Hey all...I'm back... been travelling and so haven't seen ChinesePod in a while... and somehow I knew when I came back today I would be facing the new website that we saw SpanishPod change to a few weeks back, and lo-and-behold, it had.  I haven't even begun to get a feel for it, and sadly I wasn't around to see all the posts about the switch over nor have I begain to read them.  I still remember the switch to CPod V3.  We calling this one V4 now?  Fill me in.

Well, I thought I would put a more interesting Title on this post than "I'm back" because who really cares anyhoo?  Ha ha.  But I was thinking after traveling to Paris, then London, then Around the coast and islands of Scotland how many places the lessons that Jenny & Co teach managed to get listened to by me.  While I'm listening to them on the go usually, I have to note that there have been a few places where I never thought I would be studying Chinese but found myself purposing listening to ChinesePod because it was just something I had to do:

1. The Louve 卢浮宫: When wandering around the Louve in Paris I had to listen to Chinese at the same time  (and oddly, just a tad too late right after my trip to Paris巴黎, two lessons came out with "Louve" 卢浮宫 in the vocabulary)
2. Eiffel Tower 艾菲尔铁塔： I actually had so much time on my hand and spend a whole day in the Eiffel Tower.  But being surrounded by metal in such a high place, you can only study Chinese before watching to be back on the ground.
3。British Museam 大英博物馆 WHILE in the Chinese exibit:  Can you say nerd?? Okay, must admit, that is just a little too much Chinese, but I don't care for being in silence in museams
4. Under and around Big Ben 大笨钟：I actually did take the "London" lesson with me on that trip, and played the couple's disagreement for a few Chinese friends in London when at Big Ben...they laughed.
5. On a boat cruise of Loch Ness 尼斯湖：Just did this last week... wondered if the Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster, knows any Chinese...
6. Sitting on the Isle of Iona: An island off the Isle of Mull that is famous for an Irish Christian missionary (Columba) bringing Christianity to those parts in the 6th century, and the island still keeps to that spiritual message of good news.  No Chinese people there though. :(

Well, those are all I can think of.  Last year I even took ChinesePod to the Great Wall, but that is too close to Cpod's home to almost not count as an exotic place.  You guys listen to ChinesePod in any unusual locations?

Hey..

So I have started to plan my trip to China that will happen around March 2009. I was wondering if anyone knows of any decent websites where I can find cheap accommodation all over China with reviews by people who have stayed there before etc? I'd prefer single rooms, not dorms.

I want to stay in Shanghai for a week, Wuhan for a few days and generally get a feel for different areas of China and where I might like to actually live within the next 5 years. I am not going anywhere near Hong Kong or Beijing on this visit as I am just not interested in those cities. I want to check out Shanghai because I have heard and read so much about it. Same goes for Wuhan.. Other than that, I am easy..

I am trying to workout how much a 3 week holiday is going to cost in terms of living expenses as well. In Sydney it would probably cost me between $100 and $200 a week if I ate take-out food for every meal and generally kept myself comfortable, interested, busy etc. I assume that it's not going to cost that much in China... but how much less.. this is the real mystery to me.

Thanks for all suggestions and tips.

Who has some advice related to travel to Shanghai?

Must see places? e.g.Huangpu River and the Bund, Jade Buddha Temple, Nanjing Road, Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Yuyuan Garden, Xin Tian Di and Zhujiajiao.Comments on these places?

Places to avoid?

Good value places to stay?

Good restaurants?

etc.

I've just formed a new group called Travel tips.Please feel free to start your own threads on anything related at all to this topic.Obvious starters woud be destinations such as Beijing,Xi'an,Yangtze river cruises,Sichuan,Hainan,HK,Taiwan,etc.Other areas could include such things as reason for travel [e.g.business,tourist,study,visiting friends/rellies,moving to live,etc ],things to avoid [eg the recent holiday leading to crowded transport etc],things not to miss,best times,etc.

Hey all.. good idea this group.. Should have thought of it when I had my questions the other day.

Anyway.. In my other conversation I ended up with a preliminary route to go around China. Here's what I came up with:

Shanghai -> Wuhan -> Chengdu -> Xi'an -> Beijing -> Jinan -> (some place just southwest of Shanghai, Zhanghou may be?) -> Shanghai.

The point of this post is to find out what others think would be a good first trip to China. What destinations would you suggest, without going into massive amount of detail on each location?

On my trip to China (and now a short stay in Taiwan as well.. hehe) I have decided to do it backpacking-style. I have NEVER backpacked before and I know that a few poddies have done this, I think sebire and gesang are at least two who have backpacked around China.

I am wondering what to take... are there things you took that you thought you needed and you ended up not needing? Are there things you didn't take and ended up needing? I'm really lost here..

Obviously I need to take a small sleeping bag, first aid kit, small toiletries bag, change of clothes.. but beyond that I am just not sure.