China Romance
All About China => Your trip to China => Topic started by: seagull on March 14, 2011, 06:24:57 am
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Hi Brothers,
In 4 weeks I am going to Chengdu to meet a girl I met from Chinese Love Links (NOT Chnlove).
I am excited but at the same time also a bit concerned/nervous. I am 32 years old (actually I am 31, but my birthday will be while I am in China), so a little younger than many of the members here, and have been communicating with a lady who is 30 years old. On the positive side, I am thrilled to be visiting China for the first time. And also this will be the first time I travel to a foreign country on my own (i.e. without friends or relatives). So it will surely be a good holiday and good life experience at the minimum.
Anyway, I met this girl online only two weeks ago and we wrote a few e-mails, exchanged photos (all natural of course as this isn't Chnlove with their agency-doctored photos) and she gave me her phone number. I have spoken to her on the phone and sent several SMS messages to her. She seems happy for me to come and visit her, and I have asked her several times to confirm if this is ok in case she changes her mind. Now I am seeing her in four weeks and am a little worried that I am rushing into things. I would have preferred to take a little bit more time to get to know her before going to China as it is quite expensive.
However, my work has given me leave at this time, and if I do not take advantage of this I do not know when will be the next time I can go to China, so I only have a really limited window of opportunity to act and decided to take the plunge and go at this time.
My main concern is if things do not work out with this girl or if we are not on the same wavelength. She seems to be really easygoing and happy about me visiting, yet at the same time rarely asks questions about me (which I find unusual, as if I was meeting a potential partner I'd want to know everything about her). So I am not sure what my visit means for her (does she view me as a potential partner, or am I just some friend going to see her?). Anyhow, I guess I will just be positive and see how things unfold, as this is beyond my control.
Anyway, I do have some questions that maybe someone can help me with:
1. In a worse case scenario, if things do not work out at all with this girl, does anyone have/know any agencies in Chengdu?
2. This might sound like a daft question, but is a vaccination recommended for visiting Chengdu?
3. What are some good general gifts to give to the lady? As she will be spending a lot of time showing me around.
4. The lady lives with her parents. I am not sure if she will introduce me to them. But I think I will bring a gift for them regardless of whether or not I meet them. Any recommendations?
Thank you.
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Just to make the thread more interesting, I have attached an image of her... :)
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About Vaccinations. I've asked about this from my local doctors. Since I will be heading there as well this summer.
Theres no real vaccinations you need to have if you are travelling from a "safe country", where there are no serious diseases etc to spread.
Common vaccinations are wise to have,also hepatitis A/B are good to have. When travelling or even in your home country.
If you are planning to visit the countryside, or staying there for a month or longer. Then there are some "nice to have vaccinations". But most of those are for Southern China provinces.
I think I will still take all of the possible vaccinations. I do not want to get sick when I go there. Cause it would ruin the trip.
Here seems to be a good website with information about that.
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/china.aspx (http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/china.aspx)
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Okay Seagull , onward and upward , you may find her attitude will change once you can show her your ticket and flight info , making sure that she is able to take time off from work and you will not just be seeing her after 18.00 hours , also ask direct questions after this as in the past there may have been others promising to visit , but just dropped of and did not arrive , she may even have a Chinese boyfriend as some others have had in the past , send her some photo's of your local enviroment so she knows the type of place you come from .
I assume you are entering via Honkers and if so as I think you are from W A ask David E about cheapest flights , I have been looking from Melb and in April I have got down to 875 using expedia.com.au for a greater distance than to where you are going , and do not forget an electronic translator it will be a must , take a couple of bottles of RID insect repellant and do not forget travel insurance it is a must incase you do get sick , also you do not note where you are staying , but there are some nice hotels in Chengdu and prices are right , regards Sujuan and Robert .
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About Vaccinations. I've asked about this from my local doctors. Since I will be heading there as well this summer.
Theres no real vaccinations you need to have if you are travelling from a "safe country", where there are no serious diseases etc to spread.
