Headline April 01, 2018/ ''' TRAVELLING -CHINA- TRAVERSELY '''

''' TRAVELLING

 -CHINA- TRAVERSELY '''

*WHILE PLANNING TRAVELS TO BEAUTIFUL CHINA - first, ensure that you have temporarily said  goodbye to -

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Google related services {including Gmail} and {many, many gasps!} The New York Times........

But here are, incontinuation, even more tips to help make sure your trip to the world's most populous  country is smooth sailing from start to finish.

VIRTUAL PRIVATE NETWORKS
The Chinese government does a fairly thorough job censoring websites and traffic from sources it deems potentially unsavory or damaging to the ruling Communist Party.

Say goodbye to  Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and any Google related services - including Gmail. So, what then?......

There are, however few holes, in the Great Firewall as it is called.

Virtual Private Networks, or VPNs, essentially function as tunnels under the aforementioned firewall, connecting to a private network in a country with more Internet freedom, like the United States or Japan.

{VPNs are a legal gray area in China}.

The unauthorised business or commercial use of VPNs in China is not legal, but tourists checking their email or Facebook are not likely to run into problems.}

While it's fairly easy way for you - and almost every young Chinese person I interacted with - to connect with the outside world. VPNs do have limitations.

They can slow traffic noticeably and aren't always reliable.

There are a number of well-reviewed VPNs with names like Golden Frog and NordVPN - I opted for one called Express VPN, which costs $12.95 per month and offers a discount if you purchase a yearly subscription.

I'd put my overall connection success rate between 85 percent and 90 percent. I also tried a free service called TunnelBear with slightly less consistent results.

TunnelBear is free up to up to 500 megabytes of data per month - after that, you'll have to pay.

To get an idea of how long that will last you, loading the Times homepage and clicking on an article consumed 6 megabytes.

One obvious and essential tip : Download and set-up your VPN before you leave for China. *Once you are there you'll be blocked from downloading any VPNs.

NAVIGATION
if you're like me, you've come to depend on Google Maps considerably during your travels. In China you will be wise to rid yourself of that notion.

Even with a VPN, Google Maps in China is filled with incomplete or sometimes just flat-out incorrect information. For example:

There are no fewer than six subway lines currently operating in Chengdu. According to Google Maps just two.

I recommend downloading the  app Tencent Maps for your trip. While it can be difficult to navigate for those who don't read Chinese, it's worth having for its accuracy.

Moreover, it will sometimes recognize English words you input {''airport'', and names of some businesses, for example}. It also does a great job plotting our directions.

Just drop a pin {like you would in Google maps} on a location in TencentMaps, and it will give you accurate public transportation, driving, or walking directions.

OTHER APPS
WeChat dominates the country and is used to keep in touch with friends, pay for meals in restaurants, get news and play games - it even serves as something of a dating app.

Download it if you're gonna to spend any significant amount of time in China, as you will need it to keep in touch with locals you meet along the way.

Just don't use the messaging feature to say anything you wouldn't want the Chinese government want to read - your privacy protection are just about nil, zero.

[WeChat disputes the extent to which it stores and shares information with the Chinese authorities.]

I've found Pieco to be a useful translation app - you can drop in English words, or paste in Chinese characters to receive their counterparts. And Dianping, the Chinese version of Yelp, is helpful for finding restaurants.

FINALLY. T.P.
You'll notice plenty of well-maintained public restrooms in China, but they are not always stocked with toilet paper. You would be wise to carry a small stash with you.

This applies to napkins in restaurants as well - at smaller, more casual places, diners are expected to have their own supply on hand.

With respectful dedication to Mrs. Hanif, the Honorary President of the World Students Society for the week - and Saima Hanif's revered mother and-

The Grandparents, Parents, Students, Professors and Teachers of China and then the entire world. See Ya all on !WOW! - the World Students Society and Twitter- !E-WOW! - the Ecosystem 2011:


''' World - Reimagining !WOW! '''

Good Night and God Bless

SAM Daily Times - the Voice of the Voiceless