Hello and Welcome.... to the information page for the China Detox, Destress, Massage & Shopping Tour hosted by Kristina Friend Manager of Eco Balance Discovery Tours, Australian based.
China is an amazing place to visit. Their culture is fascinating. Their art works are exquisite. Their food is glorious. The variety of products is immense. Their practice of massage very therapeutic. The prices for all these services are so much lower than western prices at fancy Spa boutiques. From my own experience the ability of the masseurs in China is better. They have studies the Chi meridians of the body and know exactly where your problems lie.
This Tour takes advantage of all the things that China has to offer you and I.
This tour is NOT about seeing as many sights as you can in 2 weeks in China.
It is NOT about being rushed from one location to another without time to enjoy the site at your own pace..
It is NOT about being woken from your sleep each morning, (earlier than you want to be) to head off to 10 tourist locations for the day regardless of rain, hail or wind.. You have time to choose your own experience for the day. Do a private tour that others in the group don't want to do. Or just read a book in bed. Get room service and wait for the masseur to come to you.
This tour is NOT about banquet meals at lunch and dinner to make you feel bloated and sluggish- and put on weight ! We are all guilty of over-eating on holiday tours. On this tour the food you will eat for 2 of the 3 meals each day ( I cant control what you eat at breakfast time in the hotel ), will be light, lots of fluids and lots and lots of of vegetables. Then there's the tea.
This tour is NOT about climbing 100 steps to the top to see the views. There is plenty to see on ground level. So don't stress yourself if you are a little unfit. But if you want to go the 100 steps then no one is stopping you!
This tour is NOT about sharing a room.. You will have your own private space, which is also important to me...You also decide how you will fly, what class you choose depends upon your budget. However, once we fly domestically within China everyone will be the same flight and no class differences exist. No flights are longer than 4 hours.
What is this tour about then ?
It's what I need at this time in my life. So maybe you do too?
I am 46 years old. I own my own business. Altogether there are three children, four horses, two dogs, two cats and a loving husband Keith, who is also very busy, to care for. Recently my body has been telling me that it needs some attention- NOW. Sore back, tiredness, aches and pains. My body is saying... get into shape before it's too late..
So each year from now onwards, until I am too old to travel (100 years old) I will go to China and head straight for the massage, reflexology, acupuncture and similar healing type of services.
Even going to the hairdresser to have my hair washed and massaged is part of the experiences I enjoy in China.....
After being massaged EVERY DAY, drinking lots of bottled water and Chinese tea, only eating vegetables ( you don't want to touch meat when you see how it is handled !!!) and having the most amazing tasting Chinese soups, I come home with skin glowing and off course my clothes are not so tight. Low carbohydrates, low sugar, lots of protein and no fat in the diet when on Tour. Diabetics you can easily manage the China diet while on Tour.
Spending two weeks in China on my tour is a great way to make a start on a weight loss diet when you get back home. You have weaned yourself off breads, biscuits, alcohol, coffee, dairy, meat & Chocolate.
I don't pretend this is a sure way to loose weight it is only MY experience. Friends do comment about my glowing skin after I have had 14 days detoxing in China. (And I usually loose about 4kg ). My secret is- DON'T eat western food, don't overeat , don't eat the fried food and drink lots and lots of water, tea and soup.. The daily walking also helps.
The massaging especially helps to get the Chi energy flowing, which gets your metabolism rate working better. All kinds of massage helps your body to remove blockages and sluggish energy. So we will combine diet and massage and walking to get that little bit healthier !
Don't you always feel great after a massage? We will have one every day!!! Sometimes twice a day! So imagine how much better you will feel? You feel relaxed and your stress level drops.
So now you know why I say it's a de-stress and de-tox tour.
The best is still to come.......
Shopping in China is really going to save you HEAPS. But unless you are a small sized woman like the Asians, don't think you will buy yourself any clothes off the racks..
I am a tall woman- 175cm -which is about 5'10 inches. Size 16 which means I have a big bust and hips. So I buy my two daughters aged 12 & 14 and son aged 19 clothes instead. (But there are tailors to take care of my clothes needs).
I can find myself lots of goodies. Like leather handbags, beautiful jeweled hair clips. Silk in wrap arounds and scarves. Sequined shoes. Beautiful satin table ware. etc. Christmas shopping in October/November in China. There is no other way to do it. You will save so much buying your gifts in China. International courier them home if you have too much in your suitcase.
For Tours in SEPTEMBER 2007 Dalian Fashion show is included.
The next best part of the Shopping Tour is also the Dalian Fashion Show. We will be in Dalian City in Northern China, when this incredible show is on. All the best Asian designers showing their stuff. An exclusive fashion show just like they have in Italy and France.
You are invited to the gala opening or closing of the Dalian Fashion Show.(your ticket is included in the cost of the tour).Once you have seen the garments on parade you can arrange with any one of the hundreds of tailors waiting to take your order- to make up your choice in your size and fabric selection.
If you are organized you can bring one of your favorite dressmaking patterns or a photo of what you want made up. Once you are measured up the tailors will take one week to finish the garments, just in time to bring them home with you. I had a great tailored jacket made up in black velvet. Looks like I could have purchased it from any designer label house.
