By a traveler from Bangkok, Thailand

Travel has a funny way of challenging what we think we know, about places, people, and even ourselves. On my first-ever trip to China, I spent one week traveling solo through Xi’an, Luoyang, and Han Zhong, drawn in by my love for Chinese culture, food, music, and especially its long history.

What I found was a country that felt both familiar and surprising, and an experience that pushed me far outside my comfort zone in the best way.

Before the trip, I had seen a lot of social media content portraying people in China as undisciplined. But once I arrived, that stereotype quickly fell apart.

Xi’an may not be as globally famous as Shanghai or Beijing, but it’s still very modern and well developed. Overall, the trip met, and even exceeded, my expectations.

Culturally, China didn’t feel very different from Thailand. One small but noticeable difference was how people use public spaces: in China, people speak very freely in public, while in Thailand we tend to be much quieter.

One local custom I loved was tying red strings for blessings. I thought it was really cute, so of course, I got one for myself.

The most unforgettable moment of the trip was visiting the Terracotta Army.

Seeing it online doesn’t come close to seeing it in person. I couldn’t believe that more than 2,000 years ago, people were able to create something so massive and detailed. Standing there felt surreal, like history suddenly became very real.

Seeing it in person was far more impressive than seeing it on the internet!

My favorite food from the trip was Roujiamo, a Chinese-style burger. It was so good that I honestly wish we had it in Thailand.

I consider myself an adventurous eater, as long as it’s not alien meat haha. That being said, the food I was most nervous to try was stinky tofu. I’d had Japanese natto before and really didn’t like it, so I was worried. Surprisingly, stinky tofu tasted much better than I expected, and I actually enjoyed it.

One thing I noticed about Chinese food is that while it uses a lot of oil and chili, the flavor is actually milder than Thai food. The chili isn’t very spicy, instead, it makes your tongue feel numb. Compared to Chinese food, Thai food is much spicier.

The hardest part of the trip was taking the high-speed train from Xi’an to Hanzhong. I got completely lost in the station and almost missed buying my 7 a.m. ticket.

A Chinese person noticed how anxious I looked and came over to help me. They were incredibly kind.

Later that same day, I almost missed the only bus to Longtou Mountain, which left at 9 a.m. I arrived at 8:59. After talking with the driver for a while, he eventually let me on the bus, he probably felt sorry for me haha.

Those stressful moments turned into reminders of how willing people were to help a stranger.

Normally, I’m not very confident traveling alone because I don’t like talking to people. But this trip forced me to step outside my comfort zone.

Getting lost, asking for help, and interacting with strangers helped me become much more confident communicating, which feels like a really positive change.

I also met a very memorable person during the trip. While I was sitting alone eating mala skewers in a park, a Chinese man started talking to me. He later offered to show me around the city, introduced me to local food, and even paid, despite my protests.

We exchanged WeChat and are still in touch. What started as a random conversation turned into a genuine friendship.

Even though I can communicate in Chinese, people speak very fast, and sometimes my brain just freezes haha. Still, it was never a big problem.

People slowed down, used translation apps, and really made an effort to communicate. That kindness made me feel very comfortable throughout the trip.

I would absolutely go back to China again. I think I’ve genuinely fallen in love with the country.

If I had to describe this trip in three words, they would be:

Challenging. Rewarding. Unforgettable.

Tips for first-time travelers:

Next on my travel list? Beijing.
I really want to see the Great Wall with my own eyes.

Follow Whan on Instagram @whnx._

I love this story so much for so many reasons. Whan is a good friend of mine and her story is a true testament to her character! I’ve known Whan to be very open and warm with high positive energy that just draws people in.

Her story reminds us that, in a time when it’s easy to see the world through screens and secondhand opinions, curiosity, courage, and openness still matter. Also, that sometimes the most meaningful journeys happen when things don’t go according to plan.

-Bernie

See you next episode,