Wenn man an China aus der Sicht eines Touristen denk schießen einem sofort Begriffe wie „Die große Mauer“, „Shanghai“ oder „Die Terrakottaarmee“ in den Kopf.
Natürlich stehen auch all diese „must have seen“ Orte auf meiner Reiseliste aber im Dezember stand mir eher der Sinn nach etwas Natur. Zufällig war ich zu diesem Zeitpunkt gerade in dem Büro in Zhuhai und hatte somit einfacheren Zugang zu Reisezielen in und um die Region Guangdong. Meine Ziele für die kommenden 4 Tage hießen Guilin, Yangshuo und Longji.
Mit einem berüchtigten Schlafbus, ging es innerhalb von 11Stunden von Zhuhai nach Guilin in die Provinz Guangxi. Nach der außergewöhnlichen Anreise war ich froh meinen Tagestrip nach Yangshuo für den kommenden Tag direkt im Hostel buchen zu können.
Mit dem Bus ging es dann direkt vom Hostel ins 2 Stunden entfernte Yangshuo. Die Landschaft war schon auf der Hinfahrt der absolute Wahnsinn! Berge wohin das Auge reicht! Zudem hatte ich auch noch irrsinniges Glück mit dem Wetter- strahlender Sonnenschein, ein blauer Himmel und Temperaturen um die 15-20Grad, und das im Dezember!
Der Bus ließ uns in einem kleinen Dorf raus, von wo wir unsere Reise mit dem Bambusfloß über den berühmten Li-Fluss fortsetzten. In aller Ruhe und Gelassenheit über den Fluss zu fahren und die umliegende Natur zu bewundern wurde umgehend zu einem meiner China-Highlights!
Auch das Städtchen Yangshuo, welches ich im Anschluss mit dem Rad erkundet habe hat mir ausgesprochen gut gefallen. Umringt von eindrucksvollen Bergen und direkt am Fluss, ist Yangshuo wirklich der ideale Ort für jeden Reisenden und Hobbyfotografen- hier gelingt definitiv jedem ein Schnappschuss!
Nachdem ich am Abend wieder nach Guilin zurückgekehrt war, habe ich meine Reise am darauffolgenden Tag zu den Reisterrassen nach Longji fortgesetzt. Die Terrassen befinden sich ca. 23 km von der Stadt Longsheng und 3 Autostunden von Guilin entfernt. Auch diese Tour konnte ich problemlos und sehr bequem über das Hostel buchen. Nach einer Autofahrt durchs Gebirge und auf Serpentinenstraßen erreicht man schließlich ein Tal von welchem man entweder mit der Gondel auf den höchsten Punkt zu einer Aussichtsplattform fahren kann, oder man erklimmt die Terrassen zu Fuß.
Die Aussicht ist in jedem Fall atemberaubend! Obwohl die Becken nicht wie im Sommer bewässert waren, war der Blick ins Tal mit den umliegenden Terrassen auch im Winter ausgesprochen eindrucksvoll!
Für jeden, der die „natürliche“ Seite Chinas erleben möchte und auf der Suche nach dem Ein oder Anderen Fotomotiv ist, wird in Yangshuo und Longji auf jeden Fall fündig!
Ich kann eine Reise nach Guilin, Yangshuo und Longji nur auf´s Wärmste empfehlen!
10 Amazing Places to Visit in China
When you think of visiting China you immediately think of the famous destinations- The Bund in Shanghai, Beijing’s Forbidden City and the Terracotta Army of Xi’an among many, many others. But if you want to be able to go home and have people saying “tell me more” rather than “I already know that”, then you’ll want to visit some of the amazing destinations our interns have discovered over the years, all close enough to visit in a weekend (which isn’t nearly long enough of course.)
From Chengdu
Emei Shan
From Chengdu, Emei Shan can be easily reached by both bus and train so it is an ideal overnight trip.
