Question about China

China was one of our favorite trip. Still, the country has so many people. I think there are 20 metropolitan area with populations over 20 million. Traffic is terrible and the few times we went out on our own, the prsss of the masses of people is like no where in the World.

The Chines are friendly and likable, but in public they are aggressive and don't queue up like the Japanese or Westerners.

Also, we have found while touring in Europe and elsewhere, you can always spot the Chines tourist cutting in line. Our Chinese program manager said that this is the result of crowded conditions. He said going to the beach in China, you might not find an empty space to lay down on your towel, it can be so crowded.

He was amazed the first time he visited California and went to the beach and saw all the open beach.

He said many wealthy Chinese are trying to get out of China because of the overcrowded conditions. Many are going to Western Canada.

You obviously did not go to a swimming pool or hotel gym / change room where many Chinese go, as you would note the large signs "no spitting". It is a big problem and also respect for cleanliness. In major cities with lots of tourists it is Very different.

We did not go to a swimming pool or hotel gym, that is true, as we were travelling as tourists as would most of the people on this forum. We first travelled as tourists in China in 1993 and then again in 2003 where we visited friends living in Shanghai. But went further afield ourselves. My husband has since gone on golfing tours a couple of times but this year's trip was my first since 2003.

Perhaps we do not get much of a culture shock as Sydney is one of the major expat hubs for Chinese. But when we compared 2003 and 2017 we could see a large difference in terms of behaviour that Westerners tend to find difficult. More queues, less smoking, much less aggression in the markets, more western toilets, seat belts on buses . We did see no spitting signs but did not personally observe anyone spitting in the month we were there.

Now I think of it, they probably find the western habit of going to work on the train and continually coughing, without a protective mask, quite challenging. Only yesterday I wondered if I would end up with a virus after my Friday commute in Sydney.

When we expressed surprise that people were allowed in late to a show in Kunming (here they must wait until a suitable break) our guide told us that she agreed with us. But said that the customs were changing so quickly; people are much more observant of ettiquettes such as not taking phone calls, not using flash, etc than only three or four years ago.

Our guide at other times talked about how her grandparents and even parents resorted to eating tree roots in the famines. Thus one can understand that the people tend to push at buffets. On the Yangtze cruise, when they realised that the food would not run out, they became a lot less pushy. Yes they often speak loudly (so do Aussies actually) but we noticed that when we turned off our lights in our cabin on the cruise, our Chinese neighbours would immediately leave the balcony and become quiet.

If people do not want to experience any cultural differences they may as well stay in Pittsburgh, Perth Glasgow or wherever. It is useful to know what to expect but truly, I have been far more culturally challenged in Cairo, Harare, Rio, Palermo parts of New York and Kunnamurra just to name a few places.

We did not go to a swimming pool or hotel gym, that is true, as we were travelling as tourists as would most of the people on this forum. We first travelled as tourists in China in 1993 and then again in 2003 where we visited friends living in Shanghai. But went further afield ourselves. My husband has since gone on golfing tours a couple of times but this year's trip was my first since 2003.

Perhaps we do not get much of a culture shock as Sydney is one of the major expat hubs for Chinese. But when we compared 2003 and 2017 we could see a large difference in terms of behaviour that Westerners tend to find difficult. More queues, less smoking, much less aggression in the markets, more western toilets, seat belts on buses . We did see no spitting signs but did not personally observe anyone spitting in the month we were there.

Now I think of it, they probably find the western habit of going to work on the train and continually coughing, without a protective mask, quite challenging. Only yesterday I wondered if I would end up with a virus after my Friday commute in Sydney.

When we expressed surprise that people were allowed in late to a show in Kunming (here they must wait until a suitable break) our guide told us that she agreed with us. But said that the customs were changing so quickly; people are much more observant of ettiquettes such as not taking phone calls, not using flash, etc than only three or four years ago.

Our guide at other times talked about how her grandparents and even parents resorted to eating tree roots in the famines. Thus one can understand that the people tend to push at buffets. On the Yangtze cruise, when they realised that the food would not run out, they became a lot less pushy. Yes they often speak loudly (so do Aussies actually) but we noticed that when we turned off our lights in our cabin on the cruise, our Chinese neighbours would immediately leave the balcony and become quiet.

If people do not want to experience any cultural differences they may as well stay in Pittsburgh, Perth Glasgow or wherever. It is useful to know what to expect but truly, I have been far more culturally challenged in Cairo, Harare, Rio, Palermo parts of New York and Kunnamurra just to name a few places.

Culturally challenged, try LA where a tour guide proceeded to give the entire bus a lecture on tipping, "seeing as we have a couple of Aussies on board"

China, been twice, loved it, as with other Asian countries, smile and know how to say please, thank you and hello in their language. Also where is the toilet. Lol

Culturally challenged, try LA where a tour guide proceeded to give the entire bus a lecture on tipping, "seeing as we have a couple of Aussies on board"

China, been twice, loved it, as with other Asian countries, smile and know how to say please, thank you and hello in their language. Also where is the toilet. Lol

My apologies for the rude LA tour guide. Not everyone in the US is like that.

I found the Australian people among the best that we have encountered on our travels.

Regarding directions to the toilet, I remember my first trip to continental Europe (Germany) and asking for the bathroom. I got a blank stare. I soon discovered to ask for the toilet. That seems to translate well in most any language.

Culturally challenged, try LA where a tour guide proceeded to give the entire bus a lecture on tipping, "seeing as we have a couple of Aussies on board"

China, been twice, loved it, as with other Asian countries, smile and know how to say please, thank you and hello in their language. Also where is the toilet. Lol

Yikes :eek:...So sorry about that rude guide from here in LA....he/she was not a representation of us at all. Please come back :cool:

Three years in Nanjing China. Even now I am taking culture shocks everyday :)

My job is doing digital marketing in China, and help business expand into China so I can tell you the differences between those two.

Yikes :eek:...So sorry about that rude guide from here in LA....he/she was not a representation of us at all. Please come back :cool:

Yep, I know he was not representative of all Americans. Have been back and also cruised with some lovely Us citizens in all parts of the world.

Rude people everywhere, shock, horror even in Australia, but majority in every country are lovely.

Even the Catholic nun in full regalia in Venice who elbowed me out of the way to get onto the vaporetta ahead of me.