ARRIVING IN CHINA... absolute culture shock.

[@AlinaMcleod]

I hope you guys can learn from my arrival experience! Here are some helpful links of what I used for those interested: Get an Airalo e-sim: airalo.tp.st/wHCallXk Hotel I stayed in Guangzhou: Timmy Apartment Hotel trip.tp.st/jdl1YHRq Best Travel Credit Card - Amex Platinum (get 10,000 extra points by using my referral link!): americanexpress.com/en-ca/referral/aLINaMqrwy

[@beproudasian8279]

China is only controversial because of all the anti-China propaganda churned out by the Western MSM. The U$ Congress passed several bills amounting to USD1.5 billion solely for purpose of information warfare against their perceived enemies. And a large portion of it is used to fund anti-China propaganda.

[@beproudasian8279]

A&W is an American company founded in 1919 in California.

[@seymorefact4333]

there a tons of videos out there of Americans, Uk, germans, italians, Japanese, etc in China! tons! I feel China is much safer and open to foreigners than the US UK and EU! I will go one day.

[@buildbackbetter6875]

I use Google Fi the international plan, with everything included. No need for VPN.

[@wawan-lbg52]

You may also need "Google Translate" app... I also had an experience when I was in Taipei, Taiwan last Fall 2023.. I could not understand the Chinese characters, all Maps & Street Signs, Hotels' names were in Chinese characters. So I opened the Google Translate, pointed the camera to the maps, signs, hotel's name, all chinese characters were translated in english...."Google Translate" is so cool...!🙂

[@RoyFJ65]

Last year we went to China in October with my family, we travelled to six cities via bullet train and planes and it was the best ever experience for us. Definitely going back.

[@loading_notfound]

You're welcome！

[@Fire_dragon561]

welcome to travel again.

[@friacecc]

welcome to travel again.

[@cardqueen-sr7jb]

China welcomes you❤❤❤

[@jeanschaeffer4225]

😊​@@friacecc

[@Bengaltiger1289]

China is so misunderstood in the media of my country England. There is never a positive headline, thanks to people like you for shining a much needed light on this beautiful country

[@seabedsand]

hei guys where are u from

[@clivebaxter6354]

what is positive about China under the CCP?

[@AmiaLiu]

​@@clivebaxter6354 The rapid economic development has transformed China from a backward, dirty country with poor public security to a clean, modern, safe country with developed infrastructure.The living standards of residents have been significantly improved.I think the Chinese government has done a pretty good job.

[@clivebaxter6354]

You believe CCP propaganda then. Go and live there and travel around you will see most Chinese still live in poverty and there is no freedom and no human rights. The great success story is a sham like their ghost cities.@@AmiaLiu

[@GiorniVenibato]

Same in the US, just google Fox News and China! Most of the accusations against China are false or sensational! Republicans hate China, but many Chinese Americans support Trump! Crazy world!

[@Chinese-Canadian]

Have fun in China. I just came back from a two week trip in China with my teenage daughter. It was the best trip that we ever took!

[@AlinaMcleod]

That's wonderful!

[@ruslanleoleoleo9505]

Welcome come changzhou

[@HotPromptHub]

The best thing is that nobody would tell you to "go back to China".

[@sayaandyangsaya2756]

Nice

[@tomsewell2462]

what do you think about faluin gong forced organ harvesting?

[@martinwhetter6041]

I lived in China for 13 years and liked it a lot. I never had a problem traveling within the country or internationally. The food is great, the culture is very interesting and I met some nice people. Hope you enjoy it.

[@AhmetTekin101]

Many smart people came to China 🇨🇳, including journalists, researchers, human rights activists and satelites images. They came out with the same conclusion: genocide.

[@mingliu4175]

Like China and you are sure you were not brain washed by the CCP?

[@waikeiauyeung2725]

Agree that asking police to help if you need anything, literally anything in China. They may even help you to buy a lunch if you can't communicate or pay by e-payment to the shop.

[@roccoboy32]

They're very helpful, and you can spot them from far away with their blinking red and blue lights on their shoulders, scooters, or street kiosks.

[@aochenghe6986]

police is not god,please dont bother them in everything😅

[@salomezhang4401]

@@aochenghe6986 🤣

[@劉沛-l3l]

@aochenghe6986 中国的警察性质上属于服务型的工作人员，除了打击犯罪就是服务社会服务人民，有任何困难都可以求助中国警察。

[@cstimikk846]

@@aochenghe6986为人民服务呢 外国人民也算人民😂

[@Lja9]

Lady, if u have any problem in China, try to ask police, or ask Chinese teenagers, cuz it's the duty of Chinese police to help any citizen and foreign guests, and most old Chinese dont know any English, but the young teenagers must learn English in school

[@AlinaMcleod]

True! A young boy helped me order food on the train when my QR scanner wasn't working :)

[@TheSmokey1523]

Have a great trip I’m so glad that you did your research beforehand!

[@kcwc08]

@@AlinaMcleodyou need to scan the QR code for food ordering in a restaurant via Alipay’s (or Wechat pay) scanner but not other “typical QR code scanner” or “built-in camera”.

