About the country
| China (Chinese) | 中国 |
| Capital | Beijing |
| Currency | Renminbi (Yuan) |
China is a polarizing destination, you are never only a tourist. Firstly, you need to apply for a (comparatively expensive) visa even with a German passport. Secondly, you need to consider that apart from the world cities in the east, like Shanghai and Beijing, the English level of the population is comparatively low. So if you consider traveling off the beaten path, you need to communicate rather with your hands than your voice if you don’t speak any Chinese (dialect).
As soon as you enter China, you are in their system, your actions will be saved on videos from countless surveillance cameras all across the streets and places. There are no hidden spots. You might also consider that you might have to download specific “Chinese software” on your phone or laptop. Some websites or apps are blocked, so you won’t be able to send pictures through WhatsApp or similar. So it’s your own responsibility to take care of your own data, luckily there are some options to both secure your data and still be accessible and use the websites and apps you were used to. A VPN is very useful to have set up before entering China!
I had to carefully think about whether I want to support the way of Chinese politics by traveling to China, or if I don’t go there. However, I decided that without any touch to Chinese people I might not be able to make any conclusions. Violations of human rights are not tolerable at all, no matter what. Reflecting upon my trip to China, I had great experiences with people and a weird one with Chinese “regulations”. For any more specific experiences of my travels in China, please read through my related blog articles.
-
The Trans-Mongolian Railway – Part 1: from Beijing to Ulaanbaatar
Describing my experience traveling by train from Beijing to Ulaanbaatar, showing the scenery of Inner Mongolia, the Gobi, and Central Mongolia from the train.
-
Fulfilling a dream: taking the Trans-Mongolian Railway
Crossing Mongolia by train is a one-of-a-lifetime experience. The trains are on low speed, providing enough time to inhale the vast emptiness of this country.