I just jumped into Europe. This was my first solo long distance flight (Image: Shania King-Soyza)
Call me crazy, but I just went on my first solo flight and it was 13 hours away from my home (London). Prior to this, in 2023 I went “down the road” to Barcelona, which was my first and only international trip. The world of journalism took you to a wonderful, unexpected place, and I was fortunately invited to a business trip to China's Sumi Shenzhen, where PR companies Communicatemore and Impact explored emerging products in technology and experienced a very different culture Shenzhen had to offer.
Despite not being able to take anyone, I took on this crazy adventure, but even the expert travelers were unable to fully prepare for this trip. I underestimated exactly how far I was and how different it was… Shenzhen had no Google or Western social media. The climate was very different.
Read more about Britto's Spanish holidays ruined by the weather as it is said there is a “snow chance”
I traveled from London to Hong Kong and then took the ferry to Shenzhen (Image: Shania King-Soyza)
Immigration border preparation
My adventure began when I saw that I spent one night in Hong Kong, a beautiful administrative region of China. Navigating the airport solo was easy. Due to the easy-to-read English signs and friendly staff, I had no issues.
My great anxiety was heading towards mainland China. Before I arrived I was told I would be driven across the border. However, when they were told that they could only cross by ferry, the plans changed dramatically. If you are not taking direct flights, we recommend investigating multiple routes to mainland China.
Immigration wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be. However, you will need to print all documents, including flight tickets and proof of your hotel booking. As I was without a visa, the only main concern that immigrants had was my departure date, but otherwise there were no interrogations as seen in the film.
vpn
In China you need a reliable VPN. There are many restrictions in this country, and it doesn't allow Google, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, etc. When I traveled to Shenzhen from Hong Kong, I was unable to contact my friends and family via data or WiFi without a VPN.
Everything I was wrong in Shenzhen (Image: Shania King-Soyza)
This is due to the great firewall (a legal censorship tool used by the Chinese government) that regulates inbound and outbound internet traffic between China and the world. “This censorship tool scans internet traffic for unwanted keywords and blocks users and websites that don't follow rules,” Nord VPN reported.
payment
The biggest culture shock was to pay for the transport and items in the shop with QR codes. Unlike in Western countries, you cannot use physical cards, cash, or contactless payments such as Apple Pay or Google Wallet.
Mainland China residents and tourists need to scan QR codes provided by merchants for “fast and convenient payments.” Popular payment apps like Alipay and Wechat can be used for this purpose.
Despite downloading Alipay, the app continues to glitch and often logs out to me. So when I went to pay for something it took me a while or I had to return the item as it didn't work. It is especially important to download multiple payment apps as a foreigner and set them up before your trip.
I was unable to pay in the store using normal contactless or cash (Image: Shania King-Soyza)
Most of these apps require passport information. Otherwise, you cannot use them. It is also important to double-check if your bank has a two-stage approval process. This is because this extra step often prevents the app from paying even though it's working.
According to Wise, this is how you pay using Alipay.
Open the Alipay app and find “Scan” in the homepage menu. After entering it on the scan page, scan the merchant's QR code. If the scan is successful, you will see the merchant's payment information. Please check carefully. Check the amount and pay. Alternatively, enter your password to pay.
jet lag
I have never experienced jet lag before and I don't want to do it again. For those who are not aware, jet lags are when their sleep patterns are disrupted after a long flight. Usually, it improves within a few days as your body adapts to a new time zone.
I didn't know I was suffering from dizziness (Image: Shania King-Soyza)
According to the NHS, symptoms include fatigue, difficulty staying awake during the day, poor sleep quality, concentration and memory problems. Jet lag can also cause indigestion, nausea, constipation, changes in appetite, and mild anxiety.
Hong Kong and China are eight hours away from London. My flight took off in London at 10:45pm and arrived in Hong Kong at 6pm (10am). I thought I'd slept at a certain time during my night flight and cracked the code, but I was disappointed and I was painfully wrong.
As my adrenaline wore off, I experienced the worst of nausea and dizziness. The weather was cloudy, but it was 28°C, which made me feel even more tired. I recommend visiting people to regulate sleep according to where they are visiting, staying for more than a week to get used to the climate.
Deep Shenzhen there are many skyscrapers, where elevators and escalators constantly climb and fall, which made me sick. I recommend bringing various medicines with you in case you may need them – Pept Bismol may have saved my life.
