I had the opportunity to travel to China this year and definitely want to go back! I have been studying Mandarin Chinese so was able to communicate at a very basic level. I found people to be interested and curious about foreigners. One of my favorite interactions: I was by myself in a small Malatong hot pot shop, the owner helped me choose all of the ingredients that were vegan and then prepared for me the best meal I had while in China. The bill was 17 yuan. I gave him two 10 yuan bills. Because everyone uses Weixin to pay, he did not have change. I told him to just take 20. He took 10 but refused to let me "overpay". Then typed into his phone, "Welcome to China, we should all help our guests". I'm 70 and I never once felt unsafe, day or night, walking around or using the subway.
That's a great story! Happy to hear you never felt unsafe though, but not surprised - it seems totally civilised, easy, safe and well maintained. I learned bits of mandarin during my trip but found everyone to be happy and welcoming even with a language barrier. Cheers!
I think it's the most "complete" country I've ever travelled to! Looking forward to coming back and seeing some other bits 🙏 Thanks for joining for the whole trip!
We spent a week in Beijing using the 144-hour visa-free transit policy and knew we had to come back. After a quick trip to Hanoi, we’re now back in China with 10-year multiple-entry visas. We’ve only been in Chengdu for a week, but we’re already so excited to explore more of this incredible country. Thanks for sharing your perspective on China. We couldn’t agree more! 😊
Lol didn’t expect to see you guys here hehe. When planning your trip keep that in mind that you can only remain in mainland China for up to ...... eh i can’t remember it was 60 or 90 days. But don’t worry, you can simply go to ShenZhen, through any boarder to Hong Kong, spend 10 minutes there, and back in China again to “refresh” the status 😂😂😂you can also do that in ZhuHai where is next to Macau.
US offers more diverse cityscape than China. Here in Boston you can have a cup of coffee in a fancy brownstone cafe and then drive 20 minutes to the Methadone mile with all those homeless people and tents.
You can go to Harbin, experience the North part of China, Cities in the north normally has a mixture of Russian/Korean culture. And winter festival comes, you can go to Harbin ice snow world.
I can now spend 30 days in China visa free with an Australian passport. I have high hopes to cross the border of Pakistani/China and go all the way to Mongolia.
@@LewisCrampton Thanks for your reply. I am in Zhuhai now, Had a number of years here but will move to Suzhou next year with a work transfer, and looking forward to it. Get in touch if you plan to return.
Ah dude! Absolutely loved this series man! It has really made me want to go explore China. I really hope you do get out to make more in the future, I'm glad to see you so well Lewis!
This has been an ace run of videos sir, certainly opened my eyes to a lot about China. Really enjoyed your adventures and really hoping to see more when the time is right 💪🏻 Cheers mush, you da man 🍻
Thanks very much! Really glad you enjoyed. I loved my time there, and it's definitely continent-like in its size and diversity of what's available. What a place!
People with the opinion that safety cameras in China are used to surveil/spy on the public is primarily because that's what the authorities do in their home country. So they think it's no different in China. They forgot they are in China, not in some dystopian country where they come from.
Subscribed. Such an amazingplaces. I think Shenzhen, The Avatar mountain and Shanghai are the top three places to spend holiday. You have been to Shanghai, one of my favorite place. I have been to China in 2019, totally agree with you.
The cameras in Chinese cities are not for surveillance, but to record what is going on there. There are no particular people sit in the office to watch all the actions. The purpose of cameras is to help police solving the problems quickly with evidence when something really bad happens.
Strangely, nobody complains about the CCTV being surveillance tools in USA, UK, Germany, Japan and South Korea except China is often highlighted. There is obviously implicit racial prejudice here.
"implicit racial prejudice" where exactly? in the factual numbers that confirm China has more cameras than the rest of the world? how is that racial prejudice?
@@stephenlock7236I’m well aware they are. What’s your point? I’m still waiting to hear about the racial prejudice in my comments from the person above…
@@LewisCrampton First and foremost, you stated that it is a fact that China has more cameras than the rest of the world! Is that a fact or is that your opinion? Can you substantiate that?
Excellent recap, glad you had a good run in China and covered some very interesting cities along the way. Just curious, what were the best food, best city, best thing you had had/done in China? Also when is your next trip to China? 😆
Hey! Thanks for the feedback, really glad you enjoyed the trip. I absolutely loved it! Best food was in Chengdu, some pork noodles that were phenomenal. They’re in the Chengdu video near the end if you’re interested! Favourite city was Kashgar I think. Difficult to compare such a range of places but I really enjoy muslim parts of the world, and that’s about as close as you can get in China. Xinjiang as a whole is fascinating, but Yunnan is a close competitor being so magical and naturally beautiful. Hard to pick! I can’t pick a specific highlight for the best thing I did in China - but the trip as a whole was consistently super fun and interesting! Next trip to China - as soon as I can figure it out and it lines up with my job etc. We’ll see!!
