Life on the road

Mike Peters

Travel writer, Life, China Daily

Where are you going this National Day holiday?

Bangkok. It's still a good bargain because many Chinese tourists have been reluctant to go there because of the political unrest. I went for the first time last year, and everything was calm and safe, so I'm looking forward to going again.

If I get enough days off this year, I'll spend two to three days in one of the beach cities, too. I've visited Phuket and loved it. Now I'd like to visit somewhere with fewer tourists and resorts.

How do you buy tickets and make hotel reservations?

Elong.com. It's a great Chinese service for finding inexpensive ticket options. English-speaking operators are very helpful, and they're also very good about helping foreigners make changes after purchasing - sometimes getting change fees waived.

Elong also sends me a reminder about credit for unused tickets I've bought through that service before it expires one year after purchase. No foreign booking service ever did that for me!

What have been your favorite destinations during past National Day holidays? Why?

Dali. The area was so green and felt completely different from big-city Beijing. Lovely food and people, and it was nice that hawkers in the old markets weren't in my face.

What do you enjoy most and least when you travel during National Day holidays?

Crowds are awful at the beginning and end. But I've learned that airports are almost empty if you don't travel on the first and last days of the holiday week.

If you don't speak Chinese, it's hard to talk and pantomime your way through the crowded train stations in cities smaller than Beijing or Shanghai, where much less English is spoken.

Will you bring a camera or just a smartphone for taking pictures? Will you post thoughts and pictures on social media when you travel?

My iPhone5 has a great camera - all I need. After posting on the first day of a trip, I like to get away from the sensory overload of WeChat and Facebook.