[@雅君墨客-i9z]

学英语不代表就会英语，课题用翻译软件交流就行

[@bang4buck326]

@@AlinaMcleod Better yet, before you travel to China, try to learn their language. Average Chinese people are not by any means obliged to know "english" just to help foreigners.

[@dongmingliu55347]

I am a Chinese living in US also recently visited china. You can use your phone to pay everything. If you use cash, street vendors may not have changes. It’s also quite safe in the night to wander around. Most college students know some English and you can communicate through a translation app. Most people also like to help if you approach them. Hope you have a great time there.

[@foodparadise5792]

去別人國家期待人家懂你的語言，這心態要改了。

[@slchang01]

I just came back from Guangzhou three months ago...I used RMB for everything I bought. No problems there, some street vendors have no issues about the changes, even to the cents...but most of the time, the price will be roundup so there is no actual cents needed.

[@computer-ot8si]

but you need to be registered to use those China apps. That's the big problem because those China app are so cunningly designed, if something wrong, it wont tell you directly, it just doesn't work but pretends to be working. Even I am Chinese and live in Hongkong, the learning curve is so deep.

[@conniemcno]

她並沒有這種期待、她實在做足了準備、包括酒店的中文地址° 她只是強調因為語言不通所經歷的困難° 國內同胞往外國旅行往往亦有同樣的經歷°​@@foodparadise5792

[@taotao98103]

You are a Chinese. For foreigners, they don't have Chinese Id cards, Chinese phone number, Chinese bank account, it's not easy to get Alipay.

[@costasworldofmusicmemories5792]

Harriet and I have been to China four times . The first time we went to China was with a Touring Company. They did all the work for us. But for you Alina to work through all the travel protocols by yourself and to keep your cool (for the most part) is amazing. As we traveled there more , it got easier and easier. This was a great video to watch particularly for those who want to travel there for the first time by yourself. Great travel tips as always. Hope your time in China was wonderful . Looking forward to more video. Sending you much love❤❤ from Richmond, Va. Harriet, Jim and Yuki

[@AlinaMcleod]

Thanks guys! It's awesome you have been there so many times and seen so much!

[@liuscott5744]

welcome

[@aaronhteikk4487]

This Canadian lady is so nice, so clear speaking, and so authentic in expressing her views. Continued enjoyment in producing your videos.

[@sofiyavolosozhar2162]

She is a Ukrainian Canadian woman 😊

[@OlsenOfficial]

All canadians speaks very clearly. From all people I've met that speaks english, canadians are the best.

[@YYYYDMW]

LALA

[@clowncarqingdao]

Rather than say that China doesn't take international credit cards, think differently - the rest of the world doesn't take Union Pay (although it's standard in Australia now). Why is Union Pay important? It's a credit system bigger than Mastercard, Visa, American Express & Diner's club COMBINED! Think about that for a moment ....

[@MotHaiBa-d2x]

I've been living here in Sydney for more than 40 year, and Union Pay? Unless I've been burying my head in the sand? Do you mean Western Union money transfer service???

[@boknows8263]

@@MotHaiBa-d2x google is your friend: UnionPay cards are accepted in many places in Sydney, Australia, including hotels, tourist attractions, and merchants: Hotels Shangri-La Hotel, Meriton, Travelodge, Crowne Plaza, InterContinental Sydney, and Sir Stamford at Circular Quay Tourist attractions Sydney Opera House, Sydney Tower Eye, Dreamworld, Wet'n'Wild, SkyPoint Observation Deck, and Madame Tussauds Merchants David Jones, DFS, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Bvlgari, Hermes, Chanel, Hour Glass, J Farren-Price, and Watches of Switzerland

[@xueshang1035]

@@MotHaiBa-d2x Well, you should probably travel a bit more then

[@TheCbins]

You will have a great time and have your eyes opened. I have lived here for 18 years and am blessed to have had this opportunity in my life. Take the train from GZ south station to Yangshuo, it is a must destination.

[@半生轻狂客-阿美莉卡]

厉害了，👍🏻哈哈哈。

[@sheilafong1594]

If you want to see more of China travel vlogs, l would recommend your fellow Canadian "Jet lagged Warriors " or Katherine's Journey to the East, an American girl biking alone in Chinese countryside and she is living in the countryside also.

[@AlinaMcleod]

Yeah I'm friends with Jetlag Warriors and have actually reached out to them for suggestions before my trip!

[@sonicmonkey888]

Nah! Make your own adventure😊😊😊😊😊

[@JonahMax-tw9ts]

You even don't dare to say Liberate Palestine, double standard cowards ​@SLAVAUKRAINI-cb5vt

[@MarkinChina]

Jerry Goode is a great vlogger living in China

[@cool_things_collection]

and there is also a channel called "living in China"@@AlinaMcleod

[@2ndeye115]

If you're flying to China for the first time, it's best not to take flights that arrive late at night or early in the morning, as there will be few people to help you and many of the shops at the airport will be closed. Secondly, the first night you should stay in a large, well-known hotel that is easy to find. It is much more difficult if you arrive late at night and are still looking for small, unknown hostels.

