China Transportation

WHAT CAN I SAY ABOUT SHANGHAI?IM IN LOVE WITH THIS AMAZING CITY!FOR ME IS THE NEW NEW-YORK!AMAZING PEOPLE,AMAZING FOOD,AMAZING CLUBS!IM VERY HAPPY THAT I WAS THERE FOR A LONG TIME WORK IN FASHION BUSSINNES!

Yushu - If you can get past the 20 hour bus ride along some of the worst roads in China, it's worth the trip. Sleeper buses are not much better (extremely dirt linens and cold) than a regular bus seat due to the roads. The town itself is not much to see, other than the obvious cement architecture. What makes the town unique is that it is well over 95% Tibetan, and the Han and Hui minority Chinese are afraid of the Tibetans. The local government supports the Tibetans in this small town which is unique to see. The Gyana Mani Temple is impressive with its countless prayer-stones. A small monk school contains many friendly trainees at the Princess Wencheng Temple outside of town. There is a friendly Tibetan school in the fields past this gorge complex also and its one of two teachers will be happy to have a foreign visiter. The food is not the best, but the yak yogurt is highly recommended.

Don't do a whirlwind tour of the area through CITS agency. It looks cheaper upfront, but it isn't. You must also pay for each entrance fee. You see more places, but are rushed. Emin Minaret is a wonderful walk on the out skirts of town, and is best seen at sunrise. In the bus station lobby there are a few agencies where you can hire a car for the day - don't be afraid to bargain! You should be able to hit up a few places for well under Y200/person. Don't bother paying to see the "Flaming Mountains". You can get your driver to slow down (sometimes local cops keep people from doing so in order for them to buy a Y40+ ticket to see them), and grab a few shots from your window. Tuyok is a must see! There are pictures galore and is best done in the morning due to temperatures. Be careful of taking pictures of locals, they may insist on your paying for the picture. Gaochang ruins can be seen on the way back from your car ride. Jiaohe ruins is a short taxi ride away or a pleasant bike ride. The cheapest and cleanest place to stay is the bus station hotel and its much easier to travel back to Urumqi via bus to catch a train to your next location. The best time to visit is during the fall or spring seasons since the region does get bloody hot and cold.

Sometimes getting a train ticket can be a pain if you are in a hurry to move forward or don't want to upgrade to the most expensive sleeping option. I do not recommend taking a hard seat for 30+ hrs unless you wish to interact with local Uighurs. If you are not opposed to a sleeper bus, the journey is around 26 hrs and the roads are smooth - so you can actually sleep. This can work either way from Kashgar or from Urumqi.

If you're on your own in Shanghai, don't forget to ask the hotel front desk to write down your destination in Chinese to show the cab driver since they don't understand English. Always bring your hotel card so you can show the cab driver where to bring you back.