China 2024
Why China
2024 started off with three significant medical issues for our family, daughter Amy was diagnosed with autoimmune encephalitis, followed by my father-in-law having a significant fall leading to some cognitive impairment which in turn has led to him having to be moved to an aged care facility.
With my husband undergoing his own medical journey to then be advised that his brother was now terminally ill. With this amount of pressure on my husband we needed something to look forward to and travel is our go to.
China was not on our bucket list of places to go; however, I have always been fasinated with the Great Wall and the Terracotta Warriors. We usually are individual planners when it comes to travel, but this time we thought we would do an organised tour. When the TripADeal (TAD) 2 for 1 to China came on the TV and it was going to the Great Wall and the Terracotta Warriors, we thought that would do.
The price point was so cheap and we thought well if we have to cancel at short notice then it wouldn’t be too much of a hurt factor. Our travel insurance would cover family members being hospitalised however that family member must be under 85 years of age and unfortunately Derek is 90 years old.
We were aware that this trip would be heavily sponsored by the Chinese Government but with the changes in the visa requirements for Australians it made travelling there a much easier decision.
Although the trip states it is a 14-day trip, in fact it is really only 10 days, as you have 2 days either side for travel to and from the country. The application process was straightforward with everything being done online and just uploading a copy of your passport and paying the sum up front. The most anxious part was waiting to receive your flight details and itinerary which is not provided until 4 weeks prior to departure. This was an issue as we couldn’t really book any connecting flights from our home location to the major departure airport which in our case was Sydney.
Day 0 – 1 – Travel Australia to China
Once we received our flight details, it was more beneficial for us to catch the Country link train which arrived in Sydney at 5 pm, with our flight not due to depart until 9.30 pm it gave us enough time to get to the airport.
We flew with Sichuan Airlines, not one that I had heard of before, but it was an Airbus A319 and we were in economy seating, as this deal did not allow for you to choose your own airline, you could upgrade to business class at the check in counter for $1500 per person, so if you wanted to you could have been a little more comfortable.
The flight itself was ok, full flight but we were able to get a little shut eye in. This flight flew us to Tianfu International Airport in Chengdu which is almost the centre of China itself. This flight which arrived at 5.25 am meant we had a 6-hour layover before our connecting flight to Beijing to commence the tour (Day 1).
Sichuan Airlines provides an option for you to have a motel room whilst you wait for your next flight, this is a Holiday Inn motel and the motel provides transport from the airport at no cost. You receive a detailed map of where to go to meet the bus and which bus colour to hop on - although their timings are "flexible". After a half an hours drive which we (a few other TAD customers) were a bit worried about particularly as we didn't know where we going, we arrived there safely. They provided us a room which was great as we could have a shower and they had a free breakfast. Being very conscious of our timings and not wanting to miss the next flight (knowing that we would be responsible to get ourselves to Beijing), we were back on the 10 am bus back to the airport.
On arrival at Beijing, we were met by our tour guide and taken to our motel for the night. We were advised that there were 42 people on our bus which was quite a large number, but we didn’t think that we thought it was quite reasonable for this tour. Little did we know we were 1 of 7 buses of TAD tourists for that day and there were already 6 buses that arrived the day before and another 6 buses arriving the next day, so up to 200 people each day.
The buses were modern and they had this feature on the seats where you could move your seat sideways to allow more room between you and your partner. Our group had a mixture of ages from 30-year-olds to an 87-year-old, luckily for us we were all very considerate of each other and got on well which is one of the biggest bug bare when travelling in groups, there is always that one person who seems to rub everyone up the wrong way. On speaking with other couples on the trip it was interesting to note that not everyone came into Chengdu, some were flown to Shanghai, some had delayed flights and didn’t arrive until 2 am in the morning and then had a 7 am start. So the motto is be flexible and expect things to go wrong.
The motel accommodation was great, clean and spacious and there was a lot of food provided at the buffet breakfast tables, although if you went at rush hour you might have to share a table with other people but it's all part of the adventure.
Day 2 – Tiananmen Square & Forbidden City
After an hours drive, we arrived at Tiananmen Square and were encouraged to purchase the headsets so that we could listen to the tour guide, these cost $5 Australian (approx. 25 Yuan) which was quite reasonable. The time at Tiananmen Square was just enough to walk around the square and get the photo, but there are other spots within the Square that we didn’t have time to look at or investigate especially if you are a photographer.
We then headed over to the Forbidden City or the Imperial Palace Museum as it is officially known. It is quite a large area and a lot of tourists and locals visit there. The locals will dress up in original Chinese costumes and visit or have their photos taken by professional photographers. As we were part of the group and they didn’t like you to stray to far from the group it was hard to take the time to ask or get some photos. However, I saw a professional photo shoot happening with a gentleman in a traditional Hanfu outfit and I couldn’t resist so snuck away to capture his shot.
They ladies and small children were the main people to dress up and some backdrops from the city made a great shot, they were normally quite agreeable to pose for a photo if you asked them nicely.
