three months in china: the good, the bad, and the weird
I just got back from spending three months zigzagging across China, and let me tell you, it was a wild ride. I’ve traveled to about 70 countries, but China was a whole different beast—sometimes amazing, sometimes baffling, and occasionally just plain exhausting. We started in Beijing, then hit up places like Xian, Chengdu, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Yunnan, and even the far west in Gansu and Qinghai.
First off, the good: China is ridiculously convenient once you figure out the apps. I didn’t use cash once, even in tiny villages. Everything from train tickets to street food is paid for on your phone. The hotels—even the cheap ones—were spotless and way nicer than I expected. And the food? I probably gained ten pounds, but it was worth it. Plus, I never once worried about safety, even late at night or in crowded places. People were friendly and curious, especially when they realized I was a foreigner.
But here’s where things get tricky. The language barrier is real. I lost count of how many times I stared at a menu with zero pictures, trying to guess what I was about to eat. And solo dining? Forget about sampling lots of dishes unless you want to waste food or break the bank. Also, every city started to feel the same after a while—same shiny skyscrapers, same shopping malls, same LED lights. It’s like someone copy-pasted one city over and over, just swapping out a few landmarks.
And don’t get me started on the crowds. Even in the off-season, I had to plan my days around avoiding the masses. Sometimes, I felt like I was in a theme park instead of a real place—so many tourist traps, photo ops, and fake old towns. It’s efficient, but sometimes it felt a little soulless. I kept wondering: is there any real, untouched China left, or has everything been polished up for Instagram?
One thing that surprised me was how easy it was to get refunds or change plans last minute. Missed a train? No problem, just rebook on your phone. But the flip side is that it all felt a bit too safe and predictable. I never worried about missing a bus or getting lost, but sometimes I missed that sense of adventure you get in other countries.
So, for anyone thinking about China, I’d say it’s absolutely worth it—but only if you’re ready for some contradictions. It’s clean, safe, and fascinating, but also crowded, commercialized, and sometimes a little too convenient for its own good. If you’ve been, did you find any spots that felt truly unique or off the beaten path? Or did you also get that déjà vu feeling from city to city?
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