Leaving Buson on my first ever package tour with a korean company. I’m not going alone, Mr Kwon, my brother in-law and I are taking a five day holiday. The real purpose is for me to extend my Visa, sure I could have gone to immigration in korea, but the thought of a quick visit to China appealed to me.
I just hope it’s not fill with really old people, but I’m under no illusions that I’m going to be the only white person and as i cannot speck Korean, I’ll then not understand much. Mr Kwon, my brother inlaw, has very very little English.
Cost of the package is 800usd .
We had to upgrade paying an extra 150 dollars which should have been an extra 300dollars, due to the tour company not filling the seats. The good news is that they say it’s better accommodation and food. We were told not to tell the others on the tour and keep the amount we paid to ourselves.
After a 3 and a half hour flight, we touched down it Zhangjiajie international Airport
Lucky we were the only flight but still it took for ages to get through immigration, while in queue I was approached twice for a passport inspection. I guess being the only European on the flight coming from Korea must have waved a few flags.
They were interested why I was here and then they were confused when I tried to tell them I was travelling with my brother, brother in-law, fortunately they could speck English as non could speck Korean.
At the immigration counter, 6 tourist to my left got processed at the other counter while the officer took his time re-examining each page. (American , Thai, Korean visa with many stamps to check out)
8:30 at night a bus was waiting for us next to the usual line of taxis which all were Volkswagen, dust in the air or was it pollution.
First stop was a local restaurant, a first taste of china which I was really looking forward to but turned out to be a Korean restaurant selling Korean beer. Yes, I was a little disappointed, hopefully it’s not the same for the rest of my stay in china. But shouldn’t have been surprised as afteral it’s a Korean packagers tour with Koreans
After travelling soft two hours or so more, we made it to Zhangjiajie after passing through a tunnel that went on for ever with its surface being like an out back country road in rough condition, but at lest it was sealed.
Dust was still in the air or pollution, during my first night at Pullman hotel I had a massive headache during the night and still in the morning.
Hotel 29.346505,110.536725