There is no doubt that China has a culture much different than that of the United States.  Intense mental preparation is required and we were ill prepared to handle some of it.  The lack of personal space, Disney World-esque lines (at all times and everywhere), rude local tourists, guttural hacking and loogie spitting by both … More China: Know Before You Go

After the ease of…well everything in Hong Kong we assumed Beijing would be the same.  This turned out to be a rookie mistake.  At the airport there were no city maps, hotel reservation desks or wifi availability.  We had not booked a room ahead but had an idea of the area of town we wanted … More We’re in China! Now What?