Need tips for teens traveling in China.

Old May 30th, 2008, 10:21 AM
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lvk
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Need tips for teens traveling in China.

I think this is my first post on the Asia board, so be gentle with me. My teen daughter is traveling to China in a few weeks with her HS Wind Ensemble - Beijing, Shanghai and Xian. She will be traveling with an organized tour operator who specializes in musical tours. We have already had an information session, but some things were not very clear, so I'm looking for the great tips that I only get from Fodorites:

1) Currency. She has her own Visa debit card. Should she also take some traveler's checks? We have lots of Chinese banks in our area, should she get some currency exchanged here?

2) Water. Should she absolutely not drink any tap water, brush her teeth in the tap water, etc.?

3) Air quality. She does have allergies, though not severe. She'll take her meds with her, but are there any other precautions she should take?

4) Security and pickpockets. I don't want to make her paranoid, but I don't want her to leave herself wide open, either.

5) Toilets. Should she bring her own toilet paper?

Any other tips you can offer will be greatly appreciated. We travel quite a bit as a family, but never (yet) have been to Asia. This is the farthest she will have traveled without us. I'm thrilled for her to have this opportunity, but just a teensy bit nervous.
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Old May 30th, 2008, 11:04 AM
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I don't think there's anything here that you couldn't get the answer to from a variety of sources (not just 'Fodorites'), including just about any guide book. But here goes:

1) Does she have an ATM (bank machine) card, or can you let her have one for the duration of the trip? If so, first check the back of the card for the logos of international network: Cirrus, Plus, Mastercard, Visa, will all do fine. Note that far from all ATMs accept foreign cards, and most of those that do are Bank of China branches, but other banks are catching up. Beijing airport has multiple machines she can use, for instance, and Beijing has many in shopping malls and at tourist sites as well as in banks. Don't take travellers' cheques which are unwieldy and increasingly difficult to cash. Don't change money before leaving because although that's now possible in certain cities RMB Yuan are not widely available and when they are the rate is poor. You might give her 100 units of your currency in a nice crisp note for emergency exchanges (if its sterling, US dollars, euros, or similar can be exchanged at just about any bank), but presumably if she's in a tour group with friends then they'll help each other out in emergencies.

2) Absolutely not, under any circumstances. Bottled water is provided free at better hotels, and is available at innumerable shops and stalls. All hotel rooms have a kettle to boil the tap water for drinking. This, when cooled, or bottled water should be used for brushing teeth. Hand-washing before eating essential; hands kept well away from mouth; no raw fruit unless washed and peeled by herself. Only hot, freshly cooked food.

3) Possibly take non-prescription drug of choice for sore eyes. Reaction to smog often takes the form of flu-like symptoms, but dosing oneself with flu medicine not a good idea.

4) Common sense is best. Day pack or handbag carried on front of body with hand on it. Smaller notes kept together for shopping and larger notes where they don't have to be flashed when making a purchase. But this isn't South America, and really levels of caution don't need to be greatly different from at home: bus stations, railway stations, places with crushes frequented by tourists need a little more attention. Bag slashing happens, and care needs to be taken, but it's not that common.

5) Carry some sheets for use in public toilets (best avoided in general--the one useful aspect of the infestation of McDonald's and similar is the number of more sanitary lavatories that come with them, although they often wouldn't be acceptable at home. Things are much better than they were, however, especially in Beijing. Taking a small packet of sanitary hand-wipes is a good plan. Soap is often missing.

Any parent will naturally fret, but China is in general very safe for visitors (despite the entirely lunatic driving). The biggest dangers are from scams by the tourist industry, and she should be very leery of shopping advice, for instance.

Peter N-H
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Old May 30th, 2008, 11:06 AM
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Lucky daughter - I hope she has a great time!

1. Lots of ATMs where she's going.

2. Definitely she shouldn't drink the tap water or brush her teeth with it. Also, no ice, and no fruit or veg unless she peels it herself or washes it in purified water - unless she knows the restaurant has done so.

3. The air quality is likely to be bad, but I don't know what precautions she could take.

4. China is pretty safe, but I always wear a money belt when traveling.

5. I always carry my own TP in Asia, plus I take Purell, as you can't usually wash your hands. I hear that the toilets are being improved ahead of the Olympics, but she should be prepared to cope with squat toilets.
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Old Jun 1st, 2008, 05:09 AM
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lvk - My 17 yo daughter is in China now with her musical group. I just talked to her a few minutes ago. They also visited Xian, are now in Beijing, and traveling to Shanghai tonight.

A few weeks before she left I arranged to get a credit card for her under my name. It was supposed to come with a pin that she could use to withdraw funds but it never arrived so I just sent my ATM card with her but she hasn't tried that yet. She has been able to use the credit card in some places.

Against all advice I did get $100 worth of RMB ahead of time and just figured the exchange rate was worth the price of peace of mind. It did take a few days to order it from my bank. DD has been using that cash.

I sent my daughter with two international phone cards and a Modal phone we had from another trip. Other parents told their kids to purchase phone cards in China and some arranged with Verizon for their children to use their own cell phones. None of the international phone cards have worked for the kids, DD has been able to call us on the Modal with the existing sim card and many kids have been able to use their own cell phones to call home.

