Walking London & Scotland Twin Cities Whisky Tour

There are many 'first times' in life that are always unforgettable. This is my first time in the UK. To be honest, I did a lot of research before departure, after all, the boss entrusted me with the role of team leader, which instantly gave me a sense of mission. The entire itinerary was planned with the principles of avoiding too many unexpected delays, putting safety first, and giving priority to the ladies.

Let me briefly explain the background of this trip. Our boss is a huge whisky enthusiast. To let employees step into the world of whisky, he initiated an exam three years ago. Colleagues who passed the exam could earn a trip to Scotland. Our group passed the exam and qualified for this trip. Unfortunately, just after buying the tickets, the Corona Virus pandemic hit. Strictly speaking, this was a trip delayed by three years. But everything is for the best. During these 12 days, we encountered so much luck. For example, the forecast had predicted overcast and rainy days throughout, but we hardly encountered rain; many times it was sunny and perfect for photos. We also happened to witness the entire opening process of Tower Bridge...

Now back to the main topic. The following travelogue will be narrated day by day. I really like this writing logic, and it also makes it easy for everyone to plan their own trips based on our timeline.

When going abroad, you must buy Xiamen Airlines tickets. Xiamen-London, total flight distance over 9,700 kilometers. First fly to Amsterdam Schiphol International Airport in the Netherlands, then transfer to London Heathrow Airport. After 12 hours of flight, we had a 2.5-hour layover at Schiphol. The most classic photo spot at Schiphol is this big clock, which erases its hands and repaints them every minute.

A country full of tulips – Amsterdam

Then we transferred to a cute little plane to the UK. Even though it was small, it surprisingly had hot water. This proved that it's right for Chinese people to bring a thermos. The air conditioning on this plane was freezing... Anyway, I wore my down jacket, slept comfortably for an hour and a half, and filled my thermos with hot water before getting off.

After a long journey, we finally arrived in the long-awaited London, UK. That city almost on the opposite side of the globe from Xiamen. Walking out of Heathrow Airport.

Two minibuses were waiting at the door. The driver-guides Oscar & Master Zou are Chinese who have lived in the UK for 20 years and know the country very well. It was around 9 p.m. London time, 4 a.m. Beijing time, but the sky in London was just getting dark. Our whole group was defeated by the powerful sleepiness. Almost everyone on the bus fell asleep. I held my phone for navigation, dozing off occasionally. Some sections were extremely congested. After about an hour, we finally arrived at the hotel. Without further ado, after sending the next day's itinerary in the group chat, we quickly went to sleep.

Before starting the second day's itinerary, let me mention some hotel notes:

Hotels or inns in the UK: Some may or may not provide shower gel, soap, etc. But basically they don't provide toothbrushes or toiletries, no slippers. Many hotel rooms don't provide free kettles. The rooms are on the small side, comparable to Hong Kong. Breakfast usually consists of milk, cereal, coffee, croissants, bananas, apples, bacon, ham, etc. By the second day, a few of our group members were already feeling nauseous at the sight of bread. Also, most hotels or inns only allow check-in at 3 p.m. and require check-out by 11 a.m. In China, people would definitely complain about such check-in and check-out times, but in the UK, all these 'unreasonable rules' seem to become natural and are gladly accepted.

For the next two days, we'll be touring central London. Here's a map first.

At breakfast, a light drizzle started. Feeling the gentle rain and breeze, London seemed very tender. No summer heat, no noisy crowds – everything felt quiet... Suddenly I realized that Westerners treat life just like this weather – casual and leisurely.

The driver-guides Oscar & Master Zou were waiting punctually at our hotel entrance. London's streets have been in use for hundreds of years, so the roads are narrow, mostly two-lane. There are many traffic lights, one every dozen meters or so, causing lots of congestion! Along the way, the driver introduced us to the beautiful and ancient capital of the UK – London. Oscar is relatively quiet and rational, while Master Zou is very talkative and down-to-earth, popular among the female members. Our 7-seater minibus drove cautiously; many places didn't allow parking. When we arrived near Buckingham Palace, the rain stopped, and we could faintly see the sun trying to break through the clouds to greet us.

