Foshan

Fohan definitely came s a shock to the majority of us in the 2004 Wintercamp tour group. Everything from the organized chaos of the roads to the astounding quality of our first hotel and the meals we were provided with. Being the first stop on the tour, Foshan played a major role in our introduction to China and set the standards for the remainder of the trip. This included all aspects such as friendships, and habits; for example the excessive shopping of the girls. I believe that because of the important role Foshan played in our acclimatization, it was beneficial that so much of our time was planned out for usrather than having us all let loose from day one.

On first seeing the timetable for Foshan; three solid days of martial arts training in the Ancestral Temple, it did come as a shock. However, when we were introduced to the lessons, and actually involved in them, time flew by fast, and the three days were found to be most enjoyable.

The one part of the Foshan leg of the tour that I would express disappointment over would be the language lessons. I personally did not gain at all from these lessons and believe that our time could have been used a lot more constructively; either with an alternative activity, or with a somewhat structured lesson, or even with the extra free time.

Jungsing

Since the tour's underlying theme was "rootseeking", seeing as the villages of both my grandmother and  grandfather are in the Xintang area, Our stay in Jungsing was, for me, the most significant part of the tour.

Our day visiting the villages began promisingly, being met by the relatives who had been previously organized to show us round Sun Gai village. This in itself  was interesting, as I, nor my cousins actually knew who these relatives were, or how they were related. Though finding this out, I would presume would be considered part of our "rootseeking".

The problem I found with spending the day with these relatives is that a lot of time was spent unwisely. I had previously been told that Chinese like to show off, and make known how well they are doing for themselves. This to me was confirmed, as we spent part of the  morning visiting our uncle's drug store, and the majority of the afternoon visiting the uncle's newly purchased house before being dropped back at our hotel just in time for dinner. This, I believe would have been great time to catch up with the relatives had they been close. However, as they are not, I would have preferred to spend my afternoon seeing the sights of the area with the remainder of our tour group. But for the sake of appreciation and being polite, I really had not much choice but to follow them to see their new houses; into which no-one had yet moved.

The other thing I found was that since we had two villages to visit in the area, our time at each was quite rushed, an I would have enjoyed having a better chance to have a good look around each of them. One reason our time was so rushed was; I think that we had to stick to the schedule of the group so we could make our lunch booking. This meant that our time at the village was limited fm the outset. The other factor to this I believe, is that since our relatives themselves were from one village, they were more keen to show us round that village. This meant that our time in Sun Gai was a lot more comprehensive. I think it did help however, that our uncle, being a benefactor of the village, literally had the keys to the village, which was helpful at the least in allowing us a decent tour of the sights.

Shenzhen

Stopping in Shenzhen on the way from Jungsing to Hangzhou was, to say the least, a very good idea. In retrospect, I would say that due to conditions such as curfews in the markets of the latter part of our trip, the market shops we visited in Shenzhen were probably the best of the tour. Also being the first markets we had come across in China, the three hours we spent there was a great experience for us all. I do sincerely believe that three hours was adequate. Although it may not have been enough for the girls, who came out with multiple bags of¡­ bags¡­ The guys didn't seem to have as much luck; or others would say skill in bargaining. The restriction of three hours was enough to stop any of us from spending all our money at this stage of the tour. It was interesting to see afterwards all the feedback everyone had to give on their "market experiences" which took about the trip to the minority village to hear.

The minority village I found somewhat surprising. I obviously had a misguided impression that the minority villages would be similar to the villages that we had visited while staying in Jungsing. To find that it was more like a theme park was not a bad thing however, as it provided a laid back, and entertaining atmosphere. Though it did have negatives; I believe that the educational value was dampened by the atmosphere. The "Dragon and Phoenix" show however, was a brilliant, and worthwhile sight to see. And well worth the visit to the minority village. Well choreographed and informative, the show provided for us some insight to traditional Chinese legends and myths in a way that made the evening very enjoyable.

Hangzhou

Hangzhou showed a side of China that I had not expected to see. It is for this reason that I believe that our stop in this city was a worthwhile experience. The West Lake and he surrounding greenery and ancient buildings; temples, pagodas etc, were such a contrast to the sights of the busy cities we had gotten used to staying in.

The sights we visited were all very interesting, and had a deep historical background which our guide was very good at explaining. His knowledge of the area made for interesting learning; which in my opinion, gave our stay more meaning.

Everything in Hangzhou was exemplary; the luxurious hotel, our guide and his guidance, and the activities and sights we saw. The one attraction that I could not really fully appreciate in Hangzhou would be the Tea Village. This I found, could have perhaps been a good experience, though the manner in which the tour was operated made me feel that information which could have been interesting was made dull, and the tour felt quite rushed. However, I would suppose that it was no coincidence that the only part of the tour that was not rushed was the part where we were offered to purchase some tea. Here, I noticed that we were not ushered out to resume the tour until purchases had been made. Thus I would have to conclude that this whole attraction was more of a shop that an attraction.

