Chapter 14

Planning a Trip

In This Chapter

Checking your calendar for open dates

Planning around Chinese holidays

Choosing a travel destination

Filling your luggage

Dealing with travel agents

Careful planning is the key to a successful vacation or business trip. You have to keep in mind not only where you want to go but also the best time to travel. This chapter tells you how to prepare for a trip abroad and how to choose the exact day, date, and year you want to travel. When it comes to making sure your hùzhào 护照 (護照) (hoo-jaow) (passport) is still valid and your qiānzhèng 签证 (簽證) (chyan-juhng) (visa) is in order, however, you’re on your own. Yí lù píng ān! 一路平安! (ee loo peeng ahn!) (Have a good trip!)

Talking about When You Want to Travel

The time of year you choose to travel can make all the difference in the world for a great (or lousy) vacation. A trip to Beijing during March, just when the dust storms are blowing in from the Gobi Desert, for example, is quite different from a trip during May or October, when pollution is at a minimum and sunny skies are at a maximum. Of course, May and October are peak seasons to travel to China for exactly these reasons, which means hotel prices are also at their peak. Paris in the spring is just as great (and just as expensive) for the same reason. Can’t do much to help you there. For more on all things related to dates and seasons, head to Chapter 5.

Want to find out when friends plan to leave on their vacation? Just ask them one of these basic questions:

Nǐ jǐ yuè jǐ hào zǒu? 你几月几号走? (你幾月幾號走?) (nee jee yweh jee how dzoe?) (When are you leaving? [Literally: What month and day are you leaving?])

Nǐ jǐ yuè jǐ hào qù Zhōngguó? 你几月几号去中国? (你幾月幾號去中國?) (nee jee yweh jee how chyew joong-gwaw?) (When will you be going to China? [Literally: What month and day will you be going to China?])

If you have to answer the preceding questions, just fill in the month and the number of the day you plan on leaving and put those words in place of yuè and hào. Here are some examples:

Wǒ wǔ yuè sānshí hào zǒu. 我五月三十号走. (我五月三十號走.) (waw woo yweh sahn shir how dzoe) (I’m leaving on May 30.)

Wǒ sān yuè yī hào qù Zhōngguó. 我三月一号去中国. (我三月一號去中國.) (waw sahn yweh ee how chyew joong-gwaw) (I’m going to China on March 1.)

Bet you can’t wait to start making those travel plans now!

Celebrating the Chinese Holidays

If you travel to China during 2013, you arrive during shé nián 蛇年 (shuh nyan) (Year of the Snake). Want to travel in later years instead?

2014: mǎ nián 马年 (馬年) (ma nyan) (Year of the Horse)

2015: yáng nián 羊年 (yahng nyan) (Year of the Sheep)

After the sheep, the following animals come calling: hóu 猴 (ho) (monkey), 鸡 (雞) (jee) (rooster), gǒu 狗 (狗) (go) (dog), zhū 猪 (豬) (joo) (pig), shǔ 鼠 (shoo) (rat), niú 牛 (nyo) (ox), hǔ 虎 (hoo) (tiger), tù 兔 (too) (rabbit), and finally the lóng 龙 (龍) (loong) (dragon) before the snake comes around again. It’s the rat, though (not the snake), who starts the whole new 12-year cycle.

You may want to time your trip to mainland China, Taiwan, or Hong Kong to coincide with certain holidays — or, just as important, to avoid certain days and weeks.

First, you celebrate xīnnián 新年 (shin-nyan) (New Year’s Day), also known as yuándàn 元旦 (ywan-dahn), on January 1. That’s separate from a three-day celebration coinciding with the lunar New Year known as chūn jié 春节 (春節) (chwun jyeh) (Spring Festival; Chinese New Year). Every year, the dates for chūn jié change because — you guessed it — it follows the yīnlì 阴历 (陰曆) (yeen-lee) (lunar calendar) rather than the yánglì 阳历 (陽曆) (yahng-lee) (solar calendar). Chūn jié always occurs sometime in January or February.

In mainland China, Láodòng jié 劳动节 (勞動節) (laow-doong jyeh) (Labor Day) is celebrated on May 1, and Guó qìng jié 国庆节 (國慶節) (gwaw cheeng jyeh) (National Day) is celebrated on October 1 in commemoration of the day Mao Zedong and the Chinese Communist Party declared the founding of Zhōnghuá rénmín gònghé guó 中华人民共和国 (中華人民共和國) (joong-hwah run-meen goong-huh gwaw) (the People’s Republic of China) in 1949. In Taiwan, Guó qìng jié is celebrated on October 10 to commemorate the day in 1911 when China’s long dynastic history ended and a new era of Zhōnghuá mín guó 中华民国 (中華民國) (joong-hwah meen gwaw) (the Republic of China [another name for Taiwan]) began, under the leadership of Dr. Sun Yat-sen. National Day in Taiwan is often referred to as shuāng shí jié 双十节 (雙十節) (shwahng shir jyeh) (Literally: double 10 day), because it occurs on the 10th day of the 10th month.