Buckingham Palace – Symbol of Power

Residence of the Queen of England. In front, there is a large green lawn – colorful flowers in full bloom, a group of pigeons resting. There aren't many guards inside, but they are serious. We could only admire from the entrance. The square was bustling with tourists. Soon we saw a column of horses passing by, with handsome riders on horseback. Unfortunately, thieves around Buckingham Palace are rampant, completely breaking the romantic atmosphere!

A close-up of a guard

Opposite Buckingham Palace stands a statue of Queen Victoria, with a golden statue of the Goddess of Victory on a high marble platform, symbolizing the inviolability of royal power.

London has always been the cultural and historical center of the UK. Historic ancient buildings still stand there.

You'll see the iconic red telephone booths. This original photo is super atmospheric!

You'll see the Queen's Guard. I didn't dare to touch the horses, haha, but many people did. Europeans are braver and even scratched the horses' chins. The female knight was very nice.

You'll see the famous Houses of Parliament and the time-honored Big Ben.

Behind me is the 79-meter-high Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament.

We enjoyed a delicious picnic lunch on the lawn in front of Big Ben. And we took all our trash away!

After lunch, we went to Westminster Abbey. Almost all the famous people in the world can be found here. Construction began in 1065, originally ordered by King Edward the Confessor, then rebuilt by Henry III in 1245, and finally completed at the end of the 15th century. Westminster Abbey is where British kings are crowned and royal weddings are held. It also houses the tombs of over 20 British kings and many famous people, such as Newton, Darwin, Dickens, etc.

Originally, the itinerary included the London Eye. This large Ferris wheel on the banks of the Thames opened at the end of 1999, with a total height of 135 meters, equivalent to over 40 floors. It has become one of London's landmarks. When introduced, a team member from Nanchang couldn't contain his excitement. Here I must mention the 'Nanchang Star' Ferris wheel, also known as the Nanchang Star. The tallest Ferris wheel in China, at 160 meters, far exceeds the London Eye. Due to time constraints, everyone proposed skipping the ride and just taking a photo. I deeply felt the pride of Chinese people in their country's rapid development.

Skipping the London Eye, next stop: Borough Market

Borough Market is London's largest and oldest food market, and a culinary icon of London. It gathers food stalls from various countries, including Chinese food stalls, as well as many bars and various coffee shops. It was around 2 p.m., and many people were already drinking cheerfully in the bars and cafes. Seeing their happy faces and relaxed steps, everything seemed like a static painting. We couldn't help wondering: Today is Thursday, a workday – shouldn't these people be at work?

Walking straight into Borough Market, the hot dog at this stall was delicious...

Today's last stop: Tower of London and Tower Bridge.

Tower of London: Construction began around 1076, one of the oldest buildings in London, close to the Thames (the mother river of England). From the 13th century to the Elizabethan era, the Tower of London was a royal residence. Later it became a prison, where many traitors were held before execution. Today, the Tower of London is a museum displaying the Crown Jewels. We skipped touring the Tower of London and headed straight to Tower Bridge. The subsequent adventure proved our decision was right.

Tower Bridge: Built between 1886 and 1894, named for its four tower-shaped piers. The bridge has two levels: the lower deck can be opened for traffic, allowing large vessels to pass; the upper deck is a wide pedestrian walkway with glass windows, offering views of the Thames.

When we reached the middle of the bridge, we heard a pleasant bell. This signaled that a ship was about to pass and the bridge would open. It is said that tourists are lucky to witness the bridge opening. Oscar was a bit surprised when he found out we had encountered it. A small incident: closing the bridge took some effort, probably because the operator was a novice. The waiting crowds on both sides didn't complain; instead, when the bridge finally closed successfully, applause and praise erupted.

Before departure, our boss reminded us to try Indian food in London. Locals recommended this restaurant – affordable and delicious.

The highlight was this grilled fish, which paired perfectly with beer.

After dinner, we walked 30 minutes back to the hotel. What a pleasant day! Are you also looking forward to our second day's itinerary?

Today's first stop was Hyde Park. Despite the bright sunshine, the temperature was low, around 18°C near the lake. From yesterday's experience, we deeply understood the importance of drinking less water and taking every opportunity to find a restroom. On the way to Hyde Park, I asked Oscar to park close to a restroom, boohoo...

Hyde Park: London's largest royal park, formerly a royal hunting ground. The Serpentine has swans and pigeons, the Diana Memorial Fountain, bridle paths, bike paths, and bicycle rentals.

