www.SoftSeatTravel.com
A country too vast to call
by one name, China is
truly regions, provinces,
cities, towns, and
villages, all unique,
isolated, diverse, and
ethnically separated.
China  is not just one
place but many.  
More a political
designation than  one
country, the place we call
China is, of course, a
land of many cultures,
many  landscapes, and
most importantly, many
different foods.
Photos by Rain Rodolph

Soft seat travel takes on reality in China
where trains actually have a designated
seating called "Soft Seat".
Depending on your ticket,  you have either a
padded seat, (pictured below) or a hard
seat,an unpadded, or wooden seat. On those
wooden seats only the most dedicated
travelers  can survive the newly inaugurated
1142 KM train ride from Qinghai to the
Tibetan capital of Lhasa.
Great Wall views
China
China
My expectations about China's Great Wall were
more than exceeded by its great size and surprising
beauty. My  daughter lived in China at the time of my
first visit and she took me to a secluded section of the
wall most tourists never see two hours beyond Bejing
Once at the top. our view of the wall  continued beyond
the horizon. As we walked, my shutter never stopped
trying to capture the incredible mass of wall, its curving
lines and hulking shapes.
While in Bejing we stayed at the
Peninsula  Hotel, a
place I would recommend to visitors. Although
expensive for China, the hotel proved a worthy
experience. For a westerner it was a good start into the
exotic culture of Asia, slightly Western in style, the hotel
felt familiar while at the same time a comfortable
doorstep into the exotic.
Riding The Red Rooster

This book can evoke a
feeling about the
countryside and deserts
that makes you want to visit.
 
Riding The Red Rooster by
Paul Theroux has deep
insight into this vast region
and its ethnic diversity
Great Wall,  Photo Rain Rodolph
China
China might be
the best travel
bargain going
right now with the
Olympics a
success, China
will continue to
show its best face
to the world.   
Text and Photos by Rain Rodolph
Photos by Rain Rodolph
China's Great Wall was built
over many stages and by
several dynasties. Meant to
keep out foreigners it is now
most responsible for bring
foreign tourists to China. At over
4,000 miles long the wall is one
of the only man made objects
that can be seen from space.
Dining in China
Noodles for breakfast, lunch, and
dinner, dining in China will include  
noodles. This is what Marco Polo
found when he came to china and  it
hasn't changed much. Noodles of
rice and noodles made from pasta
of wheat, the Italians later called it
spaghetti.  
Contact Photographer Rain Rodolph:  info@sotseattraveler.com
A good read before you go
RMB is the China Yuan
Renminbi
Rain Rodolph
Saving Time and Money On Air Travel To China
Start saving on Air Travel by parking your car for free at airport hotels in 60 US cities and hundreds of
others worldwide.
The early shuttle from the hotel to the airline terminal will allow you to book an early flight and save money on
the airfare. Two weeks of free parking offsets the cost of the hotel room and you do not need to arrange for a
limo to and from the airport.
Some of the hotels in the program offer 24 hour shuttles to the airport.
Most hotels offer two weeks free parking with one night stay, some three weeks or a reasonable day rate
for extra days. . Cruise passengers can take advantage of these deals also at some hotels.   See Free
Airport Parking link right.