@@LewisCramptonawesome answers! Love the varieties of your favs not just in one city 😊. Hope you can get back to China soon, I enjoyed these videos a lot.
Very interesting and informative. You managed to cram in a lot of experiences in one month. I was in China for 11 months last year and never got bothered by the surveillance scenario. Once I got my passport registered on the rail system, it was so much easier to get train tickets, than before, when I had to queue up at ticket offices to arrange travel, but I can now do it all online, or at least my wife does. Plus I can get in free in most venues, as I'm over 70, plus have free bus passes in two cities. The public toilets have all improved since I first started going in 2002. Regarding food, not every restaurant is great, even the expensive ones and I sometimes enjoy just a simple bowl of noodles at a small family run place. Plus one or two places I've got used to. One lady has a rotisserie outside her house, where I can get a delicious roast chicken leg for about 15 yuan. I still haven't found hotel rooms as low as £15 a night, so you did a great job finding them.
Cheers! I was never bothered by the surveillance either, but it is a key difference compared to other countries (which is what this video is about!) Agree the technology and public facilities are incredible nowadays. I found tonnes of options for £15 or less, some as cheap as £8 for a decent hotel room, using Trip. Worth a look!
@@mechannel7046JiuZhaiGou near ChengDu is better xD. Well maybe I shouldn’t compare them for you, you should come visit yourself. They are only about 1.5 hrs flight apart anyway, or 6-7 hrs high speed train, can’t go too fast among the mountains 😂😂😂
@@declanharvey-kelly1165 thanks!! really glad to have you along for the whole trip, and happy you enjoyed it. hope to get back to it at some point!! and merry christmas 🎄
If you watch the video, you’ll hear me talk about the positive aspects of having cameras everywhere. I have never said it’s a bad thing. But the sheer scale is something very different to other parts of the world.
Enjoyed your video and your take on the country. It seems that the main drawback of China you highlighted is the cameras? I do think they should coordinate btwn various departments and consolidate those 18+ cameras into say, 5, to make people feel better? In terms of communication, I don't think the apps are much to blame more of language barriers. Chinese people interact amongst themselves a lot even with all the apps. So maybe they should start learn some English now that more foreigners are pouring into the country as can't force foreigners to learn some Chinese can we? I got your point of many places look "sterilised" or perhaps "standardised"? Some times I find it a bit boring too since each city with their own unique history has so much to offer on its own. But some of the less developed northern tier-2 and 3 cities are still "raw" if anyone got a chance to visit. BTW, I haven't visited UK for a long time so forgive me if I am asking what "gaffed" actually mean? I know it's about price or bargain, so a "steal"? Cheers!
Nope, I never mentioned that the cameras are a drawback. Never even made a single negative comment about them in any of my videos. It is phenomenal how many people get so unreasonably offended that I point out their existence - this video is comparing China to other countries in Asia and the world, and the cameras are a key difference, that's all. Nothing negative on my side, but they do exist and it should not be a huge point of contention to point them out. I didn't blame the apps for language barriers - my point was that I ENJOY language barriers and having to learn the language of each place. It's a fun way of getting to know the locals and have authentic interactions, not both with screens in hand. I did learn some Chinese and I enjoyed doing so, and the people I used it with were happy that I tried. And when some people tried to speak English to me, which was really limited just like my Chinese, they seemed to really enjoy trying to use it and we had a fun interaction too. I didn't say that places look standardised or sterile. I explained that the sheer technological advancement, which is objectively impressive and definitely the best I've ever experienced, kind of *felt* sterile in terms of actually being a bit too good for my usual style of travelling. I do not think any Chinese place or city feels standardised or sterile. I think they're all fascinatingly different, which is exactly what I spoke about for the majority of this video. I think the word you're referring to might be "daft" which is a slang term for "stupid" but in kind of a positive way. A bit like "crazy" when explaining how cheap somewhere can be, etc. Sorry!! It's a very northern English term, not used often in proper day-to-day English!
Nope, not at the min. But they’re making it easier for a lot of countries, so I wonder if it’ll change for us soon too. Even with the current visa process and cost, it’s totally worth it though 🙏
Chinese audiences have reposted your video on Chinese platforms with the title: "A socially anxious guy travels in China, cures his social anxiety, and feels he has a chance to become a social butterfly."
@LewisCrampton Toutiao. Don’t be misled by the title; they are just using their own humorous way to express themselves, and there’s nothing negative about you in it.
@@LewisCrampton Hello, I have just discovered your video and read through the comments. I found this comment very positive. I think it's the Chinese people's very own way of speaking in images and metaphors.
