February 2025
 
PART II: China
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China often gets a bad rep, but I think much of it is misguided. Many people are nervous to travel there—myself included—due to fears of the unknown or things they do not understand: concerns about a communist government, a surveillance state, pollution, overpopulation, and firewalls against many Western apps like Google. However, after speaking with friends from China, I felt reassured, and looking back, I can confidently say it was one of the most incredible experiences of my life.
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Spending time in China opened my eyes to so much, and I realized that Western culture has a lot to learn from this country. I had such an amazing time that now, being back in Canada, I’m already feeling a bit of reverse culture shock. All I can say is I learned so much and I’m so happy I went.
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In Part I, I shared how a chance meeting at Ottawa’s Writer’s Festival sparked my journey to Nepal— and further fueled by my manager who connected me with a personal contact to be my guide. The power of testimonies! 
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Two years ago at a local brewery, I met a well-traveled person who had spent over two years exploring Asia. When I asked about his favorite places, he spoke passionately about a remote rice terrace in Yuanyang, China. Similar to the old woman reminiscing about her time spent in Afghanistan, this guy’s eyes lit up in a similar fashion, as he talked about these massive rice terraces. He described how in the winter, they flood the rice terraces and the sunrises or sunsets would hit the waters and reflect the colour of the skies in a mirror like effect. He said if I ever made it to China, it’s a must go. I literally kept that place in my back pocket for over two years. 
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Getting from Kathmandu to Yunnan was just one part of the puzzle. The real challenge lay in navigating from Kunming to these remote villages without the help of Google Maps or any knowledge of Mandarin. After reading Fabio Nodari’s blog and countless Reddit reviews, I reached out to Jacky, the owner of a famed guesthouse in Yuanyang. The chain of connections was so natural and organic —a random encounter at a brewery led me to an Italian blogger, who directed me to Jacky’s Guesthouse, who then referred me to a carpool service who referred me to a hotel in Kunming. It was pretty crazy how desperate I wanted to see these rice terraces.
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Adding another layer of serendipity, my German friend, Milan—who was living in Hong Kong at the time—joined me on a leg of my journey.  He had previously lived and worked in China and he mentioned once he spoke Mandarin. When I met him at the airport in Kunming, I didn’t realize that he was full on fluent. I found it almost comedic how everyone would speak to me in Mandarin since I’m Asian, but he’d respond back instead, and I would just stand quiet. For observers, I’m sure it was pretty funny to watch. I haven’t seen him in almost two years, so it was really nice to see him and catch up while travelling together.  I’m also so grateful that he basically saved me countless times and helped me from getting lost. If you ever do go to China, I would highly recommend going with someone who is familiar with the country!
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Then there were the rice terraces—it was really more beautiful and amazing than I had imagined. Spanning 17,000 hectares and crafted by hand over 1,300 years ago, these terraces stand as a testament to human ingenuity and cultural heritage. The traditional villages, with their ancient customs and attire, and the local food was such a gift to experience. Every meal was fresh, flavorful, and a celebration of local culture—I even ended up packing 3 kilos of rice, tea, and spices to bring back home as a souvenir. 
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And let’s not forget Jacky—the ultimate host. His guesthouse, inspired by his travels as a photographer, had unique architecture, incredible food, and exceptional service at a fantastic value. Meeting the real Jacky, whose reputation had preceded him through blog posts and Reddit reviews, was a highlight of the entire trip. Back in Kunming, we also connected with Fabio, the blogger, at a train station as he was about to depart for a work assignment in Pu’er. It was nice to meet him in person and thank him for all his help. You should definitely read his blog if you ever decide to go to China - so many brilliant tips and photography.
 
After spending some time in Yunnan, I spent two days in Shanghai. The city is very modern and very clean —from its cutting edge skyscrapers, futuristic metros to its abundant green spaces and tree-lined avenues. I appreciated how Shanghai was so well organized that even in a city of 25 million people, it didn’t feel overwhelmingly crowded. On top of that, Shanghai’s vibrant street food scene was amazing to experience. 
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After Shanghai, Milan went back to Hong Kong, and I took the bullet train to Beijing. Shanghai to Beijing is far! It’s the distance from Montreal to Florida, but you can get there in less than 5 hours on the high speed rail. There I met up with another friend of mine, Felix. Felix is from Canada but now works in Beijing as an editor and writer for the China Daily. Another serendipitous moment worth noting is prior to coming to China, before arriving in China, the only two people I knew who lived there were Fabio and Felix—and earlier that year, they had even collaborated on a work assignment as a photographer and content creator. Out of 1.2 billion people in China, the only two people I knew who lived in China, ended up on the same work project. The universe is crazy!
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Anyways, Beijing! If there was anywhere I would have elongated my stay on my entire trip, it would have been easily Beijing. Felix showed me some of the city’s coolest spots—hidden speakeasies, live music venues, ancient hutongs, cool restaurants and parks. I have never enjoyed getting lost as much as I did in Beijing; each unplanned detour unveiled another cool spot or unexpected gem, weaving together the city’s rich history with its modern vibrancy.
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I remain deeply grateful to Milan, Felix, Fabio and Jacky for enriching my journey, as well as to Jill, Pyei, Zeyu, Elaine and Michelle, who helped shape my original itinerary. My travels through Asia have gifted me with unforgettable memory dividends and enduring connections—and I hope my story inspires you to travel to China. Trust me, you’ll love it.
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What Surprised me about China?!
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Unbeatable Food
The food in China is exceptional—fresh, flavorful, nutritious, and surprisingly affordable. Meals that would cost $150–$200 in Canada were only about $20–$30 in China. It’s not just eating; it’s an experience. The variety, the flavors, and the quality exceeded my expectations at every turn. You could eat large portions and always feel satiated yet never bloated because the food was so fresh and organic. This is real Chinese food. I feel bad for anyone who never gets to experience this in their lifetime. I swear I’ll dream about the food in China forever.

