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What To Bring

WHAT TO BRING

You are deciding what to bring. Today's China is well stocked with most personal items, you will have many opportunities to buy. I'm sure that it is much better to buy things as you need them rather than to throw them away because you have too much to carry! Nevertheless, there are some things you will need to bring from home:

Backpacks
Investing in a good backpack is one outlay you will never regret. A sturdy backpack or a rucksack is much easier to carry than a suitcase. Bring suitcases only if you know you won't be carrying your luggage on buses and trains. A frameless or internal-frame pack is preferable, which is generally easier to store on buses and trains and also more comfortable to walk with. A small shoulder bag or a bum bag is essential for carrying your camera and other daily items around after you have deposited your backpack at the hotel or railway station. But do not use it for valuables such as your traveller's cheques and passport as it can be an easy target for pickpockets.

Clothing
Clothing is inexpensive and one of the best buys in China, so you need not bring too much from home. Theoretically you need only two sets of clothes, one to wear and one to wash. Normally bring a couple of shirts, sweaters, and a jacket (depending on the season) that can be worn in layers to accommodate the climatic variations. Dark coloured clothing is preferable because it does not show the dirt. If you are traveling in northern China during winter, prepare yourself for incredible cold. A good down jacket, hat, mittens and boots are necessary. Besides, underwear, rainwear, comfortable socks and hiking boots are needed.

Articles of Daily Use
A good pair of sunglasses, a hat, a sunscreen lotion and a water bottle are essential, particularly in the desert regions or when at high altitudes. Tooth brush, towel, common toiletries, wet tissue, cold and indigestion medications, lip balm and any other medicines you generally use. If you have to take regular prescription medicines be sure to bring adequate supplies for your trip. If you are going to travel in some of the more remote cities, items such as shaving cream, decent razor blades, mosquito repellent, deodorant, dental floss, tampons and contact lens solution may not be readily available. It is therefore necessary to ensure you have them with you.

Equipment & Misc
Bring your camera, enough films and batteries. Be aware that while print film is available in most places, slide film may be difficult to find. Electrical multi adaptor is must if you plan on bringing electrical appliances. A China guidebook; a pen and a notebook to keep track of all the exciting things happening on the trip. An alarm clock is also of help. Last but not least, do not forget your passport, visa, traveler's checks & ATM cards and airline tickets!!

WHAT NOT TO BRING

  1. Arms, imitation arms, ammunition and explosives of all kinds
  2. Counterfeit currency and securities
  3. Printed matter, films, photos, gramophone records, cinematographic films, loaded recording tapes and video-tapes, compact discs (video & audio), storage media for computers and other articles which are detrimental to the political, economic, cultural and ethic of China
  4. Deadly poisons of all kinds
  5. Opium, heroin, morphine, marihuana and other narcotic drugs or hallucinatory drugs
  6. Infected animals, plants and products; injurious insects and other harmful organisms
  7. Foodstuffs, medicines and other articles coming from epidemic-stricken areas or those easy to spread diseases