Slow boat across China with The Travel Department
21/5/2009 12:00:00 AM
For many of us taking a package holiday generates anticipation and a certain degree of worry about what your holiday will be like, flight times, accommodation, weather etc. On the 8th February I decided to bite the bullet and booked a package deal to go on my trip of a lifetime. It was to visit the original site of the Terracotta Army and Warriors in Xian in Central China.
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When you are reunited with your bags again, and go through the doors leading into this massive airport you have two choices. First is a taxi and second is the world's fastest train. For me it was an easy choice as the Travel Department had prebooked my seat on the Maglev. In 2001, Germany's Transrapid International were seeking a place to demonstrate its magnetic levitation train and apparently willing to give the technology away in the process. China saw an opportunity and seized the day. So in March, 2004 they became the proud owners of the world’s fastest magnetic train.
Covering the 30km to the city centre at approx 341 km per hour. That’s about Belfast to Dungannon in 8 minutes. Whoosh and I was now in Shanghai’s bustling city centre.
With a history of more than 700 years, Shanghai was once the financial centre of the Far East. Since the reforms that took place in 1990s, great changes have taken place in the city and the Government have made massive changes towards shaping the city into a modern metropolis and world economic, financial, trading and shipping centre. From what I saw they have already achieved this.
My accommodation in Shanghai was at the InterContinental Shanghai Pudong. This super five star hotel is ideally located in the heart of Lujiazui, Shanghai’s ultra modern business, shopping and restaurant district. The hotel sits directly on the bustling Tzang Yang Street, within easy walking distance of many of Pudong’s major shopping attractions. The hotel offers the ideal setting for both business and leisure.
Whilst in Shanghai the Travel Department arranged a tour to the oriental TV tower. Standing at 1, Renmin Avenue, the Oriental Pearl Radio and Television Tower is 468 meters in height, ranking as the highest building in Asia and third in the world. It consists of three gigantic columns nine metres in diameter, a spherical penthouse, an upper sphere and a lower sphere. Needless to say views are incredible and again thanks to the tour organisers our entry was of course included. Following our sky high adventure we were whisked through the chaotic traffic for a tour of Yu Garden and a Ming dynasty home. Yu Garden is a fascinating area rich in the sights and smells of the Far East. Shanghai is an amazing city full of amazing shopping but be warned Chinese goods are not always what they appear to be, but you will have great fun haggling on the “best price”. All in all my guides Judy and NoYa, did a superlative job is guiding us around this mystical city. And prepared us for the transfer to Xian.
Next week I arrive in Xian (pronounced She-Anne) for my journey to see the thousands of Warriors that were discovered buried 5 metres underground by a farmer looking for water.
The Travel Department is a leading operator of escorted holidays worldwide. Their holidays offer a professionally planned itinerary, the expert knowledge of a local guide and the convenience of booking an "all-in" package.
Operating to over 40 countries around the world, The Travel Department offer a wide and varied range of holiday destinations and types. They offer European destinations including France, Italy and Spain, as well as long haul destinations to Asia, Africa, Australasia and The Americas.
Full details of all holidays are available on www.thetraveldepartment.
TERRACOTTA NEVER LOOKED LIKE THIS
In 1974 a farmer called Mr Yang, was digging in a field in Xian province near the centre of China. It was quite some time before he realised what he had stumbled upon but it later became what is being hailed as the 8th wonder of the world.
I have always wanted to visit this amazing place, and thanks to the superb planning of the Travel Department my quest become a reality last week.
In last Fridays paper I wrote about Shanghai, and as I left that beautiful metropolis, I was flying to Xian to fulfil a lifetime’s ambition, to visit a secret Terracotta army of about 8,000 soldiers, 300 horses and 200 chariots that protected the hidden tomb of China's first emperor, Qin Shihuang. For over 2,200 years the life-size statues are said to represent the pinnacle of achievement in ancient pottery, and archaeologists have been trying to solve the mystery of how and where they were produced. I was part of a group of Northern Irish tourists who booked this exciting 11 day tour of Shanghai, Xian and Beijing with thewww.thetraveldepartment.co.uk.
Luxury coach transfer
Day three of my trip involved luxury coach transfer to Shanghai airport to catch my internal two hour flight to Xian. If anyone has concerns about flying internally in China, like I did, let me dispel any worries you may have about Chinese airlines. I flew with China Eastern; in a new A330-200, the newest member of Airbus' wide body twinjet family. The aircraft was brand new, could seat 262 passengers and was just great. The flight was bang on time and it afforded me more legroom than BMI business class to London, and I was in steerage!
