If I had 10 RMB for every time someone said to me: “Oh, I did not know you guys offered that!”, I might not have to work anymore… Jokes aside, we often get inquiries about what services Journeys & Jaunts offers. So I figured it was high time we put a post together about that.
Here is a list of all the stuff we do. Scroll all the way to the bottom for our contact details if any of those services catch your eye.
01
Personalized Tours of Shenyang
The Imperial Palace, Marshal Zhang’s Mansion, the Imperial Tombs (at Beiling and Dongling parks), markets, squares, parks, food tours, temples, the arts, hiking and nature, sports, culture, cooking or calligraphy classes – there are so many things to explore in and around Shenyang. And because everyone is different, everyone deserves a city tour that is just right for them.
If you would like Journeys & Jaunts to organize a 100% personalized tour of Shenyang and/or its surroundings for you, then check out our contact info at the end of this post. We charge per hour (300 RMB for tours in English, 350 RMB for tours in German or French) if you only want to see one sight. For a full-day tour with multiple attractions, we can arrange a discounted daily rate for you.
02
Personalized Itineraries for Travel Anywhere in China
Maybe you do not need us or another guide to accompany you on your exploration of Shenyang and beyond? Maybe you would rather have an “instruction manual” for a certain destination containing where to stay, the sights to visit, how to get to them, where to eat, etc.?
We can provide you a very detailed itinerary for visiting a large number of destinations in China. It is always based on your personal interests, and costs 300 RMB per day that we plan out for you. If you are interested, tell us where you want to go, when, for how many days, and what your interests are.
03
Booking a Car & Driver, Hotels, Train or Plane Tickets
Oh, you already know where you want to go and have done your own research on the itinerary? But you lack the resources for finding reliable and safe transportation, cannot decide which hotel you want, or are realizing that trip.com takes really high service fees?
Journeys & Jaunts can take over booking a car and driver, hotel rooms, as well as train or plane tickets. We take a 10% service fee on top of the total cost. Contact us and indicating what service you require and for which date(s). For all the services except the car and driver, pictures of all guests’ passports will be required for the booking process. Because of the time and effort needed for doing the relevant research, we take an initial reservation fee of 200 RMB, which will later be offset against the actual service fee.
04
Open City Tours
Sometimes, thinking about what exactly you want us to plan for you is just too much work. That is why Journeys & Jaunts also offers what we call Open City Tours. There, we explore a sliver of the city that you might not have thought to discover on your own. Examples of tours we have done in the past are a visit of the Shenyang Urban Planning Exhibition, a trial CrossFit training, and a tea ceremony.
We would like to taylor these Open City Tours better to your needs. Therefore, send us an email of the places you want to go and get to know the city in a local way.
05
Help Ordering Tickets for Events in Shenyang
If you are a loyal reader of our newsletter, then you know there are dozens of events happening in Shenyang every week. Ordering tickets for them can be a little bit tough, though. Sure, you can try to use Meituan, Damai or Xiudong to order your own tickets. Or you can follow the 40+ public WeChat accounts we do – and book the tickets yourself. In Chinese.
If that sounds too stressful, and you would rather pay a 10% service charge for somebody else to worry about it, let us know.
06
Events
Do you have an upcoming birthday? Want to impress your co-workers or treat your team? Or is it your 10-year anniversary and you would like to pamper your significant other? All of these and many other occasions call for a special time together. Organizing an event in China, however, is often difficult. You might not know what options there are, and even if you do, making reservations, ordering food, organizing decorations and putting them up – all of those take time, effort, and possibly Chinese language skills.
If you want to outsource one or several of these tasks, Journeys & Jaunts can support you. In order for us to be able to best help you, please explain the type of event, number of participants, as well as the services you will need. Our service charge starts from 10% of the total price.
07
Setting Up and Learning How to Use Chinese Apps
“Oh, there’s an app for that!” Ever heard that one? It is definitely a truism that China runs on digital. Taobao for shopping, Eleme for ordering in, Damai or Xiudong for tickets, Meituan for all things food and travel, DiDi, Hellobike and others for getting around, and WeChat for the rest. There are very few logistics problems in China you cannot solve withan app or two.
The big problem: very few of those apps have an English interface. But, never fear. Journeys & Jaunts can both help set those apps up for you, and also teach you how to use them. The service is based on time spent, and we charge 300 RMB for English, 350 RMB for German or French. Please specify which app you are referring to, and whether you only need us to set it up, or also want to learn how to use it.
08
Coaching for Expat Spouses
Moving to a new country is tough. Especially if that country is culturally far from your own comfort zone. Add to that challenges like going from being securely employed to trying to find a new job, or from being super-busy to trying to sensibly fill your days, or transitioning from high power career person to stay-at-home-parent, and moving to China can seem downright daunting.
If you need assistance sorting through what your move to Shenyang means to you, I am here for you. As a coach, I supports expat spouses coming to Shenyang to create and solidify their new role here so they can feel self-assured and confident about their choices and life direction. And I help spouses realize fresh perspectives when addressing challenges or opportunities in Shenyang.
Write to me at julie@journeysnjaunts.com or add my WeChat (julie_marx) for more information.
Are there other services you wished we would offer? If so, write to us.
All services can be booked by sending an email to alina@journeysnjaunts.com or adding Alina Zhang on WeChat (wonderland6767).
