We booked this trip through a travel company that offers both structured and unstructured days so that travelers can fashion their trips in the manner they feel most appropriate. I went ahead and signed up for all of the optional activities, sacrificing most of our free time in the process, because I wasn't confident about my ability to deal with the significant language difference, as well as navigating buses and trains on our own. (All the travel books I referenced warned that the bus system in China is difficult to master, and rather unreliable to boot.) We do still have some free time in our agenda, which I'm looking forward to using to get out on our own, walk about, and meet some of the local citizens. My daughter assures me that since we will stick out like sore thumbs in China, we will draw a steady crowd of people interested in seeing how our visit is going, or who may simply want to practice their English on us. I'm hoping she's right, because having exchanges with the local residents, even if limited due to language barriers, is one of the aspects of travel I enjoy the most.
Photos and a trip report when we return in a couple of weeks. In the meantime, feel free to poke around the website of the travel company we're using, Gate 1 Travel via Virgin Vacations, to see if anything looks appealing. But consider yourself forewarned . . . poking around after booking our China trip is precisely how we ended up booking our next trip . . . more on that one a bit later.
Wow!! Looking forward to reading about it.
ReplyDeleteI've been attending some advanced photography courses, and am hoping for some good photos!
DeleteThanks for the link to Virgin Vacations. We are looking at Europe and the packages seem reasonable.
ReplyDeleteThis is our first fully guided tour ever. I did some research, and read good things about the company; primarily how it allows for both structured and unstructured time.
DeleteTamara, you will not regret limiting your luggage. We traveled in Europe for 6 weeks a few years ago and had entirely too much to deal with - doesn't fit in most rental cars, no storage compartments on trains, lifting it over the gap, etc. I will forever travel light in the future.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful trip. I am going straight to the web site you recommended.
Suzanne, we even have room enough for souvenirs, so I feel really good. I pared down my beauty routine, and everything fits into both my luggage and my allowable liquids bag.
DeleteThrilled and excited to get going . . . just awaiting the shuttle at the moment.
How exciting! As I get ready to retire in a few short months, we are looking to expand our travel experiences. There is the draw of far away, exotic locations, tempered with the unfamiliarity of a country where you don't know the language. Pushing ourselves outside our comfort zone a bit is something I think we will enjoy. So much to learn and see! Have a wonderful trip! Can't wait to see the photos and hear the details!
ReplyDeleteChina is probably not the first country most people think to visit when they start traveling outside of their home country, but it definitely should be . . . low crime, low cost, low risk, high value, high historical treasures, high degree of friendliness. We came away utterly enchanted.
DeleteMake sure you have a pair of inside and outside shoes (or buy slippers as soon as you get there.) make sure to ask when/ where the artist markets are- street markets.
ReplyDeleteAnd- there used to be an art store in the back of the xian warriors area. One of the best places to buy peasant art ever.
Have fun. I both love and miss China!
Janette, we did see slippers everywhere we went and now I know why! We loved, loved, loved our trip.
DeleteHave a wonderful time! Can't wait to hear all about it!
ReplyDeleteWe absolutely did, and I just posted my first post-trip report. :-)
DeleteHi Tamara, Just found your blog yesterday from Bob's and am completely hooked. Being a voracious reader, I love finding new blogs and reading them from the beginning to current. By the time you return from China, I'll be all caught up.We have much in common - I retired at age 47 (10 years ago) after a lifetime of planning similar to yours. The original plan was for us BOTH to retire at 50, but hubs changed careers mid-stream and is now in the career in which he was meant to be all along. He loves it and can't fathom retiring just yet! It's o.k. as he teaches in a local college which gives him summers free, a lengthy Christmas break along with a spring and fall break, all of which we reserve for travel. So he's looking at three more years tops. I'm o.k. with that and since we were financially prepared several years ago, it's all just icing on the cake. Echoing your thoughts, I cannot preach loudly enough the importance of setting goals, living below your means and staying debt free!! Although I've been blogging for 2 1/2 years, my "community" has mostly been the weight loss and hiking arenas (I've done much lurking on early retirement blogs), but now that I've reached maintenance and no longer need quite so much support from that community, am expanding into this one simply because it fits me better. In addition to yours, Bob's and Syd's blogs which I've read faithfully for quite some time, I see several folks here with whom I suspect I'll find much in common! Looking forward to hearing about your China trip and much, much more! Sharon P.S. Sorry for such a long comment!
ReplyDeleteSharon, thank you so much for dropping in! Loved your post, no worries whatsoever about the length.
DeleteIMHO, the life experiences of travel are worth every single tradeoff elsewhere. Even though this is our first day home, and I'm fighting off a cold, I am already eager to head off again.
We love china. The people speak English more and more. The Olympics created a need for English speakers and the people of China loved to practice on us. As for sticking out...it is all good. Now if you were a child with blond curly hair you would be in for a lot of attention. :) Our granddaughters think they are princesses!
ReplyDeleteI hope you are having fun. I wish you had taken a computer along and posted on the road. But China is very tight with its computer exchanged with the outside world. Sigh!
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http://www.retireinstyleblog.com
Barbara, we loved out trip so much! I didn't expect China to be so enchanting, and we were completely swept away. I think our favorite memory from our trip was the opportunity we had to join in with the Chinese people at play one morning at a park in Xian. We were close to tears by the time we left several hours later, they were all so gracious about inviting us to join in with them as they exercised, danced, sang and played.
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