I think your China series is the first time I felt your authenticity (not saying that you've never been but from my perspective, I never felt more connected to what you're expressing and what you're showing). It felt like you both have matured. Thanks for sharing a wonderful series !
I would suggest everybody not to travel to China during their 3 long holidays (which last about a weeks) Like Chinese New Year, their National Day in 1st October and their Labour Day in 1st week of May. You may face huge crowd in every tourist area.
@@tanmike2095 Even the words "huge crowd" cannot really explain the situation. I was in Xishuangbanna during Chinese new year. Sometime I was stuck in the middle of the streets with thousands of people... Let alone the cars. Taxi had to drop me off 1.5km away from my hotel because it would've taken him hours to get out if it had got any closer.
My sister and I are seniors and watch you every week from Vancouver/Sunshine Coast area. Words cannot express how much we enjoy your content!! More than that, we can't get over what lovely human beings you are!!!! If only the world had more Flora and Notes...💙
Hi, guys. I will be going to Shanghai as a solo female traveler in November and was a little hesitant due to the language barrier and not knowing how to get around, but after watching your vlogs, it gave me the inspirations and overcome my fear. I will be following your itinerary when I go there. Thank you so much! You two are the best couples!
Hey Flora & Note. Loved your China series! Sorry you had issues at altitude. For future reference: AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness) prevention: - Take 120mg gingko biloba per day 60mg morning & evening) 3 days prior and throughout time at elevation above 2500 meters - Drink a minimum of 2 liters (preferably 3) per day 1 day prior and throughout time at elevation above 2500 meters. If possible, add electrolyte powder. - Take 1 325mg aspirin before bedtime (if you can tolerate NSAIDs) - Refrain from or limit drinking alcohol above 3000 meters. The above is a tried and tested method used by many climbers that don’t have ample time to acclimatize for expeditions. I and my partners have used this method for 40+ years with great success.
I'm a SG Senior who love travelling, so far w pkge tours but wud like to explore self guided tours soon. Juz so you know, Flo & Note, you guys have charm, an inherent magnetism, & Flo's voice is so melodious, which makes it easier for anyone to listen to, at length, w/o feeling any burden. You guys r doing well, keep it up.
I really appreciate you two sharing all your experience of your trip in China. Your experience is so valuable and useful for anyone who is going to or planning to explore China like you two did. Your vlogs have been one of my favorite vlogs among others. They are so informative, sentimental and fun to watch. I know it must be a time consuming effort to do editing and compile the videos for each episode on top of your exhaust from your daily busy travel schedules. Looking forward to watch more of your vlogs of your next adventure.
tibet is even more extreme. you actually need to be part of a group or a local guide to travel outside the city in tibet for safety reasons. if you off alone in a more remote area and get severe altitude sickness, it's very dangerous. lhasa is like twice the altitude compared to tiger leaping gorge which isn't even at the 7000 ft altitude sickness normally kicks in.
One of the RU-vidrs 'Little people everywhere' did all by scooter. About 100 km a day. A she is Chinese by birth, coming back from studying abroad. I think that is the way to go, slowly. I love following you two, such a foodies.
My wife is Chinese and grew up in Harbin, I really enjoyed that city. We have taken four trips mostly along the east. You gave us insight into the rest of China for our next trip
Thank you for this live and all the good information you shared. I agree, China is a beautiful country and the people are so helpful and friendly. You are both so encouraging and adventurous. I was in China in April to see friends in QUzhou. I carry warm memories of China and her people. I look forward to see where you go next.
You definitely should do a tour to China. I know me and my wife will be all four. I look forward to that adventure. China does seem intimidating, but in a group it would seem more relaxing and give you an opportunity to explore and understand travel patterns
Congratulations on becoming a seasoned Chinese traveler. Since you are experienced, you can try a different style of China. I recommend going to the northwest. Start from Xi'an to Lanzhou to Dunhuang, and then go to Xinjiang. Take the famous Silk Road. There are high-speed railways throughout the transportation.
Starting watching you guys when we were planning our trip to Samui. Now my wife and I are becoming a huge fan of you guys since the China episode. Keep pumping
Normally we would do two things before traveling to high altitude places: 1.gradually raise the altitude, which means using a week traveling from lower to higher altitude places. 2.using medication. there are quite a few medicines to prevent the sickness.
Travel for leisure and adventure is always an option, a choice. It is great to see that travel in China is still an option that can be considered despite the change in mood. I traveled extensively almost every year for 5 years prior to 2018. I was amazed by the somewhat chaotic but vibrant life in megacities but also the diversity of nature and landscapes. Not to mention the great friendly people and awesome food. Thank you for giving me an insight into China post-COVID.