Emei Shan is a well-known attraction to many because of the deep cultural and religious associations with Buddhism. The first Buddhist temple, Huazang, was built here in 1AD, and the largest Buddha in the world, LeShan’s Giant Buddha (which stands at an awe inspiring 71 metres tall) is also located here.
In addition to the cultural, religious and historical importance of Emei Shan, the area is a huge conservation effort. You can find over 3,000 diverse species of plants and trees over a millennium old all around the mountains, as well as over 2,000 kinds of animals.
Emei Shan will leave you speechless- its beauty, fascinating history and religious calm will make this a trip to remember. So stroll up the mountain, take in the view, and relax as the monks from over 30 temples remind you of the spiritual importance of this place.
Kangding
Kangding, also known as the Land of the Snows, is a trip for those who don’t mind braving the cold in order to experience a fascinating combination of Chinese and Tibetan culture. While you will have to endure a 10 hour bus journey from Chengdu, the sights that will welcome you throughout Kangding will make you forget all about the journey.
You will get to experience true Tibetan cuisine and customs while here- one intern said they felt as if they’d travelled to Tibet without ever leaving China.
Highlights of the trip include the Tagong and Dordrak Monasteries, Guoda Mountain, Hailuogou Valley, the Taong grasslands and the Mugetso Scenic Area. Arguably the best time of year to visit is in Autumn, but whenever you decide to visit, make sure you pack warm clothes!
JiuZhaiGou
JiuZhaiGou National Park is yet another area of astonishing national beauty in China… blue lakes only seen in paintings, sprawling mountain ranges, waterfalls and forests to entertain you for hours. Similar to Kangding, JiuZhaiGou will give you the opportunity to experience some Tibetan culture. While you do need to pay admission into the park, you have acres to explore and hours to do so- you can even camp out if you’re feeling adventurous.
If you want to see the park in all its glory, visit in Autumn to be surrounded by every colour imaginable while the weather is still enjoyable.
From Dalian
Shenyang
Located close to Dalian is the capital of Liaoning province, Shenyang. Shenyang is an ancient city filled with great artistic, cultural and historical importance- namely due to the excellent preservation of the Shenyang Imperial Palace. Shenyang is also widely believed to be the birthplace of the Qing Dynasty (which lasted from 1644 to 1911!), so it is a city filled with more than 2000 years of history.
Other notable relics from the Qing Dynasty include the Fuling Tomb, in which the founder of the Qing Dynasty (Nurhachi) and his Empress are interred, and the Zhaoling Tomb, home of Nurhachi’s successor Huang Taji and his Empress.
And if you are interested in more than just the history of the city, there is a curious natural phenomenon for you to play with- Guaipo. The “Strange Slope”, as it is otherwise known, is a sloping piece of land approximately 80 metres long which doesn’t abide by the rules of gravity. Cars, bicycles and tourists alike all have to accelerate to go downhill, yet can enjoy a leisurely roll back up the hill… just a little confusing!
Of course, there is the usual abundance of bars, restaurants and KTV venues to keep you occupied at night.
From Qingdao
Beijing
While Beijing is far from being an “off the beaten track” destination, it’s a popular trip for the Qingdao interns. After all, it would be a little disappointing to go to China without seeing the Great Wall when it’s only a few hours away on the train! If you aren’t aware of what China’s capital city has to offer you, a quick summary would be the Summer Palace, the Ming Tombs, Tiananmen Square, the National Grand Theatre, the panda base, the Silk Market, the Lama Temple and the Forbidden City. Oh, and the Great Wall of China.
Beijing is a city with millions upon millions of people from all walks of life, and with a history spanning three thousand years it’s obvious why this is one of the most traveled to destinations in the world. You’ll have the opportunity to see ancient and modern China with your own eyes all in one place!
You can reach Beijing from Qingdao in around five hours via train, or even quicker by plane, however travelling by train is a whole other experience everyone should have in China!
