Yes some websites are blocked in China but getting around it is not so difficult.

Your kidding right? You didn't know about the firewall in China before you left? I guess your not into doing much research ahead of your travels? If you don't mind, how much was it per night you spent at the box hostel? What were the facilities like there, bunks, rooms, etc. Any English spoken at the front desk? Are you there now or is this a trip from yesteryear? Looking forward to the rest of your report.

Hardly new. People have been complaining about it for years. Even if you don't read guidebooks you must have been looking at the wrong places on the web. Facebook may be no help (never use it myself) but plenty of work around posts should be easy to find elsewhere.

JPDeM,

I could not even upload to blogger. Ironic in a way since so much of the high tech stuff is made there

ladytravels,

Where is your sense of humor

Of course and I others knew about the Chinese limitations on the use of the internet. The point of the post is the comparsions of the walls.. "Great Wall" vs "Fire Wall"

BTW .. I do limit my research ahead of my travels because that is the type of traveling that I enjoy. Most times I go places with no advance bookings and that is how I find gems like Chinese Box Hostel or encounter the kindest of strangers.

I will make a separate post about Chinese Box Hostel. However, brief answers to your questions. US$19 per night shared 4 or 7 bunks. Community bathrooms. Great source for local outings and most of the staff spoke decent English.

Just got back and will posting more reports in the coming days and maybe even weeks.

thursdaysd,

I am no fan of "Facebook" either and as I wrote in the post another guest had the work around.

I guess I did not properly convey that the post was written "tongue in cheek".

"Great Wall.. Fire Wall"

BTW, There is no "Captain Facebook". I was just trying to protect the identity of my maybe Chinese illegal source of a work around.

Ok, I won't quit my business to try and become a comedy writer as I guess no one here gets my sense of humor. Next time maybe I'll include a disclaimer

Where is your sense of humor
That is why I asked if you were kidding. Sometimes what we write on the internet is taken the wrong way I guess.

I also hate to use those smiley faces about as much as you say you dislike learning about a place ahead of your travels

Thanks for the hostel info and will be looking for your report.

Well, it might have been funny 15 years ago, but hardly today.

ladytravel,

I never said I dislike learning about a place ahead of my travels.. (SF)

In fact it is learned knowledge about a place that gets me interested in visiting it. Where I take a different approach than others is that I like to visit places as what I would call an Independent Budget Minded Adventure Traveler .. (HF)

For me, any info in a US$20 Guidebook is readily available online or better yet from reliable local sources. I am not afraid to blunder as the benefit for me is usually a rich travel experience.

My best travel experiences have been from taken the road less traveled. Doing things against the "common sense" of most posters here or things written in guidebooks.

For doing this my sanity and intelligence has been questioned by those that apparently ride tall travel horses (SF).

However, I know to each (his/her) own. I entertain their criticism because I know their ability to share their expertise makes their day worthwhile (HF)