pxlbarrel's live report from their China ABD! (In China now on an ABD and ...)

[sayhello]

pxlbarrel is having problems posting on this forum for some reason (who knows why?) but is able to post on the Podcast forum.

So here's a link to pxlbarrel's live report!

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2903121

Sayhello

 

[pxlbarrel]

I finally finished the trip report... ha...first time I ever finished one.



Can't believe that it's already been a month since the ABD tour ended.

 

[WeLoveABD]

I finally finished the trip report... ha...first time I ever finished one.



Can't believe that it's already been a month since the ABD tour ended.

Hey pxlbarrel--where can I find your report, would love to read it! And is it true that they are cutting out HK Disneyland on future China adventures? We went in 2008--just before the Olympics (and before they added Xian)--loved the trip, and I really enjoyed the grounds of HK Disneyland (and the hotel--very much like the Grand Floridian/Hotel Del). Oh, and HOMA...and so much else. Anyway--looking forward to your report!!

 

[pxlbarrel]

Hey pxlbarrel--where can I find your report, would love to read it! And is it true that they are cutting out HK Disneyland on future China adventures? We went in 2008--just before the Olympics (and before they added Xian)--loved the trip, and I really enjoyed the grounds of HK Disneyland (and the hotel--very much like the Grand Floridian/Hotel Del). Oh, and HOMA...and so much else. Anyway--looking forward to your report!!

It's in the link above that Sayhello posted while I was on the tour.

HK Disneyland is no longer included in the adventure. You now stay in Kowloon and not the Disneyland hotel and the tour ends in Kowloon. I don't know of anybody in our group who stayed and went to DL except us.

Because Xian is now added, I think there are things that you saw on the older trips that we didn't... if you go through my trip report, maybe you can tell me what we missed. LOL

 

[tufbuf]

Thanks for sharing pxlbarrel!! China is one of the countries we want to see with ABD. I can imagine we will have a blast with the food!!!

Do they still give away the foldable expandable bag?

 

[pxlbarrel]

Thanks for sharing pxlbarrel!! China is one of the countries we want to see with ABD. I can imagine we will have a blast with the food!!!

Do they still give away the foldable expandable bag?

Yes. The small expandable duffle bag was waiting for us (with two water bottles) when we arrived in Beijing. I actually used it as carry on for the trip back.

 

[tufbuf]

Good to know, thanks! We almost always use it when we travel.

 

[tufbuf]

Hey, pxlbarrel, I just read your trip report in detail and I have a few questions. This is a really interesting adventure and I think this is a true adventure with the amount of sights to be seen, having to deal with traffic jams and just a totally different culture. I knew the toilet/restroom/washroom situation would be a challenge and it's really my daughter I am wary of. She wants to see the Great Wall but I tell her of the toilet situation there and she should probably learn how to do it right before we get to it. There was someone in one of our tours who did China before and that was the first thing I asked her, how the toilets were.

Anyway, did anyone get sick in your group? With the sanitation issue and all, it would be miserable if one of us get sick, and it's a long and somewhat tedious adventure (based on the number of transfers you had to do).

 

[pxlbarrel]

Hey, pxlbarrel, I just read your trip report in detail and I have a few questions. This is a really interesting adventure and I think this is a true adventure with the amount of sights to be seen, having to deal with traffic jams and just a totally different culture. I knew the toilet/restroom/washroom situation would be a challenge and it's really my daughter I am wary of. She wants to see the Great Wall but I tell her of the toilet situation there and she should probably learn how to do it right before we get to it. There was someone in one of our tours who did China before and that was the first thing I asked her, how the toilets were.

Anyway, did anyone get sick in your group? With the sanitation issue and all, it would be miserable if one of us get sick, and it's a long and somewhat tedious adventure (based on the number of transfers you had to do).

By sick, I'm assuming you mean stomach problems. Only one person had about a day of being sick. He was sick on the day we left Beijing and flew to Chengdu. In fact, he didn't accompany us to the dinner in Chengdu and went straight to the hotel with Daisy and the luggage. He was fine the next day and in fact, eating spicy food!

Nobody else was sick. I mean, there may have been some sniffles and the threat of a cold by the end of the trip but with that many flights, that was bound to happen.

Disney is pretty careful about what you eat. If the Disney menu has a salad, you can be pretty sure it was washed in clean water. If you eat out on your own, don't eat salad because you don't know how it was washed (if it was washed even...) That's why we had so many packed lunches - Disney being paranoid on our behalf. And if you have any doubt about the food, ask the guides, they'll know.

The washrooms ... just keep your hand sanitizer, wet naps and toilet paper close by. The guides have hand sanitizer if you don't have any or run out. I think they also carry a wide variety of stomach remedies as will some of your fellow travellers.

We were only a group of 22 plus 4 guides. Not sure if you can extrapolate the sickness ratio to a group of 40. If you're careful about what you eat when you're own your free time and you wash your hands frequently, you'll probably be fine.

Again the guides warn you if the washroom that they've directed you to is the last you'll see in a while. I wouldn't let the scary toilets get in the way of an amazing adventure.

I think you can see that we put a lot of trust in the ABD guides and they really do take care of us.

 

[tufbuf]

I can take scary toilets, I am just really scared for my daughter. I've had my share of scary toilets and they become a lasting memory....

I am somewhat of a germ freak anyway but bugs you'll never know when they get you. My hubby got sick in our Peru trip and that's because he had a drop of the Urubamba River in his mouth, but he didn't miss anything. He went through the whole trip with pure will, poor guy!

Anyway, your report was so amusing and humorous, it was a great way to while away my lunch break. It is also very enticing, makes me want to do it next year, if logistics will allow.

But thanks again. The sights and your insights really make it look like the China ABD is a must-do!!!

 

[pxlbarrel]

I can take scary toilets, I am just really scared for my daughter. I've had my share of scary toilets and they become a lasting memory....

I am somewhat of a germ freak anyway but bugs you'll never know when they get you. My hubby got sick in our Peru trip and that's because he had a drop of the Urubamba River in his mouth, but he didn't miss anything. He went through the whole trip with pure will, poor guy!

Anyway, your report was so amusing and humorous, it was a great way to while away my lunch break. It is also very enticing, makes me want to do it next year, if logistics will allow.

But thanks again. The sights and your insights really make it look like the China ABD is a must-do!!!

It was my pleasure. And to show you how safe it really is, I took showers where I'm pretty sure I had some water go into my mouth and I never got sick.

I know how your daughter feels. It's part of the adventure and she'll have amazing stories to tell the kids in school.

I'm actually interested to hear from those who are going in the summer. It's going to be so hot.