No, I Won’t Be Going Back to China (page 9 of 13)

Yeah, in the moment it’s pretty annoying because you’re wasting time, but afterward, it still ends up being a good memory—even though when the police took my passport and made me get into the police car during my arrest, I totally freaked out because I had no idea why they were stopping me!!!

I did have a VPN on my laptop and I panicked they’d see it, but since it was in French, they didn’t catch on at all!!!!

Yeah, in the moment it’s pretty annoying because you’re wasting time, but afterward, it still makes for good memories—though when the police take your passport and make you get into the police car during the arrest, you freak out a bit because you have no idea why they’re stopping you!!! I did have a VPN on my laptop and panicked they’d see it, but since it was in French, they didn’t catch on at all!!!!

For the VPN, I got permission from my company. I think tourists should be able to get it too—worth checking. Anything’s possible as long as you’re not breaking the law. Also, make sure to register with the French embassy or consulate before you leave. Really understand how your travel insurance (Visa or otherwise) works too. For Visa Premier, for example, double-check how it functions: there are two separate insurance policies managed by two different providers—one for trip cancellation issues before you travel and another for medical problems on-site. Set up your account(s) before you leave, and don’t call the number on the back of the card. Otherwise, it’s a nasty surprise... Rule of thumb: don’t do anything without their prior approval via email. Prepare this before you leave, not in a panic while you’re there. Things are clearer with Mondial Assistance (or similar), which isn’t too expensive for a short trip. I don’t work for them at all, and I know we’re not supposed to advertise here... but it’s a super important point. I learned that the hard way

Okay, I did have a VPN on my PC and I freaked out thinking they’d see it, but since it was in French, they didn’t catch on at all!!!!

The main thing is they’re not really strict with foreigners.

Because there’s no need to read French. You just try accessing a site blocked by the Great Firewall, like googlenews. If it works, that means the Great Firewall’s been bypassed—so a VPN’s installed.

During the automatic scan of your smartphone (or computer) at the border, a routine could uninstall it, or at least flag it. But so far, they let it slide...

It’d probably be different for a Uyghur.

Fabrice

Ugh, my young friend, if China is China with all its absurdities... what is Paris today? Have you even visited?... If you didn’t like China, ouch! Don’t come here... People sitting across from you on the metro can’t even cough or yawn without spitting on you! You’d think putting your hand over your mouth went out of style... Everyone shoves you in the metro, but almost no one apologizes! You want to get out of a 4-seater, and no one budges—you’ll have to insist... And then there’s worse (this really happened...). This thirty-something woman, true to her generation, thinks she can do whatever she wants, pulls out her camera, and starts filming the train car without asking anyone. You’re sitting right in front of her, and she’s filming your nose hairs. You call her out, saying, "Hey, that’s enough, right?" Her response? "Buuut I don’t give a damn about your crap!" Look, I’m not usually violent, but that was the last straw for me. She got the slap she should’ve had since she was a kid... Oh, and let’s not forget the young backpacker with overflowing consumerism who doesn’t know how to travel light and cares about nothing but their own comfort... who boards an already packed rush-hour metro with their huge backpack... and won’t even bother putting it down in a corner! Add to that the famously unfriendly French attitude from service employees—post office workers, shop staff, suburban kids who only know insults as vocabulary... see the picture now? Not sure it’s any better than a bustling China.

Thanks for this hilarious post. A few years ago, I was coming back after ten years spent on a remote island, far from Paris and its codes. Even the subways were inaccessible with a suitcase—and I had one. I looked at all those gloomy people, dressed in gray or black with matching expressions. Not a single smile, and I immediately wanted to go back to my island.

I watched all those somber people, dressed in gray or black with matching expressions. Not a single smile, and I immediately wanted to go back to my island.

If you know of a subway anywhere in the world where people actually smile, don’t hesitate to let me know—I’ve been looking for one for so long 😉

I ditched the subways to enjoy the rickshaws. I’ll humbly admit I didn’t lose out on the deal.

