The guesthouse had sent Maya its address in Chinese and a photo of the entrance. She saved both before boarding the train. Travelling on her own through China, the Ottawa resident liked to work out how to get to her accommodation before stepping off with her suitcase.
She had booked a small guesthouse for two nights, leaving herself an afternoon to walk around before the next day's plans. In her booking message, she had included her approximate arrival time and the mainland number that came with her iTalkBB China SIM.
Maya had arranged the physical SIM and completed the identity check at an iTalkBB store in Canada. She could share her number with the guesthouse before leaving, then use the card for mobile data and incoming calls during her stay in mainland China.
Outside the station, Maya used mobile data to check the address against her map. The taxi took her to the street, but the entrance was set back down a short lane. She stepped aside with her suitcase and opened the guesthouse's photo again. The wooden door looked familiar; the row of shopfronts did not.
Then her phone rang. The guesthouse owner was calling to ask whether she had arrived. Maya spoke enough Mandarin to describe the noodle shop in front of her. The owner told her to stay there and came out to meet her.
The lane was only a few doors away. Maya had walked past it while looking at the opposite side of the street.
Once checked in, Maya left her suitcase upstairs and went back for noodles. This time, she noticed the guesthouse sign at the mouth of the lane.
Planning an independent trip? Learn about arranging an iTalkBB China SIM before leaving Canada.
