an exhiliarating, seamless three weeks in China with China Culture Tours
Although intrepid in travel, I always have a worry that the company I have researched on the internet will turn out to be dud and my money will be lost. This most certainly did not apply to China Culture Tours. I sent our wish list to the company and within 24 hours had a reply from Nora Zheng, with all the hotels we asked for (boutique Chinese style), the flights, itinerary, trains and price. She got the job. This got better ... we tweaked the itinerary slightly with Nora's help; she called me to establish a good connection, which was terrific. She spelled out how to get our visa, in fact everything we needed to know about a three week tour to China. We were not disappointed. Our tour, from Beijing (guide Jin), to Xian by train (Amy, who was resourceful when we were gridlocked by the marathon) to Guilin (where we met Nora as CC Tours are based there) and then with our wonderful guide Linda to Yangshao and the Li Valley; by plane to Shanghai then Hangshao (sweet Rachel) and finally to Suzhou, Venice of China, with Mrs Deng whose English was superb. Not once was there a hitch. The hotels were great, the 'extras' Nora found - making dumplings, cookery course, Tai Chi lesson, rickshaw rides, were so interesting, especially as we made the dumplings in a private home. Several meals were taken with families who are doing private enterprise, all excellent. The whole nearly three weeks we had three average meals and the rest were very good. The parks and streets were clean and manicured; the public loos (a revelation to me) were clean - though bring your own tissues for occasional need - and we are in awe of Chinese enterprise and scale. I couldn't be happier!