Just got back from a solo trip to China 10 days total and wow, the first two nearly broke me. Couldn’t pay for anything when I landed in Shanghai, Visa card useless, cash rejected. Took a kind student 40 minutes to help me set up Alipay. Then got lost in the metro for 20 minutes before giving up and paying for a taxi that definitely took “the long way.”
But after that? Amazing. Shanghai and Suzhou in October were perfect — crisp weather, incredible street food, and high-speed trains that made travel feel like teleporting. Found the best dumplings ever in a random Suzhou shop for 2 bucks.
Bring tissues, prep your apps (Alipay, Amap, Pleco), and brace for squat toilets. Once you figure it out, China is seriously rewarding.
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