Ctrip - how does that work?
Shane and I have found out, the hard way, just how difficult it is to travel within China - using ctrip.com. It isn't as easy as making a reservation and knowing everything is done. It took us two different internet accounts, three different credit cards, an unknown number of phone calls, and an extra fax in order to make reservations to get to Xi'an for two days and one night. I never thought that traveling within a foreign country that I am already in would be so difficult, but apparently foreigners traveling around the country by plane is not as easy as if we were doing it within our native country. Passport information needed to be provided as well as a local mobile phone number. How many foreigners do you know with a cell phone from China? Not many!! Then, we had to send in an authorization form including copies of the card holder's passport and credit card into to ctrip.com to confirm our flight. Thank goodness for the Hanting staff that made the hotel booking process easy; the only thing that has been easy about the trip to Xi'an thus far!! I think, looking back, if I would have known that this was such a pain in the butt that I still may have tried, but this blog should stand as a warning to any others that may want to travel within China by plane. It isn't as easy as it seems and be prepared to be frustrated!