Check here to find out the latest travel news, handy travel tips, new tour itineraries and great values.
"China
My trip to China for 18 days in August ’01 was an exciting experience of a country in transition. I went with PacGate Travel & Tours (2304 Huntington Dr., Ste. 266, San Marino, CA 91108; phone 800/452-0386, fax 626/285-7911, e-mail info@pacgatetours.com or visit www.pacgatetours.com).
The itinerary, from Shanghai to Chongquing, included nine nights’ cruising the Yangtze River through the scenic Three Gorges and a visit to the construction site of the world’s largest dam. The cruise was followed by visits to Xi’an to see the Terra Cotta Warriors and four nights in Beijing to walk on the Great Wall and visit Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace, among the many other highlights.
The tour director, Ray Zhong, a Chinese national who makes his home in Los Angeles, was the primary guide. As our group comprised 101 people, Mr. Zhong was accompanied by two associates. All three men were very professional and caring and surprisingly flexible in meeting our interests and needs as we went along.
Our daily schedule was packed so that we could see and experience as much of the vast, varied and fascinating country as possible.
We enjoyed a location on the Great Wall with fewer tourists than the one closest to Beijing, which can be a mob scene.
In Xi’an we visited the more intimate Small Goose Pagoda, rather than endure the masses of tourists at the Wild Goose Pagoda – a wise choice. Also, we were given a longer time and more thorough visit at the terra-cotta soldiers than is sometimes the case. A highlight was an unscheduled visit to a school at a farm village to enjoy the children shyly greeting surprise visitors.
PacGate Travel & Tours offers trips tailored to very small groups or quite large ones such as ours. Our price was $2,099, including round-trip airfare from West Coast cities, all meals and beautiful 5-star hotels. Excluded were cancellation insurance, visa, airport fees and tips.
This was my third trip to China and the very best one. I am always thrilled with the friendliness, openness and hospitality of the Chinese people and their beauty and graciousness. I should mention that China is a shopper’s paradise with items from simple crafts to elegant cashmere sweaters at terrific prices.
Readers with questions may fax me at 775/746-8239 or e-mail dollydogg9@aol.com.
-Carroll Gardner, Reno, NV"