Laoshan
Qingdao is famous for two mountains- Fushan and Laoshan. While FuShan has the attraction of being located in the middle of Qingdao, LaoShan provides a much more interesting challenge and experience… and who doesn’t love a challenge?
Located approximately a 30- 40 minute drive from Qingdao, visiting Laoshan will mean you can see rivers, waterfalls, ancient temples, beautiful forests and amazing scenery all from one place. The Laoshan National Park covers an area of around 450 square kilometres, so you will have plenty of sights to see on your climb to the top of Mount Lao. Or if the climb seems too daunting, take the cable car to the top, and relax with some local Tsingtao beer or Mount Lao green tea while you enjoy the view.
ZhouZhuang
ZhouZhuang in the Jiangsu province, arguably the most beautiful water town in China, is located near Shanghai and is very easily travelled to from Qingdao by bus, train or plane in just a few hours.
If you want to be transported back to quieter times in China, then a day trip to Zhouzhang will be perfect for you. The opportunity to float along the waterways of this village on a traditional gondola and witness the locals go about their daily lives entirely on the water is not something you can see anywhere else- who wouldn’t want to witness someone doing their shopping from a boat? With the added bonus of being surrounded by ancient architecture almost a thousand years old, which has been virtually untouched by the recent developments in China, ZhouZhuang is the perfect relaxing day trip.
From Zhuhai
Macau
Macau, also known as the “Las Vegas of Asia”, is a fast paced, energetic city that you will struggle to fit into a weekend trip. Unfortunately this trip is only possible if your visa allows multiple entries, so if not it may be best to wait until you are leaving China to spend a weekend here. To visit Macau from Zhuhai, you can take a ferry across the bay or even walk!
Macau will offer you an interesting mix of Cantonese Chinese and Portuguese influences, and it is highly recommended to take time to walk around the city and take in the mix of architecture and cultures surrounding you. Make your way from Sendao Square around the streets, sampling traditional Macau food, visiting Golden Lotus Square and the ruins of St. Paul’s Cathedral. In the evening, spend some time around the famous casinos!
Foshan
Foshan is both one of Guangdong province’s oldest cities (5,000 years old!) and one of the most modern. With a history heavily focused on the arts, including opera, martial arts and traditional ceramic crafts, there no shortage of cultural activities in the city for the art lovers among you.
If you want to try your hand at creating some traditional Chinese pottery, you can do so using the Nanfeng Kiln, otherwise known as the oldest kiln in China.
There is a much more recent connection to the martial arts as well- you can visit the house of Bruce Lee’s ancestors! If that isn’t to your interest, then the Zumiao Commercial Street filled with malls, plazas, restaurants and tea houses might be more to your taste.
To continue your cultural development, visit the Ancestral Temple, or the Qinghui Garden.
Yangshuo
If you’ve ever held a 20RMB note, then you are already familiar with the mountain scenery that will greet you from the Li River in Yangshuo.
There are several reasons to visit Yangshou, including the incredible change of pace you’ll be thrown into (compared to Zhuhai’s easy going atmosphere). You can start the trip with a lazy rafting journey down the Li River, before visiting the incredible Silver Cave below:
There’s also the abundance of amazing local food, including Beer Fish, stuffed Li River snails, bite size Li River fried shrimp and of course, street barbecues.
https://youtu.be/tjQAb0WOHoA?list=PLEzizmiPiASbVVWfezkIz4Si5rqWqp4dm
If you want to visit these amazing cities yourself, then apply now to experience China yourself!
In the beginning of November our InternChina Zhuhai crew started another adventure. This time the destination was called: Yangshuo 阳朔 <<Yáng Shuò>> – a place with unique and truly stunning scenery.
But before I tell you about our trip, here is a little summary about Yangshuo:
Yangshuo County has a fairy-tale landscape with a lot of traditional Chinese, rural culture which has inspired many artists and poets in the past. Its history goes back to antiquity and was established in the Sui Dynasty in 590AD. The architecture and caves allow people to trace back the ancient history. Located in the Guangxi province close to Guilin, the area is a very popular tourist destination and a delightful escape from noise pollution in big cities.