[@AlinaMcleod]

That’s very true and usually I do. But coming from Colombo almost all the flights were late night arrivals and the ones that weren’t were 3x the price. If it was a dangerous country I would have reconsidered but China is a fairly safe country so it was worth the risk.

[@Feng-hz]

​@@AlinaMcleodLate night flights to China are a better option given the price

[@2ndeye115]

@@AlinaMcleod I agree with you completely. That's why we pay for what we get everywhere. Even in China.

[@AhmetTekin101]

​@@AlinaMcleodYou will regret that you went to China 🇨🇳. Families of the Uyghurs, Tibetans, South Mongolians, Hong Kongers, and the rest of the world will be angry with you!

[@loading_notfound]

@@AhmetTekin101 Hmm...idiot.

[@AccordingtoWarren]

So glad you made it to Guangzhou! I am a Chinese American who's visited multiple times when younger and I would definitely say you are spot on as this would be a challenge for even seasoned travelers. Enjoy the trip and looking forward to the content.

[@prabhumishra3323]

Your expressions are so true and genuine, it actually reflects your true experience while you were narrating your story of alipay and taxi 😊. Saw your Srilanka series , and it was great.

[@iPlayGameNoTalk]

Good for you for giving China a chance. I hope you really enjoy your time there. I love going to China. I probably travel there every 4 -6 years.

[@刘鹏-x3c]

welcome to china❤

[@shonen84]

Omg, your adventure mirrors my own. I thought I had prepared well for my trip to Beijing, after having visited Hong Kong. I was also lucky to have printed a lot of stuff in Mandarin. I did find policemen helpful. I got separated from my mom in the subway, but police officers really helped us out. Enjoy your travels in Guangzhou!

[@yiqiwang]

In China, people are friendly and willing to help.

[@youmemeyou]

Say what?

[@serwombles8816]

BS

[@luvsghatespap]

Since when?? China ppl will only look at foreigners or non Chinese ppl strangely. And how can they help if they only know Chinese language???😂😂U are really living in ur own cave.

[@harleenz6732]

SB😅​@@serwombles8816

[@RoyaleFricks]

exactly

[@DianDika-hz2xg]

When I touch your every video which arise in my timeline. your incredible smile is always distinctive appearance. Your happiness was showed and little bit jokes have made me been watching it continuously.

[@HuntersTravels]

Such a great video! Inspiring to visit China and rebuild its reputation after such a tough go since 2019! :) so much to offer there!

[@jobyoppo2237]

I'm extremely excited that you've come to Guangzhou. I've been living here for more than six years, so it's wonderful to see you arriving here. I don't have any particular suggestions, but I hope you'll explore the old city area of Guangzhou and savor some authentic local delicacies.

[@AlinaMcleod]

Thank you so much :) loved my time there!

[@davidellis5141]

Hi Alina ! I can't wait to see your adventures in China & am happy your research resulted in a relatively positive start to the excursion. Good Luck with the internet ! 😊

[@AlinaMcleod]

Thank you!

[@michaeltualatin]

​@@AlinaMcleodAlina, pay attention, these comments are from CCP controlled bots . Just see their username

[@weitang6322]

为什么你想看的是冒险经历？为什么不可以是愉快的旅行？中国在你心里那么危险吗？

[@AhmetTekin101]

Many smart, well-known people have fallen into this before. The 🇨🇳 CCP is very clever in promoting their regime. You can't see or hear most of the things in China.

[@fongponto]

girl! thank you for all the tips - ill hopefully be visiting the country this or next year.... Enjoy your stay and have a really good time!

[@AlinaMcleod]

My pleasure! I hope you have a great trip!

[@friacecc]

welcome to China

[@李皓-b2g]

欢迎你，来自中国安徽合肥

[@shengguo-t7t]

You should come to Suzhou to see the beautiful scenery here

[@sih9696]

I'm from Taiwan, and we all heard scary stories about China, but trust me, go there for a couple of days and see for yourself what China really is.

[@picvang7721]

hhh😂

[@Elfan97-ec1uk]

It's rare coming from a Taiwanse! Most are hopelessly brainwashed!

[@kckong3]

LOL Taiwanese hear scary stories about China? Who from? hahaha I'm assuming you're ethnic chinese? Are you?

[@sih9696]

@@kckong3 Yes I am. Just like the West, the people who hate China in Taiwan are primarily the ones who have never been to China or belong to certain radical religious groups. Anyone who worked in China knows that Western and Taiwanese pro-independent media are liars.

[@貧窮的俄羅斯球]

@@kckong3现在的台湾只是中国的一个叛乱政权

[@davidng407]

OMG! I live in NY. I don't think any young lady would be safe at 2 am in most cities. I am glad you were ok. I heard it's very safe there.

[@iWantPeace838]

If it was India, errrrr ...........