The tour has optional activities which you can participate in, if you were to go to all optional activities if would cost you around $500 Australian dollars per person.
The problem is you arrive at the optional tour and if you didn’t want to attend your only option was to stay on the bus and wait for the 1 1/2-hour show to finish. These optional tours were to become a sore point by the end of the tour.
Dinner was available in the restaurant or there was a McDonalds, a noodle bar and a convienance store about 500 m down the road which we used to get some snacks for the trips.
Day 3 – The Great Wall of China
Today at breakfast there was a new lot of arrivals and as we were walking back Digby yells out “Phil” and there was a mate from our local camera club, so it can be a small world.
After breakfast another 1+ hours drive we arrived at a Jade factory (this being a designated Chinese Government Sponsored business) it was interesting learning all about the jade but there was that feeling that you should buy something. Once back in the bus and another 45 minute drive, we arrived at a part of the Great Wall, it is awesome to view and look in wonder at this marvel. You can climb the wall stopping at various stations along the way, problem is that the steps were not even, some were about a foot tall, some were only an inch tall so the legs got a work out.
That evening a group of us decided to have a traditional “Peking Duck” which originated in Beijing meal, it was a very pleasant evening but then an early night for us.
Day 4 – Beijing to Xian
It is interesting to note that each bus group had different itineraries and timings for each activity which meant that not all 200+ people from the tours were at the same location at the same time, especially when there were different tour companies there as well. So our afternoon tour of the Hutong Lanes and Dinner was now our morning tour and lunch.
We were sent to visit at “Tongrentang” to learn about traditional Chinese medicine and again being a sponsored activity there were free health assessments with a lot of advice and traditional medicine on hand to purchase, so costing hundreds of dollars. A quick look at the local shops for some snacks for the train ride, I found some artwork in one of the small laneways.
But the trip to the Old Hutongs (narrow lanes) was a great day and we enjoyed a quick pedicab ride and then a traditional lunch at a local’s home.
That night we were taken to have our first ride on the high-speed train, this was going to be a 5-hour trip. We had purchased snacks for the ride and it was enjoyable as you could easily move around the cabin and the seats were spacious enough and wi-fi chargers were available under the seats. One issue with the seating was that there were 2 seats on one side of the train and 3 seats on the other, so you didn’t necessarily get to sit next to your partner. But most people just sat together and found a seat, luckily for us we had a couple of people in our group that were travelling together but not partners so were happy to split up.
On arrival in Xian we were met by another guide and after about a 15 minute walk out of the train station, we boarded another bus to the hotel, luckily this hotel was only a 5 minute drive. The accommodation was again 4 stars and was quite nice, some people had small problems with the rooms but overall it was comfortable and had nice hot running water.
Day 5 – Terracotta Warriors & Horses – Zhengzhou
Early start and another long ride in the bus to get to the Terracotta Warriors & Horses, the place was chockers full and there was a bit of a hike up to the displays and then a line up through the turnstiles and security. Finally arriving at the excavation site, there were several buildings and they want you to go to each of them to leave and explore but once you arrive at the Warriors excavation site and fight your way to the front to view them. It is an amazing sight! To see how big the dig site is and the preservation of the warriors was breath taking, I am so glad that this was part of the tour and it is a once in a lifetime visit.
There is a lot of restoration and there are still parts of the site to be excavated and they have opened up different sections over time. They have had to cover the site to preserve the figures but unfortunately human intervention (tourism) is not helping in that process, due to the amount of CO2 we generate which is contributing to the breakdown of materials.
There was a trip to the reproduction factory before being transferred for another high-speed train trip to Zhengzhou this was a 3-hour trip through the country side which was quite beautiful before speeding through these cities that just seem to pop up out of nowhere.
Day 6 – Zhengzhou
This is a designated free day to explore Zhengzhou, however not knowing the language or really any information prior to arriving we chose to do the optional tour which was the Shaolin Kung Fu Experience & lunch. This was a little disappointing as the school where the kids learn Kung Fu is fenced off and you are not allowed onto the grounds, so you get to watch through the fence.
The kids will come up to the fence but they are only after money. The buffet lunch is in the same location which was ok but meant we didn’t head off to the Shaolin Temple until 1.30 pm so we were restricted in our time there to explore the area.
A ”lost in translation” event occurred with our guide as she asked if we wanted to go on the gondola ride 30 minutes to the top of the mountain and then walk out on the glass terrace to view the old monastery, which our whole group agreed to. But in reality, it was a 5-minute gondola ride and then a 30-minute walk out along the mountain side until you reach the glass platform. So, by the time we started the 30-minute route it was getting dark, cold and windy. There are camera’s everywhere in China which is what we expected but to see a camera out on the mountain side was a little over the top.
Unfortunately this was another disappointing trip and unlike some other members of our group we stuck with the tour guide. We spent alot of time waiting for the Martial Arts show, which was ok but we enjoyed watching the kids outside the stage area doing their routines. Whilst waiting for the show Digby decided to have a massage but I think it wasn't a nice and relaxing one with the faces of all participates screwed up in some type of angony.