Common vaccinations are wise to have,also hepatitis A/B are good to have. When travelling or even in your home country.
If you are planning to visit the countryside, or staying there for a month or longer. Then there are some "nice to have vaccinations". But most of those are for Southern China provinces.
I think I will still take all of the possible vaccinations. I do not want to get sick when I go there. Cause it would ruin the trip.
Here seems to be a good website with information about that.
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/china.aspx (http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/china.aspx)
Thanks Jan. It doesn't sound like it is a high risk area. I've already had a vaccination before I went to Thailand and Vietnam (although it didn't really seem necessary), so probably will get a booster before I go to China.
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Okay Seagull , onward and upward , you may find her attitude will change once you can show her your ticket and flight info , making sure that she is able to take time off from work and you will not just be seeing her after 18.00 hours , also ask direct questions after this as in the past there may have been others promising to visit , but just dropped of and did not arrive , she may even have a Chinese boyfriend as some others have had in the past , send her some photo's of your local enviroment so she knows the type of place you come from .
I assume you are entering via Honkers and if so as I think you are from W A ask David E about cheapest flights , I have been looking from Melb and in April I have got down to 875 using expedia.com.au for a greater distance than to where you are going , and do not forget an electronic translator it will be a must , take a couple of bottles of RID insect repellant and do not forget travel insurance it is a must incase you do get sick , also you do not note where you are staying , but there are some nice hotels in Chengdu and prices are right , regards Sujuan and Robert .
Thanks Robert. That is a very good price you managed to get there for your air ticket. Yes, you're right I am from Perth and my flight will likely be via HK. Haven't seen prices as low as you have been quoted for the dates I plan to travel there. Air Asia often have cheap flights from Perth via KL to Chengdu but again, not on the dates I am going, and I think I will likely be going via Cathay Pacific to HK and then Dragon Air from HK to Chengdu unless I find a better deal. Haven't booked accomodation yet, I will ask the lady for some recommendations later as she works in the travel industry.
You raise some really interesting points that I never thought of about the girl's history. I have already got my leave booked from work but haven't yet booked the flight. But in response to the concerns you raised, she says that she doesn't have a boyfriend as she has been too focused on her career but joined the Chinese Love Links web site to make new friends and possibly find "the one" (the same reason why most of us would join, I guess). She also said she is quite a new member to the site, so I will give her the benefit of the doubt in this case.
I think I will be able to get away with not needing a translator as her English is very good. I have spoken with her on the phone and was extremely surprised by her level of English, it is better than many Chinese people who live in Australia. But then she studied English at university and worked in fields where she needed to use the language. I deliberately only selected girls from that web site who had a good level of English. Anyway, I messaged her today to confirm if it is ok for me to see her and she said she was free on the dates I plan to travel. Just waiting for her to reply to an e-mail I sent before I go ahead and book the air tickets.
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Hey Seagull,
Good to hear you are making the trip. Hope this turns out well for you. Can't help you with 1, but...
2) I think the hep shots are only good for 3-5 years... and if it's the same stuff that I took, you need to take 3 shots, the first one now, the second one two weeks from now and the last one 30 days later (well, in your case, 28 days later)... Other than that, I would recommend bringing something for diarrhea (I think you're past the timing for dukoral, but maybe your doctor can recommend something else for you). I usually bring some tylenol (panadol for you folk in the southern hemisphere) as well.
3) Gifts....depends on your lady. She must have told you some stuff about herself... does she like perfume? skincream or vitamins? Maybe something to represent Australia? Best thing is to do some research...
4) Be VERY careful about meeting her parents. Depending on her parents, there is a certain expectation once you have met her parents that may increase the pressure on you. It might not be an issue, but be certain. If you are going to meet her parents, ask your lady about gifts (basically do your research)...
Some other tidbits... Check with travel agencies in your local chinatown. In general, they will have the best prices to China.
Hope that helps.
One other thing... don't book too late. I think Australians require a visa to visit China and you want to give at least 1-2 weeks for the embassy to process your application. If you are using a chinese travel agency, they can usually help you for a fee.