In Taiwan, you often see years written out that seem to be 11 years short of what you think is correct. That’s because the founding of the Republic of China in 1911 is considered the base line for all future years. So 1921 is listed as mín guó shí nián 民国十年 (民國十年) (meen gwaw shir nyan); mín guó is the abbreviation for Zhōnghuá mín guó, and shí nián, meaning 10 years, refers to 10 years following the founding of the Republic of China.

In addition to the major public holidays worthy of closing down businesses, you may want to experience some of the other fun and interesting Chinese holidays first-hand. Refer to Chapter 5 for more on Chinese holidays.

All sorts of folk festivals take place in villages throughout mainland China and Taiwan when you least expect them, so if you suddenly find yourself surrounded by a throng of jovial, clapping and singing people, just follow the crowd and see where the action takes you. You won’t be disappointed. Even funeral processions can be the most fascinating and musical of events, with mourners dressed in white sackcloth playing all manner of wind and percussion instruments.

Where To? Deciding on a Destination

Nǐ xiǎng dào nǎr qù? 你想到哪儿去? (你想到哪兒去?) (nee shyahng daow nar chyew?) (Where do you want to go?) Planning a trip to Yàzhōu 亚洲 (亞洲) (yah-joe) (Asia), Fēizhōu 非洲 (fay-joe) (Africa), Ōuzhōu 欧洲 (歐洲) (oh-joe) (Europe), or Měizhōu 美洲 (may-joe) (the Americas)? Will your voyage be zài guó nèi 在国内 (在國內) (dzye gwaw nay) (within the country/domestic) or zài guó wài 在国外 (在國外) (dzye gwaw why) (outside the country)? Table 14-1 shows some countries you may choose to visit.

Table 14-1 Places to Visit Around the Globe

Chinese	Pronunciation	English
Àiěrlán 爱尔兰 (愛爾蘭)	eye-are-lahn	Ireland
Déguó 德国 (德國)	duh-gwaw	Germany
Éguó 俄国 (俄國)	uh-gwaw	Russia
Fǎguó 法国 (法國)	fah-gwaw	France
Jiānádà 加拿大	jyah-nah-dah	Canada
Mòxīgē 墨西哥	maw-she-guh	Mexico
Nánfēi 南非	nahn-fay	South Africa
Rìběn 日本	ir-bun	Japan
Ruìdiǎn 瑞典	rway-dyan	Sweden
Ruìshì 瑞士	rway-shir	Switzerland
Táiwān 台湾 (台灣)	tye-wahn	Taiwan
Tǎnsāngníyà 坦桑尼亚 (坦桑尼亞)	tahn-sahng-nee-yah	Tanzania
Xiānggǎng 香港	shyahng-gahng	Hong Kong
Xiōngyálì 匈牙利	shyoong-yah-lee	Hungary
Yǐsèliè 以色列	ee-suh-lyeh	Israel
Yuènán 越南	yweh-nahn	Vietnam
Zāyīěr 扎伊尔 (扎伊爾)	zah-ee-are	Zaire
Zhōngguó dàlù 中国大陆 (中國大陸)	joong-gwaw dah-loo	Mainland China

Depending on the type of activities you enjoy doing when you fàng jià 放假 (fahng jyah) (take a vacation), you may want to consider traveling to a place that has plenty of the following features (or at least one special one to make it well worth the trip) so that you can yóulǎn 游览 (遊覽) (yo-lahn) (sightsee):

fó miào 佛庙 (佛廟) (faw myaow) (Buddhist temple)

gǔdǒngdiàn古董店 (goo-doong-dyan) (antique shop)

hǎitān 海滩 (海灘) (hi-tahn) (beach)

měishùguǎn 美术馆 (美術館) (may-shoo-gwahn) (art gallery)

mótiāndàlóu 摩天大楼 (摩天大樓) (maw-tyan-dah-lo) (skyscraper)

shāmò 沙漠 (shah-maw) (desert)

shān 山 (shahn) (mountain)

tǎ 塔 (tah) (pagoda)

xióngmāo 熊猫 (熊貓) (shyoong-maow) (pandas)

xìyuàn 剧院 (劇院) (she-ywan) (theatre)

yóuliè 游猎 (遊獵) (yo-lyeh) (safari)

zhíwùyuán 植物园 (植物園) (jir-woo-ywan) (botanical gardens)

