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An Overnight Sleeper Train
An essential China experience, at least one overnight train trip will give a good idea as to how China ticks and the train network is actually very good and getting better all the time. Longer train journeys also offer a window into ordinary rural China.
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Evening Entertainment
In the larger cities a wide range of entertainment is available from cultural shows including Acrobats, Opera and Martial Arts to the staggering array of restaurants many of which are a great way to observe how Chinese people spend their free time.
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Ancient Traditions
As China hurtles into the future there is a compensating revival and reverence for ancient traditions and beliefs. Residential streets and parks are alive with people pursuing cultural activities from kite flying and Tai Chi to games of Chinese chess.
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Delicious Food
For many one of the big pluses of time in China is the sheer variety of food available. There seems to be a national obsession with food and this has led to fantastic cuisine whatever your tastes. A Chinese back at home will never be quite the same!
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Breathtaking Scenery
Much of China is urban development sprawl or bland farmland but there are pockets of astounding scenery even in the densely populated East of China. Head further West to Yunnan, Sichuan, Tibet and Xinjiang for a more remote and wilder Asia.
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Friendly People
Ordinary Chinese are very friendly and hospitable people who will often go out of their way to help a lost looking foreigner. Much of China has significant ethnic minority populations who are proud of their own culture and traditions.
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New China Buzz
The glow of rapid economic development shines bright in China’s large cities. Aside from the pretty lights the real experience comes from the sheer feeling of dynamism and energy that this booming country gives off to the visitor.
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High Adventure
China offers some fantastic chances for adventure with the Western provinces in particular offer remote wild scenery and trekking opportunities to little visited areas. Tibet and Xinjiang are probably the most adventurous provinces.
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Tranquil Temples
Many temples have been surrounded by the buzz and noise of the fast expanding cities but once inside their courtyards it is possible to be transported to a world of tranquility and calm that predates the modern world outside.
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