travelling through china

[darklar]

oh man, i'm new...ive posted this question already in the people and places section..but here i go again... im travelling through china for a month in August. Beijing to hongkong. any advice? clothes to take etc. has anyone been on an STA travel trip there? just some advice for a western traveller really. thanks

[apricot]

Cool, cotton and casual. Don't take too much but be prepared to wash things through. I bought 'coolmax' socks which are brilliant, you can wear them for days without any pong at all and they are very comfortable. Unless you are staying in good hotels don't forget to take a squash ball. They are invaluable if you want a plug for the sink as they fit better than any universal plug I have used. A small tip which may be useful. When you leave the place you are staying ask them to write the name of the accommodation on a card in Chinese so that you can show it to someone if you get lost. That happened to me in northern China where nobody spoke English, night had fallen and there were no street lights and very few people. Fortunately, and to this day I don't know why, I had put a tea bag with the hotel name in my pocket which I was able to show someone who then pointed me in the right direction. Oh and if you are off the tourist track and are blonde, expect to have your photo taken with loads of Chinese people. My husbands photo must adorn many Chinese walls by now as he is tall and blond and was in constant demand for pics. I envy you, have fun, it is an adventure.