China Trip Part 4 What To Take

The following list is what I believe you need to take when going to China. Women and people with special needs will like have to make some additions.
1. Clothing- Take as little as possible and forget about how you look. Nobody in China cares. The point is to be comfortable not stylish. If by chance you forget something, buy it or have it made.
2. Cameras, chargers and batteries. Most cameras, phones, ipods etc use 120-220 current. This means all you will need is an adapter plug not a converter.
3. Converter(s)- Only if you have some electrical device that is just 110volts.
4. Adapter plugs - You may need two as China Mainland and China Hong Kong do not use the same adapter. If you have been to the United Kingdom you used the Hong Kong plug, the other one is similar but with two of the prongs slanted outward.
5. Phone- Most US phones and Iphones cannot be used in China. If you need one buy a throwaway in China.
6 Baggage Locks - If you fly within China the airlines may not check your bag if it is not locked. Buy some TSA approved locks.
7. Alarm Clock - You may need an early wake up call and I would not depend on the Hotel wake up calls.
8. Sunglasses and extra glasses if you wear perscription.
9. Suncreen and Hats for sun protection.
10.A Secure Purse - Make sure ladies that you have a purse that zips close and can be worn around your neck, not just over your shoulder. Check out on the internet http://www.baggallini.com/ for a purse the flight attendants recommend.
11.Language dictionary - preferably one where you can point to the Chinese interpretation.
12.Binoculars - not necessary until you do not have them at "the Wall"
13.Cottonelle Wipes - take a bunch of the small packages. You will find many opportunies to use them or regret you don't have them.
14.Cold tablets,Halls throat lozenges,Afrin,Excedrin, Imodium D, bandaids,antiseptic cream, lip balm, eye drops. Your basic first aid kit.
15.Toothbrush, paste, shaving soap, and razor. Remember brush your teeth using bottled water!!! Did you notice I did not mention deodorant?
16.Individual coffee packs for your coffee hounds. You can get hot water everywhere but not coffee. Starbucks is in the big cities by the way.
17.A small bottle of laundry detergent to wash your clothes. No such thing as do it yourself washer/dryers in most hotels and you are rarely in hotels long enough to get laundry done except the expensive expedited type.

It is sometimes difficult finding items you are used to having in the US. And if you find them they are generally expensive. For instance, artificial sweeteners. The only place I saw these in China was the Starbucks in Beijing.