We sent DD with four small bottles of Purel. The trip leader advised them to use it before eating, after eating, after the toilet, etc etc. I also purchased a couple of travel rolls of TP that you can usually find at Target.

The air quality is bad!! One child is having trouble with his asthma. It might be worth discussing with her doctor.

Tell her not to drink the water. Even in the hotels she should swirl the bottle to check for sediment. A couple of kids did and it leaked out the top.

Our kids were told not to keep all their money in one place. We also copied her cards. I have copies and so does she. I sent a neck pouch with her but doubt it is being used. I just told her to keep her purse close at all times.

The best advice is to engage. Try the food.


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Old Jun 1st, 2008, 05:19 AM
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No need to buy travel TP, whatever that is. Just take a partially used regular roll and squash it.
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Old Jun 1st, 2008, 07:52 AM
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Sorry, I had to cut off quickly.

The travel tp is a nice little roll that can be carried easily in a backpack or purse.

Tell your daughter that she will have much more fun if she keeps an open mind about the food, the culture, and the level of cleanliness. The kids that aren't having fun are the ones that complain about the food, the dust, etc.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for them and they should take advantage of it and not expect to have the comforts of home.
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Old Jun 2nd, 2008, 09:51 AM
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Thank you everyone, this is very helpful.

Birdie, thanks also for the "real-time" report. I hope your daughter is having a great time! I agree about traveling with an open mind. I think she will, but a reminder can't hurt.

You read my mind about the phone cards/communication. Their itinerary looks so full with the rehearsals, performances and touring, that I don't expect her to phone home more than once or twice. Did she say if her hotels have internet kiosks? I'd be happy with a quick email telling me that she's okay.

I think I'll feel better, also, if she has some local currency, right off the bat. (We always keep Euros from our previous trip to use the first day or so the next time we travel to Europe.) I'll try the Chinese banks here. She has her own ATM/Visa debit card linked to her own accounts. I can view them online, also, and transfer additional funds from my accounts, if necessary.

I checked with both our Dr. and the CDC website, and other than her current up-to-date vaccines, including HepA, there don't appear to be any others recommended for traveling in the cities.

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Old Jun 2nd, 2008, 12:46 PM
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lvk - DD called me at work again today to remind me to make a doctor's appointment for her. It is as if she were only in another state. LOL

I can't tell you for sure about the internet kiosks. I know there is some availability in some places. I would talk to your cell provider, though, to see if she can use her phone for calls or text messages.

I would make arrangements for times to call if she has the availability. I didn't know when to expect the first call, am, pm, ??? We found that since China was 12 hours behind, a good time to call was around 8 am EST before we went to work and after her return to the hotel.

Here is a web site put together by one of the other schools traveling with my daughter's. They are posting text messages from the kids. I wish we had done the same. There is a link there with their itinerary.
http://tinyurl.com/3eepko
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Old Jun 2nd, 2008, 01:12 PM
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Thanks, Birdie. They are using the same tour company -- we have that same booklet! The itinerary is almost identical, except for the order - hers is Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai. I'd be interested to hear how the "informal concert" at the Great Wall goes!

I'll check with Sprint about service in China. We are 15 hours behind, so she can call right before her bedtime. I ordered her some Yuan, so thanks for that.

I see by the postings that it is hot and humid there. Do you think she packed the right clothing?

Thanks so much for letting me pick your brain.
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Old Jun 2nd, 2008, 02:16 PM
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She took layers and included a couple of skirts so I hope she is alright, clothing-wise. We live in Virginia so she should be used to any heat and humidity they have there. Of course, the shopping for the right shoes, the pants, etc was the hardest part of the preparation and she isn't even a fashionista.

They already sang at the Great Wall. DD said it was difficult because it was very windy and a canvas covering was flapping so much they had difficulty hearing each other. What an opportunity it was to sing there, though.

DD returns Thursday night so if your DD has specific questions she'd like to ask before she leaves I'm sure my DD would be happy to answer her.
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Old Jun 3rd, 2008, 12:43 AM
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We found enterprising scammers and touts a bigger danger than pickpockets and the like (which, although they certainly exist, we never encountered in three weeks of independent travel).

Your daughter should be pretty safe from dodgy operators in a group, but as a general rule I'd advise against accepting all unsolicited offers - porters at airports, rickshaw operators, cabs (those that employ touts are unlicenced), tea ceremonies, traditional medicines, and "student" art exhibitions to name the more common.
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Old Jun 3rd, 2008, 08:07 AM
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Sounds like you're already in good hands, but I'll add my 2 cents anyway...

1) A debit card is preferable to cash or travelers cheques. The main reason is the long lines at the banks for exchange, and the poor exchange rates offered at hotels. An ATM withdrawal is quick and easy, and they will be abundant in the cities where your daughter is traveling.