The Adventure:
On a Friday we started a 7 hour bus journey from Zhuhai together with about 10 Chinese tourists whom we didn’t know before. Needless to say we were all every excited.
Once we arrived, some of us went to find a midnight bite to eat. The hotel staff told us to be aware of the local “pirates”, which from that moment became the comedy theme of our trip. Nonetheless, we found very delicious BBQ lamb close by, got comfortable on miniature stools for a little while, and made it back safe and sound to the hotel without being made to walk the plank.
The next day we had an early start to finally explore the area and so we got on the bus and went to the world-famous Li River 漓 江 <<Lí Jiāng>>. There we took a boat to cruise along the river and witness the countryside imprinted on the 20CNY note. We also made the acquaintance of these lovely cormorants:
Next we went to XingPing old town aka XingPing fishing village 兴坪镇 <<Xīngpíng Zhèn>> – a street with many small shops and food stalls.
We were prepared for temperatures around 10-15 degrees, however, it turned out to be very sunny and warm that weekend and thus we were not equipped with the appropriate clothes. Speaking of clothes, this brings me to the next point on our budget list: Trying on traditional Chinese outfits at The Big Banyan Tree 大榕树 <<Dà Róng Shù>>. So on top of what were already warm clothes we put another layer of the finest Chinese materials.
We turned into the sight-seeing highlight for many of the Chinese people around us.
About 100 selfies and group pictures later we jumped back on the bus to see the Silver Cave 银 子岩 << Yínzi Yán>>. Luckily we weren’t there during the very busy season and thus had the chance to enjoy the colourfully lit rocks in only partially crowded areas.
But that was not it for the day. The moon-mountain as well as avery eventful dinner was up next.
And once again we turned out to be lucky: we met one of the ethnic minority groups “Zhuang” – really lovely ladies dressed in their traditional outfits – who ended up taking many pictures with us as well! Yangshuo is home to several ethnic minority groups and wearing traditional clothes in daily life still seems to be very common there.
Last but not least we went to see a very impressive, and the world’s largest natural theatre called Impression Liu Sanjie 印象刘三姐 <<Yìn Xiàng Liú Sān Jiĕ>>. Its stage are the waters and natural islands of the Li River and the twelve mist shrouded hills are its backdrop. The performance with 600+ actors is divided into seven chapters including the preface and epilogue which captured the entire audiences’ imagination.
To round off the day we enjoyed a cool breeze around bar street and celebrated the birthday of one of our crew members!
Like true pirates we woke up the next morning bright and early to continue our expedition. This time we took the bus to Yulong River 遇 龙河<< Yù lóng hé >> to go for a round of relaxed bamboo rafting. Even though the weather was drizzly that morning, we didn’t want to miss out on another great experience. The fog covering the mountain tops even gave the area a mysterious look and feel.
After a carefree float on the river we went for lunch close by before heading back to our beloved Zhuhai!
#Arrrrrrrr
In the back of your lonely planet/rough guide/routard there is always a list of ‘must do’ things to tick off your list when visiting a country. I hate traveling by ticking things off a list, so I tend to ignore the list entirely and follow my nose! However, when you’re planning a trip or sitting on the plan and you need a bit of inspiration as to what’s in store for you, it can be a great way to get some ideas and build up even more excitement about the trip. China has a massive range of landscapes and cultures, from icy outposts near the Russian border in the north, desert in the west to tropical islands in the south. I have come up with a few highlights that I have experienced in China over the years and a few things which my awesome team have done that I haven’t. So here we go, in no particular order:
Food in Qingdao – 青岛菜 – Qingdao is famous for it’s beach, beer and barbecue. But the good food doesn’t stop at barbecue! Qingdao specialties such as clams in garlic and chili sauce or fried squid are particularly good, as well as huge portions of ‘home style food’ (家常菜) for very cheap prices in most local restaurants. Qingdao is also home to a large South Korean community, so I would speculate that Qingdao is also home to some of the best Korean food outside of Korea!