[@bravesl6666]

I’m from China, and I believe that in cities like Guangzhou, there are many young people who can speak English. However, elderly people, who often didn’t receive a good education, usually don’t speak English. Additionally, if you have enough time, I recommend visiting my hometown, Kunming, also known as the ‘Spring City’ in China. It’s the terminal of the Lao-China Railway. Kunming is located in Yunnan Province, one of the most famous tourist destinations in China, ranking third in popularity.

[@AlinaMcleod]

I will be going to Kunming on this trip :)

[@bravesl6666]

@@AlinaMcleod Wow, good to hear that! There is an English corner just opposite Zhongwei Green Lake Hotel(中维翠湖宾馆） in Kunming. It's located near the famous Green Lake park, and the English corner is on the pavement by the lake. People start to gather there every Thursday at 8 pm(people often go there at around 20:30) . Before the pandemic, many people went there to practice their English, and even those fluent in English would go to engage with others. During the pandemic, the number of attendees significantly decreased, but still, around 10 people gather there to speak English. If you happen to be in Kunming on a Thursday with some spare time, I highly recommend visiting this place. It may offer you a better understanding of China and provide you with material for your videos!

[@fook7108]

I just visited Kuming 6 months ago. It has been a pleasant and enjoyable trip i encountered.

[@davidrichards1741]

@@bravesl6666 Enlightened western expats who've lived decades in Asia as I have know that Tiananmen Square has its roots in a US-facilitated color revolution attempt, similar to the so-called democracy protest in hong kong.

[@AhmetTekin101]

​@@AlinaMcleodYou will regret that you went to China 🇨🇳. Families of the Uyghurs, Tibetans, South Mongolians, Hong Kongers, and the rest of the world will be angry with you!

[@christinecamley]

Thank you so much Alina. Very helpful. Superb video! Stay well, safe and have fun! 🙂

[@AlinaMcleod]

Thank you! 😃

[@donkeykong8792]

Guangzhou is one of the major cities, definitely not an odd pick like you thought. Guangzhou is also the birth place of Canto food where you can have the most authentic dim sum experience. Anyways good choice!

[@foodparadise5792]

The birth place of Cantonese food was near by Shunde not 廣州。

[@80130723]

@@foodparadise5792 作为一个籍贯是顺德的广州人, 我可以很负责任的告诉你, 粤菜(广东菜-Cantonese food)的起源是广州, 而不是顺德. 不过顺德菜也确实很多好吃的.

[@foodparadise5792]

@@80130723 顺德飲食文化根基比廣州厚。。。你喜歡怎樣說就怎樣說。粵菜也很受海外文化影響，要確定某一起源也沒有什麽意義。

[@strongbrain3128]

@@foodparadise5792 粤菜(广东菜 - Cantonese food)的起源是广州, 当年做外贸的十三行的有钱人口味很刁，粤菜的花式品种当年得到大发展。

[@胡蓝-m2i]

早茶

[@OMGFrijoles]

Only in China can you let a random guy take you to the "back of the building" 2:30 AM in the middle of the night, and come out unharmed.

[@fleetqiu5947]

I'm a resident of Guangzhou City and welcome to the city I live. It's also famous for its food and I hope you will enjoy it. Due to the GFW, Chinese people, especially those living in mainland China, can't well voice out and represent themselves and thanks to you guys, more and more people are starting to learn about the real China.

[@javasoy]

welcome to my home town. you will find fantastic food, laid back culture, and loud conversations, all things Cantonese.

[@andrewcheng5655]

I just came back from Shanghai. we have no problem of using cash in paying taxi, food in big restaurant or street markets , transit and everything and we get changes as well. At first , people are telling us we would have problem paying without the app. It is not the case. It only cost us six dollars which is less than one US dollar to travel 23 stops( a very long distance) in Shanghai MTR, very cheap.

[@hdvoice]

Indeed, cash is fine most of the time. Having digital payment apps is just easier. Metro in China is miles ahead of most other countries.

[@charleneji6759]

Exactly. People can always use cash except that many prefer digital payment. 😀

[@yewsingooi9573]

It is illegal to not accept cash in China. Recently 2 vendors in China just got fined 15k YUAN because of that after being complained about by the locals.

[@andrewcheng5655]

Who tell you that? When did you hear that?At what City?@@yewsingooi9573

[@andrewcheng5655]

For overseas Chinese,it is very hard to set up the account with the app. Many worry about not able to pay. My cousin in China sent me some money in my Wechat account but I could not accept that because I cant set up my account. I hope the local merchants understand@@charleneji6759

[@johngonzalez4298]

Good Morning Alina from Miami, Florida, USA 🇺🇲

[@abirbo]

Super excited for this trip Alina!!! Can't express how eager I am to see China through your lenses! Having lived in China for 2 years (ya quite small time!) I can guarantee that you will have a different view of the country (compared to what you may have come across on mainstream media) after you have explored the cities and the people. You are someone who travel extensively across a country and I'm sure you are going to do the same in China! There is so so much to see there! When you visit Chongqing (I know you will, as you commented on a story previously) do meet up with Alex, a Canadian national residing there and operates a channel called Reporterfy Media. It will be nice to see you guys. Im a big fan of your choice in music in your vlogs!! That alone, sets you apart. Cant wait for the next episode! Love from India!!