A new follower here from Cagayan de Oro, Philippines. I love your couple team, you are so raw and honest. I have to backtrack your videos in the Philippines. Hope you come down to our island in Mindanao. I followed your China trips. I have to see the rest of the videos. God bless❤️❤️❤️ Your China trip is a revelation, love to see those places. This Q and A video is educational. You both speak good and clear English which is a plus factor for your trips and understandable to your audience👏👏👏
I was given a 10 year visa in 2019 and my passport was set to expire in 2023 so it really depends. The visa length they give you doesn’t necessarily depend on the date of passport expiration. 8:10
Hey guys we really enjoyed your China series makes us want to go back. I think however it makes a big difference that Flora speaks enough Mandarin to smooth out the day-to-day stuff. We are currently vacationing in Germany I speak enough German to eliminate any confusion about ordering food, what things cost, and day-to-day stuff. Note, you can do a few testosterone injections to increase your red blood cell count before you go high-altitude hiking. Flora, you need to spend a week at high altitude for the process of acclimatization (which involves various physiological adaptations) to increase oxygen delivery to tissues, including changes in red blood cell production. Or you can do testosterone injections with Note and grow a mustache; I'm just joking, a fun series guys. Thanks for sharing.
As for the train to Tibet, I know someone who has done it before and said this is the best way to go if you worry about altitude sickness. The train moves up the altitude gradually so it wouldn’t hit you the same way as people who flew there.
Your China series brought back a lot of memories. I backpacked throughout China in the 90s and studied at a university in Chengdu in the early 2000s. No smart phones, no payment apps, just cash, and a Lonely Planet. I don't think I would enjoy traveling there in todays digital world. I would recommend Tibet if you get a chance. Everest base camp and Western Tibet is very wild and beautiful. It's probably difficult to get there at the moment (only tour groups), but do it if you can. Yunnan and Sichuan were my favorite provinces and Guilin my favorite scenery. China is a very beautiful country and so much to see.
Some parts of China have more oily food like Sichuan food, but generally there are Chinese dishes you can order dishes which have very little oil like soupy noodles, steamed or boiled stuff like wanton/dumplings. You can also tell them to cook with less oil . Also take more hot Chinese tea as it helps aid digestion of oily foods.
thank you for sharing your China experience with us and this is the series I first got to know you and am thankful for the amazing videos posted. Please continue good job and wish you both safe and happy together
Im watching you from Vancouver. Good job. I'm going to the silk road from Urumqi to Tibet this September. Longing to see more Chinese trip from you two.
Guys if you want to go to tibet be sure to quick gym at least 2 weeks before going there otherwise probably you'll feel more sick due to lack of oxygen so the altitude sickness would be worst, because your body needs more oxygen if you workout regularly
In fact, the police responsible for security in China are very rare. They only appear in transportation hubs such as major train stations and airports. Travelers happen to frequently go in and out of these places, so there is an impression that there are many police in China. In fact, there are more traffic police and security guards who are dressed like police.
Sweet 100% recovered . Couldn't wait to join y'all for a new journey trip. Take us with you guys. yeah , set up a fans tour . I am believe there will be a lot people love it. let's backpacking!! we follow your lead..
I’m from Malaysia and I just started to watch your video and has subscribe your channel too. Love to see the wonderful China. Ive been to China but only the main cities. Its really nice to visit the rural areas. If you love nature, I recommend you to visit Sarawak in Malaysia . Hope you are recovering well from your Shangri-La trip. Take care
You can charter a car or drive yourself along the Gansu-Qinghai loop (which takes about twelve days), or you can charter a car to Xinjiang, but Xinjiang is really big. You can also go to the western Sichuan route near Sichuan and Tibet, but there will also be altitude sickness.
@@wolfyeong6924 You cannot apply for a temporary driver's license in China with a tourist visa, and China has not joined the IDP, so you cannot rent a car in China. The places I mentioned above are all large, and you need to drive for five or six hours every day. It will be very tiring if you drive yourself and travel, so I still recommend that you find a good chartered driver and communicate the daily tour route.
I am a subscriber who has (I do not believe) ever commented on any of the videos that I have watched. However, I felt the need to come on here and say thank you for this Q&A. Many of the various different aspects of this video have been extremely helpful and useful. It also was extremely fun to watch both of you again. I will say, though one of the most incredible moments of information for myself (as I cannot speak for anyone else) is about those who have stomach problems. I am someone who understands your pain well Note, and this was something that was like heh heh thank you so much. My stomach, who is named Patricia because she seems like a Patricia at this point, does not do well at all with food (familiar foods, unfamiliar foods 😂. And no I am not complaining I am just stating how it is with Patricia- she does not seem like she can be happy most of the time. We rarely get along). So thank you for this suggestion speaking from experience. You both have been wonderful with the transparency you all reveal in this overall and just love yall both!
Thanks Flora and Note! I'm possibly going to China in October for the first time. If the trip happens, I will be going with my Thai travel buddy who studied in Yunnan for two years and speaks fluent Mandarin. But she and I don't spend 100% of the time together so this is really helpful for times I will be trying to get by with English and beginner Mandarin!!
if you go to sichuan, Leshan is a go-to ,the food is just amazing,not spicy at all compared to other sichuan dishes.... the city is small and chill really enjoyed it
The Nanjin pedestrian street is the main walking lane towards to the bund, It's so crowed that stampede accident happened before, many died. Thats why the police will ask you to keep moving not gathering.
