In 2025 we had our silver wedding anniversary and didn’t want to go on a big trip, but now in 2026 China was on the list. But how do you travel to China? From our point of view only guided possible, you can’t read anything, no plan where to buy tickets, you need one almost everywhere. So we researched where we could best book it. In the end we came across Windhorse Travel, a Chinese travel agency. We didn’t regret it, from the preparation and selection of the route, to the booking to the organization of the driver who was not there at the time, everything worked perfectly. Jenny looked after us very well, the communication via WeChat was easy. We didn’t have to worry about anything, just be there at the agreed time and everything was done for us. If you usually do it yourself, it’s a bit unusual.
Due to the events in the Middle East, we had to rebook the journey and had now traveled via Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. So we were able to get used to the time change.
What does it take for China, a sim from China, we bought it at the airport for 30 days. A sim from Holafly that does roaming via Spain, so you don’t need a VPN. Except for Google and Whatsapp, almost everything was accessible anyway. The apps WeChat and Alipay are essential for survival, we needed cash almost only for tips. The translation app then takes care of the rest, which works quite well. We didn’t notice much about the control of the inhabitants, only our guide in Beijing was checked once and asked why he has a VPN client on his mobile.
Everything in China is bigger, higher, louder and above all there are an incredible number of people. You have to deal with that first, there is no queuing, you just push until you are in front. This applies to the streets as well as to everything else. But they are all friendly and helpful, with a few chunks of Chinese and hands and feet you somehow always get to your destination. And since we had a group tour with only two participants, the guide was always able to help. Except for two places, we always had more or less German-speaking guides.
Everything is well organized and geared towards large crowds, luckily we weren’t in high season, but we got an impression of what it can be like with the Terracotta army. Without Mia, who led us through the back entrances and against the current, we would never have made it.
In the 29 days we were able to experience so much, new impressions, new cultures and behaviors. Physically, it was also demanding with almost 5000 meters above sea level, the countless stairs up and down, was always a challenge. We are a bit proud that everything worked out so well and that we persevered.
The food was consistently good to very good. In Szechwan it was really really spicy, we couldn’t eat it either, although we like spicy. And you don’t have to eat everything, such as chicken feet, you can find them almost everywhere. In Beijing it tasted almost the best. We didn’t notice the legend of sweet & sour chicken, which is a European invention, is available in almost every restaurant but much too sweet. In general, there is sugar in many dishes, which is not quite our case.
China really has a lot to offer, they are technologically far ahead, economically everyone has been complaining a little throughout, because everything is getting expensive, just like here. Covid has left behind great economic damage, there are many unemployed. In the big metropolises you don’t notice it, but in the countryside you do.
It is a clean country, there is a lot of cleaning. Whether on the streets, or in the tourist places, on the train there is always someone running around with a broom. The roads were very good throughout, with a few exceptions in rural areas.
Traveling by train is almost like flying, but cleverly organized, There is a security check at the entrance similar to the airport, just not quite as precise. They took away a hair foam from Sylvia because it was more than 100 ml. Then there is a waiting hall and the trains are called, the ticket is linked to your ID, that’s the way it is everywhere, we have never had to show our passport so much. Then we go to the platform and there are the car numbers on the floor, there are almost only reserved seats. The high-speed trains travel at up to 350 km/h.
Hong Kong concludes, the guided tour with Polly and the night at the Penisula Hotel will certainly be remembered.
It is very difficult to make a selection, there are so many great memories that we take with us. People will remain in our memories, the incredible landscapes, the megacities, the food in Beijing. We could start enumerating again, but we have already done that in detail.