Headline March 31, 2018/ ''' *CHINA'S* TRAVELLING CHIPSET '''

''' *CHINA'S* TRAVELLING CHIPSET '''

*CHINA IS ONE OF THE WORLD'S* most exciting and rewarding places to visit, but it can be intimidating even to experienced travelers, who -

Might struggle with communication and lack of familiarity with rules and customs.

Here are some practical tips to help you make sure your trip to the world's most populous country is smooth sailing from start to finish.

VISAS AND PASSPORTS
Passport and visa expiration dates rarely line up exactly, creating situations in which a passport might expire while a visa is still valid.

I found myself in this exact situation before my last trip - would I have to go through the whole costly and time-consuming application process again?

No - you are allowed to travel on a valid visa that's in an expired passport as long as personal details like name and date of birth match up exactly {bring both new and expired passports}.

CASHLESSNESS
You'll notice blue and green QR codes at nearly every business in China, from the glitziest boutique to the most humble dumpling shop.

WeChat Pay and Alipay are gradually turning the Chinese economy cashless: Simply enter the amount you want to pay, scan the business's QR code, and boom, you have paid directly from your bank account.

It's something of a revolution - one that you, as a tourist will not be part of.

Cashless payments in China require a Chinese bank card, which you can't get unless you're a citizen or resident. Don't count on businesses accepting your foreign credit card, either - you'll frequently find yourself out of luck.

So load up on cash when you can - fortunately I've never had trouble finding A.T.M. in Chinese cities. Or you can exchange for some at your local bank before you go.

RIDE SHARING, WITH A HICCUP.
While you probably won't be participating in the cashless revolution, you will be able to use  Didi Chuxing, the Chinese version of Uber {the company, in fact, purchased Uber's operations in China in 2016, forcing Uber out}.

I found Uber to be inexpensive and as reliable as Uber is in the United States, with one caveat : paying by credit card.

Didi wouldn't accept my Chase card, but did accept one from my credit union.

Then. unfortunately, my credit union repeatedly flagged the charges as suspicious, leading to several long phone conversations with the fraud department.

While not foolproof, you can set a  travel notification on the card you plan to use before you leave.

You can also enroll in text notifications for fraudulent activity, which allow you to verify the veracity of charges right away.

PHONE HACKS
Speaking of phone conversations, I found the best way to cheaply make calls was through the  Wechat app. A $9.99 credit [which comes $2.50 bonus], purchased within the app, lasts a long time.

Calls to the United States are only a penny per minute, and the sound quality is decent. Texting on WeChat is easy, and I was also able to use iMessage without issue. *WhatsApp is blocked in China*.

STAYING SAFE
While you should always remain alert, China s remarkable safe for foreigners. In total I've spent over a year in China, and have never felt in danger or threatened while walking around, no matter the hour.

Chinese traffic, however, can be horrendous, and navigating streets as a pedestrian is always an adventure.

Buckle up when in a vehicle, and be extremely careful when crossing the street : Cars do not necessarily yield to pedestrians, and motorcycles and scooters do not seem to yield anything - not even red lights.

GETTING ONLINE
While you won't be able to buy a SIM card for your phone that includes a Chinese phone number, data plans with 4G speed are available for foreigners.

Check at the airport {i bought one in a convenience store}, or at the hostel or hotel where you're  staying, and be ready to show your passport,

Wi-Fi everywhere in China, from the pricey malls of Shanghai to modest mom and pop restaurants in the smaller cities.

The bad news is that you won't be able gain access some of the time, as it frequently requires you to enter a local phone number to receive Wi-Fi access code.

There are ways to circumvent this. Having a WeChat account will grant access to certain Wi-Fi networks. I also use a Google Voice number to receive Internet access codes, which work part of the time.

But wait - isn't  Google blocked in China? That brings us to..............

The Honor and Serving of the latest Operational Research  on Life, and Travelling continues. And the World Students Society thanks author and researcher Lucas Peterson.

With respectful dedication to the Leaders, Grandparents, Parents, Students, Professors and Teachers of China, and then the world. See Ya all on !WOW! - the World Students Society and Twitter - !E-WOW! - the Ecosystem 2011:


''' !WOW! & TRAVELS '''

Good Night and God Bless

SAM Daily Times - the Voice of the Voiceless