[ToNzOfPHuN]

My uncle booked me a tourist trip to Bejieng on Nov 5th and I'm so nervous/excited. Anyone have any tips and recommendations for me on my trip deep into mainland?

[mrcheese321]

Don't get pick-pocketed

Be really careful in the Forbidden Garden. Two of the people on my tour group got pick-pocketed there.

Definitly tour the wall if you have never done it. You can either climb it which is tiring, or you can take the cable car.

It is also going to be really cold there in November - take long pants and a jacket.

Have fun,
C

[Sazzy]

Take a Mandarin phrasebook if you are travelling on your own. Plus take a hotel name card so you can just hand it to the taxi driver. Plus take plenty of tissues + alcoholic wipes as the loos can be disgusting - no toilet paper, no soap, etc etc.
Are you on an organised tour or are you wandering around by yourself? Where are you staying?

[ToNzOfPHuN]

Mrcheese, you are always to helpful and informative. Thanks

Sazzy, I'll have to get back to you as to which hotel I will be staying in. I was thinking about buying I-lingo for my Ipod video! Well, as soon as it comes in which the store in IFC said about sometime this week. oh yeah, organized tour me thinks.

[Sazzy]

If you are on an organised tour then you dont need to worry about anything as everything is provided and done for you - just enjoy

[mrcheese321]

no problem.

Yea, I did an organized too, it was very nice because they had everything planned and I got to see everything that I wanted to.

C

[trpfeifer]

Is it organized? If not - even if so - I would try to break away and hike the Great Wall between Jing Shan Ling and Simatai. My wife and I just got back and did that hike. It was GREAT. Not crowded, amazing views, good exercise, etc.

[mrcheese321]

I did it at Badaling. If you walk up the "hard" side it is a lot less crowded. Also, if you take the cable car up, it is less crowded on that side too.

I didn't go to any of the other parts - I didn't have time

c