Flora we were in Shangri-la a few years ago too. I know the feeling of the altitude sickness. I think you had it worse than I did cause I still got to see a lot, but altitude sickness is so hard to describe to ppl who can’t imagine what it feels like. Felt so much better getting closer to sea level
It sounds like Flora experienced very severe altitude sickness, which can be very dangerous. Most people don't have that bad of a plateau reaction, and in some cases it can be fatal. I heard that you spent 3 days in Shangri-La trying to recover or acclimatise to the altitude there, which is probably wrong. In case of severe altitude sickness it is recommended to return to sea level in the first instance.
I went back to China in 2018 and got a SIM card but didn't keep it when I got back Canada. Last year when I visited again I got another SIM card, then I figured I don't want to keep getting new SIM cards every time I visit - it really takes effort and time - so when I left China I contacted them and changed it to the cheapest plan which is just 8 CNY or around 1 USD per month and I get to keep the number.
Didi does have the option to switch language (only Mandarin and English). But in English the service menu is trimmed to just ride hailing, without ride sharing. Didi bike, public transport, train tickets etc are all gone.
Been following you two and the 2 passports team for many years.. always excellent content. Question - what is your Chinese channel and on which platform to recommend to friends in Guangzhou. Thanks for entertaining me through Covid.. 🌏 Leo from NYC
Great video and love your whole series. It has helped me with a lot of questions that I have. 🙏 We will be traveling to China in November and am looking at the visa application. Did you have to provide all the hotel reservations for your full month trip?
Stay healthy, happy and worryfree. Travel for many man years again. I watch your videos with great interest. My wife (Thai) and I will be living in Thailand forever around Oktober 2024
47:17 In fact, the amout of police in China is not very large, but there are more police in popular places with large crowds, the main purpose of which is to prevent accidents, such as stampedes. You mentioned that there are SWAT police at Shanghai Bund. You may not know that on December 31, 2014, there was a stampede there, in which 36 people died ，the government severely punished 11 officals.
At the time, more than 300,000 people were celebrating the New Year in the square, and there were only 80 police officers. A man accidentally fell, leading to disaster. That's why the police got nervous when they saw people getting together just to film a cat.
Except Yunnan, other places are just sightseeing. Traveling in a hurry is just sightseeing. I usually spend enough time to see the old people in ordinary streets, vegetable markets and parks and experience the real local life.
@@FloraandNote Most definitely!! I am so happy to see that @2Passports 1Dream joined you. The four of you are amazing and I am so happy you all are living your dreams and taking us with!
China is too big a country to cover within months. The right way of travelling in China is to minimize your movement for each trip. Plan your trip moving around within 1 or 2 provinces for a 30 days journey. That will save you on travelling cost and cover relatively comprehensive key attractions in each province.
Hi Flora and Note! I've been following you guys for a while now. Just love the adventures that you guys have. Love it. Got a question for Flora. You link your Wise card to WeChat Pay. Do you pre-convert your money to Chinese Yuan or you let Wise convert them at the time of payment.
London has no fewer cameras than Shanghai, yet its public security is much worse compared to Shanghai, despite the fact that Shanghai has the lowest number of police officers per capita among all metacities across the global. People in China live a peaceful life with few complains because their country is developing on the track and the CCP cares about the people's needs.
You should try visit Okinawa Japan, I think it's across ocean 🌊🌊 from China, I think..it's warm in China be safe .someone on u tube, went to DMV station in China too,❤❤your videos 😍😍🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
Thank you for the live stream! I was wondering what VPN you guys use. And is AliPay enough or will I need Wechat as well? My WeChat account is locked unfortunately due to inactivity.
You'd better try to unlock your Wechat or register a new Wechat account. Only Alipay is sufficient for payment but not sufficient for registering the tickets of the museums/galleries/parks.
Delhi, Seoul, Singapore, Hyderabad, New York, Moscow, London, Chennai, Mumbai, and Dhaka are the top 10 most surveilled cities outside of China (based on the number of cameras per square mile)
This guy looks like a Chinese star "Zhu Yawen" .If it's on Chinese social media such as "Douyin," I think it would be 10 times more followers than RU-vid, 1.5 million or even more!
If I register AliPay at home with my US phone number and later on go to China and have a SIM card with a local number, will AliPay still work? If yes, how?
Police or military presence never bother me. When I went to Naples, Italy, police with fully automatic machine guns were everywhere! No big deal really, I feel safer
About language barrier, would it be possible to ask if they have an English menu? Like when I was in Tokyo, I can't speak Japanese and I would ask for an English menu, and most of the time, the staff will be able to produce an English menu card and I'll order from there...just wondering if this works in China
Police are generslly unarmed. Ususlly very helpful and friendly. Also consideer that chinese police have 4 year policing degree from university, so they understand and know the laws.
Our hotel did provide the oxygen machine in the room with a disposable tube for me to use. It was a great place and the owner and her family took really good care of me. It's called Lanyun Inn: www.trip.com/t/0KyD45wZ7U1
I applied from the U.S. and got the 10 year visa even though my passport expires in 4 yrs. I think if you apply from outside your home country you don’t get the full 10 yrs. Correct me if I’m wrong.
