I finally found enough signal to send this out! We’ve been spending Christmas week deep in my wife’s village where there is absolutely no cell service or internet. It’s been amazing to completely unplug, and I was even able to bring my mum along for the trip. I’m posting a few photos of our time off the grid below. Now that I’m reconnected... what is everyone doing for their Christmas?

This week, from the 1st of October to the 8th of October is the golden week, a national holiday where 99% of China take the week off, they travel home, or take a week travelling. the local phrase is "ren Shan, ren hai" translated means people mountain, people sea! Literally in some places you can't move!

If you are a digital nomad considering a journey to China, understanding the current visa-free entry policies is essential. While the term 'digital nomad' can imply working remotely, it is crucial to note that China's visa-free policies are specifically for tourism, business, and exchange activities, not for employment. This guide provides an overview of the key visa-free options available, allowing you to plan your trip with confidence. Unilateral Visa-Free Entry for a 30-Day Stay China has implemented a unilateral visa-free policy for nationals of several countries, allowing them to enter and stay for up to 30 days. This policy is designed to facilitate tourism, business, and personal visits. As of the latest updates, this includes citizens from the following countries: - France - Germany - Italy - Spain - The Netherlands - Malaysia - Switzerland - Ireland - Hungary - Austria - Belgium - Luxembourg - New Zealand - Australia - Poland - Portugal - Greece - Cyprus - Slovenia - Slovakia - Norway - Finland - Denmark - Iceland - Brunei - Andorra - Monaco - Liechtenstein - Korea - Bulgaria - Romania In addition to the above, other countries are also eligible for visa-free travel based on bilateral agreements, including: - Singapore (for up to 15 days) - Thailand (for up to 30 days) - Georgia (for up to 30 days) - Serbia (for up to 30 days) - United Arab Emirates (for up to 30 days) Permitted Activities During your visa-free stay, you are permitted to engage in activities such as: - Tourism and sightseeing - Business activities and meetings (NOT PAID WORK) - Visiting family and friends - General cultural and educational exchanges - Transiting through the country It is imperative to understand that this policy does not permit activities related to work, study, or journalism. Engaging in these activities could result in penalties, including fines or deportation. Ports of Entry The unilateral visa-free policy applies to travellers arriving through any sea, road, and air port in China that is open to foreign nationals. This offers significant flexibility for your travel plans.

Over recent years I have paid an interest in looking at content about China, and what life is like inside the people's republic, from a westerners' perspective. However, I have noticed that the opinions of the place seems to fall into one of two camps: • People who have moved over there that always sing it's praises, saying it's much better over there - than the chaos of the west, etc. • And channels run by vloggers who used to live over there, saying the place is made of tofu dreg - causing buildings to collapse every day, along with other serious issues that they blame the gov for. I appreciate that if you are living over there and are concerned about your content being monitored, you might not be able to post anything negative (ironically a bit like the UK at the moment) ... but any feedback would be welcome. Thank you. [The China Show] Buildings Collapsing + the cover up : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2ockFOVGp4 [Speaking of Asia] English Teacher struggles to escape from China : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tz3h_DXoL9s

Don't make it all about YOU. Make it about THEM. In other words help people.