Archive for travel
Travelling the Silk Road
Posted by: | CommentsThe Silk Road is one of China’s most popular tourist destinations. There are already heaps of travel agents and tour companies offering tours in 2010. So where is it and why is it so popular?
Traditionally the Silk Road extends from Xian in central China to either the Middle East or Europe. In fact there are many routes, some to Moscow in the north and those into India and Pakistan in the south. Just like travellers in the time of Marco Polo – the thirteenth century – the ancient trade routes still exist although the type of goods sold and the method of transport have changed. The reason why the Silk Road starts/ends in Xian is that it was the ancient capital of China and internal trade routes, in many cases along the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, were already established to distribute goods within China.
Nowadays, many tourists start their Silk Road journey in Beijing. The Imperial City, the Great Wall of China the many places of historic interest will make a 3-5 day stay worthwhile. Add to it a little shopping and time to experience northern Chinese cuisine and you are ready for your Silk Road experience.
Getting there.
Most international airlines fly into Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. There is a lesser choice of flights to and from western China and most of these are based out of the capital of Xinjiang Province, Urumqi.
重庆旅游Travel China Tours Chongqing (1)
Posted by: | Comments
Chongqingfeature length promotional video (english subs) Hundreds of videos from all and around China broadcast free 24/7 at www.chinaontv.com
Marriage in China – The Cost For a US Citizen
Posted by: | CommentsAs the Author of the China Marriage and K3 Visa Guide one of the most popular questions I’m often asked is: “After my Chinese spouse arrives in the United States what is the total cost for a marriage in China?” After you are married in China and your spouse enters the U.S. on a K3 Visa, the cost will vary depending on the choices you make and how you proceed. Over the years I have developed many alliances with U.S. Citizens who have successfully married in China and brought a spouse to the U.S. along with those who have filed petitions to bring a fiancee to the U.S. to marry here. Our case studies cover both, with and without the use of an attorney. As we discuss the total cost we need to look at 3 important factors: 1. Legal cost; 2. Transportation; and 3. Filing documents, paperwork and fees. In part one, we’ll look at the legal cost of hiring an attorney.
Marriage in China – Legal Cost of Hiring an Attorney
Many of our readers have been lured to advertisements for immigration attorneys for as little as $500 to $800. Our case studies prove that on average U.S. Citizens hiring an attorney for help bringing their spouse or fiancee to the United States from China will pay $2000 to $2500 to have an attorney fill out their forms and mail them to U.S. Citizens and Immigration Service (USCIS). In one case a gentleman from Wisconsin paid over $5000 dollars. The sad part is, in that case it took his Chinese spouse the longest time to arrive in the United States after his marriage in China, 2 years and 8 months because of mistakes in filing. On the other hand, we have discovered many U.S. Citizens who have filed their own paperwork and their Chinese spouses arrived in the United States in as little as 8 months after receiving a K3 Visa. If you do decide to hire an attorney you will need to talk price up-front. Its best to ask for a flat rate so you know the final cost. If you decide to do your own paperwork and save the money there are U.S. Citizens who have first-hand experience with bringing a spouse from China. You can connect with them on sites like US Visa Toolbox or in forums such as those offered by Travel China Guide.
重庆旅游Travel China Tours Chongqing (2)
Posted by: | Comments
Chongqingfeature length promotional video (english subs) Hundreds of videos from all and around China broadcast free 24/7 at www.chinaontv.com
Air Travel and Pets
Posted by: | CommentsDo you have to travel by air in the near future? If you do, are you a pet owner who needs to bring your pet along with you? Although most of us leave our pets at home, you may not want to do so or your purpose for travel may be to move, as opposed to taking a fun filled vacation. Regardless of your reasons for wanting or needing to travel with your pet or pets, there are a number of important points that you will need to keep in mind.
The first step in traveling with a pet is to make sure that you can do so. Although a good number of airlines will allow pets on their planes, not all will. You may be in a predicament if you plan to depart from a small airport with only one or two airlines. If they do not accept pets or if their rules and restrictions are too much for you to handle, you will want to examine other nearby airports, especially those that are larger in size.
When traveling by air with your pet or pets, it is important to remember that you will be charged an additional fee. Unfortunately, many first time pet travelers believe that they can use their pets and their pet carriers to count towards as a carry-on bag or a checked bag. This isn’t how it works though. You will, almost always, be charged an extra fee for traveling with a pet. This extra fee will likely depend on the airline in question and well as your pet’s location, such as in the cabin or in the baggage compartment.
