So you want to travel to China?

Get ready for the adventure of a lifetime!

Traveling to China is an adventure -- one you'll be talking about for years to come.
I know! I've been there twice. And each time was a monumental adventure.

I was lucky. My son, Kris, moved to China in 2001. He planned to stay at a martial arts temple in Dali, China. And he did stay there for awhile. But his China travels led him to become an entrepreneur and open a restaurant called Salvador's Coffee House with a few friends/business partners. 

We just finished a wonderful meal at Salvador's in Dali, the original Salvador's. This was taken in May 2004. I'm smack-dab in the middle; my son, Kris, is on the far left giving the peace sign. His friend and business partner, Colin, is on the far right in back. The girls in back are Salvador's employees, and the others are tourists and friends.

I  say I was lucky because when I visited China, I had my own personal tour guide who spoke English flawlessly, as well as fluent Chinese.

Haggling for goods in the marketplace or getting the best deal on a cab ride or tour package was all taken care of by my enterprising son.

If you don't have a friend or family member to take you by the hand when you travel to China, you'll probably need to do more planning for the trip than I. You'll want to fill out an application for China travel visa, as well as apply for your passport. Do this with plenty of time to spare so that you're not anxious as the trip date approaches.

You might want to check out cheap china travel or discount travel in China. You might want to plan a china travel tour with a group of people. Although this isn't as "up close and personal" as having your own personal tour guide, it's the most practical approach for many people.

Among your plans for travel to China, if you plan to bring anything electronic, you'll need an adapter for china travel. I brought my little hair dryer and used my adapter quite a bit.

China train travel and China air travel are two modes of transportation you'll want to learn more about. China rail travel is relatively inexpensive and it's a wonderful way to see the countryside. But you'll want to be aware of the food choices on the train. They don't generally have Western choices of food, or snack machines. This takes some getting used to and planning for.

The sites you'll see when you travel to China are breathtaking! You might want to travel the Great Wall of China. What an amazing adventure that is! Your China travel package might include the Terra Cotta Warriors in Xian or Leaping Tiger Gorge in Lijiang. Your China travel agent can help you make some informed choices when you begin planning.

In my travel to China, we went from one end of the country to the other, just about. It was exhausting and exhilarating all at once.

My personal China travel guide was superb! While I brag on him and reminisce about my travel to China, I'll pass along some good tips for your China travel plans.