Of course the first time I travel alone is also the first time I travel to Asia! I must have gotten comfortable traveling in Europe… you can go to so many different countries with the same phone plan and credit cards. No need to exchange money beforehand, just figure it out when you land. I tried the same thing with this trip. Figured I could research everything on my “jet lag day”…  massive mistake haha

Google doesn’t work in China. Neither does Gmail, Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp, Twitter or Uber. And turns out Visa and MasterCard are not accepted either.

Hmmmm. Now what?

With my jet lag – I was not quick to think of other options. I was literally useless. But, I had 10 quid and 15 euro in my suitcase to exchange and see how long I could make it last. Luckily, the tour I booked to see the Great Wall of China was organised by the hotel so I could add to my bill and pay by Visa. And now, it’s one of my most treasured moments…

And to be honest, my lack of preparation made every moment in Beijing that much more memorable. Nothing was easy haha But it was such a great experience.