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🌍 Adventurous solo trip to china • 22 days • 26,700/- spent

✈  Mani's first big trip was solo, and it wasn't like dipped my toes in the water and eased myself into the world of solo travel. 
Nope, I just dived headfirst.

Lots of people thought that I was crazy, even though I was crazy at those times.

And as I sat on the first of 2 planes to take me across the world from 🛫 India 🇮🇳 via Malaysia 🇲🇾  to China 🇨🇳 ✈
That trip truly shaped me into the person I am today and fuelled a whole other part of me 🧭🗾

If I wasn't already wanderlust before, I was sure after that trip.
___________

🔵 The emotion to "execute"
The only thought in my mind was "not just restrict to any particular destination", I keep scanning the airfares by "INDIA to EVERYWHERE". Sounds strange! isn't it?

Yes! I perpetrated this manner and the idea helped me to travel with my expected budget, I grabbed an airfare deal that sells for 16,780/- INR (round trip); Kochi - Kualalumpur - Hangzhou & returned the same route.

The ticketing is done yey!! 🎫 
___________

🔵 VISA & Stay
Though I booked air tickets before 40 days of travel, I decided to apply for a VISA when my next salary credits to my bank, VISA was not a big thing to deal with, it arrived in 7 days of application.

Stay: To save from a lot of expenditure I consciously chose to carry my tent ⛺ along and rely on real-time situations. However, I keep sending a request on "Couchsurfing App" to Chinese people living in Hangzhou (my destination), I got a most of refusal when people ask me the number of days to stay, as 22 days was a long period. Almost before I flew to China (Hangzhou) I was a bit worried about my stay as I can't afford a hotel out of my budget, still, the tent was an option.

🔵 Basic backpacking made it easy! 
- 2 T-shirts
- 2 set of inner wears
- 2 Pants
- A torch
- Camping tent and sleeping bag
- Mobile power bank
- Toiletries 
- Slippers
Weight during check-in before departure was 3.5 KG  🎒 


🔵 Arrival experience in China 🇨🇳 
The time I landed at Hangzhou airport, I boarded a city bus to reach the main town and look around if I could find any cheap hostel/room to stay. I couldn't find anything yet, then I just pulled out my tent from my backpack and pitched at a corner of the public park. Crazy! 😍

My phone was sufficiently charged and I kept scanning "Couchsurfing App" and finally a local guy accepted my request to host me from next morning at his home, though he was ready to host me only for a week (7days), i.e. my 7 days were confirmed with a free stay with a Chinese family.

The craziest piece of the first day in China was: Police caught me seeing my tent pitched at a public park and I was a foreign tourist to them. A lot of trouble caused by police and they verified all my information (Passport, VISA, etc.), the language was a barrier; they only speak Chinese and I could only speak English, gradually the conversation happens on mobile language translation to communicate. Fortunately, they understand that I am traveling with a very low budget and searching for a host in the town. Wow! they allowed me to pitch my tent there itself for a day. 

🔵 Free stay with a Chinese family
The next morning I packed my tent and informed at a police station for my further plan to stay with a Chinese family for the next 7 days. Good enough and a couple of policemen.
This morning was a fresh new day of exploring the opportunities.

Captured some beautiful moments around and started the journey of exploration 🈳🈺🈵

🔵 How did I survive 22 days with that low budget?
From the beginning of the journey, I always knew that I will NOT spend money on comfort/luxury/parties, etc.

Some facts to know: ☝
◼ I was flexible with dates of departure and arrival
◼ I was flexible with departure city (I chose a low budget as a priority) & booked a sleeper class train to reach the departure city (Kochi) from Indore MP
◼ I didn't prebook my stay, I chose COUCHSURFING App to request Chinese people to host me for free
◼  I didn't choose to visit prominent/tourist city to explore, it benefited me in many ways, Hanzhou is a beautiful town located 200 km away from the well-known city Shanghai, in these small towns you experience that people want to connect and communicate to you, they show interest in knowing about you and much more.
____
I have mentioned very little of my 22 days experience of my first ever journey of change in this Blog. I believe people could connect me personally to know more about it.

 
Seriously, everyone should do at least once (and once will turn in too many more times, most likely!)
____
Helpful Apps: 🌐🗾
◾ Booking.com (Budget Hostel)
◾ Skyscanner (Low airfare calendar)
◾ Couchsurfing (Stay free with locals)
◾ Google Maps (Nevigation)
__
Solo travel is so EMPOWERING hope that the things I wish I knew before traveling solo, and my top solo travel tips will help you feel more confident in solo travel.

you won't regret it. Sure. ☝

__
Mani
Chairman - ADBISO
Adventure - Biking - Social
Indore, MP (INDIA)
(91) 887 803 0000
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Comments

  1. sami.eternalAugust 8, 2020 at 10:50 AM

    Marvellous 😍😍
    You are a master of travelling🛫

    I've learnt various things from you.
    keep posting 🙏🏻

    ReplyDelete
  2. Srimanta ChakrabartyAugust 8, 2020 at 6:43 PM

    Excellent Mani...lots of learning from ur trip..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Freak & Go™August 9, 2020 at 2:14 AM

      Thanks Srimanta, there is a lot to accomplish.

      Thank you for your booster.

      Delete
  3. Sameer goyalAugust 8, 2020 at 10:52 PM

    Excellent... Where their is a will their is a way.....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Freak & Go™August 9, 2020 at 2:15 AM

      Thank you so much Sameer Sir, A lot of learnings taken from you too... Gratitude.

      Delete
  4. siddhartha vadlamudiAugust 9, 2020 at 5:31 AM

    Insightful ✌🏻

    ReplyDelete

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