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Hi Seagull! And welcome to China. I met my girl on CLL also. And i met alot of nice friends on CLL without the need of any agency in between. Its quite a nice site (or network, Cupidmedia are big and have clone sites for most countries) but it also has a distinct difference in that apart from Chnlove not everyone on CLL is loking for romance or marriage. We dont need any translators, she speaks fluent english. Even if your girl does speak english well, u will find the translator very helpful for many other things here so take the advice. Also Robert B already gave you some very good tips and what mustfocus said about the family .. goes without saying. I got my Ticket, roundtrip for about 200€ lol ... Aeroflot had crazy prices this winter. However i didnt return ;-).
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Yes , nothing wrong with C P and the beauty is you can book your luggage straight through , I always worried if I would see it again ha ha , but being the same company they look after their own , make sure your passport is valid and has a large number of free pages , you can download the Chinese visa application online , nothing tricky about it answer sightseeing and visiting friends and contact info can be your hotel including phone number , just make sure that it is one that accepts foreigners , seems like you have all bases covered , regards Sujuan and Robert .
Oh and don,t know which day you are thinking of flying but always check the next day as costs may be different , but C P are tight on their discounts .
and further Check for some Australian pins ie, our flag , boxing kangaroo , over here the reject shop has them in packs of 12 or 20 lash out and give one to all that you meet plus people like the hotel desk staff lady that is looking after you etc. even the air hostess on the internal flight , they have great memories and won't forget your simple 20 cent gift .
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Thank you everyone for your replies.
I have booked the air ticket now and had to go with Cathay Pacific, as they were still cheaper than everyone else. RobertB, you are right, I moved my travel dates forward by one day and saved $300. At least I can get Qantas frequent flyer points, I didn't know this before! Overall, still a bit pricy but it is good flight with a tolerable stop over (a few hours) in HK. The girl seems happy about this and will pick me up from the airport, so I am relieved she didn't change her mind after I booked!
Mustfocus, good point about meeting the parents. I am not really familiar with what that may entail. I am familiar with some aspects of Chinese culture (I am half Chinese myself, but this is South East Asian Chinese rather than Mainland China). However, if she introduced me as a friend, then maybe it wouldn't be a problem. Of course, I don't want to get into any potential minefield. At least I have a few more weeks to write to her and obtain more information. I am not going to ask to see her parents, but wonder if she invited me over if that had any repercussions because of the cultural differences.
Mikael Shim, I hear ya about the electronic translator. Actually, I would like to get one as I study Chinese Mandarin at a college part time and it would help me in that area. But not sure if it would arrive in time for my trip. At least I will get the chance to practice my limited Chinese when I go there.
Now all I have to do is book my hotel, apply for the visa, buy a new camera for this trip and start thinking of gift ideas...
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Seagull,
Don't count being introduced as a friend as a way to avoid the perception of being "the one". You will be interrogated by the parents. Unless you are sure she is the one, then personally, I would avoid meeting them until you are sure. I'm sure your lady will also take care of this, but why make assumptions.
One other thing, do some research about where you are going... brownie points for showing an interest (and some knowledge) in the area your lady is from. You may also want to do some research on your own background (Assuming your roots are from Singapore/Malaysia, that would most likely mean your ancestors are from Fujian province). Nothing serious, but knowing a bit about your own chinese background doesn't hurt.
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One other thing... don't book too late. I think Australians require a visa to visit China and you want to give at least 1-2 weeks for the embassy to process your application.
If you take your Chinese visa application form and your passport to the Chinese Consulate in Browne St, East Perth on a Monday, you can pick up your visa the following Thursday.
Chengdu is really nice place...but you will feel VERY cold after a Perth Summer !!!..take lots of warm clothes.
