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Travel By Train
"Are there any good guide books?"
Only in China
In no other country will you meet so many travellers talk so much about their
guide books. I guess that this has to do with the fact that if you don't
speak Chinese (as most of us...) you'll rely heavily on your guide book.
Whatever you do, buying train tickets, shopping, hunting for sights or
finding an affordable hotel room, you are pretty much lost in China without a good
guide book.
Up to two years ago there was not really a choice in that matter, because there was
only one book catering for the needs of individual travellers in China.
Lonely Planet had the market cornered
and their China Survival Kit was simply "The Book" with the travellers in China.
Two books for the country
Last year (1997) the first real contender showed up:
The Rough Guides came out with their
China guide.
This year (1998) I travelled with the Rough Guide, and while it is still a bit rough around
the edges (excuse the pun), it is really not bad. The Lonely Planet is still superior
with its maps and the sheer number of hotels it lists, but I especially liked the
way the Rough Guide presents the sights along the way.
A choice or what?
It's a tie! I really don't know what to recommend here. The new edition of the Lonely Planet
Survival Kit (June 1998) lists more stuff and is now about a year ahead, but the Rough Guide
is strong in describing the sights and has an interesting way to organize the different
destinations in China in groups or areas rather than the stricter province-by-province listing
that the Lonely Planet uses.
Well, it's probably best if you take a look at both in the book shop and take the
one you like more. Both will get you through China - and there are always travellers
with the other guide around to cross-check the descriptions and addresses.
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