Truly like your Travel vlogs -one of my top 5! You are a smart traveler and your comprehensive summarization just the right length. I am in a somewhat backcountry of Shandong. So you may try some of the back country traveling yet. Among the references watch “ Little Chinese Everywhere” she travels around in a motorcycle. But of course you need to speak better Chinese. Re: Survellaince cameras, considering the US’ intent of making China its prime enemy, and the endless negative propagandas regarding Xinjiang Uyghurs surveillance mechanism is a terrorism prevention, do think about it! ,
It's good governance and caring government, plus disciplined people. That's why China is an efficient and safe country. All the talks about lack of freedom and no democracy in China are nonsense.
@@LewisCramptonIt's my bad, if you misunderstood me. I am not referring to you but others who commented without understanding the Chinese governing system or culture. You have been great showing us around China.
well, geological/landscape/architectural diversity , handsdown has to be china. jungles, pyramids, modern/futuristic/ancient/eastern/arab/european colonial architecure, desert, the highest mountain, plateaus, canyons , sinkholes, beaches, glaciers, volcanoes, sandstone pillars, etc......china has them all
I don't think anyone would argue that - it's pretty clear. Lower cost means there's less money around. But "poor economic figures" is an interesting claim, when China is 2nd in the world by Nominal GDP and has one of the best growth rates globally
Been to Chinese cities so many times, not once do I notice the cameras. Maybe I am just too insensitive, but I guess the wrongdoers do keep an eye for them.
@@gullwang2020 What a silly comment. Once again I’ll ask the question: a 20 minute, all-positive review of an amazing country, and your only thoughts are that someone noticed the omnipresent surveillance? (bearing in mind I said nothing negative about it by the way) Can you help me understand why people are so defensive about this? it’s absolutely mind boggling to me. and I can say with 100% confidence that it is categorically impossible to “not notice” them. So it has to be a deliberate attempt to pretend they’re not there. I’m seriously interested in why this point continuously comes up if I ever happen to capture one of these cameras in my videos.
@@LewisCrampton do I sound defensive? just saying loud out my own feelings. We Chinese (mostly) actually don't give it a shit about the cameras, while it's mind boggling to me that the westerners do have a big fuss about it. Did give a thumb up of this video and followed you, but chill out mate.
@ i mentioned that exact point in the video, that nobody in China cares about them. what gives you the impression i care about them? i’ve never made a negative comment about them, but it’s a key difference that some people from other countries won’t like as it’s not very common to be so closely monitored. i don’t personally care at all, but this is an informational video comparing characteristics of china to other asian and worldwide countries, so it needs mentioning. if you’re genuinely interested in why western people *might* dislike the cameras, it’s just a case of being used to having privacy in most parts of most countries. one reason that people over this side of the world dislike our major cities, like London, is also due to surveillance (amongst other things)
Go ahead and feel free to compare China and India. One was established in 1949 with a dictatorship. The other was established in 1948 as the biggest democracy in the world. Which one is more developed? Which one with happier people?
You can drink and walk along the street in public as long as you don't get drunk and behave nasty！！No license needed to retail alcohol by shops or restaurants！！
@@LewisCrampton not true. I was stopped by the police in New York City and forced to pour all the beer out of the bottle in my hand. Apparently it was illegal to carry an open bottle of beer in hand when it and about, and al I wanted to do was simply not drink my beer all at once!
To be honest, our country launched a health QR code through out the country during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. At that time, when the popularization of QR code encountered a lot of resistance. Because many old people don't have smart phones. So later, they provided non-smartphone service Windows at the necessary social activity service sites. So if you don't have a smartphone, you can still do the necessary social activities, but it's a little more cumbersome. In conclusion, it would indeed be inconvenient to be in China without smart phones.
Please allow me to speak out a bit for my home country. Those cameras are placed in public areas. It puzzles me if one talks about privacy in the public area.
I am absolutely flabbergasted at how defensive Chinese people are about the fact that these cameras exist. I have never criticised the existence of the cameras. But it is indisputable and impossible to ignore. And it would be ridiculous of me to pretend they aren't there. People may watch these videos for inspiration or to understand what the country is like. This, for some people, is a very big deal. It's worth pointing out, as it's a key difference to a lot of the rest of the world.
@@LewisCrampton I'll tell you the truth, these cameras are actually belonging to different departments. Some belong to the traffic department, and some belong to the public security department. Etc.
