Packing List for China
 

We leave next week for three weeks in China...on a tour, we are visiting Hong Kong, Shanghai, Xian, Guilin, Beijing and a Yangtze cruise on the East Queen.
For all of you who have done a similar trip...what are the must haves on the packing list?

Zip-lock bags of various sizes, pepto-bismol(although we didn't use it it made me feel better to carry it), any personal toiletries you will need, dried prunes or apricots if you intend not to eat fresh fruit.

I'd say to bring your own supply of toiletries if you are fussy for a particular brand as there is little choice even in the big cities. Western memdicine is hard to find also. Better bring a light wrap or sweater as well as the weather is starting to cool down. Sunblock, umbrella, would already be on your list, adaptor for any electrical items 240V Australian style plugs are the go here.

China is not fancy so don't feel you need to pack dress clothes--maybe one transitional thing if you goto nicer restaurants. Basically, you pack pretty much as you would in the US. Hotels are equipped as hotels here are. You might find some useful information and pictures on my website as you anticipate your trip. http://www.janeandken.com and then navigate to China. Hope it is useful.

Don't leave home with out a couple packs of kleenexes. Paper products are scarce in china and you'll need the tissue for the public toilets. Also for some reason my allergies kicked up big time in China becuase of the pollution so I had a runny nose for 10 days and I was glad to have the tissue.

I also second bringing a few food items from home. Energy bars or dried fruit or something. There will come a point when you don't want any more chinese food.

The other thing I'd suggest that I always forget to pack is make sure you have at least 1-2 pens with you to fill out all the forms and a calculator if you want to figure out what your actually paying for something.

I also wouldn't wear very light colors. Black pants are the color of choice as they don't show dirt as bad. And of course a pair of comfortable walking shoes.

As for other tips I always carry a coin purse or small coin bag becuase you end up with lots of change and its a pain to carry it in your pockets. I always have a small first aid kit with me in case I get blisters on my feet. I carry a travel size bottle of baby powder. It works for putting in smelly shoes and also if your legs get chapped. And make sure you have an extra bag with you (something that can fold up real small until you need it) you'll probably bring a lot of stuff back with you.

Very comfortable walking shoes!!!!

comfortable walking shoes, lotion and handcream (Beijing is particularly dry).

So far we've spent only two weeks in China and in only two cities (Beijing and Dalian), but we've yet to reach the point of being sick of Chinese food. Fresh fruit quality at street stalls is excellent and all you have to do is wash it with bottled water, or take a peeler with you.

As for paper products, so far I've found the "Kwik" chain convenience stores and Chinese supermarkets all well stocked with tissues, toilet paper etc. I second the medication advice though - we've both come down with colds and are fast running out of soluble aspirin. And cough syrup has proven to be a challenge outside of a pharmacy with an English speaker on Beijing's relatively foreigner-accessible Wangfujing Street.