Yin and Yang on the Yangtze, Part Two
“Zai Jian” (Goodbye) China
On Thursday morning we were transported to Hong Kong airport, where I again used a wheelchair to get to the Cathay Business lounge to wait for our flight to Los Angeles. We had a slight seat problem when we went to board the plane because the well intentioned lady who checked us in thought that I should not have a seat on the second deck of Business class because I would have a problem with the steps, since I needed a wheelchair. (We always reserve seats on the top deck, when available, because it is quieter up there and the toilets are not shared.) She had changed our seat assignments so that we were on the lower deck. After much complaining on our part, we were reassigned our original seats and proceeded to board.
From LAX we flew to Las Vegas, then finally to Philadelphia, arriving around 1 AM, October 11, gaining a day by crossing the international dateline, 23 hours after leaving Hong Kong.
Looking Back on a Memorable Journey
As Don and I went through the process of weeding out the bad shots from the over 1000 digital photos we took in China, we reviewed our experiences during the 17-day adventure. In keeping with the title of this article, I recalled some of the Yin’s and Yang’s of the trip. Don and I differ on these, so I give you mine only.
On the Yin side were the many, many steps, the Chinese style toilets, the lack of ramps and railings, no elevator on the river boat, not being able to use the tub on the boat, a dearth of seats or benches in the tourist areas, high steps into buses and vans, lack of leg room and tight seating in buses and airplanes, the long plane rides to and from China, the “cold” that the whole group caught, and the jet lag that lasted for days after we returned.
The Yang included the friendly Chinese people, the ancient cultural sites, the breathtaking scenery, the good weather, the fine hotels, the delicious and varied cuisine, knowledgeable and helpful city guides, an outstanding Tauck tour guide, and, of course, our wonderful, eclectic group of travel companions.
Some of the concerns we had before taking this trip never materialized. Although the air is polluted, we didn’t encounter any serious smog, even in Xi’an, as we had anticipated, so we didn’t need to wear masks, We even had many sunny, blue sky days. The warnings that we would experience culture clashes in this Communist country were untrue.
Most of the people seemed very apolitical. They generally have better salaries, better homes, and better educational opportunities than in the past. Although bicycles are still very popular, many people now own cars. Several of the cities, Shanghai and Hong Kong, for example, are very modern. Friends who traveled in the past had problems with the food, but we found that not to be a problem. If we craved Western-style food now and again, it could be easily found in China. Most of the star-rated hotels had one or two restaurants providing western food and in the big cities there were other good Western-style cafes. In addition fast-food outlets, like McDonald's, KFC, Starbucks, and Pizza Hut, are not only popular among Chinese people but also are convenient for overseas tourists.
Would I and Should You?
Now the question that I will be asked is “If you knew then what you know now, would you have taken this trip?”. My answer is "Absolutely”, but with some changes. Until either the Yangtze River rises high enough to eliminate the many, many steps to and from the boat, or funiculars/elevators/escalators are built to take passengers to the water level, I would not go on a riverboat cruise. And until the riverboats have elevators and accessible tubs or showers, I would not go on a riverboat cruise.
All of the other activities I chose not to do did not cause major problems because I could always stay with the bus, boring as that might be. If you have problems with steps or especially lots of them, or can’t walk long distances, then you will find this particular tour arduous. I would recommend taking a tour that does not include the Yangtze River cruise. As long as you are not confined to a wheelchair and can negotiate steps in and out of a bus or plane, you should be able to handle this trip and enjoy it, too. Joining a tour group is the safest way to accomplish this even if you are not traveling alone. Your guides, bus drivers, and tour members all will be available to offer assistance to you and your traveling companion.
China is a beautiful, fascinating country, a contradiction of ancient wonders and modern technology. Just because you missed seeing it in your salad days does not mean that you can’t have a memorable journey now. Think of it as your “dessert buffet” and chose the treats that you will enjoy the most. Bon Appetit!
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Read Joan's article Seniors on Safari; Game drives on the veldt, rescued elephants and a 47th anniversary in a Botswanian honeymoon tent
Joan Rapp was born in New Jersey, but has resided in Bucks County, Pennsylvania since 1973. She is a graduate of Douglass College where she met her husband, Donald, a Rutgers graduate. Since their marriage in 1958, Joan and Don have traveled extensively, with or without their two children. Since retirement, their favorite hobby is researching, and traveling to, new and exciting venues. Sometimes these places are only a few hours from home (like Frank Lloyd Wright’s Falling Water), and sometimes they are over 8000 miles away (like Botswana’s Kalahari Desert, and the Great Wall of China).