This discussion thread is really interesting. Thanks Ericdu38 for sharing your experience. I haven’t read all the replies yet, but of course you were bound to get some negative reactions, some people contradicting you—but not just that, thankfully. There are plenty of things that are "true" in life, but you’d better not say them! It’s disturbing. It’s "politically incorrect," or people will call you 'racist,' or intolerant, or stuck in your comfort zone. Meh. Your experience and your feelings are what they are. So, thanks. Personally, I’m not a big traveler, but I’ve felt similar discomfort in another country too, 20 years ago :-) (Just to clarify, I’ve never been racist toward anyone in my life. I’m the son of immigrants in France myself.)

Hello The forum is a place for exchanges. Some people think that if you don’t agree with them, well, you’re wrong. You’ve got to go with the flow, and everyone’s happy 😊 Not me.....

Hey Eric, I’ve been to China five times and loved every trip, but I honestly don’t get why people can’t understand that someone might not have enjoyed it. Now, making such sweeping generalizations after just a few days in China is pretty bold, don’t you think?

Nine pages???? for this title "No, I won’t be going back to China"... so what? It’s fine not to go with the flow, but no need to turn into a tornado either! 🙂😛

Generalities? No, just my personal experience and feelings. As simple as that 😊

I’m heading back for a third time in April to visit Yunnan, which I haven’t explored yet. I’ll keep a sharp eye out for all those (little) annoyances you’ve mentioned. Plus, I expect to get *some* hassle given the current chill in Canada-China relations. Both sides have political prisoners, and the Canadian government just issued a new advisory to avoid China. We’ll see how it goes.

I totally get how you feel. It reminds me of my first meal in China a few years ago. It was a tourist-trap restaurant with awful food. I was really worried at the thought of spending a month with that kind of cuisine.

But maybe we should question ourselves and try to understand why 99% of people here have a positive impression of China. Sticking with the food example, after spending over 6 months in China, I can now say it’s one of the best cuisines in the world.

It’s obvious that if you go through a travel agency, you don’t get to choose the restaurant—it’s picked by the agency based on price, not quality or style of food. Plus, it’s hard to ask for a less spicy dish if the meal is already prepared for a group of a dozen people.

For me, my best food memory was in a small Miao village. In the middle of the village, there was a little house with two guest rooms. The owner cooked whatever you wanted. The tomato omelets were delicious with fresh eggs from that day and tomatoes picked that afternoon. I’d watch her cook in her kitchen and ask in Chinese, "Not too spicy." It’s also really easy to have that little phrase in your phone’s translator. As a result, I extended my stay in that little village by 4 days. A really great memory.

Thanks, Daniello, for this positive message about a country that the French know so little about—and sometimes even refuse to see for what it really is. Personally, I’ve only spent time in cities, apart from the Great Wall near Beijing, some fishing villages near Hong Kong, and the water towns like Nanxun, close to Shanghai. I’m defending my thesis on March 15th, and I’ve got a job starting May 1st in Shanghai, a fascinating city where I plan to settle. As you rightly said, you *can* eat badly in China or have a bad experience—just book through Booking.com. But the vast majority of restaurants I’ve been to offered excellent food at very low prices, from noodle and shrimp soup in the subway to roast duck (not Peking duck) at the Hyatt hotel. When you live there, you can find creamy-edged camembert, excellent New Zealand beef ribs, countless fresh vegetables, and always-ripe fruit. But I think that’s true of any country—it depends on who you are and how you behave. You might hate Vienna (Austria) because sitting on the grass is forbidden and you have to pay to visit the cathedral. Or you might love it if you find a quiet family-run guesthouse and enjoy smoking a cigar in a *Winstub* with a brass band.

Safe travels to everyone, and don’t believe everything you read in the papers!

What you're saying is awful—I’m getting out of my city fast...😉

I’ve read quite a few posts in this thread and I’m sitting on the fence about a trip to China: I’d love to go, but my girlfriend isn’t up for it (even on an organized tour), so I’d go solo as an independent traveler...

I’ve read quite a few posts in this thread and I’m sitting on the fence about a trip to China: I want to go, but my girlfriend doesn’t (even on an organized tour), so I’ll go solo and independent...

