Rygsækrejsen 2015-2016: Reflections on China

Today was a long drive to Liujiaxia. There wasn't really anything on the way to look at and with many kilometres ahead of us it was more a question of just driving. When we were close to the city we did have to circle around a bit and drive back a couple of kilometres. Our truck was too high to go under the bridges. Third road we found was passable for us.

With a long day of driving there's plenty of time to reflect on the last couple of weeks in China.

Happy smiling people
We have travelled in more remote areas of China than most people do and in areas with very few western tourists. So far we have met incredible nice, happy and smiling Chinese people. They stare at us and at the truck, it looks like they don't really know what to think. But most waves and hellos from us are returned with big smiles and waves. They're very eager to take pictures of us and with us all accompanied with big smiles, giggles or laughs. When we walk on the street they either stare at us or try to hide they're staring at us but as soon as we wave or say hello they break into one big smile. I have never heard so many elder people giggling when you say hello or return their hellos.

If we didn't know there's control and restrictions in the country it would be very difficult to tell from just being here and observing the everyday life. We see happy and smiling people, people walking and running around in the parks, children going on roller skates, families playing badminton in the streets, people doing Tai chi and dancing in the parks.

Building everything everywhere

Yes building everything everywhere. New roads, houses, bridges you name it. What we built of new things in Denmark is just a drop in the ocean compared to what is being built here. No town is too small to get a new bridge or freeway.

Concept of a villages, towns and cities

Our Chinese guide Yan comes from Beijing and is of course used to a huge city with millions of people so her concept of villages, towns and cities is a bit different from ours. When she says we'll be staying in a village we see this idyllic little place for us for when in fact it turns out to be a city (for us) with 2 million people.

Clean cities and Chinese behaviour

We have stayed in some very nice cities which have been incredible clean and green with trees, parks and lakes and the behaviour of the Chinese is very Western. Before going to China we heard a lot of stories about people going to the toilet in the middle of the streets and that they would be spitting everywhere. This might be true in other parts of China but this is far from what we have seen until now. There are public toilets everywhere, some cleaner than others, and spitting is a very rare sight both in the streets and in restaurants. Burping during and after the meals isn't something we really notice. It does seems like they have changed/want to change the Chinese behaviour because everywhere we do see signs with "no spitting", "no littering" etc.

Beijing vs. local time
About the time zones it's creating a bit confusion once in a while because the local people are on local time and we (plus official places) are on Beijing time. So when we would like breakfast at 8 in the hotels they don't think it's a great idea because it's 6 am for them.About the time zones it is creating a bit confusion once in a while because the local people are on local time and we (plus official places) are on Beijing time. So when we would like breakfast at 8 in the hotels they don't think it's a great idea because it's 6 am for them.