Tiger Leaping Gorge – 虎跳峡 – One of my favourite places in all of China. This beautiful valley trek in Yunnan province is a stunning experience. Look out for a blog about this place from our Chengdu office manager Paul very soon!
Yunnan & Sichuan Provinces – 云南省和四川省 – Some of China’s most stunning countryside can be found in these two south-western provinces. Check out the recent blogs about trips which our interns did from our Chengdu office: https://internchina.com/trip-to-jiuzhai-valley/ and https://internchina.com/trip-to-conch-gully-%E6%B5%B7%E8%9E%BA%E6%B2%9F/.
Yangshuo – 阳朔 – Floating down the river on a bamboo raft or mountain biking in between the hump-shaped hills are two of the coolest activities in this beautiful rural town, which is a perfect weekend trip from Zhuhai. Check out the blog about our interns’ last trip there: https://internchina.com/trip-to-yangshuo-2/.
Island trips around Zhuhai – 珠海附近的岛屿 – Whilst I was living in Zhuhai we went on several island trips, which are always lots of fun. Check out one of our interns’ blogs about her island trip here: https://internchina.com/island-trip-to-wailingding-island/.
Fujian ‘Tulou’ – 福建土楼 – A cool weekend trip from Zhuhai to see these ancient buildings and swim in the rivers alongside them.
Shopping – 买东西 – Bargaining your way to a suitcase full of random items to bring back home, my family were pretty sick of getting strange Chinese gifts for Christmas every year whilst I was living in China!
Beijing Tourism – 在北京旅游 – Beijing is simply incredible. It’s so vast that it’s impossible to see all the sights in a day, but a weekend trip from Qingdao will allow you to see the great wall, tiananmen square, the forbidden city, summer palace and temple of heaven. You’ll definitely want to try the duck whilst you’re there too!
Shanghai Nightlife – 上海的夜生活 – Shanghai may not be the best place to see traditional Chinese culture, but it’s a great place to party!
The giant pandas – 大熊猫 – A picture is worth a thousand words:
Xi’An – 西安 – One of the biggest tourist destinations outside of Beijing, and for good reason; Xi’An is a beautiful ancient city, full of history and home to the famous Terracotta Army, the scale of which has to be seen to be believed.
Chinese Hospitality – 中国招待 – I’ll never forget the welcomes I’ve received and amazing meals I’ve been cooked when introducing interns to their host families in Qingdao and Zhuhai. Chinese people are often shy, but once you break the ice they are some of the most welcoming and hospitable people in the world.
Hong Kong & Macau – 港澳 – Both are a stones throw from Zhuhai and are 2 of the most unique and fascinating cities I’ve ever been to. Hong Kong is one of my favourite places in the world. Tropical islands, pristine beaches and one of the largest mega-cities on earth, all rolled into a tiny area and it all somehow just works effortlessly.
Haerbin Ice Festival – 哈尔滨冰雕节 – I’ve never had a warm enough coat to brave this frozen spectacle, but many friends in Qingdao ventured up there and reported a brilliant experience, although so cold that the water in your eyes begins to freeze!!
Shanghai’s satellites – 上海的卫星城 – There are some great small-ish towns to visit within shouting distance of Shanghai: Hangzhou, Suzhou, Ningbo and Xiaoxing are all worth a visit in my book.
Tibet – 西藏自治区 – One place I have never managed to get to, but you might be able to if you intern in Chengdu. Beautiful landscapes, monasteries and mountains to explore.
Zhang Jia Jie – 张家界 – This epic piece of countryside was the backdrop to the film Avatar. I never made it there but am eager to make the journey up there from Zhuhai one day after reading our interns’ blog about their trip: https://internchina.com/internchina-trip-to-zhangjiajie-national-forest-park/.
