1. Wear a Hawaiian shirt — Well, come on. Why would you be wearing a Hawaiian Shirt in China anyway? The point is, dressing too flamboyantly or provocatively on your travels will draw you much unsolicited and often unwanted attention. Try to blend in a little bit at least; it will make your traveling life in China easier.

2. Walk the wrong way around a temple — Last time I was in Lhasa, I nearly crashed into a group of foreigners who were walking the wrong way around the Barkhor Circuit. I just didn’t get it. Everyone else was walking clockwise. They were embarrassed and so was I. That is, I was embarrassed to be a foreigner. Seriously people, try to respect the culture as much as possible.

3. Jump over a subway barrier or flee from a taxi without paying — You may feel at times as if you are some sort of small king or queen in China but you, my foreign friend, are not invincible. If you are arrested for breaking a law in China, do not expect much sympathy from the police. You can even expect less compassion from your friendly neighborhood embassy which will not be of any help to you if the trouble you are in is even remotely your fault. Obey the laws in China as much as possible.

4. Climb Mount Everest — Unless you are a genuine, certified mountain climber, of course. It is good to push yourself to the limits but you also need to use common sense on your travels. Scuba Diving or Cave Exploring alone, for example, is just not a good idea. Explore the right way. Always have a guide or at least a partner with you.

5. Eat monkey brain — Unless you want to pick up some strange exoctic sickness. Granted, I have eaten some pretty strange foods. Donkey, Grubs, and Pig Stomach have all entered my poor mouth during my travels in China. But do know what you are eating before you eat it and make sure that you can be confident that it is at least fair clean and disease free. And by the way, monkey brain might be just fine to eat. Do your own research on that one. I have never tried it.

6. Cut in line – Unless you want to be pummeled. I have seen fist fights break out at train and bus stations after people have tried to jump the line. Do not do it! You will just bring trouble on yourself and make people hate foreigners.

7. Stay longer than your visa permits –Unless you want to see the inside of a Chinese prison. It seems like the penalty for your overstaying your visa varies greatly in different parts of the country. In some places you may have to pay 500-5000 RMB for overstaying while in other areas, you could actually be detained. It is not worth it. Get out when you are supposed to and do not forget that your embassy cannot (or most likely will not) help you in this kind of situation.

8. Lose your receipts — This is one fast way to lose money in China. Whether you are staying at a hotel in China or booking a tour, you MUST hold on to that receipt for dear life. Hotels, for example, will usually not return to you your hefty desposit unless you have that precious little piece of paper that they gave to you on the first night. This also goes for train and bus tickets as well. You should always have these on you in case you need to prove that you did actually pay for a seat or a bed.

9. Smile – A little reverse psychology here. You should smile while you are traveling in China. Be friendly and enjoy the experience. Traveling in China, while it can be very frustrating, is also exhilirating, so have fun and enjoy the culture!