Good news! If you're born in the Year of Monkey you are generally smart, clever and intelligent! (Did I mention charming?) And don't worry if you're not a monkey, I'm a pig (in the nicest possible way!) the year ahead also means anything associated with the water element will bring good luck. Industries like shipping, banking, spas, and tourism are set to be extremely successful. So with that in mind, there's no surprise that as the Year of the Monkey swings into action……so too will about 100-million Chinese nationals. Yes, I kid you not. That's 100-MILLION Chinese who will travel over the Spring Festival - making it officially the busiest travel season in the world! And with just six per cent of the 1.3 billion population holding a passport, you can only imagine as more and more Chinese get their hands on that small but necessary travel document, that number is only set to increase! Experts predict there will be around 234 million Chinese travelling during CNY within the next few years. Traditionally, in China, CNY, Spring Festival (or ‘Chun Jie’ as it’s known ‘round these parts) is all about family — celebrating a year of hard work, having a rest, reuniting and relaxing with loved ones. With China’s rapid urbanisation from the country’s rural areas into the cities, there’s a colossal number of people clambering to get back to their hometowns for the festive season. From the giant, first tier employment hubs of Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou, all roads lead to Rome home with hundreds of rural villages in China, literally springing to life! Red lanterns rule the sky, swinging brightly above towns and cities. You'll witness everything from lettuce-eating lions to dynamic dancing dragons, not to mention the continual sound of fireworks crackling in the night (and day) air! Naturally, there are plenty of customs that go hand in hand with CNY….you can make sure you’re up with those here (and be sure to wear your red underwear)! As you can imagine, on the roads it’s absolute chaos and planes and trains are jam packed with hoards of workers and university students scrambling to book tickets and catch flights. It's that time of the year when locals will often do whatever it takes to get home, even if that means taking a 20 hour train ride, standing! (FYI, on China’s trains you can purchase Hard Sleeper tickets, Soft Sleeper tickets, soft and hard seats and standing tickets.) But for many, these days, the Spring Festival is not all about returning home. There are some who simply don’t want to go home for fear of being 'hen-pecked' about everything from job status to marital status not to mention how they're doing on the ladder of wealth accumulation. Generally, if you’re over 27 and still single, you’re under pressure to "get hitched", particularly if you’re one of China’s Sheng Nu or "leftover women." There’s also the small but pressing issue of Hong Bao! Also known as Lai See, these red and gold envelopes contain 'lucky cash' and if you've never been on the giving or receiving end, there are a few rules one needs to follow! Don't be like me and get caught out! Read those here: In the last couple of years, technology in China has given new meaning to sending Hong Bao! We Chat, China’s largest social media app (a cross between What’s App/Facebook/Twitter/PayPal) has introduced a Hong Bao 'Lucky Money" icon where you can send your friends and family a red envelope with the simple touch of a button! Family issues aside, with China’s newly-wealthy middle class on the rise, there are many Chinese now choosing to go on holiday elsewhere! This coupled with visa restrictions being eased for many countries and many more flight options available from China, has opened up a plethora of new travelling opportunities right around the globe. This year domestic and international airlines will begin more than 200 new overseas routes out of China. Oh and China also plans to build 66 new airports in its next five year plan. China's largest travel operator CTrip says - more than 60 percent of Chinese tourists will spend Spring Festival overseas. The farthest destination is the Antarctic. FYI: These are the top destinations: 1. Thailand 2. Japan 3. South Korea 4. Taiwan 5. Singapore 6. Hong Kong 7. United States 8. Indonesia 9. Malaysia 10. Australia World tourism destinations expect to see nearly 6 million visits by Chinese tourists, possibly the highest number on record, this Spring Festival. The Chinese Government has again reiterated the need for travellers to be on their best behaviour! (No monkeying around!) Australia's Sydney Morning Herald also reports that the number of Chinese visitors to Australia within 12 months surpassed a million for the first time. The University of Queensland and the Queensland Police Service have even joined forces to develop a safety brochure for tourists travelling to North Queensland. Printed in English and Chinese it highlights the need for water safety, accommodation security and personal safety. And it seems, despite China's slowing economy and unexpected dip in the value of Chinese currency, Chinese tourists, are still keen to open their wallets and spend on overseas trips. So what do Chinese tourists want? What's on their bucket list? According to the experts, luxury shopping is at the top of the list, Chinese language services, good food (including plenty of noodles and congee) and great experiences follow closely. About one-third of luxury purchases worldwide are made by Chinese consumers. Every man and his dog is racing the clock to cater to these new travellers on the block! Emirates Airline, capitalised on these retail-crazy Chinese travellers by simply boosting their baggage allowance. Hotels have added congee to the menu and slippers by your bedside. Such is the demand for Japanese goods these days, Bakugai, the Japanese word for “explosive buying by Chinese tourists” has been declared the country’s 'buzz' word of the year. What about foreigners travelling to China? Inbound tourism is also thriving, China ranking 4th globally in terms of international arrivals. In 2014, over 55 million international travellers visited China. And while Chinese New Year is not exactly the ideal time to travel through China, some of the bigger cities will be thinned out with locals well and truly out of town! Now's a good time to head up to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou or even Xi'an! (Stop by and say hi!) Your best bet is to choose high speed trains, which are much more comfortable and slightly less crowded. The number of standing tickets is limited to 7% of the total seated capacity. And need I tell you, be sure to book way in advance! Here's a list of what you need to bring! It's the Year of the Monkey and 2016 is said to be the perfect time to create change. What are you waiting for....jump on board the travel train! This is China! … [Read more...]