Sichuan food is the tastiest and spicy of all the Chinese foods I have tried, it is very yum !! Gifts...Australian cigs for the Men (they love them) and cosmetics for the women...good face cream, sunblock, body lotion. etc etc (ask Mum, Sisters or girl friends for more detail ;D ;D) Local versions are rubbish and imports are prohibitively expensive for them, but realatively cheap for us.
Chengdu is the home of the Panda Breeding complex and they are very proud of this...mention it !!! It is also the Western Gateway into China and was an important Strategic Defence position for Centuries...many old Fortress Towns to visit if you like that sort of thing.
Chengdu dialect is very different to Beijing or Shanghai..I had to re-learn all my (limited) Chinese words to get understood in Chengdu. Nobody speaks English...except maybe your G/F ;D ;D
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met my wife on chnlove,,,?????????????????why you guys so affraid of chnlove????
sure it is expensive, i think it is worth the money,,,my last ex cost me over $200, 000, Australian dollars,,,give double that to be with MinYing, its only money,,,happiness is more important
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Seagull;
Your girl looks very nice. Don't be afraid to ask her questions. She may even be expecting you to ask. Go and enjoy yourself. Meet her and anybody she wants to introduce you to. I don't think you will regret it. Just try to be yourself during your trip. I hope that you will not have any problems.
Dave C
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Seagull;
Your girl looks very nice. Don't be afraid to ask her questions. She may even be expecting you to ask. Go and enjoy yourself. Meet her and anybody she wants to introduce you to. I don't think you will regret it. Just try to be yourself during your trip. I hope that you will not have any problems.
Dave C
Thank you for the encouragement, Dave. I am feeling a lot more comfortable now than when I started this thread. I still don't know what her expectations of me are but she has been really friendly and helpful to me and will really go out of her way to show me around town it seems. So I will go there and enjoy myself and worry less about whatever label will be put on our relationship or other issues, and just be a friend and tourist. :)
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I have everything sorted for my trip now, flights, accomodation and visa. I have been busy studying for the last few weeks (I study Mandarin Chinese part time) and have finally finished all my exams which means I can now focus on my trip. I have two weekends remaining to go out and buy all the gifts before I leave for Chengdu.
I am not expecting many replies, because this seems to be the hardest subject to answer. But maybe brothers can share what they bought for their ladies on their first visit. I already know about what I will give to her parents (even if I do not meet them). I also know what general gifts I'll be buying (souvenirs from my country, etc). But I also wanted to buy a gift to show my friendship to my lady. The reason is because she has been extremely helpful to me. She will pick me up from the airport, she picked and booked my hotel in a part of the city close to her home so she can take me around easily. She will basically show me everything about Chengdu from tourist sites to local hang outs like tea houses, KTV, dance clubs, etc. I asked her if we can go and see the Leshan Giant Buddha together (and I was worried because she has probably already been there a million times before) and I would book a tour to go there because it is four hours away from Chengdu, but she insisted she would drive us there.
So I want to buy a gift as a token to show my appreciation for her kindness and friendship. She is a 30 year old Chinese woman. Does anyone have any ideas of something nice that such a person would appreciate? I was thinking of something like a necklace (maybe something Australian like opal, but I know little about this, will have to do research). But not something over the top (i.e. not too romantic...not at that stage of the relationship) or but also not too cheap/tacky. Thank you if anyone can share their own experience or has any ideas.
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BTW is there a way to change the thread title?
I said I was going to Chengdu in 4 weeks, but it has been longer than that.
I started the thread on 14 March and leave for Chengdu on 17 April. I should change it to "I am going to Chengdu in one month".
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Seagull , if I remember you live in the west , so 1 thing I would think about taking is a red and white wine from Margaret river or ? , the opal necklace is a great idea , although many of the women do not wear much jewelery for fear of getting mugged and even here my other half never feels the need to wear any , quality moisturisers are always appreciated as are cigs and chocolates , I also found funnily enough in a reject shop some Australian lapel flags and koalas [ 12 or more to a pack ] and they were cheap I bought 3 or 4 packs of each and just gave them out when being introduced , even to the desk girls at the hotel and on our internal flight from shanghai , the air hostesses , in the hotel from then on the service was tops , they were just a fun thing about 3 bucks or less a pack , regards Sujuan and Robert .
