I was lucky enough to be invited on the Travelsphere Fam Trip to China, here is a day-to-day diary of what I experienced.
Day 1-Shanghai
After arriving at Shanghai and a quick freshen up at the hotel we started our tour exploring the Chinese Yuan Gardens from the Ming Dynasty and the old town followed by a Tea Ceremony sampling the various types of Teas.
Shanghai is full of amazing architecture including the famous ‘Bund’ which is a waterfront area and a symbol of Shanghai’s development and prosperity, we took a short walk along ‘The Bund’ viewing the amazing skyscrapers including Shanghai Tower (the third tallest building in the world).
We finished off the day at the Jade Buddha founded in 1882, two Jade Buddha’s were imported to Shanghai from Myanmar. Our stay was at the 5* Jing Jiang Tower Hotel, a very tall structure on the Huaihai Road.
Highlight-The Tea Ceremony
Tip-Learn to use chopsticks before you arrive, meals are banquet style Chinese food on a Lazy Susan
Day 2 Shanghai
The day started with a visit to the observation area of Shanghai Tower, we were very lucky with the weather as the views were very clear. We then headed to the ancient water town of Zhujiajiao which was so different to the bustle of Shanghai, we were taken on a short boat ride along the river and spent a few hours in the town experiencing the local shops and a lovely lunch by the waterside. Mindy was our local guide, and it was great to hear her stories of her life in China. In the evening, we headed back to ‘The Bund’ to experience the bright lights of Shanghai by night.
Highlight- Shanghai at night
Tip- In China they are mainly squat toilets, you need strong legs and take your own tissues/toilet roll!
Day 3-Xian
An early start we took a flight to Xian the biggest city in Northeast China and the home of the Terracotta Warriors. On arrival we enjoyed a delicious lunch of Xian cuisine, quite different to what is served in Shanghai. After lunch we headed to visit the Terracotta Army which is known as the 8th wonder of the world, over 8000 warriors were found, some completed and many still in the ‘hospital’ or being excavated, the warriors have been carefully put back together as they were originally made. They were found in 1974 by a farmer digging a well, the emperor is believed to be buried around a quarter of a mile away from the site. In the evening, we attended a dumpling dinner with Tang Dynasty show, afterwards they dressed us in their costumes (spot me in the middle front row!). On the way home we visited Xian by night which was amazing with lanterns lining the streets.
Hotel Grand Noble Xian.
Highlight-The Terracotta Warriors
Tip- Avoid the summer months as it is very hot and busy with Chinese visitors
Day 4 Xian/Beijing
A rainy start in Xian we visited the Wild Goose Pagoda from the Ming Dynasty, it housed the Buddhist scriptures, Jenny was our guide in Xian and again had a wealth of knowledge as it was her home city. We then headed to the 12km city walls which provided defence against the Mongolians, they host a marathon along the walls of the city every year. After lunch we boarded the high-speed bullet train to Beijing reaching speeds of 307kms per hour, it was a very comfortable trip with reclining seats and a bar, the trip took just over 4 hours, a great way to travel. Hotel Swissotel Beijing Macau.
Highlight-Bullet Train
Tip-Take a raincoat as you can get caught out with showers
Day 5 Beijing
Alan was our guide in Beijing, the day started visiting the Temple of Heaven built in the 1420’s by the emperor to worship god of the heavens. At little surprise beforehand a Tai Chi class in the gardens which was very enjoyable, a very slow-paced exercise. We then headed to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, there was a very long queue to get into the secure part of the city, at the entrance to the Forbidden City with its 9999 rooms, there is a large portrait of chairman Mao, this is repainted every year. Afterwards we had a late lunch in Hutong where we enjoyed cooked food by a local family followed by a special calligraphy lesson from Roc, Roc was with us for the whole trip and is the General Manager of the local Agent in China used by Travelsphere. In the evening, we were treated to an international meal at the Blue Frog restaurant which is on an outside balcony overlooking the buildings of Beijing.
Highlight- Tiananmen Square/Forbidden City
Tip- Security is very high, you can’t even take in a pen
Day 6-Beijing
Our final day and I think they kept the best until last, a 90-minute drive took us to the Great Wall, and you can see why it’s one of the Seven Wonders of the World; it exceeded all expectations. We took a cable car up to the wall and then after a surprise glass of Prosecco taking in the views arranged by our guides, we walked along passing six watchtowers before tobogganing down 3km, it was great fun! At the bottom, the heavens opened so a quick dash to the coach via the small shops along the way. After a quick dry off on the coach we headed for the new Summer Palace with its beautiful architecture, gardens, and an impressive lake. Later we experienced a Peking Duck dinner before our flight home, we watched the chef carve the duck into 108 pieces which is their tradition.
An advantage of travelling with Travelsphere is the reassurance of having a Tour Manager travel with you right from the UK departure airport.
A fantastic experience with memories to last forever.
Zoe Moss-Director of Operations-Burbage
