Surviving in China, a few tips for the would-be flaneur...

After a round-trip journey of several thousand miles, via Hong Kong and Beijing, I find myself back in the UK at a favourite watering hole from times past, Caffe Nero in Epping. The ambience is pleasant, the staff friendly and very helpful and the atmosphere convivial for a slightly tired flaneur. Some three years ago, I spent much time in this particular cafe both researching and writing a novel, a period that I have fond memories for. Oddly, many of the staff who were there back in those far off days still seem to be in place.

Now that I have left China, for the time being at least, I thought that I would offer a few of my own tips for anyone planning to visit that country. My list is of but ten items, as space permits, but I feel I could offer twenty more quite easily. There are many aspects, and many challenges, that the would-be traveller will come across unless he or she is of the type to go on the most organised of organised tours. So, with further ado, here is my list:

1. If you wish to purchase fruit or vegetables, look to buy them literally off the back of a lorry! Often, particularly near market places, you will see flat back vans selling just one or two fruits or vegetables. As likely as not, these can be farmers, or people working on farms, selling goods directly. Often their prices are far lower than the market place, although their scales are also not always that accurate. Still, all in all, usually one finds there are bargains to be had.
2. Keep a supply of small change, one yuan coins or notes, for the bus. Most city buses in China charge either one or two yuan for any length journey within the city. This translates to 10 or 20 pence (15 to 30 cents). As these journeys can go on for several miles, this can be an outstandlingly economic way of getting around.
   
3. Although there may be markings on the road that look very much like zebra crossings, in China these do not seem to mean a thing to the motorists. Beware, they will not stop! (It's only slightly better than 50/50 for a red light, so be cautious there too).
   
4. On a similar note, at night one must be aware that many Chinese drivers will not turn on their headlights or, indeed, any lights at all. I think this is to save their batteries. Obviously, it leads to certain dangers. This is often particularly the case with the riders of electric bikes and, as these bikes are near silent in their actions, it is easy to wander into the path of one.
   
5. Most taxis within cities are obliged to run on the meter. Make sure they do so as negotiating a fare (or, more accurately, an 'unfair' in this particular case) is often highly disadvantageous. Those of a nervous disposition should avoid taxis altogether though – they drive like complete maniacs (well, to be honest, everyone drives like a complete maniac in China, but the taxi drivers even more so).
   
6. Smile. The Chinese people are a pretty friendly bunch who value social interaction highly. Be relaxed and friendly, even if you cannot speak the language, and be assured of much pleasant, albeit confused, social intercourse.
   
7. Stay away from Chinese officialdom as much as you possibly can. They have rules, a lot of rules, far too many for the comprehension of this humble flaneur, and falling foul of any one of them can invalidate, or render impossible, whatever it was you were trying to do or obtain. Try to make sure that all your documentation is in order before you deal with such folk. I would advise, if at all possible, have little or no contact with these sticklers for detail.
   
8. Join in! One of the pleasanter aspects of Chinese life is to be found in the local town squares and the recreation parks. Often of an evening you will come across groups of people dancing en masse. In Shenzhen there must have been two to three hundred people to a group, at the very least. They really don't mind if you join in and will even find it a cause for much mirth, usually at your expense but in a very friendly and inclusive way. If you care to play table tennis or some other such sport, again as a foreigner you will be the object of some interest and be made to feel very welcome to play. Beware of table tennis in particular though, they are very good at it ...
   
9. Keep some tissues on you at all time. This particular tip reminds me of 'The Hitch-hikers Guide to the Galaxy' where the first piece of advice given was to always carry a towel. Chinese loos are nothing like as bad as their reputation, many guides are quite out of date as far as this particularly aspect is concerned. Indeed, I have to say that in my various trips to China I have been pleasantly surprised. You will often find, however, that if there was originally a roll of loo paper it would have been purloined long before you got there! Kinda embarrassing to get caught short in such a way. Also, many of the restaurants charge extra for paper napkins, so having your own supply will save you a few yuan each time you sit down for a meal.
   
10. One needs to know that, for the most part, there is no Google, no Facebook and often even articles on the BBC are blocked. The Great Firewall of China is all-embracing, omnipresent and very powerful, and also very, very annoying! A blogger, such as myself, has to find inventive ways around the restrictions if he wishes to continue to publish. Thankfully, I have able and helpful friends who have assisted me in this endeavour. Also, perhaps because of the sheer amount of checking that goes on with the internet in China, it is much, much slower than we are used to in the West. One wonders as to the damage this must do to Chinese commerce but, hey ho, that is Chinese politics for you.
    

For an extra tip, I would urge people to be careful when using the roads in any situation, whether you are a pedestrian, a driver or even being driven. Before I came to China I checked which side of the road they drive on. The answer given online was the right side but, this being China, that only seems to be a general rule to be ignored whenever convenient. Even to ask 'which side of the road...' is a bit misleading in itself as it makes the presumption that the vehicles will drive on the road. At times, for instance when there is some kind of blockage in the road or they would have to wait in a queue, then the pavement is blithely used without a care of any sort for the people walking there. You may believe yourself to be having a pleasant stroll on a Sunday afternoon, as befits a flaneur, only to have your ruminations rudely ruptured by the random recklessness of a driver who not only feels he has the right to the pavement as well as the road but will even be very demonstrative about exercising that right. The Chinese Highway Code need only consist of a single page and three words, 'Might is Right'.

I hope these tips will help keep any budding traveller to the People's Republic of China safe and assist in the enjoyment of this fascinating but frustrating country. There is nowhere else quite like it that I have ever come across in my travels, both from the positive and negative points of view. It is perhaps, the most capitalist country that I have ever been too, both on the micro and macro levels. It is nominally communist but only nominally. There are some aspect of state capitalism, as opposed to the strictly privately owned variety, but little evidence of any communism whatsoever.

If anyone intends visiting China, my recommendation would be to get away from the East Coast and large cities such as Shanghai, Beijing or Shenzhen and head inland several hundred, or even thousands, of miles. The aforementioned are all completely over-developed and highly polluted. On the other hands, there is much that is beautiful further to the West. My own recommendation would be Yangshuo, but China is a huge country with many beautiful areas and fascinating sub-cultures to choose from. Over time, the governments desire to cover everything in concrete will erode away the character of even these areas, so I would recommend going relatively soon before everything that was Chinese is turned into an ersatz West by the powers that be.