supedewoop
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2018
I can answer some of these questions, as I live in China.
You need a passport and a Tourist visa. If he was here on another kind of visa, he probably needed more paperwork, but I've been told the tourist visa is pretty straightforward (but still a hassle, because many places don't need a visa at all for tourism). Moving around in the country shouldn't be too much of an issue, but you will need to show your passport and visa anytime you transport from one city to another (train or plane), as well as any time you check into a hotel. If you're going into rural areas, you may need to show it if you're in a car at some point. It IS a good idea to keep your passport on you, or at least a picture on your phone of your info page and your Chinese visa. I know it's generally not recommended for general travel and obviously be REALLY CAREFUL with it, but it's better to have it then not. If you're worried about it, do the phone photo. For me, I don't feel like it's a ton of stuff, but I can see how it will feel like a hassle to some people, especially just travelling.
Chinese hotel beds are generally smaller, but a high-end western hotel will be more likely to have a big bed. Check the reviews.
You don't really need to know Chinese if you're keeping to touristy-things in a big city, but you will have to heavily rely on signs, planning, and figuring stuff out on your own. Chinese is also REALLY HARD, so there's not a good amount to learn before you go that would require less planning in other areas. I think it's easier, from a language perspective, for a foreigner to use a subway than to use a random taxi, for example, because you can look up how to get from point a to point b and read a map in English before you go, but a taxi driver might not understand your request even if you are saying it "correctly", but if you're not good at following maps, that doesn't work for you. (A hired driver may be different). Always carry your hotel address with you, to show someone so that you can at least get back there if you get lost.
There's different levels of sleepers. As a foreigner, at minimum, you probably want a soft sleeper. And, keep in mind other people will "use" the lower bunks by sitting there or whatever, even if it's "yours". Higher bunks are better. Honestly, based on what you said about hotels, I don't know that a sleeper train is a good idea for you.
You can get pictures if you STAND OUT, even in the touristy areas because there's other Chinese tourists from rural areas that have never seen blonde hair or a person over 6 feet, but it's less and less common every year. You're more likely to get "stealth" photos than people asking, but I honestly prefer when people ask. But then, I stand out because I'm fat, which is a more negative trait than others.
You need a passport and a Tourist visa. If he was here on another kind of visa, he probably needed more paperwork, but I've been told the tourist visa is pretty straightforward (but still a hassle, because many places don't need a visa at all for tourism). Moving around in the country shouldn't be too much of an issue, but you will need to show your passport and visa anytime you transport from one city to another (train or plane), as well as any time you check into a hotel. If you're going into rural areas, you may need to show it if you're in a car at some point. It IS a good idea to keep your passport on you, or at least a picture on your phone of your info page and your Chinese visa. I know it's generally not recommended for general travel and obviously be REALLY CAREFUL with it, but it's better to have it then not. If you're worried about it, do the phone photo. For me, I don't feel like it's a ton of stuff, but I can see how it will feel like a hassle to some people, especially just travelling.
Chinese hotel beds are generally smaller, but a high-end western hotel will be more likely to have a big bed. Check the reviews.
You don't really need to know Chinese if you're keeping to touristy-things in a big city, but you will have to heavily rely on signs, planning, and figuring stuff out on your own. Chinese is also REALLY HARD, so there's not a good amount to learn before you go that would require less planning in other areas. I think it's easier, from a language perspective, for a foreigner to use a subway than to use a random taxi, for example, because you can look up how to get from point a to point b and read a map in English before you go, but a taxi driver might not understand your request even if you are saying it "correctly", but if you're not good at following maps, that doesn't work for you. (A hired driver may be different). Always carry your hotel address with you, to show someone so that you can at least get back there if you get lost.
There's different levels of sleepers. As a foreigner, at minimum, you probably want a soft sleeper. And, keep in mind other people will "use" the lower bunks by sitting there or whatever, even if it's "yours". Higher bunks are better. Honestly, based on what you said about hotels, I don't know that a sleeper train is a good idea for you.
You can get pictures if you STAND OUT, even in the touristy areas because there's other Chinese tourists from rural areas that have never seen blonde hair or a person over 6 feet, but it's less and less common every year. You're more likely to get "stealth" photos than people asking, but I honestly prefer when people ask. But then, I stand out because I'm fat, which is a more negative trait than others.
