September 2009

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Living and Working in Rural China

September 25, 2009 in On the Road, WildChina Experts by Heather.Graham | 6 comments

Me in Changqing National Nature Reserve

Me in Changqing National Nature Reserve

Hi, my name is Heather. I’m a 28 year old Australian currently living and working in rural China – and this is my first official blog entry (ever!).

About a month ago now I had the privilege of meeting Mei Zhang, who was visiting my home during one of her, no doubt many, trips around China in search of new, beautiful and meaningful places to bring WildChina clients. After offering my help in any way I could, she suggested I start a blog through the WildChina website, to share my experiences. This was an offer too good to refuse – and somewhat timely after recently completing a group email to my friends and family the length of War and Peace!!

For the last six months I have called Huayang home. Huayang is a small Chinese country town located in the Qinling Mountains of Shaanxi Province, approximately 5 hours from Xi’an (where the famous Terracotta Warriors are found). It has a total population of approximately 6,800 people and comprises of 11 villages. Picture rice paddies, fresh air, pine and bamboo covered mountains, no westerners, and buying fresh fruit and vegetables directly from the farmers on the main street … all this, set to the soundtrack of children laughing and birds singing – this is my current home Huayang.

Read the rest of this entry »

Beijing Closures During Oct. Holiday

September 22, 2009 in Travel Tips by Anita | No comments

As Beijing continues to prepare for the 60th Anniversary of the People’s Republic of China on Oct. 1 and the weeklong National Holiday, we are receiving new updates on closures during this period:

  • The Forbidden City will be closed from Sept. 30 to Oct. 1.
  • On Oct. 1, from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm, the Beijing Capital Airport will cancel all domestic flights, and international flights will be postponed to 12:50 pm.
  • From now until Oct. 8, the Tibet Tourism Bureau in Beijing will stop issuing the Tibet travel permit, which is required to enter Tibet. WildChina is working with our local partner in Tibet to remain updated on this matter.

Need more information? Email us at info@wildchina.com.

Mini T-Rex Discovered in China, Named Raptorex

September 19, 2009 in In the News by Emma | No comments

Discovery of a mini T-Rex called the Raptorex was recently announced, after being discovered in a lake bed in Inner Mongolia years ago. Perhaps this mini dinosaur, 1/100th of the size of the T-Rex, should be nick-named the Wee-Rex?

Archaeologists and paleontologists have long been researching dinosaurs in China’s northern Gansu province, but this new discovery makes it seem likely that hoards of scientists will be flocking to Inner Mongolia to look for relatives of the Raptorex.

If you’re interested in learning more about searching for dinosaur fossils in China, send us an email at info@wildchina.com WildChina won’t guarantee that you’ll make  the next great paleontological discovery, but it will definitely be a ton of fun and an amazing experience.

Travel + Leisure’s A-List Features Mei Zhang and WildChina

September 18, 2009 in In the News, WildChina Experts by Emma | No comments

WildChina just found out that our founder Mei Zhang is  included on Travel+Leisure’s list of the 129 Top Travel Agents in the world – congratulations Mei!

While we’re anxiously holding our breath to see what it looks like in print, you can read Mei’s mention on the Travel + Leisure website now.

Want to see the rest of the list? Check it out online, or wait for the October issue to hit newsstands soon.

Where to go in China? If it’s your first and only trip?

September 17, 2009 in Travel Tips by Mei

I recommend a classic China itinerary:
Beijing -3 days, for imperial Chinese history
Xi’an – 1 days, for ancient Chinese history
Yunnan Province – 7 days, for colorful ethnic cultures and stunning scenery
Shangahai – 2 days. To experience the head-spinning modern China

Skip Hong Kong if you have limited time. You can always swing by on your next business trip.

Don’t do the Yangtze River Cruise unless it’s absolutely your thing. Too much time spent on board with hundreds of other western tourists, eating hotel food. Why come to China to do that?

Come back to my post to read about what to do if you have 3 days in Beijing and more

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SourcedFrom Sourced from: Mei’s China Travel Tips

More Beijing Site Closings This Week

September 16, 2009 in Travel Tips by Emma | No comments

Related to our recent post on Beijing road closings, there are quite a few changes with Beijing’s roads and sites leading up to the 60th Anniversary Parade for the People’s Republic of China. The full text of specific road closures can be found on the Beijing government site, but the most important thing for travelers is that the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square will be closed all day on Friday, September 18th.

Need suggestions for something else to do that day? Email us at info@wildchina.com

Where should you go in China if it’s your first and only trip?

September 15, 2009 in Travel Tips by Mei | No comments

I recommend a classic China itinerary:
Beijing -3 days, for imperial Chinese history
Xi’an – 1 days, for ancient Chinese history
Yunnan Province – 7 days, for colorful ethnic cultures and stunning scenery
Shanghai – 2 days, to experience the head-spinning modern China

Skip Hong Kong if you have limited time. You can always swing by on your next business trip.

Don’t do the Yangtze River Cruise unless it’s absolutely your thing. Too much time spent on board with hundreds of other western tourists, eating hotel food. Why come to China to do that?

Come back to my post to read about what to do if you have 3 days in Beijing and more.

Beijing Roads Closed for Parade Practice Saturday, September 12

September 11, 2009 in Travel Tips by Emma | No comments

The 60th Anniversary of the People’s Republic of China on the October 1st National Holiday is rapidly approaching. In preparation for the major parade that will accompany the celebration, a lot of roads near the city center (Tiananmen Square and Chang’an Jie) will be closed tomorrow.

From the Beijing Government website (Chinese), it seems that the whole area around Tiananmen Square will be closed, including the Forbidden City and Zhongshan Park. WildChina highly recommends avoiding the center of the city, as well as the area near Wukesong Stadium, as road closings will create heavy traffic (and none of the major sites will be open anyways).

Luckily, the weather tomorrow should be beautiful – perfect for a trip to the Great Wall or the 798 Art District!

WildChina in the Travel Green Guide

September 11, 2009 in In the News, Travel Tips by Emma | No comments

TIES, The International Ecotourism Society, just released their 2009 Travel Green Guide. Perfect for travelers looking for an environmentally friendly vacation in every corner of the world, this easy has-it-all  source will connect you to ecolodges in Africa, rafting operators in the Pacific Northwest, and companies like WildChina (pg 87).

You can download the whole guide for free here.

Engaged on the Great Wall!

September 10, 2009 in On the Road by Emma | No comments

One of the best things about working at WildChina is hearing the stories that our guests bring back from their trips.

A few weeks ago our clients Jay and Erica got engaged to be married while hiking on the Great Wall. Our guide Bruce was there to snap pictures as Jay got down on one knee and proposed, and the look on Erica’s face is priceless.

Engaged on the Great Wall

Congratulations! Engaged on the Great Wall

Congratulations and best wishes!

(Jay and Erica gave WildChina permission to post their pictures. We’re so glad we could share in their happy day.)

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