On arrival in Xian I had to look forward to 2 nights 5 star accommodation at the Howard Johnson Ginwa Hotel, a half day excursion to visit the Xian old city wall dating back to the Ming Dynasty and the highlight, being a full day excursion to visit the Terracotta Warriors & Horses and the Wild Goose Pagoda. It’s hard to describe the feeling as one enters “Pit one” in the Terracotta army’s resting place, but suffice to say it is amazing, looking in awe at rows upon rows of warriors and horses, leaves you breathless. Its one of those things you have to do. Just have to go and see it for yourself you will be amazed.
Research suggests the horses were made locally near the pits of the emperor's mausoleum, whereas the soldiers were produced elsewhere. The terracotta warriors were created by the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang di pronounced - Chin Shi Huang di.
This amazing but megalomaniac man conquered and united China from a collection of warring states to become its First Emperor. He built the Great Wall and amassed great works of art. Obsessed with a quest for the secret of immortality, his tomb is said to be filled with billions of dollars worth of treasures. Unfortunately the 750,000 workers who spent 38 years building his tomb died with the Emperor, as his orders were to shut them in with him when he died. His 3000 wives and concubines also followed him to the grave. Well at least he wasn’t lonely.
It would be a massive undertaking to try and organise this trip by yourself and that’s where the Travel Department holiday really scores. They did everything for us, booked the flights, provided the coach transfers, gave us a guide, drove us to the front door of the museum, lifted and laid us like royalty. Even with my extensive knowledge of travelling, I honestly don’t think I could have pulled off that trip on my own, it was seamless. If you ever consider going to China then take a leaf out of my book and use a specialist travel company on an organised trip. It really made the difference.
After visiting the Terracotta Arm I was off to see the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, situated in Da Ci'en Temple, an ancient temple in the southern suburb of Xi'an with a history dating back thousands of years.
This Square cone-shaped, wood-like pagoda has been built with bricks in Tang Dynasty style and looks magnificent. Whilst in Xian the travel department offered an additional tour to visit a local village, school and doctors surgery in the very rural heartland of Xian. It was a real eye opener to see how real country folk lived and it showed you that not all of china is a myriad of high rise towers and shopping malls.
Escorted Holidays
Although the age of cheap air fares created the do-it-yourself holiday not everyone is enamoured with the long-winded process or its risks. An interesting trend is the shift away from the hassle and uncertainty of separate bookings for flights, hotels and transport to a one-step booking.
The Travel Department meets this market with its escorted holidays which ensure convenience, value and a great holiday with peace of mind. All holidays include flights, transfers, hotel accommodation (3, 4 & 5 star) and a range of excursions.
The Travel Department team develop a range of itineraries and choose the optimum travel times to their worldwide destination ensuring value as well as comfort.
The social aspect is an important highlight for an exclusively Northern Irish clientele who enjoy holidaying with like-minded people. The stress free holidays and excursions are made particularly relaxing and entertaining by the professionally qualified tour guides’ knowledge of the local culture.
The Travel Department have a high level of repeat customers who travel several times a year from short city breaks to European holidays and exceptional worldwide destinations. Founded in 1996 and commenced holidays from Belfast in 2004. Holidays with The Travel Department are ATOL protected.
They now operate in 30 countries around the world and their largest destinations are Italy, France, Spain & China. The range of holidays includes not only sightseeing and cultural holidays but everything from weekend breaks, garden, wine cruise and motor sport holidays to activity breaks and far flung exotic destinations. If you consider such a holiday like I did you can book via the website (www.thetraveldepartment.co.uk) or by phone (028 9099 8620).
THE FINAL CHAPTER BEIJING
King Wu was the first person to declare Beijing as a capital city in 1057 BC. Subsequently, the city has been renamed a number of times and it has been known as Ji, Zhongdu, Dadu, and finally Beijing when the Emperor ChengZu chose the name in 1421. Previously it was known as Peking by the Western world, but its now commonly known by its correct name. No matter what they call this city, its amazing in so many ways, and major reforms under the late Deng Xiaoping has enabled Beijing to become a truly modern, international city.
Just try to imagine a busy day in Derry or Belfast, crammed full of shoppers and you have about 75 to 100,000 people. Beijing is about 10 times the size of Belfast so its hard to imagine, but the population of Beijing alone is approx 20 million .
