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  • Traveling without a guide

    ok, Everyone I know seems to think that I am crazy to go to china without a guide or on a tour. Is it really that bad? I am only going for 2 weeks and have limited money to spend, I don't really want to spend money on a guide and I want to have the freedom of going to the places I want to see on my own schedual. Even my Taiji teacher (who is from china) is very concerned. Am I crazy?

    K.

  • #2
    depends, do you speak any of the language and do you have any knowledge of the culture? if so, then it shouldnt be a problem.

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    • #3
      Not at all. What an adventure for you .

      If you're going to go it alone though, two things I would reeeally recommend if you can manage, is an electronic pocket language dictionary and a lonely planet china book. between those two very simple things, it should make a big big difference. I did the roughing it culture and langauge over space journey though. crazy, but great experience.

      just remember, if you need to laugh to not cry, ... you wouldn't be the first.

      have an awesome time, Kunoichi, and lap it up. .

      Blooming tianshi lotus.

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      • #4
        Well, I've done the "no guide" route, with an electronic translator device, and it was ok. But I'm a big ugly bald bastard, and for that reason, no one messes with me. Being a woman, you're going to have to be a little more careful. For one. This is the usual "be careful, you're a woman" caution, that I'm sure that you've heard before.

        If you're going to do some travel in the Beijing area, I have a good friend who will help guide you. I'll "take care of him" for you so that there's no charge. In Shaolin, likewise. But if you start heading to other areas, you're on your own. And it can be a scary thing.

        There are some provinces that you should not go to, such as Xinjiang. The locals up there (muslims) are currently giving the Chinese trouble. And they don't deal with "free" women too well. Avoid northwestern China if you can.

        The other areas should be fine, but, without some sort of Chinese guide to "protect" you, you're subject to all sorts of economic bullshit from taxi drivers, hotel operators, etc. Your plans for a cheap trip might actually end up being more expensive. Beware dealing with these people; they see a foreigner, and they see a wallet.

        I would at least, travel with a friend or two. a single woman traveling anywhere in a foreign country is an invitation for some sort of trouble.
        Experienced Community organizer. Yeah, let's choose him to run the free world. It will be historic. What could possibly go wrong...

        "You're just a jaded cynical mother****er...." Jeffpeg

        (more comments in my User Profile)
        russbo.com


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        • #5
          Oh, Xinjiang. I had a contract to work out there once. I didn't go, but they do say that it can be a very dangerous place. especially for foreigners. Maybe something for a later mission though. I probably wouldn't put it passed myself to turn up there sometime.

          I also hear that the roads out to Tibet are extreemely dangerous, and again particularly for foreigners. ppl getting shot and so forth.. from what I see on chinese news, I believe it's worse than it sounds, I think. really. better to know though, I guess.

          Anyway, I dont know many women ( or men for that matter) who have travelled so extensively through china as I have, so, being fml myself, on a very serious note, I think the best thing I could say to another fml, particularly western, is a. to stay proactive. always always always, and particularly when something unexpected crops up. a good grasp on taijutsu should have that in you, and further,

          b. ( while i dont expect this will be something for everyone) to be cautious of help. I have travelled with ppl like Doc suggested he could hook you up with, and that was very sweet alot of the time , but general help and dependance and vulnerabilty that accompanies that, can turn pretty damming dangerous pretty quickly so far from home. some travellers really do never come home, and the con and or kidnap slave trade of desperate women really happens aswell.



          I also found that just staying aware of my guard and my environment really helped me out aswell. Nights on long distance trains ( particularly the rickety ones) is a good time to do that also. there are some dark characters on trains from all over the place. Also be wary of carrying a pack on your back. Theives carry knives and especially in the south, they reeally will cut your pack and collect the contents , maybe even before you notice what's happened, especially, but not limited to in crowds. carrying it on the front is a very good idea. be mindful of theives. it can get inconvenient to be stolen from. even in rail stops it can become pretty physically hairy. they really do jostle, push, shove and elbow in crowds bigger than some of us have ever been in so intimately.

          Doc is right about the taxis aswell. I 've been ripped off and dropped off miles from where I wanted to go myself, and in places I'd never been before . I would think these days that a map of the destination site to point to and ask a price to travel to first, would probably resolve it. that and not to pay them the full cost until arriving safely.

          Keeping emergency telephone numbers and addresses and maybe a phonecard and operating instructions, and maybe the airport can write something down for you at the information desk somewhere on hand is a good idea aswell. These are only useful in the province of issue btw.


          Also remember that if you have a question, at any time you can go to a "wung bhha" / wang ba ( internet cafe) for about 2 yuan an hour, and log on here and ask it, and likely before too long one of us will find it. some of us have a fair bit of experience in them parts, and different parts at that. It's a great resource for safety like that.

          Anyway Kunoichi, stay safe and have a blast.

          Blooming tianshi lotus.
          Last edited by blooming tianshi lotus; 05-07-2008, 08:45 AM.

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          • #6
            Sorry my english is too poor. Do you mean you want to go without a guide book or without a guide person?

            Without a travel book, yes you would be mad.

            Without a guide person, then you can do it. Language is a problem though so have a translator or a good dictionnary. I dont think China is so unsafe. I know many women have traveled on their own in India and China and if you avoid danger you should not be so insecure. Criminality is rather low in China and they always point this as a human right achievement compared to the criminality in USA.

