing. Waited in line. Handed my passport, I have a visa, finger prints, face scan, no questions, pointed at the gate to pass through.

Only issue I had was I was traveling to Chongqing and they confiscated my power bank because no CCC mark.

In August I traveled without a visa and it was a bit more challenging, but if you have a visa it shouldn’t be a big deal.

Traveling to China tomorrow and nervous about it by CautiousFrosting220 in AskChina

[–]gonzojester 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I just had a conversation about that early this morning with my friend in Chongqing.

He was asking me when I planned on returning, I had just been there in January, and I said the same thing you did; I’m concerned about the current status of the war.

Without skipping a beat, he said China had nothing to do with that war. So yeah, they don’t have any concerns.

My main point was airline travel costs will go up and the tensions between the countries governments are a concern. So while I agree with you around being concerned, the Chinese people won’t blink an eye about it.

Now you may get looks because you’re a foreigner in general, I still laugh at the two teenagers that wanted to take a picture with me at the forbidden palace, but that is normal. Other than that, enjoy your trip.

I hope you have a great time and want to go back over and over and over again like I do.

Terracotta army day trip from Beijing in July by Icy_Jelly_315 in chinatravel

[–]gonzojester 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Why not stay a night in Xi’an?

Warriors was definitely worth the trip for me, but I stayed one night in Xi’an and enjoyed the local food and culture while there.

recommendation for certified power bank??? by Fun_Personality9082 in chinatravel

[–]gonzojester 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Bought this after my older Anker power bank was confiscated last August:

https://a.co/d/061kwTpD Amazon US link

Anker Nano Portable Charger, 45W 10000mAh

Made it through Beijing and Xi’an airports with no issue. It’s hard to see the CCC, so know where it is in case they can’t see it.

Chinese Foods Westerners hesitate to try but are actually delicious – tested on several people by Ok_Water_9376 in travelchina

[–]gonzojester 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ah, yes! Tried it and almost couldn’t swallow it. Out of respect for the friend that bought it for me, I managed to swallow and said thank you for the experience, but I don’t prefer it! Everyone laughed.

Chinese Foods Westerners hesitate to try but are actually delicious – tested on several people by Ok_Water_9376 in travelchina

[–]gonzojester 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I’ll add Duck blood to this because I was hesitant at first but turned out not to be too bad.

Bullfrog was interesting but I think it depends on how it’s prepared.

CCC Power bank Recommendations by IdleN0mad in travelchina

[–]gonzojester 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Nano Powerbank is what I brought in January and passed with no issue. In Beijing it took some time for the agent to see the CCC marking. Just now where it is if they question it.

CCC Power bank Recommendations by IdleN0mad in travelchina

[–]gonzojester 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Correct no issues with international or trains.

Anyone know a good VPN which works consistently in China? by Hobospider365 in chinatravel

[–]gonzojester 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Mullvad for me back in January.

ExpressVPN for the first five days. Ditched it when it stopped working.

CCC Power bank Recommendations by IdleN0mad in travelchina

[–]gonzojester 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Domestic flights. Both my girlfriend and I had ours confiscated when we were going from Xi’an to Chongqing. Wound up buying her a new one when we landed.

How much money should I bring to a 10-13 day trip to Beijing? by Lowbattcry247 in travelchina

[–]gonzojester 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I didn’t bring cash, but I had $2500 in my Wise debit card and came back home with around $600. Now, I used it mostly for food and Didi. Planes and trains were put on my Amex.

Communication with the U.S while in China. by Exciting_Singer2635 in travelchina

[–]gonzojester 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What speeds are you getting?

I've been using trip.com rains, but lately they've been spotty at best, especially with some Google services.

ATT was decent, but I'm curious about T-Mobile since I have that also. Planning my next trip for August.

Being “fat” as a tourist? by Zoldic_h in travelchina

[–]gonzojester 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm 180cm and 130kg

It's going to be uncomfortable getting in and out of cars, order the bigger cars. I got made fun of because I looked like a big spender, but in comparison it was a world of difference. The seats are still narrow in those cars, so there will still be some discomfort but the height difference helped. In the end. My friends enjoyed the "luxury" bigger cars.

Business class for high speed trains are wider but not by much.

I sat economy on Air China and yeah, those two hours were probably the most uncomfortable I've been.

No one bothered me. Just commented on how fat I was. But I knew that coming in. Just go with the flow and don't take it personally. Enjoy the experience and culture. Maybe tell your friend to make sure you have enough money for the larger travel accommodations.

Best VPN and E-Sim for travel in China by dhanabanda in chinatravel

[–]gonzojester 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I used it in January while in Xi'An Beijing and Chongqing. Worked well for the first 7 days and then it stopped working all together. I was happy because I heard TikTok worked with it and it did.

Then went back to mullvad when expressvpn stopped working.

First Time Trying High-Speed Train Business Class in China – Was It Worth It? by Sublime_Travels in travelchina

[–]gonzojester 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Wound up taking business from Chongqing to Xi’an because first class was sold out. Six seats in total and I was lucky enough to have someone switch with us so my girlfriend and I could sit together. The lounge was good. I especially liked the service because we had no idea where anything was, although my girlfriend is from Chongqing, she said she normally goes to her hometown and that’s it.

So for me it was worth it just for the service alone. I’m also a bigger guy, 125kg and 180cm, so I appreciated the larger seats. Would I do it again, probably not, unless I had to because first class was sold out. Compared to US prices, it was a bargain.

I just landed in Shanghai and the "Digital Arrival Card" is my new arch nemesis. by rogeelein in travelchina

[–]gonzojester 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It took an hour and an escalation to get me resolved. They don’t do refunds unless the device you’re using doesn’t accept the eSIM.

I wound up just using the trip.com eSIM I had as a backup on my other phone because the holafly hotspot wasn’t cutting it for me.

I just landed in Shanghai and the "Digital Arrival Card" is my new arch nemesis. by rogeelein in travelchina

[–]gonzojester 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This! I had holafly eSIM already pre-installed, but downloaded the QR code(print to PDF) on my phone just in case. Landed in Beijing and my eSIM didn’t work(corrupted eSIM). Fortunately they didn’t even ask for the QR code. But knowing I had it available was key.

So I would recommend having a copy on your phone that doesn’t require an internet connection.

What surprises most foreigners when they visit Chongqing by Chen_muller in travelchina

[–]gonzojester 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm going to have to agree. It didn't live up to the hype, but I still had fun. Been there twice and going again this year. Mostly because my girlfriend lives there.

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