Our wonderful private vacation in China
In the year 2006, we decided to plan a private trip to China. We wanted to cruise down the Yangtze River before the water level finally rose. If we were going to go that far, we also wanted to see places we had heard so much about like Beijing and Shanghai. We didn’t feel safe traveling independently in a country where we couldn’t read, let alone speak the language. Previous group travel experience had been unsatisfactory: no flight options from the UK, fixed hotels, lack of flexibility in places visited and the need to stay with the group at all times.
An internet search turned up sample tours offered by a China tour operator based in Xian. An initial inquiry to them and they immediately confirmed that the trip could be accommodated around our dates and flights and offered a choice of hotel standards. We share with them our personal interests and specific requirements; of course all were fulfilled without any problem, then we booked without hesitation. However, at the last minute, a family crisis occurred and meant a change in our schedule, but one that was coordinated at very short notice. If we had booked with a group tour we would have missed our vacation. The private tour operator went above and beyond and rearranged the trip.
Visas were surprisingly easy to obtain. The hardest part was getting to the Chinese Embassy in the UK which needed our passports for three days; Fortunately, the Embassy in the Netherlands (where my husband worked) offered a “while you wait” service.
Our tour took us to Xian, the Yangtze River, Guilin, Shanghai, Beijing, and Hong Kong. At each location we were greeted by an English speaking guide, who ensured hotel check-ins etc went smoothly and conducted our local tours. All of our guides were knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Each showed pride in China, its people and its culture. Although local tourism was well planned, it was also flexible: we could take more or less time in different places, get lost or add attractions as we wished, without having to wait for latecomers, hang out in places we had little interest in or rush through which we found fascinating.
The tour included lunch based on regional dishes. We were constantly amazed at the variety of dishes presented. We like Chinese cuisine, the lunches encouraged us to try dishes that we would not have ordered at home. Our experience with the chopsticks improved considerably, although each place also offered western cutlery. Dinners were left to our own choice; again, we mostly ate chinese food, well priced and delicious.
The hotels were of good quality; well located, especially in beijing and shanghai where we were within walking distance of the main attractions.
Beijing: This was our favorite of all the places we visited. The International Hotel was within walking distance of Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. We had a very enjoyable day exploring these with Grace, our guide. At night we enjoy window shopping in nearby malls and side streets, amazed at the range and variety of products on offer. There was an excellent selection of reasonably priced restaurants where we wowed the locals with our chopstick skills. We also enjoyed Chinese wine – Great Wall, red, 1997 is especially good! Grace arranged a visit to the Hutong area where we had the opportunity to take a rickshaw ride and visit a family home. The local guide helped me buy a pair of Chinese Tai Chi shoes at one of the small craft shops. The Peking duck dinner included in the tour was excellent. After the visit to the Great Wall, we enjoyed another wonderful meal at the Cloisonné factory and stocked up on gifts for the people back home.
Xian: The main reason to visit Xian is the Terracotta Army. However, Xian itself was a very interesting walled city with several old buildings and excellent shops. It was very easy to get around. The Xian dumpling dinner was a dining experience that we will remember for the rest of our lives! The accompanying show was also very nice.
Wuhan – After a short visit to a Buddhist temple, we board Princess Elaine for our Yangtze River cruise.
Yangtze River Cruise: We upgraded to a suite on the Princess Elaine, which provided more space. Initially, the food on the ship was good, buffet style, offering a wide variety of Chinese dishes. However, the food became more western towards the end of the cruise; we were disappointed to be offered burgers, pizza and fried chicken with the ubiquitous fries. The scenery through the Gorges was everything we hoped for. The tours were interesting and we now have a better understanding of the reasons behind the Three Gorger Project. Fred the narrator provided excellent commentary on the gorges, providing lots of interesting details. The tours provided stark contrasts between the people who live on the streams that flow into the Yangtze and those who moved to big cities like Wan Zhou. At times during the tour we were a bit overwhelmed by the concept of a ‘small’ town with a population larger than the whole of Scotland.
Chonqing – Our tour was scheduled to visit the General Stillwell Museum; however, the local guide felt that this would be of little interest to non-Americans. He suggested that we visit a local park instead. This turned out to be a good trade. The park had wonderful views of the city and river and housed a wonderful exhibit explaining the impact of the Dam Project on local communities. We visited the zoo to see the panda bears. Lunch was exceptionally good!
Guilin: The Waterfall Hotel was probably the best of the tour. We were in awe of the local landscape of a thousand hills as we crossed the river. Today’s lunch was cooked at the back of the boat using some produce provided by local fishermen on bamboo rafts as we traveled.
Shanghai: We stayed at the famous Peace Hotel. Although excellently located, the hotel was lacking in atmosphere and service, obviously still trading in former glories. Unlike other Chinese cities visited, Shanghai had a more western and therefore less pleasant outlook. We did not like the constant harassment by those who sell goods and services. We had the opportunity to attend an exhibition of Chinese acrobats, which we really enjoyed.
Hong Kong: another city with a western flavor. We stay in Kowloon. The hotel was excellently located and to a high standard with views over Hong Kong Island, however we were hassled by Indian street vendors every time we left the hotel. Kowloon is definitely overrated. Hong Kong Island itself was a pleasurable experience. We spend our day off on the local trams, exploring the shopping areas and the Pico. Local markets offered a range of last minute gift items.
Overall, we really enjoyed our trip to China and look forward to visiting again in the future. We were impressed by the cleanliness of the country, the cultural richness and the friendliness of its people.