            Zen you can always gather with travellers at some point.

            If you want to practice cheap wushu with monks i recommand Wuwei si in Dali, Yunnan. It used to be three hundred yuans a week, everything included. If i remember well training starts on thursday or friday.

            Good luck

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            • #7
              The nazis are back (?) you (?) say?


              how's get f*cked on that human rights leads to crime sound? I did actually catch a whiff of something along these lines living with a cpl of russian born german men, students studying in international economy and business or something.


              really. @).

              bring it on tampons.

              Blooming tianshi lotus.

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              • #8
                Thanks everyone for your input. I won't be traveling alone, I'll have my fiance(who will be my husband by then) and his mom and dad. His parents are really freaked out about the trip, so I may take you up on your offer, doc.
                I am definatly going to have a guide book and a dictonary with me at all times. I getting better at the language I can say a lot of basic things right, although I am probably saying them wrong. We are staying in bejing, but are going take some trips out to shaolin, wudang and Xian.

                thanks,
                k.

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                • #9
                  Also remember that animal treatment is quite bad in China. So try the vegetarian option, it is quite simple and sometimes easier in China than in the west. And remember that china has a terrible history of crimes so their food might be black magic.

                  BTL, sorry but i dont understand your english. You have to make it simple for a dumb basque like me.

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                  • #10
                    Also remember that animal treatment is quite bad in China. So try the vegetarian option, it is quite simple and sometimes easier in China than in the west. And remember that china has a terrible history of crimes so their food might be black magic.
                    black magic, food? you're killing....

                    BTL, sorry but i dont understand your english.
                    join the club....! lol....
                    ZhongwenMovies.com

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by liutangsanzang View Post
                      Also remember that animal treatment is quite bad in China. So try the vegetarian option, it is quite simple and sometimes easier in China than in the west. And remember that china has a terrible history of crimes so their food might be black magic.

                      BTL, sorry but i dont understand your english. You have to make it simple for a dumb basque like me.
                      Or you could just stop being a dumb basque and understand anyway.why dont youuu change if you dont like stuff.

                      Enjoying international cusine when travelling is part of the experience, and china is raucous for it. there is soo much exotic stuff to eat that most ppl wouldn't usually come across, that I highly recommend giving it a go.

                      some of the bigger more expensive restaraunts are amazing. so many different foods that you might never get an opprtunity to try again. scary, but exciting anyway. If you get a chance to go with a chinese native, I dont recommend that .

                      soak it up. it can be an awesome place to be.

                      Blooming tianshi lotus.

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                      • #12
                        Many of us dumb basque people have as a hard time understanding american and its politics as we have understanding chinese and its politics. Maybe you can initiate me into this dark and light realm?

                        About experiencing food, in a way you advocate sensual pleasure. I believe ethics come first. For instance, will you try the exotic dogs and cats?

                        Austerity and being detached from sensual pleasures is a key to ethics. Maybe you know that.

                        And let me know about american politics. I need to be more clear and non violent about this subject as i need to be more clear and non violent on chinese food. Maybe food and politics are linked? I am just a miserable ignorant.

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                        • #13
                          No. no, I do nOt advocate sensual pleasure. we have rules about doing that to ppl. you only perceive that because you dont know how to look at it any other way. what I advocate is survival if one has reason to.
                          sometimes that means eating and sometimes it means doing it for repair and or preparation. the only pleasure is in your own head.
                          not quite so emotional, as clinically strategic.
                          that is the ethic. remember the dantien.

                          maybe you arre a miserable and ignorant basque. remember, I said I was good to be received in Xinjiang, and as tolerable at that. you dont have to be a basque to be dumb nor ignorant , and vice versa. when my mother was growing up in the islands, they didn't have running water or power, you know. and before that her daddy was one of only two sons of an english billionaire, who left that to go build churches with his bare hands and see how life received him of thAt. whatever's appropriate prioritally, you know. dont think ascetics get points just for being so. it needs to be functional. doctrine is clear about taking the best care we can as is available according priority and progessive resource and facility. maybe I'm a modern archaic like that. it must be the triple mars aries chinese wood cat hare in me . we crazy like that.



                          food though.. survival fodder and politics linked??? whatever would give you that idea?

                          oh, and I dont know if I was served cat or dog whilst in china or not. ..or anywhere else for that matter. If I did, I can assure you it was well appreciated and austerely considered. and each and every time at that.

                          Blooming tianshi lotus.

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                          • #14
                            Foods and politics linked?Here is a daoist Zhuangz i story.

                            A man was walking his way when he met a fish in a  pool whith little water left. The fish asked him t o go and fetch him some water so he can survive. T he man said very well but i first have to go to se e the King zen i ll go to the river to bring you w ater. Zen the fish angrily answered that if the ma n did so, he, the fish, would be found dead at the  dry fish market.

                            As a theravada monk told me India, people should f irst take care about their home and food before mi xing with politics.

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                            • #15
                              yo, does every thread have to be hijacked with your incessant need to convert people to vegetarianism?

                              make a new thread about it or just keep this stuff in the peta thread. everytime you post it's the same stuff..

                              this thread is about traveling with a guide, not animals, vegetarianism...or non-violence...
                              ZhongwenMovies.com

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