I know this will sound terribly paranoid, but I am taking my son (who is 6) travelling in China in April and I am just a little nervous about saftey etc, espcially as we will be taking in a few all night train journeys, one of which I cannot book a two berth cabin on (as they don't do them on that line). I am travelling Australia and New Zealand before hand, and I travelled the best part of the world with him this year, that part doesn't phase me at all, its just the complete cutlure difference in China, as well as everone I know being dead against me taking him there alone. As the time passes by, I am getting more and more nervous about travelling with him on our own.
I just need my mind putting at rest really!
Reply to this Don't worry at all. I never felt unsafe once when travelling in China, and this included plenty of overnight trains. The culture is different but that's probably one of the main reasons you're actually going there. People are friendly and helpful and we never felt threatened in any way. The people who don't want you to go there probably know relatively little about China or visited a long time ago when things were very different. I would say go and enjoy yourself. All of those people will want to go themselves when you get home with some fantastic stories.
Reply to this Having lived in China for almost a year, I agree..don't worry at all! While people there will most likely be very interested in you and your son, and may ask to take pictures of you quite often, you won't be in any danger. Enjoy the trip! You and your son will have some amazing memories together!
Reply to this Don't worry, we live in Shanghai with a little 8 years old, and it's very easy. You will just need to get use to see some people wanting to touch his head...it's annoying, but not much you can do beside smiling and let it go.
Peter
Reply to this I traveled by myself while my husband was working and I felt totally safe even though I couldnt speak or read the language. make sure you have a good dictionary just in case you need something.
have a great time and take alot of pictures....
brenda
Reply to this Thank you all so much for your replies! It has made me feel heaps better about my trip.
With regard to people wanting to touch him and take pictures, that worries my son a little actually! We had a looooooong stopover in Hong Kong, just in the airport, on our way to Australia earlier this year and he was constantly being pulled aside for picures etc (hes blonde haired and blue eyed) he ended up getting really upset, as sometimes people were fairly rough, literally pulling him away from me. That freaked us both out a little.
I don't usually plan every last detail with my travels, but actually I will this time round as it will make me feel a lot safer having a set plan.
Reply to this i was super organized for our chinese trip because i was worried about the language issue. i found that preparing the night before made me feel like i had some idea what was happening around me. i also always took with me toilet paper, hand soap , water and snacks. the preperation was worth every minute.
Reply to this For the touching, just speak to him....if he can understand why people touch him, and why it won't arm him, it could help him to react properly...teaching himto simply withdraw from this when it doesn happen. If he say stop, it's a lot different than if you say stop for him.
But don't worry, China and his people are amazing, shouldn't stop you to have a great time.
Peter
Reply to this Its not the fact that he doesnt understand, (although it is his right not to be touched by strangers or have them take his photo) its just the way some people are so rough sometimes, pulling him right away from me in crowded places, which natrually causes us both to panic and for him to feel he might be harmed. What really effected us was at Hong Kong airport, a guy lifted him up from behind while he was holding my hand and tried to pass him over a barrier to someone else for a picture, I literally had to wressle my own child away from a stranger, who would not put him down, and whos family then tried to pull my son away from me again to stand with thier children for a picture, while he was still crying and shaking from the shock of being dragged away from me from behind. Even the airport staff stepped in to help me. It may not sound like much to many of you, but it was an extremily frightening situation for us both. If it had happened on the street and not at an airport it would have been even worse, and that is what worries me so much.
I'm not just talking about China by the way, I was concerend in Morocco as well, and anywhere where his colouring makes him stick out like a sore thum! It doesnt help that he is blonde haired and very pale skinned while I am dark haired and olive skinned!! He does say no, but I have found people don't listen to a child, I say no for him and on a few occasions I have received hassle for it! (those incidents were in Morocco and Italy).
Anyhow, I have planned everything out for China now, so I feel a little better about the whole situation and so do my family who were against me going, at least now they will have an itinery so they know where we will everyday. (Where as in New Zeland we are travelling here there and everywhere in a camper van for three weeks, even I do not know where we will end up!) .
I was just trying to explian above where the feelings of uneasyness about travelling alone to a non english speaking country with my son comes from, I hope I have not offended anybody.
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