Visiting Wuzhen, the water town on the way to Shanghai was also intriguing. Illustrating yet another traditional lifestyle of China, I was amazed to learn that that particular way of life had also been continued through to present day times. The artifacts and houses on display to us gave a great insight into traditional lifestyles and

Shanghai

Naturally after the villages; which are half the point of the Wintercamp tour, I would have to say that Shanghai and Beijing would be the most significant places we visited. Hearing so much about these two cities makes them a must do on any trip to China. The sights we were shown in Shanghai yet again showed China's deep history; especially that concerning western influences, and the westernized advances, which give the city such a modern look and feel. From what we  saw  of the city, it no longer surprises me that Shanghai has become one of the foremost commercial centers in the world.

Shanghai was the first place that we actually really had adequate free time to use as we liked. I think we were all mature enough to use that time wisely, and everyone managed to see what they wanted to see. It also helped that the first couple of days were planned, and many of the significant or essential sights; such as the Bund and Nanjing Road were shown to us. Being allocated free days I think is a good idea, as there are definitely too many things to do in such a large city, and not really enough time to do them all. Allowing us to make thedecisions as to what to see, and what to miss means that everyone should be happy; or potentially happy anyway.

Beijing

Beijing, although classified in the same league as Shanghai; one of the large cities of China; is different in many ways. Instead of being  commercially centered, the city's focus on politics meant that Beijing had not only different sights and attractions, but a different feel. And by that I'm not referring to the sudden, but expected drop in temperature we encountered.

Again havng free time to organize our own agenda allowed most of us to make the most of our time in Beijing. And again, having the essentials planned out for us meant that no one missed anything that they really should have seen. As much as  I did enjoy having time free, and as well as I did manage to utilize it, I would have to say that the pre planned activities provided the main thrust of our sightseeing in this city.

Beijing, having a very political background, had rather political, historical sights. Visiting Tiananmen Square and Mao's mausoleum were a taste of modern history, and were explained very well by Oscar; our guide, while venues such as the Forbidden Temple, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven gave us a good look at more traditional history. I enjoyed learning of the emperors, empresses, and how they lived, and also hearing tales from Oscar of their reigns, achievements, or non-achievements as the case may be.

Learning of these aspects of Chinese history has greatly increased my understanding of social structures, royal life, and the lifestyles of the better off. It was good also, to visit the hutong, and a typical courtyard house, which allowed us to see the lifestyle of normal citizens in Beijing today. An added bonus to the educational value that this Hutong Tour is that the rickshaws were yet another experience that we  would likely have missed out on.

Though there was plenty to see, and plenty to do in Beijing, our time there cannot be painted so purely. It was in Beijing that we were most susceptible to the preying tourist shops such as the "pearl factory" and the "silk factory", as well as yet another tea attraction where we again met the hard sells. And the fact that these were unavoidable, as we were taken to them during our planned tour days made it worse. I know that I am not the only individual on the tour that feels this way. However, the point could be made that since purchases were made at these places, they were valuable to some other people on tour.

Hong Kong

Hong Kong was one more stop that HAD to be made. Although our time there as short, it was also sweet, and we were forced to make the most of it; even if this meant only a few hours sleep for the two nights we stayed there. It would have been nice to have had some more time in Hong Kong, if not for the sightseeing, for the shops. I do not feel that two days was quite enough time to fully appreciate Hong Kong, and found that since there were certain things we wanted to see and do, they were all quite rushed due to the time restrictions we were under.

General Points

I believe that overall, the Wintercamp provided a unique experience, which will remain with us all for the rest of our lives. The activities and sights we were presented with, coupled with the exceptional organization made very vivid memories.

Our time on the Wintercamp saw the forging of what I am sure will be lifelong friendships, and acquaintances ¨Cafter a month's bonding time, we really did get to know one another inside and out.

It is a combination of the company and the experiences that made the tour such a success in my mind. However, although the company on this tour was great, I would have to caution future tours to ensure that all the members have a certain maturity about them. I do realize that  this attribute is difficult to measure, and I would mention that it can definitely not be measured through age . However, I believe that this would make the Wintercamp more enjoyable to both the individuals of the group, and to the group as a whole. It is important that everyone is mature enough to be able to appreciate what they are going through. It also enables everyone to get along, and for no-one to be left out of any happenings.

I feel that it is only appropriate to use this opportunity to thank everyone involved in organizing this event for doing so, and also to everyone who may have helped to make it happen. I personally would consider this tour one of the most beneficial experiences of my lifetime, and I am proud and delighted to have been a part of it.

Also,  special thanks to Janet for carting us round with her. Her knowledge and friendship has been invaluable, and can only have added to the experience and enjoyment of the tour.

by: Timothy Wong