For ALL tours to China
There are several places we are going to visit while in China.
Beijing .Great Wall. Forbidden Palace. Shanghai. The Bund. Dalian.
I have arranged evenings out to traditional dance shows. We will visit places of cultural interest such as museums, art galleries and gardens..
Two other places I love to shop is the Cloisonné factory. They show you how they make their wares .You can get some exquisite gifts here and the silk markets (which are shops not street markets). Buy the most glorious silk and get it made into a garment for yourself.
Jade is another item I like to buy in China. The statues and ornaments are gorgeous. They make great items for a table center piece or for the mantle. I am not an expert on jade and would never spend lots of money on a piece. It could be worth a lot less.
There are street markets in major cities in China. They are smelly dirty places that I will not go to.
I find Department stores have the range, are much cheaper than home prices, take visa and mastercard ( not American Express) and change foreign currency at a rate that is better than your hotel will give you.
So if you are wanting a basement bargain don't be fooled that you have to go off to market stalls for shopping.
Do YOU want to be a part of this tour now I've talked about what we can DO together ?
In Australia I am a Tour Guide and Accommodation Manager of my own business. Eco Balance Discovery Tours P/L.
I speak a little bit of Mandarin, enough to get me out of trouble, find the toilet, ask how much and say too expensive. However, I have several very good friends living in China. One of them is a high ranking Chinese Government official, so we will be in good hands in Shanghai.
You will be staying in western hotels the whole time in China. You are staying in the Swiss Hotel in Dalian. It is within 2-10 minutes walking distance to Departments stores and a place with lots of small privately owned markets (which are inside so they are clean and modern).
My experiences staying in Chinese hotels is very bad. Firstly, the mattress is so hard I'm sure they filled it with a concrete slab. Secondly, the breakfast is terrible. Thirdly, they allow smoking in the bedrooms and the restaurants. Stinky!
So for the extra dollars I believe that the comfort of a western hotel is really worth the money. Starting our day after a good sleep & breakfast is beneficial to our general wellbeing.
The dates of the tour are yet to be confirmed, however it is a late October/November Tour. Just in time to start your Christmas Shopping.
We will meet in Shanghai. Your responsibility is to get to Shanghai within 1 week of the date I arrive. TBC.
The cost of your return airfare from your own country to Shanghai is not included in this tour cost.
All internal flights, hotel room, breakfast, lunch and dinner, massage, and organized tours and functions are included in the China- detox, massage, shopping tour's cost.
The cost of acupuncture or other medical type services are not included in the tour cost. But this service is available at the locations we are visiting. I would encourage anyone wanting to have acupuncture to tell me in advance. This is a separate item not related to the tour cost. Please check your travel insurance policy first however incase there are complications.
The other services not included in the tour cost, but available at your own expense are-
Hairdressing- wash, cut or blow dry.. Nail- repair or new..Dressmaking. Additional massage, Additional meals, beer, wine or spirits, Taxi fares. Entry to places not in our tour itinery. ..Basically, anything not itemized in the tour.
A friend of mine named David Miyomoto will meet us for our tour in Dalian.. David is Japanese but has lived in China for 10 years. He is a lovely man who will make sure we get the best bargains when shopping. He is so patient.
So if you have a friend please tell her about this tour as now is the time to have your names on my travel list!!!
It is a 14 day tour, however any ladies wanting to stay an additional 7 days and do some sightseeing with more physical exertion can do so. I will be staying for the additional time to check out Tibet or Mongolia, however this is not part of the organized tour. So you have to make your own arrangements if you want to do some additional travel in China..
All you have to do is send me your details. Describe to me what you want to see and what you hope to do when in China.
email to:
kris@ecodiscovery.com.au ( this has a hyper link. Just click on it to send me an email from this page).
I will add you as "an expression of interest" to the list and send you the final cost and travel details. If you want to be a part of this great tour then...
YOU must organize your return airfare, your country to Shanghai, with your local travel agent- including travel insurance.
Visa Gold and Platinum members have discount travel insurance with these cards. Please check to confirm that this applies to you if you have one of these cards.
All payments for the Tour are to be made through either Pay Pal, as they are a secure way to pay over the internet, credit cards or international money orders. However there is a fee applying to credit card payments. Direct deposit into a bank account can be arranged and is preferred.
I will be taking you to both ends of China, so packing is for warm and cold weather.. When in Dalian it was cold so I purchased a winter parker ( man's size -even though it was pink). No trouble finding one..
As a matter of interest last trip I took with me AUS. $1000 for 2 weeks and I had trouble spending that amount. The exchange rate is 6:1 (Chinese RMB to Australian dollars).
Thanks again for your interest.
Let's go to China and have a great time !
Love
Kristina Friend
Here is my business web site in Australia for anyone interested.
I live on 2 hectares of land with 55 bed accommodation in three self contained cottages on site. Our home is also on the same land. The Friend family consists of three children aged Astley 19, Anthea 14 & Maddeline 12. My husband Keith is a Civil Engineer and has his own business. I am also a registered Tour Guide with IATG ( Institute of Australian Tour Guides).