Top Ten Travel Destinations

The Top Ten Travel Destinations         

          The United Nations World Tourism Organization released its list of the top ten international travel destinations for 2009, based on the number of international tourist arrivals:

                   France     74.2 million

                   United States     54.9 million

                   Spain     52.2 million

                   China     50.9 million

                   Italy     43.2 million

                   United Kingdom     28.0 million

                   Turkey     25.5 million

                   Germany     24.2 million

                   Malaysia     23.6 million

                   Mexico     21.5 million

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The Terracotta Warriors of Xian

The Terracotta Warriors of Xian

          I boarded one of the buses going to the site of the Terracotta Warriors early in the morning.  On the short ride out into the countryside, I immediately met two young globetrotters, Grace from England and Tor from Norway, and we spent a pleasant day together exploring the sights (and we’re now all friends on Facebook!).  The Army of Terracotta Warriors is one of the must-see sights in China and undoubtedly one of the most impressive things that I have seen in my travels throughout the world.  This army of soldiers was built two thousand years ago (210 BC) to guard the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China (shi huang means first emperor).

An Incredible Archeological Find

          Considered one of the greatest archeological finds in the world, it was discovered by accident in 1974 by peasants drilling a well.  There are thought to be about 8,000 warriors in the three pits opened to the public and it is believed that more will be discovered in the future.  Pit 3 is the largest and contains 6,000 soldiers, each individually sculpted and, incredibly, the features of each face are unique.  In addition to soldiers, there are also horses and chariots, each beautifully detailed.  After visiting the site of the Tomb of Qin Shi Huang we caught the next bus heading back to town.  It was a fantastic day and could not have been easier for an independent traveler to do on his own.

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Xian, The Muslim Quarter

Xian, China

          After an overnight train ride, I arrived in Xian on the morning of May 29.  A large, diverse metropolis surrounded by ancient walls, Xian turned out to be one of my favorite cities in China.  The main hub of Xian seems to be the train station plaza, from which the rest of the city fans out.  Just a few blocks from the station I found a nice hotel within minutes of getting off the train and, although it was still early in the morning, they let me check in right away.  For the equivalent of about $86 a night (the most I spent for lodging on this trip), which included a fantastic buffet breakfast, I stayed two nights at the Long Hai Hotel.  As is my usual habit, I spent the first few hours getting cleaned up and relaxing a bit while I studied the map of the city and oriented myself.  Before setting out to explore I like to take care of business, so I reserved my train ticket for the next leg of my trip to Chongqing and then looked into how I would get to the Terracotta Warriors the next day.  With a little bit of investigation, I learned that I didn’t have to take one of the tour buses offered by the many hawkers at the train station plaza.  Instead, for about a dollar, I could simply take a regular bus, #306, which goes frequently to and from the site of the Terracotta Warriors throughout the day, and then I could be on my own schedule.

The Muslim Quarter in Xian

          Chores completed, I headed out into the city and soon found that one of the most interesting parts of Xian is the Muslim Quarter.  Its narrow streets are bustling with activity and one could easily get lost wandering amongst the many small shops and food vendors that crowd the area.  The Muslim Quarter is home to the Hui Chinese Muslims, dating back to the 7th century.  The men wear the traditional white skull caps and women wear scarves.  I ended up making the trip back to this alluring area on each of the three days I was in Xian, each time braving the wide, traffic filled boulevards that I would have to cross to get there.

Busy Streets

          The streets in Xian, like in most of the major cities of China, are filled with cars, buses, motorbikes, three-wheeled taxis and pedestrians.  Somehow they all seem to coexist as they zip in and around one another, all very politely and seemingly with some order in the chaos.  Perhaps it is the constant sound of horns that keeps everyone aware.  After a few days in China I began to think there must be a law that requires each driver to honk his horn at least once every 30 seconds, whether they need to or not.  I recall an amusing scene when I was walking along a wide street, completely deserted except for a single motorbike at the far other end of the street coming my way.  The driver honked his horn continuously all the way down the street even though there wasn’t another vehicle in sight.  As he passed I noticed he had a package on the floor by his feet that stuck out  the side a bit and I guess he figured it gave him an excuse to honk his horn even through there was no one to hear him…except me.

