TOPBUZZ

As a Tour Operator I receive many inquiries about how much it cost to tour China.  Many think it is very inexpensive because IT IS CHINA with their low costs of labor etc.  That was true just 10 years ago but things have changed.  There is Old China in the rural areas and there is New China in the cities.  Costs can vary a great deal.  My Chinese friend who lived near Boston for one year while going to school, returned to China this year and could not believe the difference in prices of food and many other things.  She said prices in China for many food items were much higher.  Many other costs in the U.S. were less for many items including hotels.   I travel to China myself often and find the same things.  A cup of Chinese coffee at the airport in Chengdu was 20% higher than Starbucks  which was just 50 feet away as an example.  If you see a very inexpensive tour to China on the internet, there is a reason why which ...

I have travelled China for 26 years and everywhere I go I see friendly faces like these in the photos.  The people of China are very open and friendly always welcoming me wherever I go.  In the countryside you will often be invited for tea if you just show up at their doorstep.  Even when they do not want their pictures taken, they give a broad smile and shake their heads.  Getting into the culture is very easy no matter where you go.  In restaurants no one hurries you to eat and leave.  You must ask for a check as it is impolite to give a check to a guest without them asking even when they are very busy.  When travelling with a guide, they will often just shout out to the home  (no door bells in the countryside) and say,  "There is a foreigner here who would like to visit you if you are not busy".  Even when they are busy, they stop to invite you in and serve tea while they continue to work.  Exchanging questions asking about ...