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Hey Seagull,
I like to tailor my gifts to the people they are going to. But in general, creams and lotions for the mom are good (make sure you pack them properly in case they burst in transit). Alcohol is usually good for the father (unless they're not big drinkers)... currency collections are good as well.
Check with your lady (look at previous emails as well for hints), even if indirectly to see if she'll help you out with the gifts.
As for her, it depends. A necklace is always nice... but make it something meaningful to the two of you. When I went to visit my lady, I got her three gifts based on some of our early emails and some of the photos she sent me.
Anyway, hope it helps.
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Fiona says perfume, chocolate.
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Seagull , if I remember you live in the west , so 1 thing I would think about taking is a red and white wine from Margaret river or ? , the opal necklace is a great idea , although many of the women do not wear much jewelery for fear of getting mugged and even here my other half never feels the need to wear any , quality moisturisers are always appreciated as are cigs and chocolates , I also found funnily enough in a reject shop some Australian lapel flags and koalas [ 12 or more to a pack ] and they were cheap I bought 3 or 4 packs of each and just gave them out when being introduced , even to the desk girls at the hotel and on our internal flight from shanghai , the air hostesses , in the hotel from then on the service was tops , they were just a fun thing about 3 bucks or less a pack , regards Sujuan and Robert .
Hi Robert, thanks for your response. I think you mentioned the idea of souvenirs before and that side of things I have already sorted. I am now looking for something specific for the lady, just as a token of thanks for her going out of her way to show me around. But that is a good point about the necklace. Now I will have to reconsider that idea. I have no idea about quality moisturisers and I thought you would be able to get those in China anyway, but this is something I will have to investigate further. This is quite difficult for me, but luckily I have two free weekends coming up before my trip so hopefully this is sufficient time for me to find something decent by then.
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Hey Seagull,
I like to tailor my gifts to the people they are going to. But in general, creams and lotions for the mom are good (make sure you pack them properly in case they burst in transit). Alcohol is usually good for the father (unless they're not big drinkers)... currency collections are good as well.
Check with your lady (look at previous emails as well for hints), even if indirectly to see if she'll help you out with the gifts.
As for her, it depends. A necklace is always nice... but make it something meaningful to the two of you. When I went to visit my lady, I got her three gifts based on some of our early emails and some of the photos she sent me.
Anyway, hope it helps.
Hi Mustfocus, I've already got the gifts for the parents as well as general souvenirs from my country sorted. So now I am looking form something for the lady, just to say thank you for being so kind and going well out of her way to show me around Chengdu. As I am surprised (and also mildly embarassed, if that is the appropriate word) by how much she is going to do for me.
Unfortunately her e-mails do not give any indication of what she would like. I will re-read them to see if there are any hints, but I don't think there will be. We have never really talk about material things. I'll just have to walk around the shops on the weekend and hope a good idea arises in my brain I think! Thank you for your advice.
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Fiona says perfume, chocolate.
Hi Pineau, I'll definitely be bringing some chocolate. I have no clue what type of perfume she would like so I am hesitant to buy this. However, I may have to go with this option if I have no other ideas! Cheers.
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Bring a picture book (ie:tourist book) from your own country that has chinese script in it. Most airport book stores cater to tourists and should have it. Also some small native art such as wind chimes as a good choice. I remember bringing some native Indian dream catchers as gifts and explaining the meaning behind them.
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Seagull
Quality moisturisers and cosmetics are available in China...but very, very, expensive with taxes and duty that are loaded on....they are way beyond anything that the average woman can afford. So anything from the recognised brands (Chanel, Guerlain, Estee Lauder...etc etc) will be vastly appreciated. Can get them at good price in Duty Free airport shops on the way through.
I also bought Ming a small gold Kangaroo on a fine chain..she wears it 24/7 and it was very much appreciated...personal AND Australian. You can get these in any local jewellery shop..Mazzuchelis, Goldmark etc.