[@AlinaMcleod]

Thank you so much! Funny enough I’m in Chongqing right now, meeting Alex this afternoon lol

[@abirbo]

@@AlinaMcleod What a coincidence 😀

[@McBorgard]

are you anti-China BOT?? or are you extremists@SLAVAUKRAINI-cb5vt

[@eddie-qs2yt]

Stressed ​@SLAVAUKRAINI-cb5vtwkwkwk

[@grandwonder5858]

As China becomes more and more advanced and more better than the USA in terms of technology and higher quality of life for its citizens you are going to seeing more and more angry rhetorics coming from the American politicians to create negative opinions and hate for China! The US government is now talking about categorizing China as one of the most dangerous countries on Earth to visit and telling the American people not to visit China despite failing to provide a proven excuse for putting China into this category beside the obvious reason that they don't like China because China is about to overtake the US in the economic, military, and technological fields which the American politicians are desperately trying to cling onto! Of course, there is also the fear that once the American people see China for themselves the experience that they have in China is nothing like the US politicians and media portray about China!

[@crazyjohnhoward]

Wow, China is clean, orderly and nice. It looks very safe as well.

[@乐付]

不是非常安全，而是很安全

[@darellnewsome4459]

Wow so proud of you Alina! Really looking forward to your videos from China. Stay safe and well and have fun.

[@dequanli5122]

Welcome to China. If you arrive in Beijing, by any chance I may like to show you around because there are so many amazing palces worth to go, like forbidden city where you need to book in advance, Lama Temple(雍和宫), and Guozijian（国子监）, those are two must-to-go tourist sites for good luck . After that, you can walk to the AnDingMen Inner (安定门内大街)st where is a good place to come across many authentic local delicacies for your lunch. After lunch, you many walk to the Drum Tower where is a famous place recommended online for its 800 years old history. After that, you may straight to the Houhai （后海）or Shi Cha Hai lake （什刹海）and Beihai Park（北海公园） an emperor garden for thousand years. You may even book a hotel around that area, for example , Nostalgia Hotel (时光漫步酒店) located in an alley intersected with An Ding Men Inner st. Good luck and enjoy your trip.. :)

[@VeraMao-rw6qm]

Welcome to China and wish you have a wonderful time wherever you go! I agree that a translation app would be helpful and don't be shy to ask anyone for help if you need.

[@mrsamshen]

Thank you for sharing the information Alina! I am an oversea Chinese living Toronto Canada and haven't been in China for 5 years. Your information is valuable to get me prepared. Thank you! 😀

[@reneerikolsen9694]

Great video! Well done, Alina. It must have been somewhat of a challenge, but you are definitely the woman to do just fine. Will now see the live stream from China from some days ago. 😊

[@shawnlu9637]

Best wishes from Toronto, have fun at China, it will be very different for sure, but exciting. 😂

[@Ibrahim86373]

at China? tell people how many countries are bigger than "at"

[@ZeeGee604]

Great vid as always! Glad you made it! I’ve always been intrigued by China. Have fun there, I’ll live vicariously! 😊

[@AlinaMcleod]

Thank you!

[@user-ro9sv1gk6d]

Just like adventure tour😂，welcome to GuangZhou，looking forward to your next video.

[@dinab7852]

This is one of my favorite videos. I'm watching it for the 4th time. SO informative & interesting!

[@patborecky2166]

Brave you! I probably would have sat down & cried. Looking forward to watching your stay

[@jimross7648]

Alina in a Chinese Wonderland is quite a tale. I'd of probably ended up in outer Mongolia as my cell phone is very peculiar about what it actually allows to work, and quite often tells me I have the latest version of an app, but in reality it does not operate. My google maps took two weeks to work for other than the Tokyo Train and metro system. As soon as I left the station the exact same walking directions appeared to lead me astray. Then, it suddenly started to operated correctly. You've travelled so widely that you were able to roll with waves the travel gods sent your way. So well done. You deserve the pat on the back you gave yourself.

[@geoffreyzhao4378]

If you have a VPN installed on your phone and are still worried about not being able to use Google Maps, you really have poor adaptability. . . . . .

[@AlinaMcleod]

haha sometimes you just gotta do things the old fashioned way with a paper map!

[@yours_sincerely48]

​@@AlinaMcleodDont worry China have ample 8f English signboard to direct you.. Or catch the police to help you our.

[@michaelatopalov1990]

Just returned home from Japan. You look so pretty in this video! Looking forward to watching this video!

[@AlinaMcleod]

Thank you so much! I hope you had a wonderful time in Japan!

[@michaelatopalov1990]

Alina, you are so brave! Safe travels and have fun!

[@smashsmash5866]

Everything went well because you are a smart traveler. Preplanning is the plan.

[@AlinaMcleod]

Thank you, it sure is!

[@ChenQiYoung]

Thank you beautiful lady, welcome to China，you will have a good trip here，any problems you can ask anyone to help you.

