From Rickshaws to Maglevs: Traveling through China

I guess I should have wrote about this first, since you need to get to Sichuan or anywhere in China to eat there, but it the stereotype of my hometown goes, we put food first.

So, I don't know why, maybe it's the people I talk to at work, or American media portrayal in general, but a lot of people think that China is this backwards Communist country where nothing is dependable and you will get stuck in a place where you can read NONE of the signs and everyone sounds like they are out of a bad 70's Hong Kong kung fu movie. 

Here's the thing though:

 

1) All signs in large cities are posted in Chinese AND English

Granted, it's in pingyin or phonetic Chinese, but things that translate are translated. So, like 南京东路, which will be Nanjing East Road. Super easy for everyone! 

2) I can haz high speed rail?

China has finally worked the kinks out of their high speed rail system, and it's GREAT. They connect every city you can possibly want to go to. They have amazing on time records and the fastest travel at 390 km/hr (around 200 mph). SUPER FAST!

All of the largest city train stations have at least 2 English speaking booths where you can get tickets. And tickets are available 5 days in advance. If you need help ever navigating the rail system, or any rail system, check out Seat 61, it's a train blog.

Shanghai Pudong International Airport also has a Magnetic Levitation (Maglev) train that take you into the city. It goes at over 550 km/hr (400+ mph). Yeah, it's worth a ride. 

I would take the rail for any cities that are close. If it's far, fly. 

3) Every city has a metro??? It speaks English??? AND it goes everywhere you can POSSIBLY want to go???

Yes, yes to all of the above. It's super cheap in every city, 2-7 RMB ($0.25-$1.10). They are all super clean, super new, and super fast. All signs and vending machines are in Chinese and English, so are all announcements, which more than I can say about MTA.

4) You wanna ride a rickshaw?

We got that too... more as a tourist gimmick. 

For a small fee... a Chinese guy will drag your ass around in a rickshaw

We also have what I consider the most inhuman form of traveling I know of! And the kicker is, it's used to go up and down fucking mountains! We got SEDAN CHAIRS!!! What is that you might ask? Two people will let you sit in a chair while the carry your ass up or down a mountain, like this:

If you pay enough, people will literally put you on their shoulders and carry you down (OR UP!) a mountain while you fuck with you smartphone

Yeah... China... sometimes you still don't make sense.