Also, have a look at the Australiana souvenier shop at Carousel...got heaps of good stuff.
Of course...you could take her a Didgeridoo.......!!!!!!!!! ;D ;D ;D
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Seagull , I found out .. these Women love the Natural Body Lotion ( like Perlier or simular ) Hand Lotion , Foot Lotion .. as long it's Natural . Everybody love the Honey smell .
PS: Changed your Title .
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Hey Seagull,
My wife is from Chengdu and is 30 years old too. She says all her friends like the Chanel Chance perfume in the pink box (bottle inside is round). They also like moisturizers such as Estee Lauder and Sheisido. Good luck and Have fun!
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Seagull
Just read this thread, love it. I met my girlfriend after knowing her online for less than 3 months. It has turned out great, we have a very good relationship. I visited her in Shanghai, then she came to see me in Canada. When I went I took her a necklace. A simple one, but made by a local artist, she really liked it. Also took her and her son a few other things that had some meaning from our conversations. Nothing fancy, but she loved it all. Keep it simple and try to have some meaning attached to it.
Wrap your gifts well. The wrapping counts!
Enjoy your experience. Treat your lady with respect, you sound like the kind of guy that will do that very well. I enjoyed every day I was there and cant wait to go back again. I hope you have the same experience.
Alan
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Seagull
Quality moisturisers and cosmetics are available in China...but very, very, expensive with taxes and duty that are loaded on....they are way beyond anything that the average woman can afford. So anything from the recognised brands (Chanel, Guerlain, Estee Lauder...etc etc) will be vastly appreciated. Can get them at good price in Duty Free airport shops on the way through.
I also bought Ming a small gold Kangaroo on a fine chain..she wears it 24/7 and it was very much appreciated...personal AND Australian. You can get these in any local jewellery shop..Mazzuchelis, Goldmark etc.
Also, have a look at the Australiana souvenier shop at Carousel...got heaps of good stuff.
Of course...you could take her a Didgeridoo.......!!!!!!!!! ;D ;D ;D
Hey Seagull,
My wife is from Chengdu and is 30 years old too. She says all her friends like the Chanel Chance perfume in the pink box (bottle inside is round). They also like moisturizers such as Estee Lauder and Sheisido. Good luck and Have fun!
Seagull , I found out .. these Women love the Natural Body Lotion ( like Perlier or simular ) Hand Lotion , Foot Lotion .. as long it's Natural . Everybody love the Honey smell .
PS: Changed your Title .
Bring a picture book (ie:tourist book) from your own country that has chinese script in it. Most airport book stores cater to tourists and should have it. Also some small native art such as wind chimes as a good choice. I remember bringing some native Indian dream catchers as gifts and explaining the meaning behind them.
Wow, thanks everyone! These replies have been very helpful! David E, I like your suggestion of the gold kangaroo and will go for a look around for something like that. And I will make a note of these creams/moisturisers, this sounds like something you can't go wrong with. I like all of these specific suggestions, now I have something to work with when I go shopping this weekend.
And cheers for changing the title, Arnold, even if that was a bit pedantic of me. :)
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Seagull
Just read this thread, love it. I met my girlfriend after knowing her online for less than 3 months. It has turned out great, we have a very good relationship. I visited her in Shanghai, then she came to see me in Canada. When I went I took her a necklace. A simple one, but made by a local artist, she really liked it. Also took her and her son a few other things that had some meaning from our conversations. Nothing fancy, but she loved it all. Keep it simple and try to have some meaning attached to it.
Wrap your gifts well. The wrapping counts!
Enjoy your experience. Treat your lady with respect, you sound like the kind of guy that will do that very well. I enjoyed every day I was there and cant wait to go back again. I hope you have the same experience.
Alan
Damn, just when I was feeling good about things, Half Pint has to mention wrapping gifts. This is where I will fail, ha ha. I also read your thread and found it interesting, as I don't think that scenario has happened to a member here before (e.g. the lady visiting you in your country). Best of luck with your romance and cheers for the words of encouragement.
