been there a few times...people aere really nice and the food is really great...I like the tea houses and the messages that you can get there...

He might have meant massages.

But perhaps someone was whispering suggestions in his ear.

Trains are generally very good and clean. You can see the country side but from a window, you need to get off and walk around to really experience it with the smells and sounds as well.

Buy first class tickets.

I didn't want to stink up the other Shanghai thread.

Rick, I see that Nanjing is only about 120 miles from Shanghai. I was hoping to take the train much further into the country. More like 1,000 miles. Any recommendations?

Xi'an? It's a great destination but I don't know the train routes.

Ian

Yes the terricota warriors is a must see. The natural history museum is pretty good too. They have a section with warriors there

Go to Chongqing. It's a flight. Or go to Chengdu and then take a bus from there to CQ. CQ is the largest city in the world, but is considered a state now. It has steeper hills than San Fran and you'll see not a single bicycle there. Very cool place and a world capital for great spicy food, as is Chengdu. Chengdu has the big Panda Bear zoo too. If you want to see countryside, it doesn't necessarily have to be far inland. You can go to places near Shanghai where you'll feel like you went back in time 500 yrs. And you will have a hard time getting around there, since not a soul will speak English.

Also, Guilin is a very cool trip. Everyone takes the four hour boat ride down to Yangsou and then a bus back to Guilin. You want to get a local to go with you and book the trip on a Chinese boat that's not for foreigners. Way more authentic that way.

http://www.fototime.com/2403776B5FDF557/standard.jpg

Last time I was in Guilin, the in-laws dug up a tour in the nearby countryside that was a village that had just been discovered when the gov't. put a road nearby in 2001. They had allegedly never been touched by modernity and the endless terraced hillsides looked way to real to have been put there with machines just to build a tourist attraction.

http://www.fototime.com/EBE4AA107457194/standard.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/0FE5C427521BD91/standard.jpg

The women don't cut or wash their hair until they marry. Seemed a little hokey and fake, but some of it seemed pretty real and it was very different.

http://www.fototime.com/45B32E5819C0BB3/standard.jpg

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/YHFE6WZK71s" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Guilin & a Li River cruise is certainly on our list & the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park looks amazing as well. It all depends on how much time you have & how fast you want to move. Xi'an would be 4 days minimum (including travel days), Guilin would be 3-4 etc.

Ian

yangshuo and rent a bike to see the countryside. http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1393905186.jpg

Thanks, everyone. This gives me lots more information to chew on. I would love to rent a motorcycle in China, however, there is an issue where China does not recognize external drivers licenses, so I have been told its a bad idea.

Don't even think of renting a bike there. You would die. You will understand within the first hour there. Nothing is more dangerous than being on China's roads and you will see accidents every day.

Under no circumstance would I ever drive a car or ride a bike in China.

Here you go: Driving in China

Under dangers: "Chinese rules are very different from what most travellers are used to. To Western eyes, appallingly bad driving is the norm, and insane or suicidal behaviour behind the wheel is fairly common.

Do not assume that Chinese drivers will follow any rule you know."

Ian

5 cars wide on 3 lane roads with 1000 bicycles and rickshaws jammed between the cars and city buses loaded with 150 people merging into everything. Thats what it was like everywhere I went in Beijing. It was unbelievable. The ex-pats I was working with all had drivers on call 24/7 and were never allowed to drive anywhere. If you are a Westerner and you get into an accident Law Enforcement will determine you were at fault. Talk to your health insurance company and ask them how your coverage works if you get hurt in an accident over there. Not worth it.

Motion, look up that epic thread on ADVrider.com, entitled China or Bust. That guy saw fatal accidents and finally gave up when he got too badly injured in one of multiple wrecks to continue. And he was a serious ADV rider, even bought a bike with Chinese plates to get around all the BS with foreigners driving in China.

Why not just stay home and watch tv?

Did you drive there? tell us what its like.