I’ve just got back, and here are some useful lessons.

Lions, Forbidden City

h3. Getting a Visa is easy if someone does all the work for you

I think it also helps that we have a office there too. I did very little other than give someone my passport, fill in an A4 form, and get some passport-compatible photographs. Only the latter was painful.

h3. Getting flights is easy if someone does all the work for you

Although checking in at Heathrow terminal 4 is another matter. I understand why BA recommend getting there three hours in advance – it took me over an hour to get into departures! The “Heathrow Express”:http://www.heathrowexpress.com/ is excellent though.

h3. Currency

Is called the Yuan, but normally simply refered to as RMB (China Yuan Renminbi). Taking large quantities in or out (5000 RMB is the limit, which is about $600) is a no-no.

h3. Power Adaptors

Australian one’s should work – but even if you don’t have them, most power sockets seem to take American adaptors too.

h3. Overnight flights are a good idea

My outbound ten hour flight departed on Wednesday afternoon, and I arrived Thursday, thereby minimising Jet Lag. The flight on the way back was OK, but I got my ass handed to me by Jet Lag – NASA reckon it can take up to one day per time zone to get over it, and I crossed about 15!

h3. I either need a new camera or more skill

As “these photographs”:http://www.flickr.com/photos/samnewman/sets/72157594158965922/ will show.

h3. Our chinese colleagues are very young

They’re also very smart and incredibly well organised. They arranged an agile conference for 500 people, and I struggle to manage an away day for 50.

h3. Five days isn’t enough

Which really goes without saying – I’m looking forward to going back. Hopefully next time I’ll be able to visit our Xi’an office and spend some more time getting to know everybody.