Travelling to China: Top Ten Things to Pack
So the holiday's approved, ticket's booked and all you need to do is throw a few things in the suitcase and you're ready to face the music err mayhem, madness and (of course) magic….that is mainland China! I thought it only fair that I give you a heads up before you actually land, because there are some things you really don't want to leave home without. Here's a brief list of those things my fellow China troopers and I have deemed 'non negotiable' packing items. 1) Tissues When I say tissues, I don't mean that big box sitting on the dresser beside your bed! I'm talking about the small packets….the size of your phone…and as many as you can, without being questioned in customs about your Kleenex motives! It's no exaggeration to say that many public toilets in China won't have toilet paper. Why? Rumour has it, people like to take the toilet rolls home. Yes! You read that right…stash them in their handbags and run; which as you can imagine, results in a bit of a dilemma if you arrive unprepared, sans tissue. Trust me, there is nothing more frustrating that waiting in a rather smelly queue for about ten minutes only to find your cubicle has been cleaned out of the good stuff. You'll no doubt be struggling with the whole idea of squatting (especially if you're a woman) let alone the lack of paper. Occasionally you might find someone 'selling' it at the entrance. Your best bet though, just bring the tissues. Oh, a little tip - the sewerage system for many public toilets is fairly antiquated, you won't be able to flush your prized tissues down the toilet. Just put it in that little basket on the side (with your eyes closed). 2) Hand Sanitiser Just as many public toilets won't have toilet paper, they also won't have soap and/or the taps won't work. Let's just say hygiene is not always China's strong point. More often than not, out and about, gloves are not used in food preparation and things are just not cleaned to the standard you might expect. So, if you want to avoid running to the local doctor with a 'Du Zi Teng' (sore tummy)….hand sanitizer is your best friend. Use it at all times. 3) Medication If for some reason you forget to use said hand sanitizer and that bad tummy strikes - you're going to need some Buscopan/Immodium or the equivalent. And let's not forget, a simple change in the type of food you're eating can also cause things to go a little haywire. You can try going to the local pharmacy to get something….(there are plenty) but unless you're fluent in Chinese, I don't like your chances. And if you do, by some sheer miracle, manage to get something (even from a local doctor) it's usually not going to be the sort of remedy you would find at home. My whole family got struck down at Christmas and let's just say I have never wanted my local GP from home, more. Needless to say, my next trip to Hong Kong was with an extra suitcase just for medication! Ordinary painkillers, antihistamines, cough medicine, antibiotics etc are also handy to have in your bag. Actually make that a travel prerequisite. And if you take prescribed medicines, bring sufficient for your entire stay. Going to a Chinese hospital as a foreigner is no easy task. BYO MEDICATION. 4) Chinese Phrases It would be pretty handy if you could bring some Chinese with you… just a few phrases might do the trick….nothing too fancy. Here's a few to help you get by. Hello - Nihao - 'Knee How' Goodbye - Zai Jian - 'Zie Jee-an' Thank you - Xie Xie - 'Shear Shear' Where is the toilet - Ce suo, zai na li - 'Te Sor zie nar lee' I would like to drink coffee - Wo yao he kafei - 'Wo yow her Ka Fay' I would like a white wine/beer - Wo yao he Bai Putaojiu/pijiu - 'Wo yow her Bye Poo Tow jee-o/Pee jee-o' Please call me a taxi - Qing gei wo da dianhua chuzuche - 'Ching gay wor da dee-anne hwa ChooZooCher' Please take me to… - Qing dai wo qu…. 'Ching Die Wor Choo' Can I have the bill please - Mai dan! - 'My dan' How much is it? Duo shao qien - 'Door show (as in cow) chee-en' Of course, always have the address of your hotel written down in Chinese characters and keep it on you at all times. 