[@nathansun9874]

Welcome to China, Alina! 😘We are delighted to have you here in Guangzhou. We hope you enjoy your stay and have a wonderful time exploring our beautiful country. We look forward to seeing your videos about your experiences in China, and we wish you all the best in your future travels. May your journey be filled with joy and discovery!

[@AlinaMcleod]

Thank you!! 😊

[@serwombles8816]

KZbin is banned there NAthan, get off

[@yoongzy]

Travelling to China is literally a fun adventure to take if you have the mental capacity to do so, unless you know Chinese then there's no challenge.

[@spikermike2843]

You can say that in most countries.

[@viktor133100]

​@@spikermike2843most countries don't speak much Chinese. Except in Chinatown. But that might be different Chinese.

[@恢恢-q3q]

In the era of AI artificial intelligence, language is no longer a barrier.

[@whittakerwinstanleyiii4051]

@@恢恢-q3qit is in the real world. Not the digital fantasy world

[@candidomribeiro]

@@whittakerwinstanleyiii4051 veja o discurso do Javier Millei, dublado por IA, no Fórum Econômico MUNDIAL. Não tem fantasia nenhuma...

[@Peizxcv]

A Level8 pretty girl🤩. Enjoy your trip Alina, and always have a translator app ready on your phone

[@falongwu7033]

As a Cantonese, welcome to China, Guangzhou is a modern city, it's safe, even if you walk on the street in the early hours of the morning you'll be fine. Looking forward to the rest of your trip, I'd like to know what Guangzhou is like from a foreigner's perspective, enjoy your trip!

[@gregwang8628]

Thank you Alina for being guinea pig voluntarily, you’ve done a great service to the people ready to visit China ❤

[@donstravelsandrants.]

Wow Alina. This is going to be interesting. Thanks for bringing us all along. 👍😊🇨🇳

[@brianliew5901]

She got the looks of a movie star, a truly real beauty.❤

[@AlinaMcleod]

Aw thank you!

[@TheMightyAgency]

I disagree. She does not look like Danny DeVito at all.

[@tonythetrulypuffy2258]

@@TheMightyAgency 🤣

[@xiutingzhou3222]

You look good

[@brianliew5901]

@@TheMightyAgency Comedians don't need good looks to score, infact the uglier the better. 😂

[@shiningstar6659]

So glad you are in China and you look gorgeous as always. Have a great time ❤❤❤😘😘😘

[@dinab7852]

Just woke up in Toronto. Your videos are the perfect way to start or end my days. They always make me happy and relaxed. I just finished watching all your Sri Lanka videos and was so surprised by its beauty !!! I didn't expect it at all. Enjoy China!

[@AlinaMcleod]

Aw thank you so much :) Sri Lanka is an incredible country!

[@barbarakangas3255]

I went to China 3 times last year from the US. Staying in Africa is more of a culture shock. Love China!

[@thlim1460]

I’m from Malaysia. Congrats on braving yourself to step into a foreign country especially when you’re a westerner and there’re every reason you should not go into China if you had listened to the western media. Arriving in an unknown place is always expected of a world traveller. It is only when we experience such new cultures and new customs that we find how lacking we are of knowledge, experience and views of the vast environment that are existing across the world. I believed that at school most Northern Americans learnt at school that countries outside Northern America are not worth knowing about. Good to know travellers like you are educating your fellow country mates to open their eyes in a BiPolar World. Hope you’ll continue to travel extensively to know more and share more with your viewers.

[@ikaterpillar]

haha, That reminded me of our visit to Taiwan in last year, I can saw the hotel on my google map near Taipei station, I went around the building but just could not find hotel, the hotel was actually on 14th floor of that building. Fortunately, I don't have language barrier, a very nice and kind lady helped us. Foreign phone has no problem to access whatever you are used to be via SIM, no VPN needed, but it has problem using the WIFI there, need VPN. Hope you have a good time there.

[@AlinaMcleod]

haha that's awesome. I would love to visit Taiwan sometime!

[@tomgergen4354]

My family and I were there in 2019 for two weeks wish it could've been two years, best travel country in the world, go Alina !!

[@silveriver9]

China is not that different, except it is much more efficient and digitized.

[@seabedsand]

It's efficient and digital, and you know how much effort it takes

[@silveriver9]

@SLAVAUKRAINI-cb5vt Yawn. Found the 🦜

[@皮六隐]

比西方90%的国家治安更好，犯罪率极低，在我小区里刚刚网购的包裹随便放在外面都没人敢偷。

[@davefroman4700]

No crime, No addicts, no homeless, no poverty.....yeah not that different at all......smh.

[@allaboutchinaeverthing]

,we have some poverty people.

[@kbtred51]

A&W 1st franchise in Canada was Winnipeg in 1956. Canadian operations sold in 1956 to local Unilever. !995 Canadian franchisees took it over. In Canada this 1919 Californian company (HQ in KY) appears Canadian.

[@fvmiller1193]

Excellent practical advice for China beginners! I appreciate your openness.

[@taotao98103]

A&W Restaurants, Inc. is an American fast food restaurant chain distinguished by its burgers, draft root beer and root beer floats.The oldest extant restaurant chain in the United States. They are also very famous in Malaysia, and Indonesia.