Are you gay? Chengdu and Chongqing are big cities where gay people gather. No offense, it's just that you're very gay in China and Tik Tok. I hope you have a good time.😊
I'll tell you, cameras at intersections are there to monitor illegal vehicles, not people, and cameras in other areas, especially tourist areas, are for safety, like too many people congregating, stampedes, or any public safety
I had the opportunity to travel to China this year and definitely want to go back! I have been studying Mandarin Chinese so was able to communicate at a very basic level. I found people to be interested and curious about foreigners. One of my favorite interactions: I was by myself in a small Malatong hot pot shop, the owner helped me choose all of the ingredients that were vegan and then prepared for me the best meal I had while in China. The bill was 17 yuan. I gave him two 10 yuan bills. Because everyone uses Weixin to pay, he did not have change. I told him to just take 20. He took 10 but refused to let me "overpay". Then typed into his phone, "Welcome to China, we should all help our guests". I'm 70 and I never once felt unsafe, day or night, walking around or using the subway.
That's a great story! Happy to hear you never felt unsafe though, but not surprised - it seems totally civilised, easy, safe and well maintained. I learned bits of mandarin during my trip but found everyone to be happy and welcoming even with a language barrier. Cheers!
China is the best place on Earth. 100%.
I think it's the most "complete" country I've ever travelled to! Looking forward to coming back and seeing some other bits 🙏
Thanks for joining for the whole trip!
Now or the next 2000 years 😂❤
We spent a week in Beijing using the 144-hour visa-free transit policy and knew we had to come back. After a quick trip to Hanoi, we’re now back in China with 10-year multiple-entry visas. We’ve only been in Chengdu for a week, but we’re already so excited to explore more of this incredible country. Thanks for sharing your perspective on China. We couldn’t agree more! 😊
@@mikeandashley that’s ace!! enjoy your trip, i’m sure you’ll continue to love it wherever you go. Yunnan and Xinjiang are amazing too!!
Lol didn’t expect to see you guys here hehe. When planning your trip keep that in mind that you can only remain in mainland China for up to ...... eh i can’t remember it was 60 or 90 days. But don’t worry, you can simply go to ShenZhen, through any boarder to Hong Kong, spend 10 minutes there, and back in China again to “refresh” the status 😂😂😂you can also do that in ZhuHai where is next to Macau.
I have travelled 3 times around the world and I love China
Yep it's a brilliant part of the world!
yes !!! China is the safest place to travel right now
Yep feels as safe as most countries - but I love the variety of the place most!
@@LewisCramptongood analysis Lewis, welcome back anytime 😊😊
@@howardcheung5809 thanks mate! already looking forward to my next trip
@@LewisCrampton ah you've planned your next one already? 😄😄
@ not exactly, but i’m looking forward to coming back as soon as I can!
The best summary ever. Bravo!
Thanks mate! Loved my time in China. Cracking country!!
You are a decent chap. Vey honest in your assessment.
Thanks mate! Solid country, big fan, and I think more and more western tourists will be heading over there in the coming years. And rightly so!
Lewis, I found your recap quite comprehensive and objective. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
thanks mate! enjoyed the day. looking forward to returning 🙏
It was a real pleasure to have you in China.
Thankyou! Loved it 🙏
Brilliant summery, couldn't have said any better!
US offers more diverse cityscape than China. Here in Boston you can have a cup of coffee in a fancy brownstone cafe and then drive 20 minutes to the Methadone mile with all those homeless people and tents.
All this with only a few thousand dollars in your pocket for a week!
Is "I see what you did there" an appropriate response?
❤😂😂
the last part got me 😂
Literally it's near impossible to find a single homeless.
Nicely put together videos from China 🙏
Hopefully i see you on second run there someday.
👍
@@Tony-cs5hq Thanks mate! Enjoyed getting back to making videos and loved my time in China 🙏
You can go to Harbin, experience the North part of China, Cities in the north normally has a mixture of Russian/Korean culture. And winter festival comes, you can go to Harbin ice snow world.
I’d love to!! I’ll try time my next visit in winter time to experience Harbin at its best 🙏
You enjoyed the travelling and I enjoyed your presentations, thank you very much for this amazing video. Bon Voyage,
@@hsingchen5141 Thanks very much! I’m glad you’ve enjoyed the trip. I loved it! Cheers 🙏
I can now spend 30 days in China visa free with an Australian passport. I have high hopes to cross the border of Pakistani/China and go all the way to Mongolia.
@@MartintheMetalhead That’s an ace trip idea! You’ll pass through my favourite part of China, Xinjiang, on your way too then. Enjoy!!
Excellent job Lewis, I have enjoyed your take on my adopted home. Safe travels Bud!
@@TheCbins Thanks mate! Had an amazing time there. Where do you live now? 🙏
@@LewisCrampton Thanks for your reply. I am in Zhuhai now, Had a number of years here but will move to Suzhou next year with a work transfer, and looking forward to it. Get in touch if you plan to return.
