My friend Sarah from Vancouver just did her first China trip: Beijing, 5 days. I told her to text me everything — good, bad, confusing.
She sent me a play-by-play. I'm copying it here (with her permission) because I think it's more useful than any guide I could write.
Hour 1 (Landed at PEK):
Immigration was fast. Guy asked where I was going next. I said Hong Kong. He stamped me. Done.
BUT: I tried to follow signs to "taxi" and ended up in a parking garage. A man in a white shirt approached me and said "taxi?" I almost went with him, then remembered your warning about black taxis. Walked back inside. Found the real taxi line.
Hour 3 (Hotel check-in):
Hotel needed my passport + photocopied it + took my photo. Felt like a police station. But the room is nice and the WiFi works (with my VPN).
Also: I flushed toilet paper by instinct. Then saw the sign: "Do not flush paper." Oops.
Hour 8 (First meal):
Went to a restaurant near the hotel. No English menu. No pictures. Just Chinese characters.
I pointed at what the table next to me was eating. It was duck tongue.
I ate duck tongue.
It was... actually okay? Chewy. Weird. But okay.
Hour 14 (Next morning):
JET LAG IS REAL. Wide awake at 4 AM. Went for a walk. The city was already alive. Old people doing tai chi in the park. Delivery guys on scooters everywhere. Someone was selling breakfast from a cart at 5:30 AM.
Bought something that looked like a fried dough stick. It was sweet and crispy and cost ¥3. Best ¥3 I've ever spent.
Hour 24 (Forbidden City):
BOOKED TICKETS A WEEK AGO THANK GOD. Saw people turned away at the gate because it was sold out.
Place is massive. Beautiful. But SO MANY PEOPLE. I was shoulder-to-shoulder with strangers for 2 hours straight.
Also: a Chinese tourist asked to take a photo WITH me. Like I'm a landmark.
Hour 36 (Great Wall):
Went to Mutianyu. Took the cable car up. Walked for an hour. The toboggan down was the most fun I've had in months.
BUT: I wore sandals. Don't wear sandals. The steps are uneven and steep. My feet are destroyed.
Hour 48 (Summary text to me):
Okay. Beijing is overwhelming and amazing and exhausting and I love it and I need a nap.
Tomorrow I'm going to a tea house and refusing to plan anything.
Kurokun's comment:
Sarah's experience is basically perfect first-timer energy. She made mistakes (black taxi, sandals, duck tongue), but she rolled with all of it.
The best China advice I can give anyone: expect to be confused, and be okay with it.
Anyone want to share their own "first 48 hours" story?
Posted on 2026-5-23 07:54:42