travelplanning

A client once asked me: "Why do you do this? Isn't planning other people's trips exhausting?" I laughed because... yes, sometimes it is. But then I get a photo of a family on the Great Wall at sunrise, or a message that says "my kids still talk about the hotpot night," and I remember why. I don't sell tickets. I help people make memories they'll carry home. That's the part no booking platform can do.

Sunday evening. The girls are finally asleep. I reheat my tea for the third time and sit down to plan next week’s schedule. A family from Germany emailed today — they want a 14-day trip covering Shanghai, Guilin, and Chengdu. I’ve done this route a dozen times but every family is different. This one has two kids aged 7 and 10, so I’m thinking: fewer temples, more food markets, and at least one panda encounter they’ll talk about for years. Sunday evenings at home are my reset button.

Just spent the morning sketching out a Shanghai-Suzhou trip for an Australian family of four. The dad sent me a voice note last night: "I showed the kids photos of the water towns, and now they will not stop asking when we are going." That voice note is going to keep me going all week. Here is the route we landed on: three nights in Shanghai (Bund view, Yuyuan Garden, a food tour through the old lanes), then a day trip to Suzhou by high-speed train (23 minutes, ¥40). The kids are 9 and 12, so I added a stop at the Shanghai Natural History Museum and a evening cruise on the Huangpu River. The mom asked me: "Is Suzhou worth it for just one day?" I told her: Suzhou is the Venice of the East, except the canals actually still have locals living along them. One day is enough to see the Humble Administrators Garden, walk a canal street, and eat the best xiaolongbao of your life before catching the train back. Monday morning — coffee in hand, a full week ahead, a family excited about their China trip. Not a bad way to start the week.

Every time someone asks me if XiAn is worth visiting, I give the same answer: book your train ticket first and ask questions later. The Terracotta Warriors are incredible (obviously), but the real magic? Walking the ancient city wall at sunset. Rent a bike (45 RMB for 2 hours), ride the full 14 km loop, and watch the city transition from day to night. The lights come on over the Muslim Quarter, the call to prayer drifts across the old city, and for a moment you feel like you have traveled back in time. I have done this 30+ times and it still gets me.

A client sent me a voice message last night panicking because she could not add her foreign Visa card to Alipay. I talked her through it in 5 minutes (trick: use Tour Pass mode, not the regular wallet). She messaged me back an hour later: I just bought street food from a tiny stall in XiAn using my phone. The lady selling it was more excited than I was. This is the thing about China travel in 2026 — the payment problem is mostly solved, you just need to know the right setup. The old advice about carry cash everywhere is outdated. I have not used cash in over a year.

The best time to visit the Great Wall? 7:30 AM on a Tuesday. Seriously. Most tourists show up between 10 AM and 2 PM, and by noon the wall is a human river. I always tell my clients: book a driver the night before, leave your hotel at 6 AM, be on the wall by 7:30. You will have whole sections to yourself. The light is gorgeous at that hour too. I did this with a French couple last month and the husband said it was the only time in China he felt like he had the country to himself. Worth the early alarm.

Summer break is coming and my two girls have already started their campaign for the best summer ever. My 6-year-old wants to see pandas again (we went to Chengdu last year and she still talks about it). My 4-year-old just wants to swim. Win-win: I found a hotel in Chongqing with an indoor pool AND a panda-themed kids club. Booked it in 10 minutes. Sometimes being a travel planner means planning for your own family too. If you are traveling to China with kids this summer, send me a message. I have a list of hotels that actually welcome children — not just tolerate them.

The weekend is almost over. Both girls are asleep. The kitchen is clean (finally). I'm sitting on the balcony with a cup of cold tea that I reheated twice and forgot to drink. Sunday evenings always feel like this — a little tired, a little grateful. This week I'll be planning trips for a Swiss family who wants to see Zhangjiajie and a Canadian couple who want to eat their way through Chengdu. Not a bad way to start the week. Goodnight, everyone.

Just reminded a Swedish client to check the lunar calendar before booking March dates. Qingming Festival — the whole country goes tomb sweeping. Streets empty, everything changes. Chinese festivals shift every year with the lunar calendar, most foreigners do not realize. Spring Festival (Jan/Feb) = nationwide travel rush. Qingming (April) = spring outings and grave sweeping. Dragon Boat (June) = zongzi rice dumplings everywhere. Mid-Autumn (Sept/Oct) = mooncakes with family. Travel with Chinas rhythm, not against it.