The majority of people who are visiting Nanning will be going to meet their girlfriend. Nanning is a City in China that many people in the UK and Europe have never heard of before. We have endeavoured pass on valuable information gained from our visits to Nanning and China.

It would be advisable to slowly build up your relationship with your girlfriend over a period of three months or so, using various means of communications. This can be in the form of e-mails, instant messages and telephone calls. This will give you so some understanding of each other so you will not be meeting as total strangers.

As you can see from the photograph the toilets in private houses are completely different to the west, all hotels do have western toilets; remember if you think the Chinese toilet is inferior to western toilets. The Chinese think our toilets are very unhygienic, because they say they do not have body contact with their toilets. Makes you think?

Remember to protect yourself and be on your guard, after a short period of time of contact via e-mail, she will ask you for money. She needs a new computer or a member of the family is in hospital and they cannot afford the medical treatment. These are examples, use common sense and keep a clear head and if you are having doubts please use the forum to ask for advice.

As you will discover 99 per-cent of the ladies in Nanning are very honest, faithful, sincere and trustworthy. They are excellent wives and mothers and will give you a lifetime of happiness. They may indeed ask you for money for English lessons after your first meeting because they want to communicate with you, which will improve your understanding of each other.

The majority of ladies in Nanning have limited or no English language skills. They may have a friend who will translate for them. The most common way is for them to go to a local matchmaker or translator, who will charge on the day of your marriage. This can be in excess of £1,000, not including translation fees. The majority of translators are very good; there are some that just want to make money from your relationship so be careful.

In most relationships there will be misunderstanding between your girlfriend the translator and yourself so be patient and don't jump to conclusion.

So the time has come, you have decided to go to Nanning perhaps to meet your future wife, so what preparations do you need to make before you go?

Health Care.

The healthcare in the majority of cities in China is of a high standard and the hospital's are of the same standard as in the west.

Drink
It's always advisable to drink bottled water or boiled water as local tap water is of a very good standard, but as always when you go to a different country it is better to be safe than sorry.

Food
When eating poultry make sure it is thoroughly cooked. Be careful of dairy products, ice creams and raw eggs.

Inoculation
The advice for China is to be inoculated against hepatitis A and B, diphtheria, tetanus and polio. A visit to your GP will advise you accordingly.

Travel Insurance
Remember your travel insurance, which can be obtained independently or from your travel agents, it is always advisable to look around for the best deals.

Travel.

The First requirement for entry into China is to have a Visitor's or Tourist Visa, which will, is valid for 90 days from the date of issue. The visa allows you to stay in China for 30 days. The application form can be downloaded from the Chinese Embassy. The form is straightforward to complete. Take the completed form, two passport sized photographs and your passport in person to the Chinese Embassy in London or to the Consulates in Manchester or Edinburgh. The fee for the visa is £30 in cash; this is for one entry visa, for a multiple entry visa please visit the Chinese Embassy web site. Your visa is usually issued within three working days.

If you are unable to visit either the Embassy or Consulate you can use the services of China Visa, send them your application form, passport photographs and passport with the fee of £50. Send the form and your passport with the required fees by recorded delivery; this service usually takes approximately seven to ten working days, which may suit the majority of people. (Correct at time of publishing)

The best way to travel to Nanning? There are several routes you can take, if you are flying from the United Kingdom or from the majority of European Cities to Beijing, Hong Kong or Guangzhou. It all depends which route is the most convenient and cost effective for you at the time of booking. An example of this is when Robert flew from London to Nanning for £408 using Air China going through Beijing; Robert has also paid £650 for the same route.

You can always fly to Hong Kong or Guangzhou and fly on to Nanning, or you can take the bus from Hong Kong or train from Guangzhou to Nanning.

If finances are not a problem it would be better to fly to Hong Kong, spend a few days acclimatising there and then fly on to Nanning. Try changing your dates of travel as you will be amazed at the difference in the cost of your flights. Good hunting.

We can recommend the Internet booking agency lastminute.com or Opodo .

We can also recommend Wacts.com and Yoee.com for flights within China at a reasonable price. We also have links to various Airline Company's within China see links for full details.

Hotels.

There are a wide range of hotels In Nanning from two-star to five-star with prices from as little as £12 to £36 a night. Robert has personally stopped in seven hotels in China and is quite happy to return to any of them. They are all very clean, comfortable and well furnished. Some prices include breakfast. The hotel where Robert had his wedding reception and spent a few days is called Jinhua Grand Hotel, a very comfortable hotel.

To recommend a hotel would not be fair because we could recommend a hotel that may be on one side of Nanning City with your girlfriend on the other side. As you are visiting your girlfriend, she may recommend a local hotel for you, which may be just, round the corner from her accommodation. Your girlfriend will know the best hotel and will check it before you arrive.

We wouldn't recommend sending any money for deposits, as the majority of hotels in China will take a booking without deposit. The Majority of hotels accept Visa Credit & Debit Cards .

We have recommended travel agents for hotels in Nanning that we have no problem with, which are on are links.

Basic Advice

Our advice is go to China with an open mind.

Always show respect especially to your girlfriends' relations and friends.

Do not start giving the impression you're more superior or say we do things better in Europe.

Never look down on any Chinese.

You never kiss in public in China; you can hold hands to show affection.

It would be advisable to learn how to use chopsticks and a few words of Chinese like Hello, Thank You, and Nice to meet you.

You may have told your girlfriend you like Chinese food, Chinese food in England is completely different to that in China. You would be lucky if you see sweet and sour chicken. Robert saw spare ribs in one restaurant. If you don't like something you're eating don't be afraid to tell your host, there are many different dishes on the table for you to enjoy.

In many ways the Chinese are very much like ourselves they respect good manners, honesty and sincerity. They do have a wonderful sense of humour.

Remember they realise it's your first time in China so they will know you won't understand everything.

The Chinese Family.

The wife never takes her husband surname she keeps the surname she was born with for the rest of her life, the majority of children always take the father's surname this can be a bit confusing to Westerners and can lead to misunderstandings.

Our advise would be just enjoy yourself don't worry about the culture differences. The biggest surprise to see in China will be the traffic, which is still a mystery to us.

We know from our individual experiences you will have a wonderful time in Nanning.

Robert & Alan

Contact: Nanning & china info