Xinjiang province – 新疆维吾尔自治区 – My lovely colleague Sunny made me very jealous with her recent trip to Xinjiang. Her blog is here: https://internchina.com/my-trip-in-xinjiang-sinkiang/. Xinjiang is a great place to discover some of China’s cultural and ethnic diversity.
Inner Mongolia – 内蒙古 – I have really wanted to go here ever since reading this awesome blog by my amazing former colleague Philippe: https://internchina.com/inner-mongolia-trip-30th-of-september-to-the-6th-of-october-part-i/
Chinese public transport – 公共交通 – None of these trips would be possible without experiencing Chinese buses and trains, which are an experience in themselves!!
Want to explore China and take in some of these incredible experiences? Apply Now for an InternChina programme!
Yangshuo, a small town near the city of Guilin in Guangxi Province, is a very famous landmark of China and one of the InternChina Zhuhai office’s favourite travel spots. Philippe, our office manager, has been there all of seven times, and he likes it so much he will probably continue to go many more times.
For most of the 20 people who went on last weekend’s trip though, it was the first time, and we had high expectations. We left on Friday night and took off on an 8-hour bus ride, which we weren’t too fussed about because after Zhangjiajie, eight hours felt like a piece of cake.
We arrived early Saturday morning and stopped to eat traditional Gui Lin Mi Fen (Guilin rice noodles) for breakfast. Though it wasn’t cold, it was raining, so again we donned our ponchos. We were taken to the wharf and got on the boats for a tour along Lijiang River. Even though the rain and fog did not allow us to see much of the mountains around the river, it was still a nice ride and we were having fun trying to see whose boat would make it to the other end first.
One of the most famous features of Yangshuo is the spot on Lijiang River that is printed on the 20 Yuan notes, and of course, we couldn’t miss the opportunity to take some pictures to show we’d been there!
After the boats we took a walk along Xingping Town, a small town with narrow streets full of little shops where all kinds of souvenirs can be bought. Some of the interns bought amazing scroll paintings picturing the beauty of Lijiang River and its mountains.
Then we were taken to the Yinzi Cave, a huge cave full of stalactites and stalagmites in all kinds of shapes and sizes, which are made even more beautiful by the colourful light effects that surround them. Here you can also buy some special local products such as chilli sauce and chunks of solid honey, straight from the honeycomb.
After the cave we had lunch and then, since it wasn’t raining anymore, we decided to head over to Yulong River (also called the ‘Little Li River’), where we got on bamboo rafts again but this time, we had a mission: a water-gun fight! The funny part was that it took a while before all our rafts were assembled and ready to go, so while we were waiting we started shooting water at each other and by the time we actually got on the boats, most of us were already soaking wet. The rides were also a lot of fun, trying to aim at our friends from far away and even engaging in fights with other Chinese tourists who were more than happy to play around with us. Some of us even jumped in the river for a swim, the water was so clear and fresh we could have stayed there all day.
Then it was off to our hotel, where we took quick showers and headed to a local restaurant where we were served a feast of all kinds of dishes, including snails and the traditional Beer Fish. We were also given some of the local bai jiu (rice wine), which some of the interns drank with enthusiasm while others stuck to the safer option: the local Liquan Beer. After dinner we walked over to Xi Jie – bar street – for a night of dancing and bar-hopping.
The next morning, after breakfast, we visited the Butterfly Cave – another cave which goes up the mountain – and the Banyan Tree which is said to be 1000 years old. Afterwards we had a lunch of duck hot pot, and finally we were taken to West Street in Yangshuo Town, where we spent about an hour walking and looking around, eating fresh passion fruit and shopping for cool Chinese clothes and souvenirs. Then it was back on the bus and back to Zhuhai!
Would you like to visit Yangshuo and have lots of fun with your friends? Apply now for an internship or send us an email for more information.