@ Suzhou looks like a nice spot! Will do mate, cheers 🙏
Ah dude! Absolutely loved this series man! It has really made me want to go explore China. I really hope you do get out to make more in the future, I'm glad to see you so well Lewis!
Ah Nat!! So good to hear from you. Yeah China is ace!! worth a visit for sure 🙏 hope all is well your end!!!
This has been an ace run of videos sir, certainly opened my eyes to a lot about China.
Really enjoyed your adventures and really hoping to see more when the time is right 💪🏻
Cheers mush, you da man 🍻
Cheers!! Yep proper loved doing this one. Absolutely ace trip and an ace country. Hopefully get back on the horse at some point in 2025 👀
You’re absolutely right. China should be considered a CONTINENT as opposed a country. It is vast and diverse. Thank you for the great content!
Thanks very much! Really glad you enjoyed. I loved my time there, and it's definitely continent-like in its size and diversity of what's available. What a place!
Cheers ...Thank You
中国的监控并不会特意监视你 只是在有人报案需要时候调取录像 取证 我的电脑有一次被人拿走了 我想要监控录像 必须通过警察 警察再人工审阅录像找线索 正常一个监控录像也就保留7天
Yep I understand it - which is what I mentioned in the video. Seems like most locals are happy with it
@@LewisCrampton 10多年前 没那么多监控的时候 中国的小偷还是挺多的 家里也会被盗 也经常在报纸上看到各种恶性案件 现在越来越少 可以说是世界最安全的国家了
@@菜菜子-o7bso the cages on windows of the older low rise buildings ... are they there because the thefts were common in the past?
People with the opinion that safety cameras in China are used to surveil/spy on the public is primarily because that's what the authorities do in their home country. So they think it's no different in China. They forgot they are in China, not in some dystopian country where they come from.
Happy New Year Lewis! Thank you for the excellent videos of China! I learned a lot from them. Have a safe trip in 2025!
Thanks mate! Same to you 🙏 Had a blast making them and looking forward to returning eventually!
Subscribed. Such an amazingplaces. I think Shenzhen, The Avatar mountain and Shanghai are the top three places to spend holiday. You have been to Shanghai, one of my favorite place. I have been to China in 2019, totally agree with you.
Thanks! Yep there are loads more places to visit next time.. Huge and fascinating country!
The cameras in Chinese cities are not for surveillance, but to record what is going on there. There are no particular people sit in the office to watch all the actions. The purpose of cameras is to help police solving the problems quickly with evidence when something really bad happens.
Strangely, nobody complains about the CCTV being surveillance tools in USA, UK, Germany, Japan and South Korea except China is often highlighted. There is obviously implicit racial prejudice here.
"implicit racial prejudice" where exactly? in the factual numbers that confirm China has more cameras than the rest of the world? how is that racial prejudice?
@@LewisCramptonLest one forget, China and its cities are large.
@@stephenlock7236I’m well aware they are. What’s your point? I’m still waiting to hear about the racial prejudice in my comments from the person above…
@@LewisCrampton First and foremost, you stated that it is a fact that China has more cameras than the rest of the world! Is that a fact or is that your opinion? Can you substantiate that?
10:30 Oh boy here we come
China is future..
@@osuan9 it certainly feels that way!
Excellent recap, glad you had a good run in China and covered some very interesting cities along the way. Just curious, what were the best food, best city, best thing you had had/done in China?
Also when is your next trip to China?
😆
Hey! Thanks for the feedback, really glad you enjoyed the trip. I absolutely loved it!
Best food was in Chengdu, some pork noodles that were phenomenal. They’re in the Chengdu video near the end if you’re interested!
Favourite city was Kashgar I think. Difficult to compare such a range of places but I really enjoy muslim parts of the world, and that’s about as close as you can get in China. Xinjiang as a whole is fascinating, but Yunnan is a close competitor being so magical and naturally beautiful. Hard to pick!
I can’t pick a specific highlight for the best thing I did in China - but the trip as a whole was consistently super fun and interesting!
Next trip to China - as soon as I can figure it out and it lines up with my job etc. We’ll see!!
@@LewisCramptonawesome answers! Love the varieties of your favs not just in one city 😊. Hope you can get back to China soon, I enjoyed these videos a lot.
Have enjoyed watching you explore China, Lewis, thanks for taking us on this journey
Thanks mate! Loved it 🙏
Very interesting and informative. You managed to cram in a lot of experiences in one month. I was in China for 11 months last year and never got bothered by the surveillance scenario. Once I got my passport registered on the rail system, it was so much easier to get train tickets, than before, when I had to queue up at ticket offices to arrange travel, but I can now do it all online, or at least my wife does. Plus I can get in free in most venues, as I'm over 70, plus have free bus passes in two cities. The public toilets have all improved since I first started going in 2002. Regarding food, not every restaurant is great, even the expensive ones and I sometimes enjoy just a simple bowl of noodles at a small family run place. Plus one or two places I've got used to. One lady has a rotisserie outside her house, where I can get a delicious roast chicken leg for about 15 yuan. I still haven't found hotel rooms as low as £15 a night, so you did a great job finding them.
