Russia and China

[The Observer]

The wife and I are being a bit more adventuresome this year in our travel plans:

(1) Heading to Moscow for a 4 day tour in September. This is going to be a quickie, but will include the Kremlin/RedSquare and a couple of visits outside Moscow. An esoteric sidetrip incudes visiting the subway at night as part of the tour package.

(2) Then the real fun begins with a 15 day tour of China, including Beijing, Xian, 4 day cruise up the Yangtze to the 3 Gorges dam and then winding up in Shanghai. The downside on this is that this tour is in November and outside my own personal comfort level, that being I would prefer paying the extra bucks and travel earlier in the year (wife loves saving money, however, no matter what privation we must endure).

Any pointers, hints, or advice from any Quatloosians who have gone this way before?

[Thule]

(1) Heading to Moscow for a 4 day tour in September. This is going to be a quickie, but will include the Kremlin/RedSquare and a couple of visits outside Moscow. An esoteric sidetrip incudes visiting the subway at night as part of the tour package.

Moscow is really fun. Izmailovsky Park is nice, and there's a huge market nearby. Lots of cheap souvernirs, but even more genuine Russian stuff. I alway go to Kubinka, but it´s really not a couples-thing. Most of the area around Red Square is worth a look.

The main-street resturants are expensive, but you can find all kinds of nice places down smaller streets. Drink water to your food, but toast frequently in vodka. And don´t mix vodka and beer/vine.

Watch out for pick-pockets on the metro, they are among the world's best. Keep your hand on your valuables, but don´t forget to look at the ceilings.

[Judge Roy Bean]

The wife and I are being a bit more adventuresome this year in our travel plans:

(1) Heading to Moscow for a 4 day tour in September. This is going to be a quickie, but will include the Kremlin/RedSquare and a couple of visits outside Moscow. An esoteric sidetrip incudes visiting the subway at night as part of the tour package.
...

Not sure if it would be of interest, but there used to be paid-for tours of the Romanov jewel treasures that are held in the Kremlin. It's roughly the equivalent of Fort Knox - much of the collection now controlled by the State Diamond Fund is actually used to back Russian currency.

Also - don't know if Stalin's number-one dacha is out of bounds any more. There was a time when a very private tour of the compound was available to some intrepid journalists and there were rumors of a connection through the subway from the Kremlin to it.

Another Russia pointer - climate-wise, most of Russia is far north - as in like Canada without the Rocky Mountains. Don't forget a hat!

[Doktor Avalanche]

(2) Then the real fun begins with a 15 day tour of China, including Beijing, Xian, 4 day cruise up the Yangtze to the 3 Gorges dam and then winding up in Shanghai. The downside on this is that this tour is in November and outside my own personal comfort level, that being I would prefer paying the extra bucks and travel earlier in the year (wife loves saving money, however, no matter what privation we must endure).

Now this I've done before and trust me, you'd rather go to China in fall/winter than in summer.

However, if you're a huge fan of stifling humidity and air you can stab with a fork maybe the summer season is for you. I dunno...to each their own, I suppose.

Make sure you visit the Great Wall.

EDIT: I almost forgot...

If you'll be dining in any of the province areas outside the cities, be sure to bring your own chopsticks.

There is a practical reason for this advice: typhoid is (or maybe was, it's been a few years since I was last there) rampant. Even if you had the immunization, you can still get it and believe it when I tell you that typhoid fever is no fun.

If it's been a while since you've had your typhoid shot, get your booster ASAP.