We prepared bread to feed the swans, but it was quickly divided and gone.

From Hyde Park, we went to the Sherlock Holmes souvenir shop and bought some gifts.

The Sherlock Holmes Museum is at 221b Baker Street, London, established in 1990. The interior decoration is based on details from the stories, adding authenticity to Holmes's former residence. Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Since Holmes is fictional and the queue was long, we didn't buy tickets to enter.

Fearing we might miss the appointment time at the British Museum, we looked for a place to eat near the museum. We stumbled upon this restaurant with a menu full of Sichuan dishes, which instantly whetted our appetites. Everyone ate two bowls of rice. Before we could take photos, the plates were almost empty. And it wasn't too expensive. 'Old Chang's Noodle House'

The British Museum: After entering, you can scan an app for a paid audio guide. A paperback guidebook costs £6. It is one of the four largest and most comprehensive museums in the world. The collection is vast and diverse, unmatched by most museums. It gathers artifacts from all over the world – all plundered by them. Especially the Chinese and Egyptian galleries. The British Museum focuses on 'global civilizations', covering almost every civilization in the world. 'You can contemplate the whole world in one museum.' Closing at 5 p.m., free self-guided visit with online ticket reservation (free). Don't be late!

The museum's 'three treasures': the Parthenon Marbles (Ancient Greece), the Rosetta Stone (Ancient Egypt), and The Admonitions Scroll (China). See? All three belong to others.

But from another perspective, I'm also grateful that the British Museum has preserved world historical artifacts so well for all people, and free of charge. Considering that these artifacts have survived world wars, civil wars, regime changes, corruption, natural disasters, etc., they might not have survived or been so well preserved in their original countries. Explanation:

Ancient Greece: No longer exists, but its cultural legacy was continued by the Romans, one of the sources of Western civilization. Ancient Greek civilization lasted about 650 years (800 BC – 146 BC).

Ancient Egypt: Ancient Egyptians were Copts, but after the Arab invasion, Egypt's main ethnic group and culture changed to Arab-dominated Islamic culture. Today's Egypt is no longer the Egypt of old. The Copts lost their country since the Arab invasion, and ancient Egypt became the 'Arab Republic of Egypt.'

Let me mainly introduce the treasure taken from China: 'The Admonitions Scroll' is considered the seminal work of Chinese painting. In 1899, during the Eight-Nation Alliance invasion of China, a British captain seized the scroll and sold it to the British Museum for £25. Later, the museum mishandled the restoration, treating it with Japanese screen painting techniques, cutting the complete scroll into several sections, causing irreversible damage.

The content of 'The Admonitions Scroll' originates from a poem by Zhang Hua, a Western Jin minister, advising palace women on proper conduct. The artist, Gu Kaizhi of the Eastern Jin, depicted it with great beauty, using 'ancient gossamer line' to perfectly outline many figures, extremely expressive. He is thus called the 'Father of Chinese Painting.'

Unfortunately, the scroll was not on display this time; we could only see it on a digital screen. Here I show some pictures.

Entering the Chinese Gallery of the British Museum, no Chinese person is not stunned – including me. On the walls are the relics of our ancestors: stone artifacts, bronzes, Buddha statues, sculptures, etc. These were all stolen from old China.

There is also a Chinese Jade gallery, displaying various jade carvings and pendants, exquisite.

The mummies in the Egyptian Gallery left a deep impression. Mummies in coffins, mummies without coffins wrapped only in cloth, and mummies with the cloth removed showing bone and flesh – adults and children. The British really don't leave empty-handed; they take everything from others and put it in their own home.

We spent 3 hours at the British Museum. Soon it was time to gather, so we had to leave reluctantly. Meanwhile, another group was shopping on Oxford Street, which they said resembled Zhongshan Road in Xiamen too much. So we gave up Oxford Street and hurried back to the hotel to meet up. The traffic was so bad that we bought pizza, burgers, and drinks along the way and had dinner in the hotel restaurant. By then, everyone was starting to feel travel fatigue. Some still hadn't adjusted to the 7-hour time difference.

In the morning, we checked out and took a bus to Bath. Originally, we had planned to visit Stonehenge, but after calculating the distance and time, we realized it was impossible. So we canceled Stonehenge in the morning and changed to Bath in the morning and Oxford University in the afternoon.

