Safety in Xi’an, China What do other Racers need to know in order to be safe? Current safety protocols/precautions in place? Any relevant issues/concerns? Any precautionary suggestions?
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Our team met a man at an outdoor ping pong table near Eastwood Inn Xi’an that we spent some time with. When we left, the group took a picture with the man and two of our women were groped by him. He was typically in a white wife-beater style tank top tucked into khakis and was approximately 50 years old and frequents the ping pong table down the road from the Inn.
We stayed in a network of alleys and bazaar type markets within the city wall, near the south entrance. It was mostly fine but at night the crowd got a little rougher. One of our girls was groped in this area. It was an isolated incident, but was a man our team met on the street. He was usually in a wife-beater style tanktop and khaki pants and frequents an outdoor pingpong table near Eastwood Inn Xi’an.
Ministry Summary
Ministry Summary in Xi’an, China Breakthroughs? Suggestions? Concerns? On a scale of 1-4 (1 being not at all, 4 being absolutely) how strongly would you recommend another World Race team go to this ministry location & why?
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Lodging
Lodging in Xi’an, China Where did you stay? What were the accommodations (sleeping arrangements, toilets, showers, etc.)? Cost (per person per night in USD), Contact info.
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Jano’s Backpackers – near the south entrance of the city wall (inside the wall).this place was excellent. Jano worked the front desk most of the time. She spoke great english, was very helpful with getting around town, and knew a lot about everything in Xi’an. She’s working on opening new hostels in other places (like Thailand). If we happen across another Jano’s. I’d stay there in a heartbeat. Rooms. Rooms were a decent size, had lockers, but did not have air conditioning. They had an articulating ceiling fan (like a desk fan bolted to the ceiling) which helped a lot but only a couple people could feel it. Our room was filled with notes from previous guests – writing and sketches on the walls, ceiling, lockers, bunks, and door. We left our mark. Communal areas. The living space had a communal refrigerator that I didn’t have any issues with. There is also a TV, large dining table, couple couches, a small library and computers (though I’m not sure they worked). The showers were gender separated and had plenty of hot water. The sinks were shared but there were four so I never saw problems there. There were western toilets. Laundry is 15 yuan per load. Jano has a very sweet golden retriever that became everyone’s best friend. Location. Anything within the city wall is probably going to be close enough to whatever you need. Jano’s was near a 603 bus route which seemed to be the work horse through the city and hits the train station so it made things really easy for us. cost.It was under $5USD per person to stay here. Our team member that booked it was able to negotiate the price to around $4.45 per person per night I think, but it was for sure under $5. She used Airbnb to find it. The website and hostelworld had more expensive prices.
Food / Meals
Food / Meals in Xi’an, China What did you eat? Where did you get the food? Cost (per person per day in USD)? Contact info (if applicable).
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The Muslim quarter is probably your best bet for cheap/street food. It is a bit touristy so the prices are lower than most places, but it can be a little expensive. If you walk deeper into the muslim quarter, the prices are cheaper than near the entrances.
Transportation
Transportation in Xi’an, China What transportation did you use to enter the country? Where were you coming from? What transportation was used to move throughout the country? Be sure to include the cost per person in USD and contact info if applicable.
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Medical
Medical in Xi’an, China Information on local hospitals / doctors / pharmacies. Where would someone go in a medical emergency? (addresses and contact info).
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Communication
Communication in Xi’an, China Did you have cell reception / Internet service? Where? Carrier / Provider, where did you get phones / SIM cards, cost? Country code?
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Financial
Financial in Xi’an, China Location of banks or ATMs, notes about transaction fees, best places to exchange money, and other money related advice.
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Translators
Translators in Xi’an, China List any local translators – name and contact information, languages spoken
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Off Days / Fun Activities
Off Days / Fun Activities in Xi’an, China What activities did your team experience? Recommendations? List locations/contact info. Any locations to be avoided? Any extra safety tips for off days?
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Xi’an City Wall.It costs 54 yuan per person to get on top of the wall. On top of the wall there are a lot of photo opportunities that are marked, but you also have a beautiful view of the architecture inside and outside of the wall, beautiful skylines, and parks. You can rent bicycles (mountain bikes mostly, with suspension) to ride around the top of the wall (22km total) but be ready to be sore – its very rough.
Terracota Warriors – I’m a big military/history buff so I was huge on this. You’re going to require a full day because of the bus ride, but it’s worth it in my opinion. Go to the train station and find the queue for the 305 bus in the south parking lot (through the wall). It’s 7 yuan (each way) but the bus goes directly to the historic district of Xi’an. There are universities and historical sites you’ll hit before, but the mausoleum is the last stop so just hang on. There was a tour guide on the bus sharing information along the way. The mausoleum has an english audio tour that was really interesting and helped a lot to understand what we were looking at. We paid 60 yuan per person for entrance, plus another 40 yuan for the audio tour (required 100 yuan deposit each that was returned when we gave the devices back). I don’t recommend picking up a tour guide, if you’re inclined, spend the money on the audio tour. The terracota warriors were commissioned by the original emperor of China as guards for his tomb. The park is laid out in a typical military formation with the infantry in formation first, cavalry to the flank along with archers, a headquarters unit in the rear, and the senior officer (the emporer in this case) at the rear (in a different park 2km away (shuttle to take you). The memorial site was discovered by farmers accidentally when they attempted to dig a well, making it one of the biggest archaeological discoveries of all time, and it happened on accident.
Other Important Contacts
Other Important Contacts in Xi’an, China Additional ministry opportunities, local pastors, etc. Relationship & follow up suggestions
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Tips
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Additional Info
Additional Info in Xi’an, China Anything we’ve left out? Any additional suggestions to make travel easier for others?