Getting to China

You've taken that big step, and you are going to China. Or you are still kicking the idea around and need some more information. Either way, you are about to embark on a substantial trip. What should you be aware of?

U.S. Passports
A passport is a document that verifies your citizenship and your identity and permits you to travel abroad. You can request information for obtaining a passport by calling a local government office or for Americans, the State Department. Make copies of your passport and leave them at home with relatives. Try to memorize or write down your passport number in a separate place. Keep your passport with you at all times, you may need it to enter an embassy or consulate or as identification if you receive a wire from your home country. Don't lose it! It is a pain to get another passport, especially if you are abroad. You can't enter or leave any country without one.

Visas for U.S. Citizens
Along with a passport, you will need a visa to enter the country. Contact a Chinese embassy or consulate or visit their website. Visas are not free; the fees vary depending on what country you are from. As of April, 2009, visas for Americans cost $130 and take four days to process. Call a visa service if you live near a Chinese consulate. You may have to drop it off and return for it later, but many times you can have it expedited, for an extra fee. There are different kinds of visas, depending on what you will be doing in China. For example, there are business visas, tourist visas, student visas and resident visas. Visas don't last forever. You must use the visa within a certain amount of time.

Flying is by far one the most popular and convenient ways to get to China. Assuming you have made the proper preparations, you are ready right? Not necessarily. For you first-time travelers there may have been conditions of which you have not thought about. For example, there are three ways to fly, economy, business and first class. Obviously, the difference is in expense and comfort. But you may want to think about how much you want to part with.

Economy.
Economy is the most common way to go to China. Budget rates are a great way for you to go without giving up your child's college tuition. Economy class gives you meals, movies, pillows and blankets. Although not as badly accommodating as a Pilgrim voyage on the Mayflower, it certainly is uncomfortable. Wedged in as tightly as possible, you sacrifice space for the sake of profit. Lord help you if you are obese, or sit next to someone who is obese, because it is a long and miserable trip (with or without the extra pounds). Even sitting in a compact car affords you more room. You can barely recline, lest you look up the nose of the person behind you. Flying economy that long is ok once a year, or even every 3 months. If you are going to be flying more frequently to China, you may want to consider moving up.

Business.
Ah, business class. Much more expensive than economy class, it may be worth it. You sit in big, comfy chairs, sipping wine while dipping your shrimp in sauce. You get all the perks of economy, only better. You have your own DVD player at your seat, so you can watch whatever you want, whenever you want. You can recline, though not a full 90 degrees, so that you can sleep in comfort. There are less passengers per steward/stewardess, so you get personalized attention.

First Class.
Without question, it is the most expensive, albeit, the most comfortable. You can convert your seating space into a bed or visit with others in quiet and private. This section is designed to be sleek, fashionable and modern. The meals are topnotch, served for your specific taste whenever you like.

Which one is for you? Well, it all depends on how much you can afford, or want to spend. In any case, the trip is always worth it, because you have a whole new universe waiting for you on the other end!

International Ferries to China
If you are living or visiting South Korea or Japan, you can choose to visit China by ferry. Ferries are a great way to travel cheaply to China. Make sure you bring something to help you if you get sea sick, sometimes those seas get rough. Visa requirements are the same, so make sure your Chinese visa is ready to go. Please visit this travel Japan site to see all the sea routes to China.

Train and Bus to China
If you live or work in Russia, you can take the famous Trans-Siberian Railroad. You will start in Moscow, with stops that include Mongolian cities and reach Beijing in about a week. It is a great way to see a large expanse of northern Asia. There is also a bus service that leaves the northeastern Russian port of Vladivostok.