Travel Shanghai China, An amazing city.
Posted by: | CommentsI live, work, play in Shanghai, China’s largest city, largest port; a city of 16 million people, (many millions more during holidays and festivals), a city wanting to be the biggest, best and most important in the world.
If you had been able to Travel Shanghai 10 years ago, and returned today, you would see a very, very different city.
Shanghai today is a modern, 21st Century city, with tall, new shiny buildings, amazing nightlights, a wonderland.
Finding the old sights and sounds of the old city is becoming more difficult as the city’s rapid development produces almost instant change, almost everywhere.
Shanghai is a Chinese city of surprises: – a bizarre, and sometimes brutal, colonial history (British, French, American, Italian, Japanese) and dark days exploited as an Opium trade hub. Mix that with ancient Chinese culture and today we have a city urgently trying to leave its colourful past behind and which will soon be compared, in class and elegance, with any major city in the world.
Transportation in China
Posted by: | CommentsTraveling around China can be accomplished in a number of ways. With over 140 airports throughout China, air travel is easy. Rail travel is also easily accessible. Traveling by automobile, on the other hand, can be difficult, expensive, and downright dangerous!
There are twelve main airports in China, covering mainly the eastern and southeast regions of the country. In the north, Beijing Airport and its northern partner, Dailain Airport account for the most passengers in the northeast. Further down along the coast, Shanghai has two major airports – Honggiao and Pudong – for the many millions of passengers who come to the Shanghai region each year. Xiamen, Baiyun, Baoan, and Hong Kong Airport take up the most southeast traffic. Further inland, the major airports of Xianyang, Chengdu, Chongging and Guilin make travel throughout the western areas more accessible.
The most popular airlines within China are Air China, China Eastern, China Southern, Dragon Air, and Hainan Airlines. There are many more airlines and it is wise to check prices before you leave home in order to ensure you have a cheap and efficient flight within China.
The first railway in China was built in 1874. Now, there are tens of thousands of miles of track linking virtually every town and city. There are four classes of train travel within China – hard seat, soft seat, hard sleeper, and soft sleeper. Like it sounds, hard seat is the most unpleasant but also the cheapest. It is similar to “coach” class. Soft seat is a first class ride for short distances. Hard sleeper is a semi-private sleeping car, soft sleeper is more private and bedding is provided.
Learn About China
Posted by: | CommentsChina is one of the most famous ancient civilizations, with a history spanning over 5,000 years. China is the most populated country with a large land mass and abundant resources. China opened up to the world in 1978, joined the world trade organization in 2001 (WTO), and hosting the 2008 Summer Olympic games in Beijing. With a much more open market policy, there’s increasing number of oversea visitors gaining interest in China’s culture, history, scenery, and lifestyle.
There are 56 ethnic groups in China, with the main nationality being the Han composing of 91% of the population. The remaining 9% of the population is made up of the remaining 55 ethnic groups.
The main language is also the Han Language, spoken in all parts of china and in Asia. The Hui and Manchu ethnic groups also speak Han, while the other 53 ethnic groups use their own languages. The Han-Tibetan language is used by 29 ethnic groups, who live mainly in the southern regions of China.
Must Sees of China in 12 Days
Posted by: | CommentsChina boasts of twenty four cultural and five natural relics inscribed on the World Heritage List. Apart from this record, there are still fifty eight relics on the tentative list of the UNESCO World Heritage list to be officially added to China’s cultural treasures. This record has in turn led to the rapid boost of China’s tourism contributing to its economic growth.
Almost every city in China has one or more sightseeing to visit and if you don’t plan your itinerary ahead, you might just wander through some cities without seeing the most important attractions making your trip to China incomplete.
Beijing is usually the first city to visit. Because of its significance in the historical development of China, it has a number of sightseeing which is not to be missed during your short visit here. They include The Great Wall, the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square, The Summer Palace, The Ming Tombs and the traditional Hutong. All of these attractions can be visited in three days.
Xian would definitely be your next stop after Beijing. Spending two days in Xian allows you to discover the past of China since it is believed by many to be the birthplace of ancient civilization. The two major attractions to see in Xian are the Terracotta Army Warriors and the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. These Xian attractions played significant roles during the Chinese revolution.
Asia Travel China Guangzhou Mountain Temple
Posted by: | Comments
China part 4. Guangzhou, Canton, Baiyun Mountain and Nengren Temple, a Buddhist temple built in the late Qing Dynasty and rebuilt in 1993. Song by Jay Chou and traditional Chinese music.
