Korean Job Discussion Forums

[sojourner1]

This is strikingly strange to me that China charge Americans more (nearly double) for a tourist visa. I thought China would at least treat Americans equal to most others, if not favoring them on account of America buying tons of there export products allowing them to achieve great economic wealth and new global super power status. When I found this out to be a fact on the visa thing along with reports of Americans being overcharged for taxi, hotel, and other things, it discourages me from going to see the Great Wall of China or Beijing.

What do you make of it?

[waynehead]

I dunno why but I got burned on it last year when I went to china for a week. It probably has something to do with reciprocity for american fees for visiting chinese, similar to the immigration rules differences for americans coming to korea.

[pdxsteve]

[crazy_arcade]

Oh, I see. The U.S.A. is "allowing" them to become economically developed. Interesting perspective.

Reciprocity my friend, reciprocity.

[crazy_arcade]

Ouch...Sojourner is pretty extreme.
Tours are boring!

I'll be travelling in China for close to a month this summer. Keep your head straight and steer clear of obvious scams...going for tea/arthouse is the most common scam across developing Asia. In Indonesia they've been known to drug the tea.

Wake up early and see the sights before the tourist hoards (as another poster said). I plan to wake up between 5 and 6 almost everyday so that I can get ahead of the mob. See the sights in the early morning and linger and relax in the afternoon/evening.

Demand that taxis use the meter and check that it's not a fake taxi. Check a guidebook or www.thorntree.lonelyplanet.com for help with things like room/food prices.

Bargain hard but keep a smile. Don't be rude while bargaining. General rule is start at 10% of their initial offer. If they play tough...smile and walk away. Don't let them try to grab you, hold you, or drag you back.

Smile...people who smile are less likely to get ripped off.

[sojourner1]

Sounds like good advice Crazy_Arcade. I am under allot of stress here so I am thinking a bit on the extreme side of caution. I know I could handle taking a slow boat to Beijing and tour around while avoiding the obvious scams we already talked about as I have successfully traveled in many countries solo.

I agree that a tour would be boring since they would eat up allot of your vacation time with unnecessary shopping trips, but tours can offer safety and maybe faciltate for disabled/elderly people to go. I took one those weekend package tours in Europe and it was too shopping oriented with mostly military wives on it when I wanted adventure and exploration of historic sites and museums. I quickly caught on that tour companies make money by taking their tourists to certain shops and factories specializing in things like ceramics.

[dogshed]

Remember when George Carlin asked:
Why does a dog lick his b.a.l.l.s. ?

Because he can.