China Daily Global Edition (USA)
Xi’an trip yields helpful tips for traveling
ADragon Boat Festival-Ramadan weekend trip proved Xi’an isn’t just the capital of Shaanxi province but, arguably, of China’s domestic tourism — oh, those bursts of colors from sidewalk flower beds, great night life (including the World Cup on giant screens at key squares), tasty flavors (gosh, you can savor even terrific Indian cuisine at the Silk Street), colorful illuminations.
Although my mind’s full of the Terracotta Warriors, the Bell Tower, the Drum Tower, the Islamic Quarter, the City Wall and the Tang Paradise, I’d like to focus on some China travel tips here instead:
Check, confirm: The travel website said flight will depart from Terminal 1. Companion trawled online and said, “T2, not T1”. Airline helpdesk confirmed, “T2, yes, not T1”. But, at T2, no sign of “HU7137” on the massive signboard! Sprinted to T1, after all. Tip: get authentic flight info before you start.
Language: Sometimes, English accompanies Chinese in signage. Sometimes, it doesn’t. Tip: learn key Chinese phrases by heart; compliment locals so they’d feel encouraged to continue to guide you with their smattering of English; use voice, text and image-scan features of translation apps.
Smile: In interactions with people, body language and a warm tone of voice convey respect more than requests suffixed with an insincere, cold, mechanical “please”. Chinese people tend to be extremely cordial and helpful once they sense they have the power (of information or knowledge) that could improve your situation. Tip: smile from the heart a lot, and see magic unfold.
Indulge: Don’t be mingy, morose, aloof. Find a woman beautiful? Just compliment her. Seek her partner’s nod for a picture with her. Believe me, you’ll get that gorgeous picture 98 times out of 100. If a lovely, smiling restaurant waitress invites you in for a tasty meal, go right in, savor, enjoy — you won’t be disappointed, even if the bill is bigger than expected. Tip: to increase your happiness quotient, be proactive, responsive.
Use tech: Tap those apps. Tip: use local transport apps to pay for city bus and subway rides; use mobile payment apps to buy entrance tickets, ice cream and fruit; harness ride-hailing apps for local taxis; tap away on real-time traffic and map apps. Buy an extra 4G data package, to play it safe.
Stay sensitive: Trips can get hectic. Tip: be alert to spots that ooze positive energy and a sense of timelessness. Spend some time at such spots. At the Tang Paradise, I got the opportunity to feed some reindeer at a zoo-ish enclosure and waterfowl like mandarin ducks, white swans, black swans, cygnets, ducklings and big, fat, hungry, wildly energetic fish in a moat-like pond. Moments turned to seconds; seconds turned to blissful long minutes. But time stood still. Unforgettable.
Travel light: After an advance call to hotel, I kept towels, toothbrush, sundries, off my bag. What a difference luggage lighter by a kilogram or two can make! Tip: carry less.
Pack smart: I packed in some talc. Summer — boy, Xi’an was hot — tends to chafe post-shave skin untreated with talc.
Stay optimistic: On my first bus ride, I found the female driver gruff and rude. The reflex was to presume Xi’an may be hostile to visitors. Tip: stay positive.