Die Zeit verfliegt und es ist mittlerweile nun fast ein halbes Jahr vergangen seit dem mein Praktikum bei InternChina angefangen hat. Es ist also an der Zeit einmal rückblickend zu betrachten was mir so ein halbes Jahr, bei InternChina, gebracht hat.
Ich muss eine Sache vorweg schicken. Dies ist nicht mein erstes Praktikum. Mir wurde schon des Öfteren bestätigt aus welchem Grund es Klischees a la “nur Kaffee kochen”, “das ist nicht so wichtig, das kann die Praktikantin machen”, “guck halt einfach mal zu” gibt. Klar, daraus lernt man was – wenn du möchtest, dass dich jemand ernst nimmt, such dir die Arbeit, mach alles ordentlich damit man dir das nächste mal vielleicht ein bisschen mehr zutraut und sei ein bisschen geduldig.
Kurzum: vor Antritt eines Praktikums ist man ja immer erstmal auf alles gefasst. Diesmal war das anders. Bereits bei meinem Vorstellungsgespräch wurde ich über meine vielfältigen verschiedenen Aufgabenbereiche aufgeklärt: Trips und Freizeitaktivitäten organisieren, Bewerbungen beantworten, neue Firmen suchen, passende Firmen für neue Praktikanten suchen, andere Praktikanten empfangen und in deren Firmen bringen, Blogs schreiben, Praktikumsstellen posten etc.
Meine Erwartungshaltung hielt sich demnach mehr so im Bereich: ‚Wie soll ich das denn alles machen, ich bin doch selbst bloß Praktikant‘ auf.
Nun, ich fasse das mal zusammen: Nachdem mich das gesamte InternChina Team liebevoll mit einem Dinner empfangen hat, mich direkt zu Beginn mit kantonesischen, kulinarischen Köstlichkeiten vertraut gemacht hat, bekam ich eine wunderbare Einführung über Zhuhai und über InternChina. Klar, dann ging erstmal ein bisschen Zeit drauf um Organisatorisches zu klären und mir einen Überblick zu verschaffen. Aber wenn ich so zurückblicke, wurde ich dann wirklich in Windeseile in alles integriert und habe mich mitnichten wie ein Praktikant gefühlt, sondern einfach wie jemand der ein halbes Jahr bei InternChina arbeitet.
Die Arbeit ist unfassbar vielfältig und abwechlungsreich! Von der ganzen Büroarbeit, über Firmenbesuche, bis hin zum stetigen Kontakt zu Bewerbern, den Praktikanten vor Ort und den Vorsitzenden diverser Firmen ist alles dabei gewesen. Ebenso wie die Organisation verschiedener Wochenendausflüge wie nach Guilin oder nach Guangzhou.
Selten ist ein halbes Jahr so schnell vergangen und selten hatte ich das Gefühl in einer so kurzen Zeit so viel gelernt zu haben. Leider nimmt fast alles irgendwann ein Ende und es fällt mir nicht leicht das alles hinter mir zu lassen: einen anspruchsvollen Arbeitstag mit einem sehr entspannten Arbeitsklima und einem unfassbar großartigen Team.
Falls du auch interessiert daran bist nach China zu kommen und ein Praktikum mit InternChina zu machen, geh einfach auf unsere Website oder schick uns seine Email an info@internchina.com. Wir freuen uns drauf von dir zu hören!
This weekend’s trip to YangShuo consisted of a legend of a tour guide, a missing wallet, a damaged phone and passport, some sort of binoculars device and several outrageously hung-over interns. The 8 hour bus journey each way was not enough to put of the 16 interns whose perseverance was rewarded with a great weekend away.
Friday
We set of on Friday night, where we shared a bus with local Chinese people who were keen to interact with ‘foreigners’ and get to know us despite the language barrier. There we were first greeted by a tour guide who was a pivotal figure through-out the trip. Although he did not speak too much English, his facial gestures and enthusiastic attitude was infectious enough to make everyone fall in love with him. By getting people to stand up, make a speech and sing to the audience, he helped make the bus journey go a little bit quicker.