Unless you’re the type who thrives on danger and excitement (or works for a relief agency), try to avoid places where the following natural phenomena occur:

dìzhèn 地震 (dee-juhn) (earthquake)

hànzāi 旱灾 (旱災) (hahn-dzye) (drought)

huǒzāi 火灾 (火災) (hwaw-dzye) (fire)

shuǐzāi 水灾 (水災) (shway-dzye) (flood)

táifēng 台风 (颱風) (tye-fung) (typhoon)

yǔjì 雨季 (yew-jee) (rainy season)

Planning to travel cóng Xiōngyálì 从 (從)匈牙利 (tsoong shyoong-yah-lee) (from Hungary) dào Xiānggǎng 到香港 (daow shyahng-gahng) (to Hong Kong) anytime soon? How about cóng Rìběn 从日本 (從日本) (tsoong ir-bun) (from Japan) dào Mòxīgē 到墨西哥 (daow maw-she-guh) (to Mexico) instead? Wherever you travel, you always go cóng (tsoong) (from) one place dào (daow) (to) another. Here are some good phrases to know when you tell people about your upcoming travel plans, using the cóng . . . dào pattern:

Cóng Nánfēi dào Zāyīěr duō cháng shíjiān? 从南非到扎伊尔多长时间? (從南非到扎伊爾多長時間?) (tsoong nahn-fay daow zah-ee-are dwaw chahng shir-jyan?) (How long does it take to get from South Africa to Zaire?)

Nǐmen shénme shíhòu cóng Zhōngguó dào zhèr lái? 你们什么时侯从中国到这儿来? (你們甚麼時候從中國到這兒來?) (nee-mun shummuh shir-ho tsoong joong-gwaw daow jar lye?) (When are you all coming here from China?)

Tā míngtiān cóng Yǐsèliè dào Ruìdiǎn qù. 她明天从以色列到瑞典去. (她明天從以色列到瑞典去.) (tah meeng-tyan tsoong ee-suh-lyeh daow rway-dyan chyew.) (She’s going from Israel to Sweden tomorrow.)

Wǒ cóng Niǔyuē dào Jiāzhōu qù. 我从纽约到加州去. (我從紐約到加州去.) (waw tsoong nyo-yweh daow jyah-joe chyew.) (I’m going from New York to California.)

Talkin’ the Talk

Páng Lǎoshī (pahng laow-shir) (Professor Pang) asks his American student, Wendy, where she plans to go during the upcoming winter vacation. She has already been in Tianjin studying Chinese for four months. (Track 18)

Páng Lǎoshī:

Wendy, nǐ hán jià de shíhòu xiǎng qù nǎr?

Wendy, nee hahn jyah duh shir-ho shyahng chyew nar?

Wendy, where do you plan on going during the winter vacation?

Wendy:

Yīnwèi wǒ yǐjīng zài Tiānjīn sì ge yuè le, suǒyǐ wǒ xiǎng zhōngyú qù Fēizhōu kànkàn.

een-way waw ee-jeeng dzye tyan-jeen suh guh yweh luh, swaw-yee waw shyahng joong-yew chyew fay-joe kahn-kahn.

Because I’ve already been in Tianjin for four months, I’d like to finally go to Africa to have a look.

Páng Lǎoshī:

Fēizhōu! Nèmme yuán. Wèishénme yào qù nàr?

fay-joe! nummuh ywan. way-shummuh yaow chyew nar?

Africa! So far away. Why do you want to go there?

Wendy:

Yīnwèi dōngtiān de shíhòu Tiānjīn tài lěng. Ěrqiě zài Fēizhōu kěyǐ cānjiā yóuliè!

een-way doong-tyan duh shir-ho tyan-jeen tye lung. are-chyeh dzye fay-joe kuh-yee tsahn-jyah yo-lyeh!

Because winters in Tianjin are too cold. What’s more, in Africa I can take part in a safari!

Páng Lǎoshī:

Cóng Yàzhōu dào Fēizhōu zuò fēijī jǐge xiǎoshí?

tsoong yah-joe daow fay-joe dzwaw fay-jee jee-guh shyaow-shir?

How many hours is it from Asia to Africa by plane?