3) Air quality will most likely be worse than anything you daughter has ever experienced in both Xian and Beijing. Shanghai is noticeably better. Aside from wearing a respirator-style facemask (the cheap fabric ones do not filter out pollutants), there's really not much you can do. Though definitely see a doctor beforehand if she has any asthma symptoms. Personally, in 'normal' environments I do not need asthma medication, but I did have to take medication daily when I lived in Beijing. Also, if she does exercise (running, etc.) make sure it's done inside. Vigorous exercise outdoors in this kind of pollution is more damaging to your body than smoking!

4) China is a very safe country and you really needn't worry much about her physical safety (it's an easy thing to say, i know). Most crime with tourists is centered around scams, so a little common sense should prevent any mishap here. Have her be extra careful in the touristed areas (Forbidden City in Beijing, the Bund in Shanghai, etc) as people are in close quarters and frequently bumping into you. A stolen passport is all too common problem in these areas.

I'm sure you daughter will have memories of this trip for the rest of her life. So try to to worry too much!
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Old Jun 3rd, 2008, 12:15 PM
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I took one of those mini Charmin rolls of tp but found it much more awkward to use then the mini-packs of tissues that I had also brought. They also sell mini tissue packs everywhere for less then what I paid for them. I also took the mini bottles of hand sanitizer. Tissues in one pocket, hand sanitizer in the other and that's all you need! Make sure to check the hand sanitizer in the luggage - one of my bottles was confiscated before a flight.
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Old Jun 4th, 2008, 09:55 AM
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Thanks for the additional tips. NeilOz, I could see them getting duped into a "student art exhibit". Fortunately, in addition to the tour guide, there will be several China-born parents as chaperones who are fluent and can steer them away from dodgy operators.

Birdie - if your daughter can let us know anything she wished she had packed, or things she packed that she didn't really need, that would be very helpful. Thanks again.

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Old Jun 8th, 2008, 01:41 PM
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lvk - I asked DD what she wished she had brought. She said jeans and flip flops. LOL Her group was told that they had to be "business casual" so no jeans, no flip flops etc except that all the other groups did not comply so her group wondered why they had to.

She did end up using my ATM card to get more money so that did work.
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Old Jun 8th, 2008, 05:13 PM
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lvk,

We went to China last year so I hope this will help:

1. Currency - Couldn't get any store in Beijing to accept my older $$ bills - so do get your daughter the crispiest bills you can get from the bank. We got some RMB at an official currency exchange window in the airport, and had no problem exchanging our $$ (new bills) in our hotel.

2. Our hotel didn't provide free bottled water. We were able to find a small grocery store in the same block as our hotel and several bottles. We sure appreciated that when we were huffing and puffing on the Great Wall.

3. Air quality was baaaad. During our entire stay in Beijing, there was no sign of the clear blue sky except for the time when we were on the Great Wall.

4. Even in the crowded areas like the Forbidden City and the Great Wall, the crowd wasn't thick enough that you had to worry about anyone getting to close to your pocket or your purse. We chose not to leave our passports in the hotel safe, and opted to use the security waist wallet that you loop into your belt (it dangles inside your pants/skirt).

5. YES. Bring toilet paper. Except for two restaurants, all the others had the squat-type loo. It's not fun, after a day of going up and down the Wall. My legs and thighs were quivering and I was afraid I would just fall into the you-know-what. Bring individually packed hand wipes or a small bottle of sanitizer.

6. Jeans are too uncomfortable to wear in the summer over there - I suggest capris, linen pants or lightweight khakis. Maybe a pair of jeans, just in case.

7. All meals were included in our tour. We literally couldn't get more than a glass of water with our meals (they had huge liter-sized bottled water that they opened in front of us, but once they filled all our glasses, they took the opened bottles with them! When we asked for more water, they said NO! Finally, we got smart and started bringing our own bottled water to restaurants.

8. I was able to use my Treo PDA phone (ATT is my carrier) in China. Got to read email, send text messages, etc. Downside was a really huge phone bill when I got back.

9. I just wish that I brought a lot of crispy $1 bills. We didn't want to run out of yuan and thought of giving $$ for tips (chambermaid, restaurant servers, etc.). We were told that unless we gave them the newer bills, they were not going to be able to exchange the bills.

10. My best souvenirs were the silk evening purses (more like pouches with a drawstring cord), fresh-water pearls, jade bead bracelets and bangles, Olympic t-shirts, and the hand-engraved signature "chop" that came with its own red ink pad enclosed in a silk box. We got these for friends from different vendors all over town, but the best (and surprisingly cheapest) ones came from the vendor at the Great Wall (just before going up the first flight of steps).

Good luck!
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Old Jun 9th, 2008, 08:55 AM
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Thanks for the additional help. I can't imagine my California-girl daughter going anywhere without her flip-flops .

Sprint says that her phone will work in Beijing & Shanghai for $2.90/minute and $.20 per text. We'll keep conversations short and sweet.
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Old Jun 9th, 2008, 11:29 AM
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"thought of giving $$ for tips" - China is not a tipping country, although I gather that upmarket hotels that cater to Americans have moved in that direction. (See several past threads on this topic....) China is not a dollar economy - get yuan from ATM machines and use that.
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