Bath is the only city in the UK designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. About 100 miles from London, it's a classic, elegant small town surrounded by pastoral scenery. Bath has a population of less than 90,000. Its elegance comes from Georgian architecture; its beauty from picturesque countryside. 'Bath' in English means 'bathing.' The Romans first discovered hot springs here and built large bathhouses. Today's ruins of the Roman Baths are relics of Roman Britain.

At the side entrance of Bath Abbey, some people were protesting against nuclear war, demanding action on climate disasters and species extinction.

We also took photos there.

Bath Abbey: Full name is the Abbey of St Peter and St Paul. The church floor plan is cruciform, Gothic style. Inside, you can see 56 stained-glass windows tens of meters high, collectively forming a complete picture of the Crucifixion of Jesus.

The Roman Baths:

The Victorian reception hall of the Roman Baths is magnificent, with an arched ceiling carved with scenes of the four seasons, built in 1894. The sacred spring is at the core. Overflow water drains into the original Roman sewer. The museum has a glass floor, clearly showing the water pipes. Among the pipes are many treasures, including a carved gemstone and a tin mask worth seeing.

The Royal Crescent:

Built in 1775, a large group of historic buildings, part of which became the Royal Crescent Hotel. It combines British aesthetic tastes with Italian ornate architecture. We stayed here for 30 minutes for photos, or chose to have a picnic on the green lawn, enjoying the sunshine.

Afternoon: Oxford University. Lunch was at a McDonald's in a service area.

University of Oxford: Walking around Oxford, it's hard to tell where the campus ends and the residential areas begin. The university has no walls and merges with the town. Christ Church, the cathedral is a filming location for Harry Potter. The libraries and scenery are more beautiful than typical attractions. To enter the college, it closes at 5 p.m. Each college can be purchased on-site. If not entering, you can view the buildings from outside.

The cathedral, also the Harry Potter college. We arrived at 5 p.m., already closed, no tickets sold.

After visiting Oxford, we drove 1.5 hours to our hotel near Luton Airport (London has 6 airports), preparing to walk to the airport the next morning to fly to Inverness.

The next morning, leaving London, a group photo 'Kilroy was here' in front of Luton Airport.

London Underground: It's London's urban rail transit system, the world's first underground railway, opened on January 10, 1863. Currently, there are 11 lines, serving 5 million passengers daily. You can buy single tickets or an Oyster Card to save money. London Underground is the oldest metro system in the world, with a total length of 294 km, second only to New York.

China's first subway line was built in Beijing, started in 1965, completed in 1969, and began trial operation in January 1971 – China's first subway system.

Inverness, the northernmost city of the UK, will surely be one of the last places you'll want to leave.

Inverness is a city in northern Scotland, the capital of the Highlands, and a well-known city in Scotland and northern UK.

Inverness is the gateway to Loch Ness and a preferred transfer point for the Isle of Skye. The highland scenery along the way is beautiful.

After landing, the driver-guide Xiao Lin took us directly to Loch Ness.

Loch Ness: The third-largest freshwater lake in the UK, about 240 meters deep, 37 km long. It never freezes, covering over 1,800 sq km, fed by the rivers Oich, Enrick, and several others. The River Ness is its outlet, flowing into Moray Firth.

The earliest recorded sighting of the monster dates back to 565 AD. Over ten centuries, there have been more than 10,000 reports of monster sightings. If you capture a photo of the Loch Ness Monster, you can win £20,000.

Let me insert a note about UK weather: In London, temperatures are 18-25°C, very comfortable, neither too hot nor too cold.

Inverness is only around 10°C. Getting off the plane, it felt like Xiamen's winter. Luckily, I wore thermal underwear, a light down jacket, and a trench coat. The matter of wearing thermal underwear has become a running joke for years. But for those who get cold easily, remember to bring thermal underwear – summer here is really cold.

Let me introduce the latitude: Inverness latitude 57.5°N, longitude 4°W; it's a high latitude area, altitude around 1000 meters.

The highest latitude city in China is Heihe, Heilongjiang, at only 50°N, longitude 127°E.