Wendy:

Cóng Tiānjīn dào Tǎnsāngníyà yào chàbùduō shísān ge xiǎoshí.

tsoong tyan-jeen daow tahn-sahng-nee-yah yaow chah-boo-dwaw shir-sahn guh shyaow-shir.

From Tianjin to Tanzania, it takes about 13 hours.

Páng Lǎoshī:

Qǐng dài huí lái hěn duō xiàngpiàn gěi wǒ kànkàn.

cheeng dye hway lye hun dwaw shyahng-pyan gay waw kahn-kahn.

Please bring back lots of pictures to show me.

Wendy:

Yídìng huì.

ee-deeng hway.

I certainly will.

Passports and Visas: Don’t Leave Home without ’Em

Surprise! Actually, the fact that you need a valid hùzhào 护照 (護照) (hoo-jaow) (passport) and a qiānzhèng 签证 (簽證) (chyan-juhng) (visa) if you want to enter mainland China or Taiwan should come as no surprise. And if you plan on visiting a couple of different countries in the region for any length of time, you may need a couple of different qiānzhèng to go with each destination. Check to see what regulations apply before you board your fēijī 飞机 (飛機) (fay-jee) (airplane), or you may have the shortest vacation experience of your life.

In the course of securing a visa or two, you’ll probably have to locate, navigate, deal with, or ask for the following:

B xíng gānyán yìmiǎo B型肝炎疫苗 (pronunciation) (Hepatitis B shot)

dāncí rùjìng qiānzhèng 单次入境签证 (單次入境簽證) (dahn-tsuh roo-jeeng chyan-juhng) (single-entry visa)

dàshǐguǎn 大使馆 (大使館) (dah-shir-gwan) (embassy)

duōcí rùjìng qiānzhèng 多次入境签证 (多次入境簽證) (dwaw-tsuh roo-jeeng chyan-juhng) (multiple-entry visa)

guānliǎo zhǔyì 官僚主义 (官僚主義) (gwan-lyaow joo-ee) (bureaucracy)

jiànkāng zhèngshū 健康证书 (健康證書) (jyan-kahng juhng-shoo) (health certificate)

línshìguǎn 领事馆 (領事館) (leen-shir-gwan) (consulate)

páiduì 排队 (排隊) (pye-dway) (to stand in line)

qiānzhèng chù 签证处 (簽證處) (chyan-juhng choo) (visa section)

Packing for Your Trip

Are you the type who likes to zhuāngrù 裝入 (jwahng-roo) (pack) everything under the sun in three different pieces of oversized xíngli 行李 (sheeng-lee) (luggage) before a trip? Or are you more the bèibāo 背包 (bay-baow) (backpack) type, content to take only the bare essentials? Either way, you have to prepare your bags in advance if you want to qualify them as shǒutí xíngli 手提行李 (show-tee sheeng-lee) (carry-on luggage) or tuōyùn xíngli 托运行李 (托運行李) (twaw-yewn sheeng-lee) (checked luggage).

What kind of clothes to pack depends on where you’re going; Chapter 9 gives you the lowdown on various items of clothing. No matter where you plan to go, you should pack some of these items:

chúchòu jì 除臭剂 (除臭劑) (choo-cho jee) (deodorant)

féizào 肥皂 (fay-dzaow) (soap)

guālián dāo 刮脸刀 (刮臉刀) (gwah-lyan daow) (razor)

huàzhuāng pǐn 化妝品 (hwah-jwahng peen) (makeup)

nào zhōng 闹钟 (鬧鐘) (naow joong) (alarm clock)

shuāzi 刷子 (shwah-dzuh) (brush)

shùkǒu shuǐ 漱口水 (shoo-ko shway) (mouthwash)

tàiyáng yǎnjìng 太阳眼镜 (太陽眼鏡) (tye-yahng yan-jeeng) (sunglasses)

wèi shēng jīn 卫生巾 (衛生巾) (way shung geen) (sanitary napkins)

yágāo 牙膏 (yah-gaow) (toothpaste)

yáshuā 牙刷 (yah-shwah) (toothbrush)

yuèjīng yòng miánsāi 月经用棉塞 (月經用棉塞) (yweh-jeeng yoong myan-sye) (tampons)

yùndǒu 熨斗 (yewn-doe) (iron)

yǔsǎn 雨伞 (雨傘) (yew-sahn) (umbrella)

zhàoxiàng jī 照相机 (照相機) (jaow-shyahng jee) (camera)

zhuǎnjiē qì 转接器 (轉接器) (jwahn-jyeh chee) (adaptor)

The sentence structure for the verb zhuāng 装 (裝) (jwahng) (to pack) is bǎ A zhuāngrù B 把 A 装入 B (bah A jwahng-roo B), which translates into pack A into B, even though the word for pack comes between what you’re packing (A) and what you pack it into (B).