Cheers! I was never bothered by the surveillance either, but it is a key difference compared to other countries (which is what this video is about!)
Agree the technology and public facilities are incredible nowadays. I found tonnes of options for £15 or less, some as cheap as £8 for a decent hotel room, using Trip. Worth a look!
17:35 The Blue Moon Valley is so beautiful. Can someone tell me where it is located?
It's in Yunnan province, near to Lijiang!
@LewisCrampton Thanks! Now it's on my bucket list for sure thanks to you
@@mechannel7046JiuZhaiGou near ChengDu is better xD. Well maybe I shouldn’t compare them for you, you should come visit yourself. They are only about 1.5 hrs flight apart anyway, or 6-7 hrs high speed train, can’t go too fast among the mountains 😂😂😂
Thanks for sharing Lewis, great to virtually travel around some places with you.
Cheers Luke! I'm buzzing you enjoyed following along. Loved it!
Love the whole series. Hope you do make more series in tge future, always stunned your videos dont get more views
@@declanharvey-kelly1165 thanks!! really glad to have you along for the whole trip, and happy you enjoyed it. hope to get back to it at some point!! and merry christmas 🎄
Your video quality is really good 👍 only seasonal traveller can rate each other country objectively .
Thanks very much! Glad you enjoyed 🙏
Wonderful, informative video! Do you have any info on visas compared to 240 hour one. Can you use the 240 over again by going to Hong kong?
Thank you for this very informative video
Glad you enjoyed mate! Definitely worth the trip 🙏
Thank you!❤❤❤❤❤
Hi Lewis. Have a nice day!
@@xiangyangzhang2286 thanks! same to you 🙏
Not all countries have mutual visa exemption deals with China, especially amongst developing and developed nations for a variety of reasons.
The UK being one of the countries without it, so I needed to get a visa which took a bit of time. But totally worth it!
You are welcome
Cameras are not used to monitor people, cameras are used to protect people
Obviously, not British. People still get attacked and the footage is used for TV programmes.
If you watch the video, you’ll hear me talk about the positive aspects of having cameras everywhere. I have never said it’s a bad thing. But the sheer scale is something very different to other parts of the world.
16:54 Yeah wait till the Chinese New Year 😂😂😂
I would never, in my life, go to China at the new year haha! It sounds horrific!!
Technology can be useful but, youre right People dont need to talk abynore. That was the fun in travelling.
It’s just personal preference for me - but I would certainly enjoy more interaction with locals!
Welcome to China!
Thanks very much! Loved it 🙏
Enjoyed your video and your take on the country. It seems that the main drawback of China you highlighted is the cameras? I do think they should coordinate btwn various departments and consolidate those 18+ cameras into say, 5, to make people feel better? In terms of communication, I don't think the apps are much to blame more of language barriers. Chinese people interact amongst themselves a lot even with all the apps. So maybe they should start learn some English now that more foreigners are pouring into the country as can't force foreigners to learn some Chinese can we? I got your point of many places look "sterilised" or perhaps "standardised"? Some times I find it a bit boring too since each city with their own unique history has so much to offer on its own. But some of the less developed northern tier-2 and 3 cities are still "raw" if anyone got a chance to visit.
BTW, I haven't visited UK for a long time so forgive me if I am asking what "gaffed" actually mean? I know it's about price or bargain, so a "steal"?
Cheers!
Nope, I never mentioned that the cameras are a drawback. Never even made a single negative comment about them in any of my videos. It is phenomenal how many people get so unreasonably offended that I point out their existence - this video is comparing China to other countries in Asia and the world, and the cameras are a key difference, that's all. Nothing negative on my side, but they do exist and it should not be a huge point of contention to point them out.
I didn't blame the apps for language barriers - my point was that I ENJOY language barriers and having to learn the language of each place. It's a fun way of getting to know the locals and have authentic interactions, not both with screens in hand. I did learn some Chinese and I enjoyed doing so, and the people I used it with were happy that I tried. And when some people tried to speak English to me, which was really limited just like my Chinese, they seemed to really enjoy trying to use it and we had a fun interaction too.
I didn't say that places look standardised or sterile. I explained that the sheer technological advancement, which is objectively impressive and definitely the best I've ever experienced, kind of *felt* sterile in terms of actually being a bit too good for my usual style of travelling. I do not think any Chinese place or city feels standardised or sterile. I think they're all fascinatingly different, which is exactly what I spoke about for the majority of this video.
