Minorities and landscapes of China tour: Guiyang – Langde – Kaili – Sandu – Jiabang – Rongjiang – Zhaoxing – Danian – Chengyang – Ping’an – Xingping – Yangshuo – Guilin – Hangzhou – Tunxi – Jiuhuashan – Huangshan – Hongcun – Hangzhou
Hello,
Sorry, my previous email (which was really very brief) was sent by mistake. Here’s the rest.
No serious problems. Just very cloudy weather that somewhat spoiled the Yellow Mountains for us. They would actually be worth two nights for people like us, because we’re no longer running around like rabbits and the area is vast. The guide (April) speaks good English and is friendly.
About the accommodation:
The accommodation in Sandu, declared in the program as “3* comfort hotel (standard comfort or homestay…)”, turned into an unfriendly “homestay” (the hostess) with an abominably creaking door, toilets at the very end of the floor below without light (I had a good log on the way back). The night in a hotel in Rongjiang, urgently requested by our guide the next day, was fortunately restorative.
On the other hand, the accommodation in Danian is much more comfortable than you advertise (private bathroom in particular, and attentive “aunties” who are cooks).
One Chinese problem you might want to bring to your customers’ attention is the difficulty of internet connections. Most self-service computers are running Windows XP, which is hampered by Chinese filters. It’s impossible to check an email on Yahoo (it works for Orange), and navigation is generally very difficult. With modern Windows, it works, but you have to find it…
For information: Suzhou, very touristy, is however difficult for individuals; no Tourist Information, maps in English difficult to find, outdated and incorrect, metro map in Chinese (if you can find it), rare and often false signage… Fortunately, the inhabitants are kind and have iPhone translators.
Regarding the teams that accompanied us:
With the tandem Arthur and NoHua from Guizhou the ice was broken immediately and we had the impression of traveling with friends, with whom we learned a lot.
In Danian, young Amy has some progress to make in English, but she’s adorable, very involved, and knows the area perfectly. And with the English-Chinese translator on her smartphone, we’re getting by.
Eva is a consummate professional with a good command of French. I owe her a debt of gratitude: when my Visa card was swallowed by an ATM in Yangshuo due to a system error, she provided me with efficient assistance and got it back in less than an hour. The driver, the discreet Mr. Wu, was also perfect.
In the Yellow Mountains, April was very considerate of us senior hikers, and everything went very well, even the intervention of the extra “official” guide at Yuhua Shan, which we might have feared would complicate communication a little. We are grateful to her, as well as to the driver, for accompanying us to the airport well outside of their working hours.
In short, overall satisfaction and a big thank you to everyone.