A email from a friend of a friend

Okay, so she'll be in Beijing and perhaps elsewhere. Note the following:

- It might be cool, temperature wise so def. bring warm clothing.
- Most toilets are squat-toilets so yeah.
- Take TP everywhere you go. Plus Imodium. Just in case.
- Prepare to be stared at. Not a big deal but does get old.
- Prepare to be sold to at every turn. Especially in the Bund/Pudong (Financial) area of Shanghai if she's visiting there.
- If she's not an adventurous epicure, pack lots of snacks and what not. Chinese food in the US is not really Chinese food. That said, I enjoyed it immensely and ate everything I could get my hands on, including silk worms!
- Clubs can be very very expensive - especially in Shanghai. Things might be cheaper with the global economy tanking but still.
- The pollution in Beijing is quite bad so if she has allergies or asthma, she should keep that in mind.
- Exchange money over there at the airport.
- Ride the bullet train at least once.
- Always keep a hotel card on her so she can show a taxi driver where she needs to go to get home.

That's all I can think of at the moment. She'll have a blast.