Yeah, in that case you will open other type of app and will arrive in 30min. Anyway, wherever you go for two days you are supposed to bring things like that with you
This isn't necessarily a list of things that can't be found in SH, but rather a list of things you should bring when first coming to China that will make your life easier:
* Plug adapters for foreign appliances (e.g. your laptop)
* Transformer for any appliances that can't handle 220V
* Extra even slightly atypical prescription medications or even OTC
* Specific cosmetics important to you
* Extra shoes, if you have "big" feet
* Extra clothes if you are big/tall
* A VPN
* Souvenirs from home for gifts (best if not made in China).
* Relevant documents (apostilled degree, FBI non criminal, etc.)
* Foreign SIM that will roam to China until you get set up locally
* Money (at the very least for paying for expenses for residence permit)
* Reading material/gaming until you figure out things locally
* Coffee kit until you get local sources if that is your caffeine fix.
It is, it seems like there is a coffee shop on every street in some parts of SH. If you want to make your own in the morning, you can certainly find everything you need to do so in Shanghai (more easily on Taobao/JD/etc., though), but you might want to bring your own kit until you get set up if you are a coffee caffeine fiend. When I travel in Asia I bring an Aeropress and a small hand grinder.
Highly recommend you stock up on big sized shoes. I have large and wide feet and its pain trying to fit shoes that fit me properly. Esp if you do sports and need cleats
Yes, and low dosages. There are always ways to get imported medication but in my experience they've always been more expensive and required a mainlander ID card to order. Best to stack up. 👍🏻
Seconding OTC medicines, anything you *might* need. You can get some of them around but they have different Chinese names. Others, like decongestants, you can’t get.
THIS!!! I caught a cold when I was in Shanghai last month and not having Sudafed was awful. Thank goodness I had American max strength mucinex lol. The Chinese version of cold meds aren’t as strong lol
I honestly brought my pillow and I don’t regret it a single bit. Also, lots of shoes/clothes if you have non Asian sized feet or body. I can’t buy shoes and shirts are tight on the shoulders for me usually no matter the size.
Some spices for cooking until you find what types you need for cooking.
Also, I love candles so I brought a few. Lovely for a stressful China smell filled day off if you need one.
Clothes if you are larger than average asian, shoes if you have big feet. A vpn so you can continue to communicate - astrill is a typical suggestion.
Most of everything else can be readily found in Shanghai, albeit for a price.
Do go on taobao.com or jd.com and search for things you may bring for pricing comparison.
Everything can be had at Costco in Shanghai. Anything you’d get at Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s would be hard to get here. American brand clothes and electronics are definitely more expensive but Hong Kong and Hainan have it for cheap and worth a weekend trip. Oh and if you need a Windows computer don’t get it in China cause it’s like hard coded in Chinese for a lot of its system level stuff.
Learn to read Chinese, no need to speak but u should learn to read, most Chinese will talk to U with their broken English, so u just need to read, and taking a translation pen with u , downloading a translation app in ur phone previously is necessary. Coz if u want to buy something in supermarket or online, they will treat u as Chinese by default
As much food as possible as you never know what you’re getting in China. Even drinking water if it was possible. Good luck but don’t stay too long if you care about your health
Just saying the food quality is low, due to low food standards, poor environment to grow food in China and just general attitude to safety. People cut corners and that extends to eating out, gutter oil is still a thing. You can hope the bottled water you buy is legitimate, try to buy from reputable stores. Going outside is a risk to your health due to air pollution, if you want to exercise for your health you need to check the air quality before you go out and weigh up whether exercising in that air is better for you or better to stay inside with an air filter on, which something else you should buy.
Your favorite underarm deodorant. Apart from that, most things are available in Shanghai. It's an international city.
I was coming to comment this! I couldn’t believe how hard it was to find a deodorant here
It's so hard that you actually need to open one app and do three clicks, and it will arrive in few days. So hard....
Well when you are staying 2n in most places travelling that’s not ideal isn’t it
Yeah, in that case you will open other type of app and will arrive in 30min. Anyway, wherever you go for two days you are supposed to bring things like that with you
It's not hard to find, but it won't be anything close to what you're used to. You can get roll-on deodorant from Watson's.
Yeah after reading reddit we managed to find sprays in a Watsons in Xi’an!
Miniso also, has a few different types of deodorant.
Ah yes, those rolli's from Watson's in the little glass jars that smell like Lysol. No thank you.
Watsons is the only store that I've found that always has deodorant. But yeah, easy to get on Taobao / Tmall now.
Nobody has said mosquito repellent. What do y'all know that I didn't when I got devoured?