[@nihsneuhc]

No more root beer in Malaysia 😢

[@JkJK-pb5qm]

Useful info for any travellers to china. Subscribed immediately. Have a nice trip there.

[@AlinaMcleod]

Thank you very much!

[@ervinsmoviecorner8748]

A lovely trip in China!❤

[@Sheepxixi66]

I like your long sentences because it helps me a lot in learning English😂

[@jerryconnors8663]

Alina, thank you on your most informative video on entering the PRC. Closest I’ve been is Hong Kong many many years ago. You’re a brave lady and world traveler. Safe travels!! ✈️ 😎

[@戢鎮海]

Learn how to take subway which is a most convenient way to travel in a big city especially in China.

[@AlinaMcleod]

Yeah I really enjoyed taking the metro in Guangzhou!

[@jondoh9414]

So the US government is trying to ban people from going to Xinjiang. (crazy but true) Therefore, go to Xinjiang! 😉 It's a very popular tourist destination anyway, so if you have the chance, it seems like a great place to visit.

[@rahulrasam]

Looking forward to this series. I'm sure it will be epic and will learn something new and fascinating 🇨🇳

[@AlinaMcleod]

Thank you so much, Rahul! :)

[@noyc1394]

Thank you. I always want to go visit China. So I’ve been watching couple of your videos and others, I’m planning a trip to visit in Fall 2025.

[@AlinaMcleod]

Hope you have a great time!

[@xadikulgamerisback4887]

Yesterday you were in live. It was very good to see you in another city like chiina ❤

[@privacyhelp]

China is not a former British colony (e.g. US, Australia, etc.) so don't force them to speak English.

[@AlinaMcleod]

Well English is the international language. I don't expect regular people on the street to speak it, but in most airports or tourist areas in the world, a level of English is expected if a place wants tourism.

[@edwardlin2941]

I’ve been watching quite a lot of China travel vlogs however I’m just a youtube watcher. So whoever reads my comment and knows better please correct me if I’m wrong. It seems that large cities touristy spots are foreign tourists friendly. However the smaller cities’ fun to visit locales appear to cater to domestic tourists. Many of the travel bloggers braved through by using translation software to navigate.

[@Jaredbuncher]

@@edwardlin2941you are on Chinese soil. Chinese is spoken.

[@privacyhelp]

@@AlinaMcleod The international language is love, and not English.

[@tapaskumarbagchi9786]

You better learn Chinese and go to China.​@@AlinaMcleod

[@manukalias]

Bravo Miss, You are smart enough, proven, I did those mistakes in 2019, Went China without a single Yuan in pocket.😅😅 However I had a International Prepaid forex card which worked fine after my initial hours of problems. Chinese people and policemen there are very kind and helpful. I stayed in Guangzhou for the night and went Shenzhen by end of 1 week of my business hunting, I wanted to stay in Shenzhen for a month. You should visit Shenzhen too, its a electronics paradise Found your video as suggested one for the 1st time and loved watching it. Respect++ from India 🇮🇳🇮🇳🙏🙏

[@fyfn355]

Alina, I've been following your channel for years. I am so happy you finally get to go to China!

[@freefree1219]

6:45 Met my wife when we studied in Canada, and A&w are our initials. So we had that warm feeling towards A&W, when we saw them while traveling too. They're thriving in KL, but can't see them much in other countries.

[@JustTravelJT]

14:24 That Smile 😁 is really amazing 😂😂😂😊

[@richardchorley1593]

She really is exceptionally lovely isn't she ?

[@JustTravelJT]

@@richardchorley1593 yeah for sure 😊

[@7hx89]

Yeah can imagine being alone in a brand new country and trying to sort things out is extremely stressful. A few facts that can alleviate your anxiety. 1. China is the safest country on this planet and most people are friendly and eager to help. 2. Alipay (And wechat pay) are 100% accepted in any payment situation, more useful than cash and much more so than credit card 3. There are many free Wi-Fi hotspots in metro area and all airports that allow you to make VoIP/VoLTE calls to your hotel and local contact, or local 911 service (110 instead of 911) for emergency support. So aside from emotional impact there is nothing to worry about. Your tips about eSim, VPN, local address and Alipay are all valuable. ❤

[@AlinaMcleod]

Thank you for the tips!

[@gabriellagirardi4741]

Thank you very much Alina for these very helpful tips in case we would venture to visit China! Hope you have a nice trip in this great country. Looking forward to watching your next video. Take care ❤

[@JoeyfromOreeLaser]

visiting China is not a century at all, China is one of the most safe countries, much safer than USA or Europe

[@bruceb5923]

On my first trip to China 20 years ago, I landed at the Old Guangzhou International Airport. My future wife, who lived in Nanning, had told me to buy a calling card at one of the stores and to call her before boarding the plane to Nanning. Getting yuan was easy since a money changer approached me as soon as I landed 🙂 When I went into the store there was no communication, so I used hand signals for a credit card and wanting to call. The cashier disappeared for a moment, and to my dismay she brought back an instant cup-of-noodles. As I was shaking my head no, she turned the noddles over and there was a calling card on the bottom of the package 🤣 We both got a laugh out of that, and I was on my way. I've been to China many times since. The change is amazing, as are the people.