We were running late to get back to the bus and still had at least an hour’s drive back to the motel so we didn’t get home until after 8 pm. When speaking with a couple of other people they did the same trip but they pooled their money and got a cab, they didn’t stay for the kung fu show, which was a 40-minute wait for us, so again a lot of wasted time. They were free to see everything and had a much better day of it then we did.
Day 7 – Zhengzhou to Suzhou
This was another disappointing day as we visited the Henan Museum which the only benefit was that it was air-conditioned and had toilets. The tour took about ½ an hour and then time was our own, for about an hour & half before we were transported to another train station for our trip to Suzhou. We had a brief walk around the city centre but really didn’t enjoy it as there was no real direction of what to do or where to go.
We once again had a 5-hour train ride and I think most people were over it, but again we all came together to ensure we all disembarked the train, as the stops were only like 2 minutes to get 42 people off with luggage.
Our group was a pretty cohesive group and I know that some of the other tour groups didn’t have this. Our friend Phil had a group of “bogans” on his trip and they were pretty much drunk by the time the train arrived and then were loud and obnoxious for the bus ride to the motel, so we were lucky that way.
Day 8 – Suzhou to Hangzhou
We really enjoyed our day in Suzhou, which is also known as the “Venice of the East”, we enjoyed our cruise along the Grand Canal which was an optional activity but well worth the price. Watching some of the daily activities that are their way of life on a canal.
We had a visit to the silk factory and they have perfected their sales pitch for their bedsheets and doona sets, by having an answer for everything including throwing in a suitcase for you to carry it all home in. We couldn’t believe how many people bought into this as the staff were loading suitcase after suitcase onto the buses.
From there we went to the Lingering Garden, I really enjoyed this garden although it was extremely busy, but we were able to get the odd photo without anyone in the shot. Another long trip on the bus to our nights’ accommodation with a pit stop on the way.
Day 9 – Hangzhou to Shanghai
Today was another compulsory stop at an organised business, today it was the Local Tea House in the Meijiawu Tea Village which is in the hinterlands of the West Lake Park. We learnt about the tea culture and sampled the art of tea drinking, with another big sell on products. From there we had a boat ride on the West Lake which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for their willow-draped islands. At lunchtime we were a little over Chinese cuisine so headed to the nearest McDonalds for a reset on our taste buds. Then another long bus ride to Shanghai (over 2 hours).
Our accommodation was about an hour and a half from Shanghai city so it was difficult to go into town by yourself without much knowledge of the transport options and the tour guide was against members doing this and really tried to get the group to stay and go with the optional tours that were offered. We opted to stay with the tour but in hindsight you could have gone to the Bund and then hopped on the hop on - hop off bus which would have taken you to more sights in the city rather than being stuck in one area for a couple of hours.
The optional night tour was a Chinese Acrobatic Show and some of the tour went to it but I think most people were over the whole optional thing by then.
Day 10 – Shanghai History Museum & Free Afternoon
We did the Shanghai Tower which was great but super busy and you had to wait to get a good view which was hard when you are on a time limit to be back on the bus.
Our itinerary stated a visit to the Shanghai History Museum was on the agenda, but we were taken to the Shanghai Historical Museum which was disappointing and even though you had a free afternoon there wasn’t anywhere really to go and visit from this museum, so again they offered an optional tour of Half Day Shanghai tour which we did, but again we could of seen a lot more if we had done our own independent travel on that day and then met the tour group at the Huangpu River Night Cruise which was well worth it as the best way to see the buildings at night.
Day 11 – Shanghai to Australia
Our bus to the airport was departing at 11 am and we had a 2-hour ride to the airport outside of Shanghai. Then a 3 hour wait for our flight from Shanghai to Chengdu (3&1/2 hour flight) on arriving at Chengdu airport we were offered a bus ride and shower at the Holiday Inn but our group were just happy to sit for the 5 hour stop-over at the airport before boarding our flight at 1.30 am, so an extremely long day and we slept pretty well for the trip home.
Value for Money
I think that if you have a cautious view of visiting China or if you are not comfortable with independent travel than this is a cheap way for visiting the country in a group setting. We would be comfortable visiting China again on our own as long as we had google translate as they don’t speak English that much especially in the central parts of China.
It was disappointing to know that your daily tip to the tour guide was not going to the driver or the tour guide but it goes back to the office for distribution so that was a contentious issue for some travellers.
The expectation that you must do the optional tours is a mixed bag, initially we were happy to go along, but then we realised that we could achieve more from the trip if we had some free time to do our own exploring rather than follow the flag and the other 200 people attending at the same time.
Some people love the Trip A Deal options and have been on 5 or 6 of their tours. However for us we were happy to do this and not think about anything, but for us to really see China and a more authentic China we would do our own independant itinerary in the future.