Last summer as we were getting out of school, a colleague of mine, Diane, told me that she was planning a trip to China the next summer and that I should come along. At the time, it seemed overwhelming to go on such a trip. After all, the closest I had been out of the country was the Bahamas. But after about six months of traveling light (and a BIG trip to Greece), I figured it was time to take the big plunge. After all, I was taking this year off to do some traveling, might as well go big!
But planning a packing a trip to China is no small feat. Diane planned the trip through an educational company called EF or Education First Tours. They would take care of the big things like transportation, rooms, meals and tour guides. All we had to do was show up with our amenities and a visa.
The visa for entrance to China, if filled out correctly, only takes about 3 weeks to process once you have sent it off. I sent mine off right before I left for Hawaii and it showed up a week after I returned. But then there is packing. First of all, the tap water is unsafe to drink, so you must be careful not to open your mouth in the shower or rinse your tooth brush out with it, so bring extra toothbrushes in case you forget. You may also want to bring tissues because toilet paper is not always available. I also packed a load of wet wipes and hand sanitizer. We were going to visit a school and a family while we were there, so the tour guides suggested we bringing a little gift. I managed to get six days worth of clothes, 10 days worth of underwear plus all the extras in my carry-on suitcase and make it to the terminal in Charlotte by 7 am Tuesday, June 19th, ready for my next big adventure!
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