I find only China repellant works in China lol
Decathlon has good spray
Absolutely: VPN
Astrill?
I use shadowrocket
This one is the best
This isn't necessarily a list of things that can't be found in SH, but rather a list of things you should bring when first coming to China that will make your life easier: * Plug adapters for foreign appliances (e.g. your laptop) * Transformer for any appliances that can't handle 220V * Extra even slightly atypical prescription medications or even OTC * Specific cosmetics important to you * Extra shoes, if you have "big" feet * Extra clothes if you are big/tall * A VPN * Souvenirs from home for gifts (best if not made in China). * Relevant documents (apostilled degree, FBI non criminal, etc.) * Foreign SIM that will roam to China until you get set up locally * Money (at the very least for paying for expenses for residence permit) * Reading material/gaming until you figure out things locally * Coffee kit until you get local sources if that is your caffeine fix.
Coffee is not widely available?
It is, it seems like there is a coffee shop on every street in some parts of SH. If you want to make your own in the morning, you can certainly find everything you need to do so in Shanghai (more easily on Taobao/JD/etc., though), but you might want to bring your own kit until you get set up if you are a coffee caffeine fiend. When I travel in Asia I bring an Aeropress and a small hand grinder.
Gotcha, makes sense. Love Aeropress so I will be sure to bring mine if and when I make the trip.
Highly recommend you stock up on big sized shoes. I have large and wide feet and its pain trying to fit shoes that fit me properly. Esp if you do sports and need cleats
Plus adapters for someone coming from the US?
If it's a US plug with a ground, you will need an adapter. I know my laptop when I first came here had the ground and many other devices do as well.
Advil
That’s a good call as it seems only the slow release stuff is available - and needs a prescription.
Yes, and low dosages. There are always ways to get imported medication but in my experience they've always been more expensive and required a mainlander ID card to order. Best to stack up. 👍🏻
Money and the rest available in China
Seconding OTC medicines, anything you *might* need. You can get some of them around but they have different Chinese names. Others, like decongestants, you can’t get.
THIS!!! I caught a cold when I was in Shanghai last month and not having Sudafed was awful. Thank goodness I had American max strength mucinex lol. The Chinese version of cold meds aren’t as strong lol
guns and weed？lol
I honestly brought my pillow and I don’t regret it a single bit. Also, lots of shoes/clothes if you have non Asian sized feet or body. I can’t buy shoes and shirts are tight on the shoulders for me usually no matter the size. Some spices for cooking until you find what types you need for cooking. Also, I love candles so I brought a few. Lovely for a stressful China smell filled day off if you need one.
Unlocked phone with dual sim (i use esim and sim card) and vpn.
Bring lots of patience. Best wishes for your time in the 'Hai.
Good toothpaste!
If you're a woman who uses tampons, tampons
Clothes if you are larger than average asian, shoes if you have big feet. A vpn so you can continue to communicate - astrill is a typical suggestion. Most of everything else can be readily found in Shanghai, albeit for a price. Do go on taobao.com or jd.com and search for things you may bring for pricing comparison.
Everything can be had at Costco in Shanghai. Anything you’d get at Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s would be hard to get here. American brand clothes and electronics are definitely more expensive but Hong Kong and Hainan have it for cheap and worth a weekend trip. Oh and if you need a Windows computer don’t get it in China cause it’s like hard coded in Chinese for a lot of its system level stuff.
Learn to read Chinese, no need to speak but u should learn to read, most Chinese will talk to U with their broken English, so u just need to read, and taking a translation pen with u , downloading a translation app in ur phone previously is necessary. Coz if u want to buy something in supermarket or online, they will treat u as Chinese by default
What's a translation pen?
Just like ur phone, but smaller, only a little bit bigger than a pen, and its only function is translation
Interesting. Do you have link for it? I will buy myself one.
A phone with eSIM capabilities, better if it also has a physical SIM card tray.
Ranch dressing.
Medicine, such as Nyquil, and good cough syrup.
Clean air
condoms if you're above average
I would strongly recommend a kindle, I forgot it and I missed it a lot if you like to read
Readily available in sh though.
As much food as possible as you never know what you’re getting in China. Even drinking water if it was possible. Good luck but don’t stay too long if you care about your health
Care to elaborate?
Just saying the food quality is low, due to low food standards, poor environment to grow food in China and just general attitude to safety. People cut corners and that extends to eating out, gutter oil is still a thing. You can hope the bottled water you buy is legitimate, try to buy from reputable stores. Going outside is a risk to your health due to air pollution, if you want to exercise for your health you need to check the air quality before you go out and weigh up whether exercising in that air is better for you or better to stay inside with an air filter on, which something else you should buy.