The guide said that high latitudes have strong sunlight, so we should use sunscreen. Several team members got sunburned faces. But I didn't apply sunscreen and felt nothing. Later I checked relevant information about high latitude and high UV. Scientifically, there is no theory that high latitude leads to high UV. But high altitude does cause high UV.

Low latitudes have a higher sun angle at noon, so solar radiation travels a shorter path through the atmosphere, is less weakened, and reaches the ground stronger. High latitudes have weaker solar radiation. This is one reason why solar radiation decreases from low to high latitudes.

The higher the altitude, the stronger the UV. Sunlight contains many ultraviolet rays, but when sunlight passes through the atmosphere, the atmosphere absorbs UV strongly, so only a small amount reaches the ground. However, at high altitudes, the air is thinner, so less UV is absorbed. Therefore, the higher the altitude, the stronger the UV.

Inverness altitude 1000 meters. For reference, Chinese cities at similar altitudes include Kunming, Yinchuan, Hohhot, Lanzhou, Taiyuan, Urumqi. The higher the altitude, the stronger the UV. For every 100 meters increase in altitude, UV radiation intensity increases by 1.3%, and temperature drops by 0.6°C.

Xiamen's latitude is 24°N, altitude only 20 meters. Although the altitude is low, the low latitude makes UV radiation strong. I'm starting to do physical sun protection.

By the way, let me share UV knowledge, haha!

The UV index ranges from 0 to 15. Usually, the nighttime UV index is 0; in tropical, highland areas, and sunny days, it can be 15. The higher the UV index, the stronger the damage to human skin erythema, and the faster the skin damage.

I concluded that UV intensity depends on three factors: latitude, altitude, and level of sunshine.

The colleagues who got sunburned in Inverness were due to high altitude and sunshine.

At this point, you might think I've digressed. But I always believe that 'traveling ten thousand miles is better than reading ten thousand books.' Personal experience leaves a deep memory.

Let's return to Loch Ness town!

In the small town of Loch Ness, any photo can be used as a wallpaper.

We happened to see the process of a boat passing through the lock from high water to low water – vertical lifting. I looked it up: it uses filling or draining water in the lock chamber to raise or lower the boat vertically between water levels. This operation was done manually.

This Fish & Chips shop was really delicious – Monster Fish & Chips.

Today was the day we reunited with the main group. At dinner, the boss took us to try a Turkish restaurant. The owner was very business-savvy and talkative, persuading us to order many dishes until our stomachs were stuffed. But the taste was very authentic. The most memorable dish was a small appetizer similar to kimchi, sweet and sour. Each person only got one spoonful, but it left a lingering aftertaste.

We were so full that we took the opportunity to stroll around Inverness, the northernmost town in the Scottish Highlands.

The seagulls here are not afraid of people. This one seemed to enjoy being photographed.

In the evening, we returned to the hotel. The bar opposite (The Gunsmiths Bar) was very lively. Several of us were attracted by the music and went in for a drink. I even sang 'Close to You'. The locals in the bar were very warm and friendly. The guide said that London has thieves, but not here – the people here are more honest. He wasn't lying.

Now, let's look at our route in Scotland. The real whisky tour begins.

Today's itinerary was the most relaxed. The morning was mostly free time. I bought a few Disney IP oversized vests at Primark (similar to H&M) in Inverness. The price converted to RMB was reasonable.

Lunch was at this place called Waterside. The soup was quite tasty, but drinking it every day would get boring.

In the afternoon, we had a full tour of Clynelish Distillery (the 'Little Cat' distillery). Visiting in person reinforced the textbook knowledge we had learned.

Glenmorangie Distillery

Day 7: Scottish Whisky Tour

The small restaurant where we had lunch was very charming.

We made a detour to Johnston's of Elgin to buy cashmere. It is said to be the main store, absolutely genuine, and the lowest price.

Everyone bought things except me, as there was no large size for cashmere sweaters.

Glenfiddich

A surprise started here: I was fortunate enough to have my birthday today. The boss specially had a 15-year-old whisky bottled at Glenfiddich for me, full of ceremony. Hand-bottled, recorded, labeled, sealed... Finally, my companions signed the bottle and gave it to me.

To be honest, I will keep it until my daughter gets married before opening it, haha...

Dalmore Distillery

The Balvenie Distillery

Mortlach Distillery

GlenDronach

Passing by Macallan, but you need to book well in advance to visit.

