Arriving in Beijing

The first time I arrived in Beijing, the main problem is communication. Because, they (beijing peoples) do not speak English at all..

First of all, when ordering food, I also experienced difficulties, all written in mandarin. So, my advice is choose a restaurant that provides a menu with pictures.

Then for Beijing public transport it is true that you must have a destination address written in Chinese language, because taxi drivers do not speak english.

My advice, if you go to china please bring a friend who could speak little Chinese or at least look for China tour guides, so you can more easily explore Beijing city.

Have a nice trip in Beijing!

These tips should help you to survive after you have arrived at Beijing International Airport:

If you wanna take a taxi into town, always queue at the taxi lane. Those are the only official taxis. If someone else offers you a ride, be careful, he may rips you off and charges a lot. Always tell the taxi driver to turn on the meter. A ride into the city center is around 60 - 80 RMB + toll fee.

Also be aware that most of the taxi drivers don't speak any English. Try to get a print out of your destination in Chinese characters and show it to the driver. I can tell you, that will help a lot :S

You only can exchange money in China! The Chinese currency RMB (yuan) is not available out of China. 1€ = 10 RMB. You'll find Currency Exchange counters right at the airport. You can also exchange money at the Bank of China as well as in bigger hotels. Be careful, if you are going to go to a bank, you may find Chinese people in front of the bank who are offering to exchange money for a better rate. Don't trust them, you never know if the money will be fake or an old, invalid currency!

Ok, that's it. Now you should be well prepared for your own journey into the land of the rising sun :) Please fasten your seatbelt and enjoy the trip!