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Seagull,
One thing about wrapping... don't wrap anything until you arrive in China. Especially coming from a "Western" nation. Airport security has a habit of peeking under the wrapper and ruining a perfectly good wrapping job. There have been multiple complaints on this front...
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Bring a picture book (ie:tourist book) from your own country that has chinese script in it. Most airport book stores cater to tourists and should have it. Also some small native art such as wind chimes as a good choice. I remember bringing some native Indian dream catchers as gifts and explaining the meaning behind them.
You cant go wrong with Chanel # 5 or Coco.
About vaccines. I took everything the local health department recommended for travel to Asia, which turned out to be less than ten.
Hepatitis A/B you will need to hurry because you will need two Hep B shots. Tetanus, polio, small pox, malaria and Japanese encephalitis. Mosquito born deseases.
I only took one Japanese encephalitis shot as the first one gave me a terrible headache.
Also get some travel health insurance. Your young and healthy I suppose but you can still trip and break something.
BTW. lovely girl. I also met Fiona on Chineselovelinks.
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Hi everyone.
Tonight is my last night sleeping in my own bed for the next 10 or so days. Tomorrow night I am leaving for China (my city is in the same timezone as China), and I arrive in Chengdu on Sunday around 1 pm.
I received a lot of excellent gift suggestions from you guys and in the end for the main gift I got something similar to David E's suggestion (a silver necklace with an opal being held by a koala). As I don't know the lady that well, I did not want to risk getting something too personal, so thought I'd get something more generic but still a little relevant to us. But thank you everyone for the great ideas which helped me to reach this point.
I am starting to get a little bit nervous, especially when thinking about getting off the plane and walking into the arrivals area of Chengdu airport where I will have to try and spot her in the crowd and see her for the first time! My main concern is the same as I described earlier in the thread, rushing here to see someone who although is nice, I still do not feel I know too well. But overall, I am quite happy. That's the whole point of the trip to get to know each other, and no one ever goes on a trip like this without having some concerns. I guess mine are minimal compared to some of the issues others have had to deal with (e.g. no translators, no agencies, no doctored photos, etc. as I met her on CLL rather than Chn Love). My internet access in China may be limited, so will post a report when I come back. Thanks again everyone for your help and advice.
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Good luck Seagull , have a safe trip , and don't worry about the airport ha ha , you can bet she will spot you way before you spot her , has to do with you being the only Whitey on the plane , make sure you have a biro with you on the plane to fill out forms , and enjoy the Middle Kingdom , regards Sujuan and Robert .
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Seagull, I've done that twice. Two times I've gotten into china to meet someone I had never met. The first time in the Zhongshan ferry terminal. I left from Hong Kong where everyone spoke some English to China where nobody spoke a word of English. The second time in the Xiamen airport. It is a little intimidating at first, but a friendly smile and an open mind will get you quite far.
I didn't know either of these women very well. The first was through Chnlove, I had only seen her photos and one webcam session. The second was through qq, but I never got to see her more than twice. Treat her well and trust her judgement and you will be fine. She's very brave to meet you at the airport.
Good luck, I can't wait to read all about your trip. I'm very excited for you.
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Seagull
Best wishes from a fellow Sandgroper !!!
I can easily imagine in my mind the fun you will have at Chengdu Airport.......done that many times now ;D ;D
Dont even worry about finding her in the crowd...just stand still and let her find you !!!
And dont forget that there are 2 exit doors at the International arrivals.........I waited patiently for 30 minutes, getting more and more worried on my first trip...only to find that Ming was waiting at the other door. Luckily, she finally realised what was the problem and came hot-footing to the other door !!!
Have a great trip...hope all turns out as well as you wish
Cheers...David
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Yes .. good luck Seagull and like other's have mentioned , can't wait to hear how the arrival / meeting went down . Have a good Flight and may it continue through your stay .
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Good luck mate. Hope you have a great time :D