China

China, or to use its official title the People’s Republic of China, has one of the oldest continuous civilisations in the World. It is also the most populous country in the world, with over one-fifth of the world’s population living within its boundaries. In 1949, the Communist government took control of the country and placed agriculture and industry under state control. However in the late 1970s, the government implemented economic reforms that reversed some of the earlier policies and encouraged foreign investment. By world standards China remains a poor country, but the economy has grown dramatically during the recent years especially during the 1990s, and now competes strongly with the capitalist systems of the west.

Food and Drink Chinese food has arguably been one of its greatest exports; you will struggle to find a corner of the world where it is not available. The key to its success has been the combination of different ingredients, contrasting colours, textures and flavours, which satisfy both the eye and the palate. The most common non-alcoholic beverage is tea, although Coca-Cola is becoming increasingly popular. Beer is also widely consumed, and bears a resemblance to German lager. One of China's best known drinks is maotai, a fiery spirit distilled from rice wine. If you are a vegetarian there is no need to worry, as vegetarian food is easy to get hold of and very tasty. Entertainment A form of music drama often called Chinese opera can be found in most cities, and includes dance or acrobatics. Chinese acrobats are among the best in the world. Performances are breathtaking, with expert acrobats balancing on eight or ten stacked tables while dancing, juggling and singing.

Due to the size of China, its climates vary. The north-eastern regions have hot, dry summers and extremely cold winters. Northern and central China endure almost continuous rainfall, hot summers and cold winters. The south-east region also endures substantial rainfall, semi-tropical summers and cool winters.

China is a land of stark contrasts. On the one hand it can be extraordinarily beautiful and yet remarkably plain. It can be the land of your dreams and a bureaucratic nightmare. But it cannot fail to impress. Much social life revolves around eating out. There are a number of eateries on the street which are clean where delicious food is prepared on the spot in front of you, popular with locals and teachers alike. There are also a number of cafes which are frequented by foreigners. Teachers are given business cards which they can show to the taxi drivers who generally read Chinese. A good way to relax is to have a foot massage. They are about 100rmb for 2 hours ( which includes a 10 minute back massage) or 50 rmb for 1 hour. They are a real experience and great fun – not at all sleazy!

There are a wide variety of flight operators offering flights to China.