Saturday
We eventually arrived in YangShuo at 6.30 in the morning which meant there was so much room for activities! After breakfast we set off on a boat ride along the beautiful LiJiang River where we saw the famous mountains that can be seen on the 20yuan RMB note.
After we had taken enough pictures and enjoyed the wildlife including water buffalos and a never ending line of ducks we took a bus to the Yinzi Cave. This scenic cave was made up of impressive sights including a deep underground river and waterfalls that made it distinctive to any other cave in the world.
After the cave visit we settled down to some traditional Chinese cuisine before heading out on different activities. The first group set off to explore YangShuo further and by hiring scooters, they were able to go off-road to hidden, undiscovered areas. This allowed close up pictures of the local sights to be taken and everyone who was a part of it thoroughly enjoyed it.
The other group went on to butterfly spring, another scenic cave trip and got to see a Chinese show where singing and dancing in colourful costumes commenced. As the day drew to a close, we arrived at our hotel and got ready to explore the YangShuo nightlife. We set of for dinner at 7pm and the drinking began. We were provided by San Hua a Chinese spirit that was shared between both interns and locals. This helped top of a great day with an equally eventful night. The night involved Philippe leading us on a failed search for waffles, drinking and dancing in some of the local bars and Max jumping in a river with his passport and phone.
Sunday
Sunday morning therefore started with a few sore heads and Joe moaning about how he had lost his wallet and his English rail card. There was no time to nurse a hang-over as we quickly went off to the Yulong River to partake in some bamboo-rafting. This could have been the perfect opportunity to sit back, relax and get some peace but it did not turn out that way. Our favourite tour guide urged everyone to buy water guns which turned into a big water battle between rival rafts. Once you were out of sight of the other rafts, there were chances to get food and beer without getting out of the water which was pretty pleasing. After we were back on land we headed to a restaurant to get some duck soup before heading back to Zhuhai.
Overall our trip to Yangshuo has to go down as a success and is a place that is definitely worth a visit. A big thanks to everyone for coming and hope to see you on the next trip.
Calum
Hello everyone!
During the October holiday week my friends and I took a trip to Yangshuo. I had a really great time there and I finally got the chance to see a “real” Chinese city. Yangshuo is very different from Zhuhai. Yangshuo is rather crowded and traditional whereas Zhuhai is very relaxed and quite modern.
On our first day we rented some bikes and went to the “Moon Water Cave”. The bike ride to the cave was quite nice, Yangshuo has many beautiful sceneries. In the water cave there was supposed to be a mud bath and a hot spring, but both were basically a mix of water and dirt. However the 1 hour walk through the water cave until we got to the mud bath was the best part. It was slippery and dangerous and many bats were flying around (one flew towards my face… but luckily it missed). All in all the “Moon Water Cave” was not what I expected, but it was an interesting experience nonetheless.
In the evening we went for some food and we found the most amazing restaurant, which was called “Cloud 9”! I’ve never eaten so well in my life! After dinner we went shopping and I bought way too many things. They have really nice souvenirs in Yangshuo, but it is very important to know how to bargain because foreigners usually get overcharged. The short sentence “Tai gui le!” (Too expensive!) often worked wonders for me.
The next day we went on a boat tour to Xing Ping. I enjoyed the boat tour very much. We got to see China’s most beautiful sceneries for one and a half hours. After we got off the boat we were picked up by a tuk-tuk. It was a crazy ride to Xing Ping. Many souvenir booths on the sideways, tourist guides screaming into their megaphones and tuk-tuk drivers going crazy and honking like there’s no tomorrow.
InternChina – Boat TripWhen we finally reached Xing Ping I was a bit disappointed. There was not much to see there, so we took the next bus back to Yangshuo, the most beautiful (and only other) city I’ve seen in China, after Zhuhai of course.
Zaijian!