Packing
Part of A Better Guide to Běijīng’s Practical A-Z
There was a crowd perpetually round the tent: all our actions, all our belongings, were closely scrutinised — by the Mongols with vacant gravity, by the Chinese with magpie curiosity. ‘How much did this cost, Mr. Fu? How much did this cost?’ It was laughable to recall that we had brought with us a tiny portable gramophone (and three records) because it would be so useful to attract the natives; there were times, at this period, when we would gladly have exchanged the gramophone for its weight in tear-gas bombs.
Peter Fleming, News from Tartary, London 1936
The Chóngzhēn emperor, last of the Míng, ordered officials to arrest those who were outlandishly dressed, and for much of the Communist Party’s rule the same thing has been true. But today anything goes, and there’s little in the way of dress code, although you’ll feel more comfortable if you dress appropriately for smarter restaurants, and obviously in a suit for business meetings. Otherwise wear what you like. Out-of-town visitors will stare at you anyway, and often ask to have their picture taken with you.
The best policy is to take as little as you can, and restrict it to what cannot be cheaply and easily obtained in China itself. Almost anything you might have forgotten, from legwarmers to Lamborghinis can be bought in Běijīng (although the Lamborghini will be significantly more expensive than at home).
Clothes. Light, loose, natural fibre, hand-washable clothes are best, plus one heavy sweater and a light waterproof jacket with a hood. Take stout walking shoes or boots with good support, and a pair of flip-flops for use in hotel bedrooms and showers if staying in more casual accommodation. Despite the heat, sturdy jeans are a good choice for long bus journeys, due to the dirt and hard-edged metal surfaces of some public transport especially in more remote areas.
Toiletries. Bring plenty of good sunblock and small quantities of whatever upmarket moisturiser or other cosmetics you can’t live without, as while these can be found in Běijīng they usually cost more than they do at home. Familiar feminine hygiene products are also widely available as well as Chinese copies, although the panty-liner is more favoured than the tampon. Hong Kong chain Watson’s has branches across the city and can supply familiar brands of toothpaste, but for every day cold relief, or headache relief expect British brands rather than American ones. Wearers of rigid contact lenses will want to bring plenty of fluids, as these are hard to find compared to the fluids for soft lenses, which are widely available.
Other useful items: A Swiss army knife or other multi-purpose tool, an unbreakable mug for drinking hot water and making tea on Chinese trains (both mug and tea can be bought in China, however), good UV-proof sunglasses, a universal bath plug, an elastic washing line for drying your hand-washing, a North American to European adaptor or vice versa (just in case), a basic first aid kit (see Health) and a paperback or two for exchange with other travellers when read. Backstreets may be poorly lit, have uneven pavements, unguarded trenches or uncovered manholes, so a small torch (flashlight) may be useful at night, and on trains after lights out. Photocopy the information pages of your passport and those holding the visas for your trip; if you are travelling with a companion, each should carry the other’s copies. Also take or copy a bilingual menu from your local Chinese restaurant to help with ordering food. Take a small day pack for holding a guide book, sunblock and other daytime necessities, as well as for use on buses when your main luggage is out of reach on the roof or underneath.
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