I think the word you're referring to might be "daft" which is a slang term for "stupid" but in kind of a positive way. A bit like "crazy" when explaining how cheap somewhere can be, etc. Sorry!! It's a very northern English term, not used often in proper day-to-day English!
@@LewisCrampton No worries mate. Thanks for taking the time explaining. Anyway, best of luck for your future travels!
China is the best place to settle down.
@@TWisDOG1 i imagine you could have a pretty good life out there! loved my time moving around
Please don't.
Nah, Taiwan is so much better. And is a country. A free country. 😊
thank you for your opinion to which I agree completely, China is oen of teh best countries if not THE best
中国拥有最好的你需要在旅行中的一切 包括酒店 美食 风景 安全 便利 交通 等等
Pretty much - yep! Amazing place
Can Brits get a VOA ? O read it was gonna happen
Nope, not at the min. But they’re making it easier for a lot of countries, so I wonder if it’ll change for us soon too. Even with the current visa process and cost, it’s totally worth it though 🙏
I disagreed on the cameras, NY, L0nd9n n Singapore has a lot including taiwan
You disagreed with what? That the Chinese people see them as a good thing? Or are you disagreeing that they exist?
Chinese audiences have reposted your video on Chinese platforms with the title: "A socially anxious guy travels in China, cures his social anxiety, and feels he has a chance to become a social butterfly."
Which video? and which platform?
What a shame that that's how Chinese people want to react to a totally neutral traveller in the country.
@LewisCrampton Toutiao. Don’t be misled by the title; they are just using their own humorous way to express themselves, and there’s nothing negative about you in it.
@@dicky-duck6632sb 当偷视频变成常态，羞耻已经不知为何物。 中国建成了世界上最好的基础设施，但是人仍旧是最大的软肋，听听各个视频背景声里此起彼伏的喇叭声和人群里自由驰骋的电动摩托，看看并线的汽车有几个打灯的
@@LewisCramptonagreed. What a stupid and misleading title.
@@LewisCrampton Hello, I have just discovered your video and read through the comments.
I found this comment very positive. I think it's the Chinese people's very own way of speaking in images and metaphors.
Loved the series, both entertaining and very thoughtful. 歡迎回來中國. Wishing you safe travels.
Thanks very much!! Amazing country 🙏
Idk, but it's truly the safest place on the planet for ordinary people.
what do you mean by "ordinary people"?
Obviously not. 160 million ill from poor quality water . And natural disasters.
@ 防止有些人故意抬杠
Truly like your Travel vlogs -one of my top 5! You are a smart traveler and your comprehensive summarization just the right length. I am in a somewhat backcountry of Shandong. So you may try some of the back country traveling yet. Among the references watch “ Little Chinese Everywhere” she travels around in a motorcycle. But of course you need to speak better Chinese. Re: Survellaince cameras, considering the US’ intent of making China its prime enemy, and the endless negative propagandas regarding Xinjiang Uyghurs surveillance mechanism is a terrorism prevention, do think about it!
,
It's good governance and caring government, plus disciplined people. That's why China is an efficient and safe country. All the talks about lack of freedom and no democracy in China are nonsense.
I would choose the freedom to have a beer in a public space Vs the freedom to curse and swear at some leaders of another country or my own.
I have NEVER mentioned anything about "lack of freedom" in any of my videos in China, so I cannot understand your comment. What are you talking about?
Camps with no due process is not nonsense . It’s a disgrace to humanity. How ignorant are you to say all the talk is nonsense.
@@LewisCramptonIt's my bad, if you misunderstood me. I am not referring to you but others who commented without understanding the Chinese governing system or culture. You have been great showing us around China.
China is top notch
@@Mel_Gerrard Yep it is! Have you been or do you live here?
Since people are so concerned about surveillance, there's another fact that I can share with you; in China, criminals on the run can't move an inch.
If you watch the video, you’ll hear me talk about the positives of the cameras
well, geological/landscape/architectural diversity , handsdown has to be china. jungles, pyramids, modern/futuristic/ancient/eastern/arab/european colonial architecure, desert, the highest mountain, plateaus, canyons , sinkholes, beaches, glaciers, volcanoes, sandstone pillars, etc......china has them all
Agree!
Some would argue that low prices mean low income and poor economic figures😊
I don't think anyone would argue that - it's pretty clear. Lower cost means there's less money around.
But "poor economic figures" is an interesting claim, when China is 2nd in the world by Nominal GDP and has one of the best growth rates globally
Been to Chinese cities so many times, not once do I notice the cameras. Maybe I am just too insensitive, but I guess the wrongdoers do keep an eye for them.
