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Monolithic scale, a long and potent history, a future looming large.
China isn't a country - it's a different world. Unless you have a couple of years and unlimited patience, it's best to follow a loose itinerary here, such as following the Silk Road, sailing down the Yangzi River, or exploring the Dr Seuss landscape of Guangxi Province.
From shop-till-you-drop metropolises to the desert landscapes of Xinjiang, China is a land of cultural and geographic schisms. It's not that it has completely done away with its Maoist past - it's more that the yin of revolutionary zeal is being balanced by the yang of economic pragmatism.
The cyclone season has arrived in China bringing severe flooding to the country's central and southeast provinces. Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Zhjiang, Fujian and Hunan provinces have all been hit hard and more rain is anticipated. Shandong, Chonqing, Yunnan, Sichuan, Hubei and Anhui provinces have also been severely affected. Travellers should monitor news and weather bulletins for details of the crisis and its effect on local transport.
Travellers entering China by road or rail across the southeastern border, particularly the Vietnamese frontier, report that Lonely Planet China guidebooks have been confiscated by border officials. This is due to sensitivity regarding maps of China that do not include Taiwan. Travellers should consider putting a cover on the book to make it less recognisable and just to be safe, copy down any crucial details you might need while in the country.
For good advice from other travellers check out the Thorn Tree travel forum.
