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I Tried Driving in CHINA (It’s Easier Than You Think)
Driving in China for the First Time: Tolls, UNESCO Site & On
✨ Join us as we drive for the first time in China! 🇨🇳
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Join us as we drive for the first time in China!
In this entertaining adventure, the traveler takes on the challenge of driving in China for the first time. From navigating highway tolls to discovering quirky service stations, the journey is full of surprises. A detour to a jaw-dropping UNESCO World Heritage site adds cultural depth, while a private onsen offers ultimate relaxation. But the real highlight? Impromptu karaoke sessions in the car, complete with rambling commentary. The video proves that driving in China isn't just manageable—it's a delightfully chaotic way to explore the country's hidden gems.
Always Away and Dom set out to drive in China, facing a language and bureaucracy hurdle to rent a car at a Shu Hoy branch in Shanghai. The car appears sporty and comfortable, but getting it started requires manual steps due to missing registration info and translation. They explore the navigation quirks—one phone unexpectedly integrates with the car, and a Beijing destination ping pops up by mistake. They cross tolls and stop at a gigantic service station, which feels like a mall on the motorway, complete with a Three-floor dining area and a British-style phone box. The duo samples a Sichuan-spiced KFC, enjoying the numbingly delicious powder on fries, while debating how to use it. After several hours on the road, they finally reach a cobbled-town hotel near a UNESCO village, where a private onsen awaits. The day ends with a relaxed, hot soak and a sense of achievement after a long, unfamiliar journey. Traveler Always Away is the narrator, with Dom as co-pilot, recounting their first-day jitters, surprises, and small wins on China’s roads.
This piece highlights cross-cultural driving experiences, the friction and fun of language barriers, the scale of Chinese service areas, and the unexpected comfort of a private onsen after a long drive. The tone blends humor, curiosity, and travel authenticity, capturing late-night hotel arrivals, roadside discoveries, and local food moments.
Note: This summary references the title/theme and tags as context, offering a vivid, cinematic recap without timestamps.
Paragraph breaks included after roughly every 120 words for readability.
Traveler name occurrences: Always Away (1-2 mentions).
Key moments include language-challenges at car pickup, temporary driving permit process, the car’s tech quirks, the enormous service station, Sichuan pepper at KFC, late-night hotel arrival, and the private onsen reveal.
End with a sense of anticipation for the UNESCO village mountain trip and the next day's adventures.
This summary aims to reflect the editor’s voice with emphasis on unique details, personal feelings, and cultural contrasts.
Always Away embarks on a spontaneous car-lease adventure in China, starting with a tricky airport-style pickup where staff are absent and language barriers complicate the process. After locating the car, the duo discovers they must manually register the rental due to a missing driver’s license translation, and they learn about temporary Chinese driving permits that bypass international permits for up to a year. They navigate in a modern, feature-rich Chinese car (with a suspicious navigation intro and even a connected phone issue), experience a toll booth and a colossal service area that resembles a shopping complex, including a mini-adventure with a British-style public phone box and a rare Sichuan-spice experience at KFC. Hunger drives them to a late-night meal, and they push on through a long motorway drive to a mountain area with a private onsen hotel, arriving at 1:30 a.m. The hotel room’s private onsen becomes a surprising highlight—lavish and surprisingly spacious—capping a day
Always Away rents a car in Shanghai, discovers the need for a temporary Chinese driving permit, tests local roads, visits a massive motorway service station, fe
Driving in China: First Day with a Sporty Car, Big Service M
01:45 In China, international permits aren’t recognized; obtain a temporary driving permit instead (translation required)
05:50 Use local map apps (A Maps) with English interface for lane info and signs; helpful translations on signs
09:20 Be aware of tolls and be prepared for fixed-lane toll systems; the ETC might be linked to the car system
13:00 Service stations in China can resemble malls; plan meals, snacks, and rest stops with flexibility for late hours
18:20 KFC with regional flavors and Sichuan spice; try numbness powder carefully in fries or chicken sauce
01:45 In China, international permits aren’t recognized; obtain a temporary driving permit instead (translation required)
05:50 Use local map apps (A Maps) with English interface for lane info and signs; helpful translations on signs
09:20 Be aware of tolls and be prepared for fixed-lane toll systems; the ETC might be linked to the car system
13:00 Service stations in China can resemble malls; plan meals, snacks, and rest stops with flexibility for late hours
18:20 KFC with regional flavors and Sichuan spice; try numbness powder carefully in fries or chicken sauce
00:01 Arrived at hire company
01:33 Car chosen; registration issues
06:00 Temporary driving permit explained
08:20 Navigation connects to car
10:00 Huge service station discovered
12:20 British phone box moment
15:00 Late-night KFC trial with Sichuan spice
19:39 Heading to hotel; drive continues
21:28 Private onsen room revealed
00:01 Arrived at hire company
01:33 Car chosen; registration issues
06:00 Temporary driving permit explained
08:20 Navigation connects to car
10:00 Huge service station discovered
12:20 British phone box moment
15:00 Late-night KFC trial with Sichuan spice
19:39 Heading to hotel; drive continues
21:28 Private onsen room revealed
中国旅行drivingchina-tollsservice-stationunesco-siteprivate-onsenkaraoke-ramblingsDo international driving permits work in China?
No. You typically need to arrange a temporary Chinese driving permit with translation and local licensing steps.