Note:  Xian is pronounced ‘shee-ahn’

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The Great Wall of China

Beijing and Environs

Exploring Beijing

          My Dad served in the China-Burma-India Theater during World War II and had visited Beijing many years before me.  I had seen his black and white photos of the Temple of Heaven and the Forbidden City and it was quite a thrill to finally get to see them myself.  During the three days I had in Beijing I walked all over the central part of the city where most of the important sites are located, near Tiananmen Square.  Of course, I had to see the Mao Memorial Hall, just out of curiosity, and stood in the fast moving line with mostly older locals and other tourists.  I was surprised at how up close and personal the encounter was and can report that after 34 years he is looking rather pale.  One could spend days exploring the Forbidden City, which is a labyrinth of gardens, halls and ancient buildings.  During the 500 years it was home to the Ming and Qing Dynasty Emperors, it was off limits to outsiders, hence its name.

          On my second day in Beijing I took a tour which I booked through the hostel to the Ming Tombs and the Great Wall at Badaling (40 miles outside of Beijing).  Begun over 2000 years ago, the wall spans nearly 3700 miles.  The section at Badaling is the most famous and the one most tourists visit.  I walked and climbed the wall for several hours along with crowds of other tourists, often in a slight rain, but it was definitely one of the highlights of my trip.

          On my last day in Beijing I took the metro to the Summer Palace on the outskirts of the city.  By that time I was getting pretty good at using public transportation.  Again, one could spend days walking through the Summer Palace grounds, perched above Kunming Lake.  It is replete with gardens, temples and pavilions and was a refreshing respite from the hustle-bustle of the city.  On the way back I stopped at the Beijing Zoo and must admit I was somewhat disappointed in the Panda Exhibit, which only had a few pandas which could be seen sleeping off in the distance.  That night I boarded the train for the trip to Xian to see the Terra Cotta Warriors.  My ticket for a nice sleeper seat cost about $35.00, for a ride the equivalent of going from California to Texas!

Travel Tip:

          While in China take time to get to know the people.  Everywhere I went in Beijing and throughout China people came up to me wanting to talk and ask where I was from and what I had seen and liked about their country.  Beijing, in particular, has many students who are curious about the United States and many who just want to practice their English.  I thoroughly enjoyed meeting these friendly people.  I could not count the number of times throughout my trip to China that locals asked me if they could have their picture taken with me, almost making one feel like a celebrity!

The Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China
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John’s Packing List

John’s Packing List…Too Much Information? 

Clothing:

-light jacket

-hiking shoes, 1 pair, mid ankle

-flip-flop sandals, 1 pair, light weight

-jeans, 2 pair

-long pants, 1 pair optional

-shorts, 1 pair, double as swim trunks

-shirts, short sleeve, 2

-shirt, long sleeve, 1 for dress up

-light sweater, to wear with jacket in cold weather

-underwear, 10 pairs each of shirts and shorts

-socks, 5 pair

Toiletries:

-toiletry bag, with compartments

-shampoo

-mouth wash

-lotion, separate hand and face

-toothpaste, small travel size, 1.3 oz

-toothbrush and small cover

-dental floss

-tweezer, blunt

-scissors, small blunt

-nail clipper

-fingernail file, soft

-mirror, small

-chapstick

-brush, small

-comb

-soap, one bar per week and soap case

-ear plugs, optional

-eye covers, optional

-medications (see health and safety)

-bandaids

Misc:

-laundry bag

-towel, light for use in hostel

-umbrella, collapsible

-travel alarm clock and extra battery

-watch and extra battery

-shaver and charger

-camera, memory cards and charger

-electrical converter/plug adaptors

-small case for chargers

-calculator, pocket

-small flashlight

-water bottle

-wallet

-money belt, optional

-padlock, 1 large for locker, two keys

-padlock, 1 small for backpack, two keys

-padlock, 1 small, TSA approved, in case luggage

     checked on plane

-ballpoint pen

-spiral notebook, small for travel log and receipts

Books:

-Let’s Go Series or

-Lonely Planet Series

Supplies:

-laundry detergent

-coffee, instant

-snacks

-toilet paper

-cups, plastic, 3

-extra Ziplock bags

Paperwork:

-billfold to hold the following:

-plane ticket

-Eurail ticket if applicable

-passport, visa

-travel insurance papers and info

-copies of the above

-index card with credit card, debit card into

-index card with currency exchange rates

Note:  This list includes the clothes I’m wearing.

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