Q: How can I join your tour from the East Coast?
A: We will take Hainan Airlines to China prepaid from Portland, OR or Seattle on Oct. 14 or 17 for the Silk Road tour. If you come from the East or Midwest, you will need to fly to Seattle or Portland at your expense, and we will meet you at the Seattle or the Portland airport. If you want to pay off your own international air tickets and meet us in Urumqi, China, the tour cost will be $3,290/person.
Q: How do I get a visa to China?
A: Fill out the application form http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/visas/fd/W020130830801798289342.pdf with one passport style color photo, $190 money order or check ($140 is visa application fee, $50 is AVTA Inc. service fee), flight itinerary, a copy of your driver license (the picture side), your passport and return stamp, mail them to services of a company such as American Vacation Travel Agency Inc. at 257 Castro St., Suite 204, Mountain View, CA 94041 Tel: (650)961-7777
Your passport must have six months or more remaining before expiration.
Q: How can I fill out the application form?
A: For the Silk Road tour 2018, use the information below:
Section 1.9 – use your Driver License number
Section 1.13 – US DEPT OF STATE
Section 2.1 - First box "Tourism"
2.2 - Multi-entry valid for 10 years
2.4 - 2018-10-18
2.5 - 17 days (the number will not be matter with the Chinese Embassy, we will all get one month visa).
2.6 – 1.10/18 - 10/23, Hilton Hotel Urumqi #1237 Hong Guang Shan Rd. Urumqi
2. 10/24 - 10/27, Radission Blu Hotel, No2 Duolaitebage Road, Kashgar
3. 10/28 - 10/30, Kuche Hotel, No255, Middle Tianshan Rd, Kuche County
4. 10/31 - 11/1, Kang Cheng Jian Guo Int. Hotel, #618 East Jiao Tong Rd. Korla
2.8 – Xinjiang Youth Travel Service Co., Ltd.
4F, Block A, Chalkies Manson, No.8 North Alley, Qingnian Rd. Urumqi, Xinjiang
Tel: 13579836364
Relationship: Travel agent
For who join the side trip:
2.5 - 19 days
2.6 - 1. 10/15-10/17 Huanchen Int. Hotel, No20, Dong Ave. Zhangye
Q: Is it easy to exchange U.S. money for Chinese currency in China?
A: You can get an initial supply of Chinese money at a large Wells Fargo Bank in Portland and at some other large U.S. banks. In China, you can exchange US dollars at Chinese airports and hotels. Bring some crispy new bills with you, because there are no places to use credit cards in small cities. Keep receipts on purchases so that you can reclaim US dollars at your departure airport if you have Chinese money left when you leave China. The ATM’s are available in Lanzhou, Urumqi and some cities of Xinjiang. I will bring some Chinese money with me in case you might need. The exchange rate from US dollars to Chinese Yuan is $100=RMB680 Yuan (as reported by the Chinese government on 09/30/2018).
Q: How much money should I bring with me for this trip?
A: The charge for expedition is $4,290. Plus the cost of side trip if you join it. This includes your international airfare, domestic airfare in China, all ground transportation, our tour guides, medical insurance in China, room and board. There will also be some optional activities available in addition to the trip itinerary, such as shows (RMB499-699yuan/person for The Myth of Silk Road show in Xinjiang) , Horse club ticket (RMB120yuan/person), riding camel (about 50 - 100yuan/person), taking small train in the Euphratica tree park (100 - 200yuan/prson) some shuttle buses fees (10 - 30yuan/one time/person), extra tips for drivers or tour guides (if you rear like him/her), shopping, model fees (the tour cost is covered the model fees, but if you want to add more time or add more models, it will cost more), and laundry. Normally, $600 will be more than enough for the whole trip.
Q: How much should I consider tipping?
A: Our tips need to run a bit higher than the normal amount for general sight-seeing tours. Ours will be a special photo expedition that will require more from our tour guides and bus drivers. They will need to get up early and go home late. We tried to ask the guides not to bring us to shopping centers (where they are paid by the merchants to deliver customers). We paid about $12.00 per person per day (12 people group) for all tips during out last expedition. I collected the tips ahead of time before we left the U.S. for the 2017 Tibet tour, I will collect $200 per person for the tips for the this year tour. (The tips including bus drivers, tour guides, models, and hotel bellboys). For the people who join the side trip, I will collect $40/person for the four days side trip.
Q: What kind of models we will get?
A: In the Taskurgan, we will get some Tajik local people riding horses or yaks chasing a sheep, who catches the sheep, who will be the winner. After the buzkashi, we will see the colorful dancing show which performed by beautiful Tajik girls. In the Kumtag desert scenic spot, we will get six camels and we will have one hour to take photos. In the populus park of Luntai, I will hire two or three camels to walk in the park.
Q: What is the standard voltage in China for chargers and other small devices?
A: 220 volts. You should take a plug adapter for the outlets and a converter if you need to use electricity. Some electronic adapters work on either 110v or 220v. If you are an AAA auto club member, it can supply adapters in its stores. (In Portland, there is a store at Hwy. 217 and I-5. It is at 6 Center point. It’s a large red brick building, with a very large AAA on top. You can’t miss it.)
Q: Do I need to get shots, and what medicine should I take?
A: You don’t need to get shots. Bring your own prescription medicine, plus basic medicine like Advil, aspirin, antacid, Imodium, Tylenol, etc. You might need "Diomaox" for altitude sickness, we will go through Pamir plateau, and spend two nights at Taskurgan where its altitude is 10,499Ft.
Q: Can I get my laundry cleaned?
A: Yes. In Urumqi, Kashgar, Lunnan, and Kuqa hotels will be able to launder your clothes. The rooms have a laundry bag with a form to fill out. You can mark rush cleaning (same day return); otherwise, they will be returned the next morning, clean. You do this in the morning when you leave for the day.
Q: Can I go to the Internet at hotels?
A: Yes. All hotels will provide internet service and Wifi.
Q: What if I have to cancel the trip?
A: You may cancel and withdraw your deposit and payments at any time before the airline tickets and lodging having already been purchased. That means, after the date that real costs have accrued, no refunds will be made for cancellation. It is suggested that you consider trip insurance if you believe there is a possibility that you could be forced to cancel the trip.
|