That evening, we enjoyed my birthday dinner at the hotel. This will be the most memorable birthday for me.

After dinner, we took a walk in Aberdeen. It was already 10 p.m., but the sky was still bright.

Day 8: Castle Tour (Overnight in Dundee)

After checking out in the morning, we first went to Dunnottar Castle.

A typical 'Scottish castle.' It is a ruined medieval castle, surrounded by 50-meter-high cliffs, also called 'Cliff Castle.'

Glamis Castle

Glamis Castle is considered the most beautiful castle in Scotland and is closely associated with the royal family.

This castle is also a famous 'ghost' castle. Legend has it that Lady Glamis, Janet Douglas, was burned as a witch at the stake in Edinburgh and returned as a ghost. The 'Grey Lady' still wanders the long corridors and the castle's tower. Walking inside, there is an eerie atmosphere, and occasionally you can hear the sound of ghosts shuffling cards. To avoid capturing ghosts in cameras, photography is strictly prohibited inside!

At the entrance of Glamis Castle, we witnessed an astonishing scene: dense flies swarming around the car. It felt really haunted. After passing through the gate, the flies disappeared. Truly magical. This added an even more mysterious veil to the castle. No photography inside! But you can take pictures outside.

In the afternoon, we visited the University of St Andrews.

Founded between 1410 and 1413, it is the first university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. It is located in the ancient town of St Andrews on the east coast of Scotland, the birthplace of golf. Prince William and King James II are alumni.

Afterwards, we queued to taste the world's best ice cream at Jannettas Gelateria.

This is a century-old ice cream shop specializing in handmade gelato.

Forth Bridge

Completed on March 4, 1890, it is recognized as a milestone in bridge history. The world's first steel bridge. It is a double-cantilever railway bridge composed of numerous steel tube members, with a total length of 1620 meters.

In Dundee, it is illegal not to clean up your dog's waste, with a fine of £80.

Day 9: Edinburgh

Morning: National Museum of Scotland

Established in 1985 by merging the Museum of Scotland and the Royal Scottish Museum. It has 36 galleries and over 20,000 exhibits, from Darwin's collected specimens to 3,000-year-old mummies. It also houses a replica of Dolly the sheep, the world's first cloned mammal.

Afternoon: University of Edinburgh

Founded in 1583, a public research university, the sixth oldest in the English-speaking world, Scotland's highest institution, and one of the seven ancient universities. Known as the 'Athens of the North.'

Originally planned: Edinburgh Castle

The castle was the Scottish royal castle from the 12th to 16th centuries, witnessing many Scottish wars. At an altitude of 120 meters, it offers a panoramic view of Edinburgh. The opening of Jay Chou's MV was filmed at Edinburgh Castle! Inside, the castle houses weapons and uniforms from various eras, especially the 5-foot-long great sword in the armory, a rare treasure.

Because we didn't buy tickets a day in advance, we couldn't enter the castle. We took some beautiful photos outside and at the foot of the hill.

Day 10: Edinburgh

Wear sneakers to climb Calton Hill – it's not a high hill.

Calton Hill is often featured in photos and paintings of the city. St Andrew's House is on the steep south slope; the Scottish Parliament building and Holyrood Palace are at the foot. Calton Hill is great for sunrise and sunset, easier to climb than Arthur's Seat. Women should not wear skirts when climbing Calton Hill.

Holyrood Palace: Open 9:30-18:00; tickets must be bought a day in advance.

It is one of the Queen's main residences. Inside is the home of Mary, Queen of Scots. The palace interior is extremely beautiful, and outside there are ruins of an abbey garden. Today, we happened to encounter an event inside, so the palace was closed.

We stayed at the Malmaison Hotel in Edinburgh.

Day 11

After a quiet breakfast, we checked out and went to the airport.

Edinburgh Airport (EDI)

First leg: Edinburgh (EDI) – Amsterdam (AMS); distance 665 km, flight time 1h35m

Layover 5h55m. I had two large Heinekens at the airport. The euro exchange rate was good, so I bought a few bottles of perfume.

Day 12

Second leg: Amsterdam – Xiamen Gaoqi; distance 9335 km, flight time 10h50m

At 12 noon Beijing time, we returned to the warm home of Xiamen.

The final bonus: travel preparation and tips.