Enlisting the Help of a Travel Agency

Think you can handle traipsing around the world without an advance plan or hotel reservations? Think again. China, for example, is one country you should travel to as part of a guānguāng tuán 观光团 (觀光團) (gwahn-gwahng twahn) (tour group). If you don’t like the idea of group travel, you should at least make advance reservations for hotels and domestic travel and even for your own private dǎoyóu 导游 (導遊) (daow-yo) (tour guide) through a lǚxíngshè 旅行社 (lyew-sheeng-shuh) (travel agency). Remember, you generally hear no Yīngyǔ 英语 (英語) (eeng-yew) (English) spoken anywhere in China, so having someone who knows the ropes help you iron out the details ahead of time (including arranging an English-speaking tour guide) can help avoid headaches when you’re there.

Talkin’ the Talk

Daisy and Michael discuss their travel plans with a local travel agent, Miss Lǐ, in Hong Kong. (Track 19)

Miss Lǐ:

Nǐmen hǎo. Wǒ néng bāng shénme máng?

nee-men how. waw nung bahng shummuh mahng?

Hello. How may I be of help?

Daisy:

Wǒmen hěn xiǎng qù Zhōngguó dàlù. Néng bùnéng yùdìng yíge lǔguǎn?

waw-men hun shyahng chyew joong-gwaw dah loo. nung boo-nung yew-deeng ee-guh lyew-gwahn?

We’re very interested in traveling to mainland China. Would you be able to reserve hotels for us in advance?

Miss Lǐ:

Méiyǒu wèntǐ. Nǐmen shénme shíhòu yào zǒu?

mayo one-tee. nee-mun shummuh shir-ho yaow dzoe?

No problem. When would you like to go?

Michael:

Tīngshuō wǔ yuè fèn de tiānqì zuì hǎo.

teeng-shwaw woo yweh fun duh tyan-chee dzway how.

I’ve heard the weather in May is the best.

Miss Lǐ:

Duì le. Wǒ yě jiànyì nǐmen gēn yíge guānguāng tuán yíkuàr qù.

dway luh. waw yeah jyan-ee nee-mun gun ee-guh gwahn-gwahng twan ee-kwar chyew.

That’s correct. I also suggest you go with a tour group.

Daisy:

Wèishénme?

way-shummuh?

Why?

Miss Lǐ:

Guānguāng tuán yǒu shuō Yīngyǔ de dǎoyóu hé yóulǎnchē. Nà zuì fāngbiàn.

gwahn-gwahng twahn yo shwaw eeng-yew duh daow-yo huh yo-lahn-chuh. nah dzway fahng-byan.

Tour groups have an English-speaking tour guide and a sightseeing bus. That’s the most convenient way to go.

Michael:

Hǎo. Juédìng le.

how. jweh-deeng luh.

Okay. It’s decided.

 Fun & Games

Fill in the missing words with one of the three possible answers. See Appendix D for the answers.

1. Wǒmen jīnnián qù ____________. 我们今年去____________. (我們今年去__________. ) (This year we’re going to Ireland.)

a. Àiěrlán 爱尔兰 (愛爾蘭)

b. Éguó 俄国 (俄國)

c. Nánfēi 南非

2. Tāmen _______________ zǒu. 他们________走. (他們________走.) (They’re leaving on June 8.)

a. sì yuè wǔ hào 四月五号 (四月五號)

b. wǔ yuè jiǔ hào 五月九号 (五月九號)

c. liù yuè bā hào 六月八号 (六月八號)

3. Wǒmen yídìng yào kàn _____________. 我们一定要看 ________. (我們一定要看________.) (We definitely want to see Buddhist temples.)

a. xióngmāo 熊猫 (熊貓)

b. fó miào 佛庙 (佛廟)

c. yóuliè 游猎 (遊獵)

4. Bié wàngle zhuāngrù ___________. 别忘了装入 ______. (別忘了裝入________.) (Don’t forget to pack a toothbrush.)

a. yáshuā 牙刷

b. yágāo 牙膏

c. huàzhuāng pǐn 化妆品 (化妝品)

5. Méiyǒu wèntǐ. ____________. 没有问题 ____________. (沒有問題 ____________.) (No problem. Just kidding.)

a. Juédìng le. 决定了. (決定了.)

b. Kāi wǎn xiào. 开玩笑. (開玩笑.)

c. Jiù wǎn le. 就完了.