You’re right—it’s the only way to form your own opinion. After that, the choice of travel style (independent or organized), timing, cities or countryside... all of that can paint a different picture.

Go for it and tell us about it! 😄

Hi everyone, this is the second time I’m sharing my thoughts on this topic. No matter how it compares to other Asian countries—since I’ve visited 80% of them—that’s not the point. There are plenty of Asian countries where I’ve felt great, whether alone or with family.

China is a country with a mediocre population, but one where the diversity of flora, fauna, and landscapes is still exceptional if you venture off the beaten path. The Chinese people have been an oppressed population for centuries, under imperialism and communism. They’re often disrespectful toward foreigners, spit a lot, eat with their fingers, and lack basic manners. Tourists are treated like walking ATMs, especially in big cities like Shanghai and Beijing, and scams of all kinds are everywhere—tea scams, karaoke scams, you name it.

Tips: Stay alert and refuse any "free tea" invitations. If you invite a girl to your hotel, let the reception know (and tip them), but don’t follow her no matter what she says. If you go out for drinks, always keep an eye on your glass or finish it before hitting the dance floor. Stick to group outings—never go alone or just the two of you... Best regards

Hello, for the second time, I’m addressing this topic: no matter how it compares to other Asian countries since I’ve visited 80% of them—this isn’t the point because I’ve felt great in many Asian countries, whether alone or with family. China is a country where the population is mediocre, but one where the diversity of flora, fauna, and landscapes remains exceptional if you venture off the beaten path. The Chinese people have been an oppressed population since the dawn of time, primarily due to imperialism and communism. They’re often disrespectful toward foreigners, spit a lot, eat with their fingers, and lack basic manners. Tourists are treated like sitting ducks, especially in big cities like Shanghai and Beijing, and scams of all kinds are rampant: tea scams, karaoke scams, and many others. Advice: Stay vigilant and refuse any invitation for free tea. If you invite a girl to your hotel, let the reception know (tip them), but don’t follow her no matter what she says. If you go out for a drink, always keep an eye on your glass or finish it before hitting the dance floor. Opt for group outings and never go alone or in pairs... Best regards

Hello, I’m responding to this message because a few things in your experience really stood out to me. I’m not saying you’re wrong, but it really shows how everyone’s travel experience—good or bad—shapes their opinion. Let me explain: when you say, “people are disrespectful to foreigners, spit a lot, and eat with their fingers,” I have to say that the two of us (we’ve been traveling as a couple and solo for a long time) haven’t noticed any of that. People have always been polite and ready to help us on the street. We crossed six provinces in a month, visiting big cities, parks, and any green space—people in groups were dancing, doing gymnastics, and singing. We’d watch them, and some even invited us to join. Maybe it’s because of our age—China still respects elders, a value we’ve lost back home. To explain their lack of respect, you say it’s because they’ve always been oppressed, but unfortunately, we don’t have that excuse for all the rudeness we see every day. On the contrary, we’re the “spoiled children.” That said, I *did* find Chinese tourists insufferable when they travel abroad. When you mention scams, unfortunately, tourism brings that out everywhere—you’ll find it in every country (including France), and I’ve seen plenty. For our part, we weren’t scammed in China (I can’t speak for karaoke bars or clubs since we don’t go out at night), but we *were* scammed in Vietnam and other countries. We just chalk it up to the ups and downs of travel and try to be more careful. Still, it’s a beautiful country to visit with so many incredible things to see. We hope to go back to explore the provinces we didn’t have time for. In conclusion, for travelers—and despite our age—there’s always that pull to see other cultures, and we always learn something new. Best regards

I completely share your point of view. We’ve already traveled to China 3 times, across the whole country, for 1 to 2 months per trip. Backpacking and independent travel. Like you, we’ve often been kindly helped by strangers. Whether in big cities or the middle of nowhere in the countryside. We’ve never had to complain about scams (except, of course, for one or two taxi drivers) or other mishaps. It’s true that we don’t go out to nightclubs or other hotspots. Of course, there are big cultural differences between the French and the Chinese, in behavior too. In fact, that’s maybe why we love going to this country so much. A trip to China is incredibly disorienting and eye-opening. In a word, it’s real travel.