Lou and his husband Sam have been on a number of Zoom Vacations tours, and we are always excited when they are able to join us again, because they are so much fun to travel with. Lou took some time to chat with us about his recent Zoom Vacations tour to China.

Zoom: You have been on a number of Zoom Vacations tours. What keeps you coming back?

Lou: What keeps us coming back, is the things that Zoom does that put it above other travel companies. Things like: surprising us with champagne atop The Great Wall,  wonderful hotels, the attention given to my husband needing to be gluten-free, the worry-free, seamless aspect of traveling, the great tour guides, knowing that Zoom will ensure that we hit all the highlights of any country we visit, meeting new fiends, and the knowledge and friendliness of Bryan, and Joel.  

Zoom: Based on our impressions from the news and other media, how was China similar and different than you expected?

Lou: My expectations of China was that there would be soldiers/police around, and likely a lot of security cameras, and there was in Beijing.  However, in Shanghai, there still was security cameras, but the whole vibe of the people was more open-minded.

Zoom: What were some of the differences you notice between life in China, and life at home?

Lou: China has more people, more traffic, and more people of all ages publicly exercising.  It was very difficult to access social media. 

Zoom: Given the current uncertain political climate between the USA and China, what do you think is important for people at home to know and understand about China?

Lou: Chinese people just want the same thing Americans want, a nice place to live, to get their kid into a good school, and a happy life.  

Zoom: What was your favorite thing you did on the China trip?

Lou: My favorite thing was the boat ride down the Li River.  It was so incredibly beautiful.  And it was also a great time getting to know all the other travelers. 

Zoom: How do you think the trip would have been different had you not gone with Zoom Vacations?

Lou: Coordinating all of the transportation between sights, the hiring tour guides, and getting all the restaurant reservations, would’ve been a nightmare.

Zoom: Do you feel like you got a well-rounded experience of China?

Lou: The China trip had a perfect balance of sightseeing, fun activities, and hanging out with the other travelers. 

Zoom: During this tour, we go to Beijing and Shanghai. How would you compare the two cities?

Lou: Beijing is like Jan Brady, solid and historical. Whereas, Shanghai is like Marcia Brady, it’s cool, more trendy sister city. 

Zoom: How was the food throughout the trip?

Lou: My favorite dish was Peking pork and Zhajiang noodles. Yummy. Scorpions on a stick–I’ll pass. 

Zoom: What did you think of the hotels?

Lou: The hotels were superb.  Especially the ones in Beijing and Shanghai.  I would suggest to anyone who can afford it that they upgrade to the club level.   It’s where most of our Zoom group would discuss the day’s adventures over adult beverages and nibbly-bits. 

Zoom: Anything else you would like to add?

Lou: I can’t think of anything that I would have Zoom add to their Zoom China itinerary.