5) Face Mask No doubt, unless you live on another planet, you will have heard about China's infamous pollution? Some people like to pass it off as 'fog'…ahem...no. Of course on many days it is in fact quite pleasant, blue skies and all (I promise)! But yes, I have to be honest…more often than not that haze is not fog. There's a fair chance whichever of China's glorious 656 cities you find yourself in, there will be pollution. And I'm not just talking about a little bit of smog, this is hardcore. You can see it, smell it, taste it….your eyes water, your throat hurts. A mask will make things that much sweeter. Don't worry, you won't feel silly wearing one because the majority of the population is also masked up. (They even make pretty ones.) Fight the pollution! 6) Visa! Yes, it's pretty obvious, but while there are a few passport holders that don't need a visa to enter China for a couple of weeks (like Singapore, Brunei and Japan) most of us will not get into China without one. Be warned: the process of getting one is also quite laborious. You need to go through the Chinese Embassy or consulate in your area. Prepare your documents at least a month before your trip. As they like to say, get all your ducks in a row! There are several different types of visas, so do your homework and work out which one is right for you. Just do it with plenty of time to spare. 7) ATM Card A card you can use in ATMs overseas to get cash out is encouraged (warning not all cards will work in Chinese ATMs.) In many parts of China, most foreign credit cards are not accepted (bar the occasional western brand stores like my fav, Zara or H & M (phew! wipes brow)! Unless you're in a five star hotel or a major city, you are better off using an ATM to get the local currency (RMB) out. (I've even got a currency converter in the side bar for you.) If you're bringing a credit card, let your bank know in advance, so they don't block it when they see unusual transactions outside your home country. In China cash is king! Psst… Don't be alarmed when they scan said cash to check it's the genuine thang! This is normal. 8) Toiletries China is big on toiletries, but essentially we're just talking the basics…especially outside the 1st tier cities like Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou. While you may find rows and rows of toothpaste and shampoo for your buying pleasure, you'll be hard pressed to find more than one brand of hairspray or things like make up wipes, deodorant or razors. Even dental floss is an enigma around these parts. Ladies, tampons are also hard to locate given most women use sanitary pads in Asia, so come prepared. Bring plenty of moisturizer with you. If you're up north as it's very, very dry (even for you blokes), I'm talking lounge lizard type skin! Not kidding. Sunscreen is also advisable…..unless you want to try the Asian way and wield an umbrella to shield you from the sun. (Just don't poke anyone's eye out!) 9) VPN Ahhh the good old VPN….a Virtual Private Network or as I like to call it VPS - Virtual Protector of Sanity. If you need to stay connected during your stay, you may like to get one of these lined up before you travel. The Great Fire Wall is well and truly established, meaning China has very strict internet censorship with many sites you may take for granted, blocked! Not sure how a VPN works? Check out this post I recently wrote on VPNs. 10) SIM Card/Adaptor Of course most countries will use different types of power points. In China, they use two types of plug sockets (which are often actually in the one power point). The two round pin like in the EU and the three prong flat angle blades like in Australasia. (Mind you some of my Australian plugs simply won't fit in!) You also might want to think about saving on global roaming costs and buying a SIM card in China. It's quite easy to get and relatively cheap (50 to 100RMB). There are two major phone companies…China Unicom and China Mobile. If you live in certain countries like the US, you'll need to get your phone unlocked, enabling it to accept a different sim card. Most of all bring your sense of humour!! China is a weird and wonderful adventure for the taking… be sure to soak it all up and remember, though things might seem a little different to that which you know, it's all part of an amazing experience. On that note, I'll leave you with a famous quote from Eleanor Roosevelt. “The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.” This is China. … [Read more...]