@@gullwang2020 What a silly comment. Once again I’ll ask the question: a 20 minute, all-positive review of an amazing country, and your only thoughts are that someone noticed the omnipresent surveillance? (bearing in mind I said nothing negative about it by the way)
Can you help me understand why people are so defensive about this? it’s absolutely mind boggling to me. and I can say with 100% confidence that it is categorically impossible to “not notice” them. So it has to be a deliberate attempt to pretend they’re not there. I’m seriously interested in why this point continuously comes up if I ever happen to capture one of these cameras in my videos.
@@LewisCrampton do I sound defensive? just saying loud out my own feelings. We Chinese (mostly) actually don't give it a shit about the cameras, while it's mind boggling to me that the westerners do have a big fuss about it. Did give a thumb up of this video and followed you, but chill out mate.
@ i mentioned that exact point in the video, that nobody in China cares about them. what gives you the impression i care about them? i’ve never made a negative comment about them, but it’s a key difference that some people from other countries won’t like as it’s not very common to be so closely monitored. i don’t personally care at all, but this is an informational video comparing characteristics of china to other asian and worldwide countries, so it needs mentioning.
if you’re genuinely interested in why western people *might* dislike the cameras, it’s just a case of being used to having privacy in most parts of most countries. one reason that people over this side of the world dislike our major cities, like London, is also due to surveillance (amongst other things)
Go ahead and feel free to compare China and India. One was established in 1949 with a dictatorship. The other was established in 1948 as the biggest democracy in the world. Which one is more developed? Which one with happier people?
What a silly comment
Never counted the number of security cameras in London then, have you? It's got the most security cameras per Capita in the world.
Why do you think I haven't?
No. Nowhere near the most. Most cameras are used for traffic
@@JohnSmith-sm7ez what? are you saying that China does NOT have more cameras than every other country?
You can drink and walk along the street in public as long as you don't get drunk and behave nasty！！No license needed to retail alcohol by shops or restaurants！！
Of course you can get drunk.
That’s the same as most countries 🍻
@@LewisCrampton not true. I was stopped by the police in New York City and forced to pour all the beer out of the bottle in my hand. Apparently it was illegal to carry an open bottle of beer in hand when it and about, and al I wanted to do was simply not drink my beer all at once!
I am a yesterday man. I have no smartphone. So i can't travel in China.
sure you can, just get rich, you can pay in cash the old fastion way lol PEACE
You can travel with a minder, can’t you?
That's not true - all places are legally obligated to accept cash.
To be honest, our country launched a health QR code through out the country during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. At that time, when the popularization of QR code encountered a lot of resistance. Because many old people don't have smart phones. So later, they provided non-smartphone service Windows at the necessary social activity service sites. So if you don't have a smartphone, you can still do the necessary social activities, but it's a little more cumbersome. In conclusion, it would indeed be inconvenient to be in China without smart phones.
I think Japan is the best
Japan's cool too! What do you prefer about Japan compared to China?
中国各地区都各有特色，欢迎下次来环游中国😊
Yep and it’s amazing to see the differences between provinces! Amazing country 🙏
Please allow me to speak out a bit for my home country. Those cameras are placed in public areas. It puzzles me if one talks about privacy in the public area.
An excellent point. Something those out to disparage China with choose to not point out.
I am absolutely flabbergasted at how defensive Chinese people are about the fact that these cameras exist. I have never criticised the existence of the cameras. But it is indisputable and impossible to ignore. And it would be ridiculous of me to pretend they aren't there. People may watch these videos for inspiration or to understand what the country is like. This, for some people, is a very big deal. It's worth pointing out, as it's a key difference to a lot of the rest of the world.
@@LewisCrampton I'll tell you the truth, these cameras are actually belonging to different departments. Some belong to the traffic department, and some belong to the public security department. Etc.
👬，你这样说🇨🇳让BBC情何以堪？
What exactly are you asking?
@@LewisCrampton translated: you are slapping BBC’s face with this video😂
Sterile? Go to India then!
Been to India. Lots of ways to describe the country, and "sterile" will never be one of them
Seemed to be wearing a very high hat but not sure he was the right size or the hat fits his head.
a 20 minute video and your observation is whether my hat fits (which it does)?
didi is cheap
And brilliant! Used it lots, really easy 🙏
Are you gay? Chengdu and Chongqing are big cities where gay people gather. No offense, it's just that you're very gay in China and Tik Tok. I hope you have a good time.😊
I cannot believe how ridiculous some of these comments are. Yours might be the strangest of them all.
I'll tell you, cameras at intersections are there to monitor illegal vehicles, not people, and cameras in other areas, especially tourist areas, are for safety, like too many people congregating, stampedes, or any public safety
Yes, I know
中国人热情好客 欢迎你~~~~
Thanks!! 🙏