Thriving Middle Class & Economic Stability
Unlike the shrinking middle class in places like Canada and the U.S., China’s middle class is flourishing. Inflation isn’t out of control, and I felt like economic stability was more accessible to everyday people. It was refreshing to experience a place where financial security still seemed within reach. On a food tour in Shanghai, the guide explained that the Chinese government subsidizes food prices to keep them stable, and they haven’t significantly changed in the past decade. This in turn helps keep the overall cost of living in check.

Affordable & Convenient Flights
One of my biggest surprises was how easy and reasonably priced flights were in China. Domestic flights included full dinner service, checked luggage, and incredible customer-friendly policies: full refunds if canceled 7 days ahead, and 80% refunds within 48 hours. Compared to North American flights—where fares double or triple closer to departure and they charge for carry-ons and checked bags—it just felt nice to not feel ripped off.

Impressive Public Transit & Green Spaces
I braced myself for China’s infamous pollution, but instead, I was greeted by clear skies—even in mega-cities like Beijing and Shanghai.  Over the past decade, China has made massive investments in transportation infrastructure and clean energy. For the first time ever, it really give me hope that the fight against climate change was not impossible if the world would mobilize in time.
The high-speed rail system is expansive, punctual, and incredibly comfortable. The trains were essentially brand new, and all the stations were clean and easy to navigate. A sign of a great metro system is when a foreigner can easily use it. The trains were so punctual that some passengers were even ordering takeout delivered straight to their train car while traveling from Shanghai to Beijing!
Great transportation is key to making cities feel well-organized—even in cities of 25+ million people, there was no suffocating overcrowding, less traffic, and an abundance of green spaces and walkable neighborhoods.

Safety & Relaxed Atmosphere
China felt surprisingly safe. Perhaps it’s a cultural thing, or maybe it’s the mass surveillance, but crime rates are incredibly low. I didn’t encounter pickpockets, never felt threatened, and was able to relax in ways I haven’t while travelling in North America or Europe. While some might think this means people are overly censored or reserved, I actually found people to be laid-back and open. You could talk about anything—sex, drugs, politics, or even Mao. At bars or clubs, people were dancing, drinking, smoking, and incredibly inclusive. Even small things—like being able to take cocktails to go—contributed to the relaxed vibe.

Impeccable Design & Creativity
From sleek modern office spaces to bold street fashion (even their pets were stylish!), China’s design sensibility was on another level. Women would mix and match different styles in their outfits—classic yet cute, sexy yet elegant, bold accessories on neutral silhouettes, vintage and modern, patterns on patterns. I was mesmerized. I also loved how the Chinese fully embraced gold, red, and green in their decor. Never did it look tacky—always stylish. Whether it was interiors, architecture, or fashion, everything felt fresh and unique.

Mind-Blowing Engineering & Infrastructure
China’s infrastructure is futuristic. Their delivery systems make Amazon look obsolete, and the scale of their engineering projects is staggering. On a drive from Kunming to Yunnan, I saw multiple bridges that resembled San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge—except, in China, they were commonplace! Their building infrastructure, metro systems, highways, and tunnels were engineering achievements—pure perfection. I truly felt like I was 20 years ahead in the future.
 
Squatting Toilets
I forgot how much I missed normal toilets until I got back to Canada. I don’t think I would have ever gotten used to the squatting toilets ever. One of my most unforgettable moments was walking into a public restroom in Beijing and seeing four squatting toilets—completely open, with no privacy walls. I was absolutely shocked and promptly left. 

Over-Renovation of Historical Sites
China’s rich history is fascinating, but some of the renovations on ancient temples and landmarks went a bit too far,  making them feel more like replicas than authentic. At times, I felt the Chinese obsession with trying to modernize and perfect their infrastructure, went too far.

The Surveillance State
There’s no avoiding it—China is a surveillance state. Cameras are everywhere, and personal privacy is virtually nonexistent. While this contributes to a higher level of safety, it does come at a cost.

Gaode Maps Frustration
Google Maps doesn’t work in China, so I had to rely on Gaode (Amap), which only offers a Mandarin interface. This made navigation tricky, and I constantly had to use translation apps before entering locations. It was a learning curve for sure!

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Despite a few minor inconveniences, my experience in China was overwhelmingly positive. It’s a country that doesn’t get nearly enough credit. The food, design, green spaces, and convenience all made me feel like China is doing things right. It’s a country on the rise, and I feel lucky to have witnessed it firsthand.
Now that I’m back in Canada, I can’t help but think about how much we could learn from China—especially in areas like urban design, public transit, and climate action. If you’re considering visiting, take the plunge. It’s an experience you won’t forget.