Whilst on a trip of a lifetime with the Travel Department, Beijing was my last port of call on my 11 day trip. I had five days there to explore this incredible metropolis. Contained in the price of my holiday I had the following trips whilst in Beijing. A full day excursion to Tiananmen Square, the Temple of Heaven and the Palace Museum (known as the Forbidden City) a Full day excursion to the Great Wall of China, Jade Carving Factory & the Sacred Way leading to the Ming Tombs, a full day excursion to the Imperial Summer Palace and an amazing rickshaw tour through local narrow lanes including a tour of the Hu Tongs and finally a full day excursion to the Lama Temple home of the Last Emperor’s mother, the Dragon Lady and a trip to see the beautiful Pandas in Beijing Zoo. Located at the centre of Beijing City, is Tiananmen Square, probably the most iconic part of China’s recent history, where you can visit Tiananmen Tower, the monument to the People's Heroes, Great Hall of the People, Mao Zedong Memorial Hall and you can see the national flag raising ceremony. Also in Beijing is The Temple of Heaven, the most holy of Beijing's Imperial temples. For this is where the Emperor came every winter to worship heaven and to solemnly pray for a good harvest. Since his rule was legitimized by a mandate from heaven, a bad harvest could be interpreted as his fall from heaven's favour and threaten the stability of his reign. So, it was not without a measure of self-interest that the Emperor fervently prayed for a very good crop and no better place to do it.
In Beijing the Hutongs hold a very special and important position in the rich history and culture of Beijing. The Hutongs are one of the "must see" items in Bejing. They are a wonderful glimpse into the original side of old Beijing. For those willing to probe the way the Chinese live, a jaunt down the intricate maze of Beijing's hutongs is essential. We were taken by tricycle rickshaw and shown the real living conditions of historic Beijingers, which were surprisingly good. Quiet courtyards led to a maze of little houses each like a little oasis in this bustling city.
For many on the trip, the visit to see the Great Wall of China was the major reason for visiting China. The Great Wall extends for a good 3,000 miles from its origin at the seaside in Shanhaiguan all the way to Jiayu Pass in Gansu Province. When you visit you will be amazed at the sheer size of this structure, and what is more amazing is how on earth people managed to build this wall, without heavy plant and cranes. Vincent and Rose Forte from Belfast, were two such visitors to this iconic landmark. Said Vincent: “We have always wanted to visit China and for us, the Great Wall was the highlight of our trip” “We’ve had a spectacular time and I don’t think we could have done this on our own, this place quit literally leaves us breathless”.
The Travel Department ensure that everyone gets shown as much of China and their expert guides and drivers make this a reality. Driving in China is a real experience. Road Signs, Traffic lights and Zebra Crossings are, as Noya explained, “merely a suggestion”. Driving and walking on any Chinese street is a thing you must do with extreme caution and you should always have your wits about you. Traffic can come at you from any direction and crossing the roads are a feat of nerve and skill and judgement, and that is where the expertise of your guide comes in, as his local knowledge will assist you greatly. For the whole trip our guide was a gentleman called Ma Xiaocheng otherwise know to us as “Noya” and our driver was Zhang Yue. Noya guided us right from our arrival in Shanghai to our departure in Beijing, some 11 days later. His knowledge and guidance was essential and he gave us a real insight into how the Chinese lived and worked. His understanding of every single attraction we visited, was superb and the company he worked for A&H Travel should be suitably proud of him as he really made visiting China a real experience for us all.
All in all our trip of a lifetime to China with the Travel Department was exceptional value for money and it went without a hitch. From collection at Shanghai’s Pudong airport to our departure in Beijing, we had all those worries like, airport check in, baggage, flight times, coach transfers, entry into attractions all taken care of.
I really don’t think you could cover such an extensive itinerary in 11 days on your own, and it’s down to the clever forward planning of Travel companies like the Travel Department that make such trips possible.
Everything is factored in to the cost of your holiday and when I explain the cost is only £1269 per person + £230 tax you will see what great value the holiday really is.
Practically all meals are included, flights to China with British Airways, internal flights, transfers, visits to attractions, tours and even tips for hotel staff. All in all this is exceptional value for money and without doubt the best holiday I have ever been on. Its hard to quantify what Beijing has to offer as there is so much to see and so many beautiful places to visit, its only after your holiday when you look at your photos can you really assess what an amazing trip this really is. If you are considering doing what I did, the Travel Department have a similar trip running in September so visit.www.thetraveldepartment.co.uk, and prepare yourself for the trip of a lifetime.
- Tim Hedgley