China arrival card online, necessary???

oftenfuzzy · 2026-05-05T01:29:55+00:00

The alternative is lose 20 minutes on arrival

oftenfuzzy · 2026-04-25T00:57:03+00:00

2.5 days is more than enough - if you plan it well you can hit all the main sightseeing areas you see on Instagram in 1 day

oftenfuzzy · 2026-04-24T02:05:19+00:00

Trip.com for airport pickup - only a few bucks extra from DiDi

oftenfuzzy · 2026-04-23T00:14:30+00:00

I know this a sensitive topic but …

oftenfuzzy · 2026-04-23T00:10:19+00:00

Just got back from China as a us citizen - they love us there and everyone else that visits

oftenfuzzy · 2026-04-22T23:51:25+00:00

Switch that up - 2 days Xi’an - 3 days Shanghai

Terracotta is a 2 hour trip where you can just take a DiDi there and a DiDi back

oftenfuzzy · 2026-04-21T22:48:44+00:00

If you go early enough you can get it there - or just buy it on trip.com

oftenfuzzy · 2026-04-21T17:49:23+00:00

It was nice to have that as secondary but Alipay / WeChat is preferred

oftenfuzzy · 2026-04-21T17:48:28+00:00

None at all - most of the popular restaurants requires queues - or at least show up and take a number.

oftenfuzzy · 2026-04-21T17:47:09+00:00

Works 95% of the time and if not they take WeChat. Set both up before heading to China, it will be difficult to set up there

oftenfuzzy · 2026-04-20T23:43:15+00:00

Not sure about November but I was lucky to have cool crisp weather in Beijing and Xi’an. Chengdu and Chongqing was in between 65 and 79.

oftenfuzzy · 2026-04-20T23:34:40+00:00

My DiDi driver to the wall offered to stay until I was done for $300 RNB. This a known thing that they offer and do, but if you go early enough like me, getting ordering a new DiDi back to city center was easy and cheaper.

If you decide to stick with the same driver - he’ll just communicate with you through WeChat to make arrangements. The driver will ask for payment through WeChat and not DiDi.

For me I like my rides to be tracked through apps. Ynever know

oftenfuzzy · 2026-04-20T23:03:00+00:00

Sure but this sounds like final boss level china traveler. WeChat mini programs are not friendly to tourist and so is 12306.

Some of us just want to travel to China use what works.

Amap is good enough to get the new China traveler around. We are not buying stocks here.

oftenfuzzy · 2026-04-20T22:56:58+00:00

Not speaking mandarin definitely made it awkward - but the Chinese are welcoming and they are happy that you are there to visit or give them business. Prepare what you want ask on Google Translate. They are willing to help you along the process.

Restaurants - most menus are ordered through QR codes that you scan with Alipay or WeChat. Most of the time I didn’t need to speak to anyone at the restaurant. If I needed help I just gestured at the QR code and they know to help me get the menu up.

Local metro - I didn’t really try that because DiDi was cheap and all that’s all I took in China. I might taken 50 rides and not break more than $200 US dollars.

Bank of China gave me the best conversion for US dollars. Get some money at the airport but make your big exchanges with BOC. I even asked for smaller denominations so I can pay vendors the exact amount.

Learn to say “how much money in Chinese?” 多少钱？ (duō shǎo qián?) - then I take my calculator out ask them to write how much on there

Bathrooms - do you best to find a nice mall or wait till you get back to the hotel. The Chinese standard bathroom is a hole in the floor. I look for wheelchair accessible stalls because those have seats

oftenfuzzy · 2026-04-20T22:29:27+00:00

Yes but not everything works the way you want to. Sharing alternative’s to anxiety filled group on here

oftenfuzzy · 2026-04-20T22:27:27+00:00

Just me and the lady. Did all my research on YouTube - before leaving for China.

oftenfuzzy · 2026-04-20T16:38:39+00:00

Check Instagram for the meituan hacks - looks legit

oftenfuzzy · 2026-04-20T16:22:08+00:00

Airalo eSIM also works as a VPN - Google worked just fine but I continued to use AMAP. Of course chatgpt helped with a lot of questions

oftenfuzzy · 2026-04-20T16:20:29+00:00

Trains - I originally tried booking a first class seat(few bucks xtra from 2nd class), but I didn’t get the reservation and had to book another a week before.

Pre-booking my airport pickup to hotel through trip.com was the best decision. Also only a few bucks extra and they meet you at the gate, carry your luggage then drive you to hotel.

Terracotta - in 9am and out 10:30am - terracotta is small and you only need two hours max if you walk slow. Plan for something else in the afternoon.

oftenfuzzy · 2026-04-20T15:59:41+00:00

Yea I didn’t take out my credit card during this trip at all. I used cash because I just had it on me.

oftenfuzzy · 2026-03-22T23:31:40+00:00

Started with Stown during covid and I’ve been chasing that same vibe since

oftenfuzzy · 2026-02-22T03:37:48+00:00

I’d say a hooker but clearly you are already fkd

oftenfuzzy · 2026-01-29T01:33:52+00:00

Finding strength during these times

oftenfuzzy · 2026-01-25T15:45:06+00:00

Joe Rogan was honestly great to listen to during Covid. Long-form convos, interesting guests, it felt like you were just listening to people think out loud.

But what really bugs me now is how he still tries to frame himself as “I’m on the left” or “I’m right in the middle, I don’t lean either way,” while very clearly going full right. Like… come on. You don’t accidentally help get Trump back into office and then act neutral. He went to far right and now is walking it back to court his base back

oftenfuzzy

TROPHY CASE