Day 9 and 10– Wednesday 24 & Thursday 25 November 2010

Our last day in China started with the wake-up call at 5am. We met in the foyer of the Sheraton Resort Haikou ready to board our mini-bus, and drove off at 6am for the forty-minute drive to the Meilan International Airport, eating our boxed breakfast provided by the Sheraton Resort along the way. We said goodbye to our Hainan Island mini-bus driver and local guide Amy. There was no delay caused by fog today, so after checking in we flew out on time at 8.30am.

The delightful China Southern Airlines flight landed at 10.30am in Pudong International Airport at Shanghai. We boarded our mini-bus at 11.30am with Daniel, our previous Shanghai guide, and drove along the expressway to a restaurant for our last Chinese Banquet meal in China. I then briefly visited a Carrefour Supermarket. It was huge with 42 checkouts, a large in-store bakery, fresh tropical fruit and vegetable section, and a fish section selling fresh, frozen and live fish.

We arrived at a market complex under the Museum Science and Technology at 2.30pm. It was not a relaxing shopping experience due to the noise, the crowds, and the shop spruikers enticing you into their market shops. After purchasing an imitation iPhone and some souvenirs I had my only experience of being temporarily lost in China. We were to meet our mini-bus at 5pm at the spot where we were dropped off. I finished my shopping at 4.30pm but I couldn’t find my way out of the underground market complex. There were many aisles and exits and I kept on going past the same stall. I asked several security guards but they couldn’t speak English. I finally found the right exit and went to the mini-bus at 5.10pm after 40 minutes of frantically racing around the market complex. Fortunately, I wasn’t the last of our group back to the bus.

Once all aboard we drove back along the expressway to the Pudong International Airport and had plenty of time to check-in before our departure at 8.20pm on our China Eastern Airlines flight. Fortunately, they allowed my 37 kilograms of baggage to be checked in. I had a window seat behind an emergency exit door, so had plenty of legroom. After the evening meal, I slept comfortably. Breakfast was served and we arrived safely at Sydney International Airport at 10am.  

I will always remember my first trip to China and be thankful that I was invited to be a part of the small group of Australians and New Zealanders as a guest of the China National Tourist Office. The food, sightseeing, hotels, resorts and travel were all first class.

China is a wonderful mix of ancient culture and modern living and is a wonderful holiday destination for Australians. Holidays to China can either be a packaged group holiday organised by a travel agency, or they can be arranged independently by people devising their own itinerary and making bookings on the internet. China holidays can either be hectic or relaxing, based at the one location or several, budget or luxurious, depending on what the Australian tourist prefers.

Not speaking Chinese isn’t a barrier to enjoying a holiday in China, as most people in the tourist areas, and most young people, speak English. Transport is very efficient on high-speed inter-urban or metro trains, cheap taxis, or internal plane flights. There are many accommodation options ranging from basic backpacker hostels to luxurious resorts. There are many tourist attractions, museums, and observation decks worthwhile seeing to appreciate Chinese culture. The shopping is wonderful and could occupy several days of bargain hunting.

China should definitely be one of the countries to be considered by Australians for their next overseas holiday. I for one can’t wait for the next opportunity to visit China.