Are we crazy to travel China ... - Thorn Tree travel forum

Are we crazy to travel China

Replies: 35 - Last Post: 12-Nov-2007 21:25 Last Post By: Tokyo_girl

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Posted
06-Nov-2007 05:32
by: Nerdbuster

Posts: 12
Registered: 03/11/07

Are we crazy to travel China

Howdy

Are we crazy to travel China, well crazier than usual. I know we love that sense of adventure, the unknownm experiencing sites that most of the world doesn't want to and will sacrifice what the average person won't just to live out of a backpack while living in a bamboo hut (which I would recommend to anyone).

But are we crazy?

My non travelling friends are driving me nuts with pessimism and tales of doom and gloom. They keep telling stories of how I'm going to get diseases, starve, how incredable unclean and unsanitary the whole country etc etc.

Now I've been a season traveller for almost ten years and have done SE Asia, N. Africa, Central and parts of S. America so am used to third world countries and thereby know what to expect.

If all you guys and gals out there could write a few lines to alleviate my friends concerns that its not that bad to travel around China I'd appreciate any help.

Nerdbuster

Posted
06-Nov-2007 05:37
by: jimcowdrill

Posts: 10,050
Registered: 19/05/05

1

fucking hell. uh, no, you're not crazy. crazy would be iraq or somalia. china has a well-established tourist trail if you like that sort of thing, and if you don't it's easy (if sometimes a pain in the arse) to get Off The Beaten Track. You'll be fine.

www.travbuddy.com/jimcowdrill/blogs

Posted
06-Nov-2007 05:53
by: Ben2World

Posts: 1,888
Registered: 06/05/01

2

China is a huge country -- and covers the whole spectrum from ultra clean and modern -- all the way to medieval backwardness. Depending on how and where you go -- you can have a totally "civilized" trip -- or totally "adventurous".

Posted
06-Nov-2007 05:58
by: Cocodrilo

Posts: 11,223
Registered: 17/07/02

3

Have your friends ever been out of their lil' ole town? If not, it's not use explaining things to them as it would go right over their lil' ole heads.

Cambo by Moto

Posted
06-Nov-2007 06:28
by: akai

Posts: 115
Registered: 03/12/05

4

To your friends:

"The wisest is the one that know what he not know" Sokrates.

Akai

Posted
06-Nov-2007 06:34
by: ellyse

Posts: 8,932
Registered: 27/04/02

5

Yeah so your non-travelling friends don't travel. So how on earth do they know what China is like since they've never been here? Tell them (nicely) to not talk nonsense about somewhere that they've never visited.
You're definitely not crazy. Go for China!
Cheers!

Posted
06-Nov-2007 07:34
by: alexander_vi

Posts: 911
Registered: 17/04/00

6

If your friends are apallingly provincial, and they are, well you aren't exactly worldly either to even pose a question like this.

Many Westerners who aren't familiar with China are amazed at how modern and developed it looks. Don't know where you are from but it is very possible that an average Chinese city looks more modern than the hick towns your friends are from.

Posted
06-Nov-2007 08:42
by: FireArm

Posts: 30,306
Registered: 23/09/07

7

BORING. Next!

"Hang your chemistry and electricity! If you want to make a pile of money, invent something that will enable those Europeans to cut each other's throats with greater facility."

Posted
06-Nov-2007 08:46
by: besi

Posts: 303
Registered: 19/12/06

8

Your friends voted for George Bush didn't they?

p l e a s e

International Travel and Business Consultant
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Posted
06-Nov-2007 09:57
by: anaya

Posts: 2,463
Registered: 14/02/04

9

If you starve its because you dont like the food, not because you cant get any food. China is not an unsafe place and even at the more remote places these days seems to have electricity and mobilphones. Places like Beijing and Shanghai is probably more modern than most western cities.

Posted
06-Nov-2007 10:19
by: vegasgambler

Posts: 720
Registered: 14/09/06

10

I don't think going to China is crazy or especially adventurous. Now, French Polynesia and their atolls, that would be different.

Posted
06-Nov-2007 10:23
by: vegasgambler

Posts: 720
Registered: 14/09/06

11

Besides. China is hardly a Third World country any longer.

Developing would be more apt.
I found China to be very safe and the people very friendly and accomodating. No comparison whatsoever to Peru or Argentina or any of the other Central and S. American countries.

The food is very good too. Just stay away from Dog Street (unless you like your poodle prepared in a hot pot).

Posted
06-Nov-2007 10:48
by: Jabberwockt

Posts: 211
Registered: 19/12/06

12

I went to China alone for my first backpacking trip.

No you are not crazy. I've had a lot of people tell me that it was a bad idea. I've had people who do not backpack tell me that I'd end up lost or dead. I thought about it a bit for a while and realized that some people do not take much risk in their lives. They have very well defined boundaries that separate what they can do from what they can't do. Some of those people will insist on imposing their boundaries on others. In other words, if they can't do it, in their minds, you shouldn't be able to do it either. But we know that's not true.

Some people will never backpack. Heck, some people never travel altogether. Sometimes I wish I could show them what they are missing out on. That sense of adventure, the freedom, the simplicity.

PS China can range from modern to rural depending on where you are, but no matter where you are, there seems to be a police presence in even some of the most remote places. China is not a wild lawless country. Property crimes and crimes of greed are most common. Crimes like fraud, cons, petty theft, and pickpocketing is what you should watch out for.

Posted
06-Nov-2007 10:53
by: jrobbo

Posts: 81
Registered: 09/06/07

13

Hahaha, good thread! Funnily enough, it's always my Chinese friends that are the most sceptical when I say i'm going to China, they seem to think that it would be impossible for any westerner to get by without great harm coming their way. One of my friends was even telling me about a scam where they throw a dead body in front of your car, call the police and say that you ran the body over and have you locked up, she seemed to think that this was commonplace for westerners. :-)

China has it's quirks, and it can be difficult finding your way sometimes, but I reckon that there are far harder places to to go to

Posted
06-Nov-2007 11:23
by: Rucksack_

Posts: 97
Registered: 06/06/02

14

Yeah, China has changed fast and is now kind of tame. Parts of it are actually far cleaner, safer, and more sanitary than the USA. Don't worry at all, I spent two years wandering around China and I have never had any problems anywhere.

Have Fun!

Wade from Song of the Open Road travelogue

Oh cricket!
There is enough rice, at least
for tomorrow

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