[@queenSusan-te9lf]

welcome to China, my motherland , Guangzhou is my hometown.

[@AlinaMcleod]

Aw thank you very much!! :)

[@ivyshy98]

enjoy your china trip! it's true china is probably a higher difficulty travel destination due to language but once you got the basics down everything becomes so convenient! if you ever need help, don't hesitate to ask people! a lot of the younger generation 'learn' english in school but even if they aren't good enough they are tech savvy enough to pull out a translate app to help.

[@AlinaMcleod]

Yes, you are very right in saying that once you get some basics down it gets A LOT easier.

[@thuyanhnguyen111]

You're courageous and very open-minded. Hope you will tell people here in Canada that the Sinophobia will prevent us to discover so many interesting things in China. Never been in China yet, but I'd love to. Don't speak Mandarin either so it will be a great challenge and will learn tips from you.

[@ahliong]

A translation App will help.

[@arindamsaha735]

Yes open minded people can enjoyed in china. Otherwise problems in everywhere.😅😂

[@seabedsand]

为什么害怕中国

[@thuyanhnguyen111]

​@seabedsand I'm not at all. It is quite the opposite. I plan to visit China in the next few years. I was just saying that in Canada, some are misled by the mainstream media and politicians about China and I hope her channel will change people's mind and be positive about China.

[@johannaengman2594]

I’ve been to China several times but not afterski covid. I cant remember it being so difficult. Good luck

[@kofeesala23]

You have quite impressive background music. But you are not the first batch of Western KZbinrs to enter China after the pandemic, you are already slightly late. AliPay works most of the time. Bigger and Grandier hotels are not difficult to find. When the learning curve is over, China is super convenient. As a Chinese, I experienced more or less the same learning process as well.

[@AlinaMcleod]

Thanks! Yeah I know there's plenty of other vloggers who have done China, I'm just saying it's not as oversatured as visiting France or Thailand or something. Most people are not willing to jump through the hoops of getting a visa.

[@julespastor8149]

Love your content and practical advice ❤ looking forward to the rest of your China series 😊

[@AlinaMcleod]

Thank you!

[@frank6687]

very interesting experience 😅, hope you have a good time in china

[@SeaToSkyImages]

I lived in Shanghai for 14 years, and it was the best time of my life. I've since moved back to my home country, and don't really plan on going back to China any time soon, but I'm so fortune to have lived there, and explored the Middle Kingdom. It's an incredible country.

[@pennyarts886]

I have to thanks you for being understanding and wise. As that's not true about what we have hear and see in the news. Hi Alina, I love how calm you talk and I am your new subscriber now.😊

[@MacrosFTW]

I watched someone else's China vlog and he said something that probably describes traveling in China the best. He said that traveling in China is like traveling before the invention of the Internet. Westerners rely on Google maps and Apple map but these are not the most used map services so they don't often have any reviews or recommendations. You really just have to rely on your senses and pick random shops and restaurants. Anyways, have fun!

[@alessiii58]

明显就是说反了😂

[@tkw3864]

There are apps that can show you location of all kinds of shops nearby. But if you don’t understand Chinese, tough.

[@Svetlana-says-it-as-it-is.]

I have never been to China but I would love to, I never cared much about what they say in the news about China, I have studied and worked with Chinese people and they are all different. Whist there may not be many touristy videos on China there are many life in China videos and those people tend to live in rural places.

[@AlinaMcleod]

You should absolutely check it out sometime!

[@michael511128]

There are quite many China tourists videos. Type in names of cities on KZbin or Google. Once you have watched a few, algorithm will push more. There are many foreign vloggers who live in China. Try these channels-Living In China British Jason, Blondie in China, Katherine’s Journey has nice EV journeys and Xinjiang videos, interesting.

[@JustTravelJT]

Hi Alina, Thanks for the advice. I wish you the best of Luck 🍀 and hope you will show us something unique Good and Bad from China 😉 Take Care 🤗

[@ikielight4542]

Thanks for the tips, very helpful. I'm hoping to go next year

[@daniel2064]

Guangzhou ...hotels often start on the 7th floor......with almost ground level signage.. Food is super cheap and good so enjoy!

[@DavidL23.]

Hi Alina! 😄🙏👋🌟 I hope your having a wonderful day! This is a excellent fantastic video! 😁👍❤️👏📹🇨🇳✈️🌏🥇💯💫✨🌟 China is a wonderful country to visit! Thank you very much Alina to share with us helpful tips and advices! You are the best and greatest world traveler adventurer in the world! 😃👍👏✈️🌎📹🥇💯🏆💫🌟 Looking forward to following your amazing travel adventures across China! 🙂👍👏🇨🇳💫🌟 I wish you Alina a marvelous super excellent glorious blessed day. Have a magnificent time in China! 😊🙏❤️👋🇨🇳👍✨🌟

[@rider2731]

I should have said I linked my AliPay and WeChat Pay to my US Visa cards.