Traveling to China During COVID-19
Part 1: Packing for a Two-Week Hotel Quarantine in China
WildChina founder, Mei Zhang, recently departed her home in the US on a flight for Shanghai. With China’s borders still largely shut, and extensive quarantine requirements still in place, Mei has been experiencing first-hand the many steps and regulations required to enter China at the moment.
She’s chronicling the details of her experience along the way to provide some clarity into what it’s like traveling to China right now. This is Part 1: What to Pack for Quarantine in China.
Stay tuned for further parts, like Mei’s arrival into China and her quarantine experience.
Hi there, in case you don’t know, right now in China there is a zero-covid policy. To make sure it stays that way, everyone is required to quarantine in a hotel room, for two weeks, minimum. Even if you are fully vaccinated, and possibly with a third booster shot, it’s the same.
In the lead up to my trip to China, I asked my friends for some advice on what to bring to survive this two-week hotel quarantine. Here’s the list I was given:
1. Booze
If that’s your lifestyle, of course. My friend made it very clear, whisky is preferred over wine. Think – alcohol to volume ratio. You can’t bring enough wine to survive two weeks, but one bottle of whiskey will last much longer.
The point is, you are locked inside one hotel room for 14 days, not allowed even a step into the hallway. For everything else, you can order online and have it delivered to your room, but alcohol is off-limits. Amazon China and JD.com both offer same-day delivery for everything else you could imagine.
2. Coffee and a French press
If you are fussy about the quality of your coffee, this is a must. I might add Coffee-mate to the list too. Chinese hotel rooms always have tea bags and kettle for boiling water. If you want good Pu’er, bring that too (I am)!
3. Disposable underwear
Here I am quoting my friend (it’s a he): “ I bought pregnant women’s underwear, size L. It’s perfect, you can just throw it away when done.”
Me personally, I am going to wash my own underwear. There isn’t a laundry service offered. The hotel will give you some cleaning agent, but that’s it. If you don’t know how to wash by hand, watch my twelve-year-old daughter’s video.
4. Yoga mat
A very well respected professor from Beijing University told me he managed 20,000 steps a day, every day in his hotel room. He walked around his bed, many many times. Yes, he learned to pace it, in order not to get dizzy. Some friends recommended yoga mats, elastic bands and an app called Nike Training Camp.
5. A portable sounds system and Kindle
Quoting my friend here: “Bose Soundlink mini is very small, great base beat, perfect for cello suites.” Kindle of course, takes your mind on a journey anywhere but your hotel room.
Happy Trails.
– Mei Zhang 张玫
