Beijing: A NO-GO for Impromptu Trips, "Kamikaze" Tours & Tight Budgets.
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All the reservations you have to make beforehand, then all the intense walking once you're there... The attractions are huge, and there's so much you want to see. Sigh.
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I planned my trip pretty thoroughly. For example, I booked the National Museum a week in advance and bought tickets ahead of time for all the places I wanted to see. For the Great Wall, bus 877 gets you there in about 45 minutes; they seem to leave every 5 minutes, once full. A real shock was the lack of elevators in many Beijing subway stations. I was dead tired lugging my 20-inch suitcase on the last day. Why so few elevators? It was truly unexpected. I ended up rushing through most attractions because Beijing is just so huge.
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I knew beforehand that Beijing is very dry, so I brought face cream and lotion, and made sure to drink water every night before bed. I didn't experience any discomfort during those days. I wore a down jacket but found Beijing wasn't as cold as Guangdong – Guangdong's cold really made me not want to move! I even unzipped my jacket while climbing the Great Wall and was sweating.
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Oh gosh, now I'm hesitant to go, even though my hotel and tickets are all booked! All that's left is making advance reservations. Reading your sincere account, I feel like I'm already experiencing the exhaustion before even setting off. But I'd regret it if I didn't go see it for myself.
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It's definitely worth going! We went in mid-January and had a great time. Using Gaode (Amap) for taxis is super convenient. I found the prices in Beijing to be reasonable, people were friendly, and the indoor heating was comfortable. If you're worried about dryness, just bring a saline nasal spray. You can also ask the hotel for a humidifier. I'm planning to go again in the autumn!
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With the winter school break plus the Spring Festival travel rush, it's hardly the off-season. Plus, hailing a cab has been tough lately, largely because many non-local drivers have gone home for the holidays.
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So, when exactly is the off-season then?
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My boyfriend is a military veteran, and even he almost couldn't handle my 'special ops' style itinerary. He nearly broke!
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Hahahaha, I'm curious to see this 'devilish' itinerary now!
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Seriously, as a Southerner, I've been coughing constantly ever since I got back for Chinese New Year. I wonder if it's because of the dryness.
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I think that's exactly it. My throat was painfully dry every night when I was in Beijing.