Holiday Director Insight

It’s somewhere she always dreamed of visiting as a child, and even though she has seen that dream come true many times, Holiday Director Sharron Henry still can’t get enough of China.

Throughout all the years I’ve worked for Just You the excitement has not dwindled. It has grown. I can say the same about China. I have been escorting tours to China for several years now and it was just as exciting on my last trip as it was on my very first. I love the pace.

The pace of the country is reflected in the pace of the tour. From the high-speed Bullet Train rides to fast internal flights, we see so many iconic sights and visit the most astonishing places. One minute you are standing in the famous Tiananmen Square, the next you’re standing on the Great Wall of China, then you are gazing in awe at the Terracotta Army.

We then find ourselves staring in wonder at baby pandas, before setting sail on the Huangpu River in Shanghai. One glance and you’re admiring the old architecture of The Bund, and the next, you are looking high up into the sky at the newly built towers that are breaking world records!

Not to mention the many temples, palaces and parks in between! What makes all of this so special is the Local Guides. Their passion and enthusiasm to show you the emerging China is delightful. They freely speak about how different it is from their parents’ and grandparents’ time and are proud to show you around their town. They’ll encourage you to take a lot of photos, and you will. And we learn so much. Did you know that the mortar used for the Great Wall was similar to sticky rice?

It truly is one wow moment after another – even our included meals are unique experiences. People often ask me what my favourite dish is when I am in China. I prefer to see what the favourite dish the locals are enjoying and give that a try!

Something else to try is bartering. I love to go to the old markets and barter for all types of souvenirs. It is a lot of fun and they are very good at bartering back! The atmosphere is electric.

Leave room in your suitcase – you will be buying souvenirs I promise. Upon leaving you will have a multitude of memories to cherish, hundreds of photos to sort through, six extra pounds in your luggage and the joy of having made new-found friends, all while being in a country so very different and that once was so far away. When I was a child, if anyone would have told me I would be visiting China I would not have believed them. If you have not visited China yet, what are you waiting for? It is a dream come true!