What people say about China Odyssey Tours

Dear Annie,

Chris and I would like to thank you for the excellent service that you, your company and all your representatives provided during our recent holiday in China.

From the moment we arrived we were extremely happy with the arrangements and the people that you chose to look after us.

It was a pleasure meeting you and your partner Mark when we called into you office during our travels.

Having you look after our arrangement made us feel that we had a guardian angel watching over us all the time.

You made us feel very welcome and it was like meeting up with friends that we have known for years rather that our first meeting.

Please pass on our utmost regards and thanks to Lucy, Hoffman,Violet and Daisy who are a credit to your company.

Their knowledge and attention to detail to ensure that we had the best of everything during our holiday made us very happy.

Each time we parted from our guides as we continued our adventure, made us a little bit sad because it felt like we were leaving dear friends.

I would also like to thank our drivers who were very courteous and friendly and we felt very safe in their capable skills as drivers.

Your efforts made our holiday a memorable experience and we certainly look forward to returning to China to explore more of your great country.

Should any of my friends or relatives plan to go to China in the future, I will make sure that they contact you as I know that they will be receiving fantastic service from you and your staff.

Once again a very big thank you and fondest wishes for every success in the future.

Andrew and Chris
From Australia
(May 30, 2006)

hello Sinba,

I hope you are feeling well.  My daughter Karen and I really enjoyed our trip you arranged last week. I am pleased with the care you gave me when I was sick and when I called you about the plane being delayed from Guilin to Beijing. You were very helpful.  I was very, very happy to have had Charles as our guide also because he took care of helping me see the Doctor and I am feeling much better.

Many thanks for your help and i will be pleased to give your name and company name to anyone in Canada who wants to come to China for a well-planned trip with an excellent company such as China Odyssey Tours.

Thank you,
Carole Buchanan
From Canada
(May 30, 2006)

Dear Annie,

We arrived home safely after a very long journey. The journey went by quickly because of the wonderful memories of our trip to China. We are very grateful for the trip you put together for us. The guides and drivers in each city were great. We saw so much of your beautiful country and still had time for ourselves.

Each time we'd see a large tour group following a leader with a microphone, we really appreciated the fact that it was just our guide and us. We were able to ask the guide questions and not have to share him or her with thirty or forty others. This alone allowed us to learn more about your country's history. The flexibility we enjoyed by having our own guide was another asset. We could spend as much time as we wanted at each stop and not rush to get back to a bus for the next stop. Our guides were well versed in the history of the area, which also helped.

The drivers were amazing! We had no idea of either the amount or the frantic pace of the traffic. Our drivers handled everything with ease and made the tour exciting. We found the traffic to be one of the highlights of the trip. Words don't adequately describe the thrill of traveling on the streets in China. The drivers are very skilled. I don't know how accidents were avoided. We don't have anything to compare with the traffic in China.

The train ride from Beijing to Xian was nice. Because it was through the night we were unable to see any scenery. In retrospect we would have rather spent our time at another site. We thought Xian was a very interesting city. Obviously the Terra Cotta Warriors were the main attraction. We might have stayed in Xian another day to explore it further.

Guilin was one city we would have liked to spend more time in. The lights at night were beautiful. We would have liked to take a river cruise to see the city at night.

The boat trip from on the Li River was unbelievable. We don't have scenery like that in the U.S.A. We have seen artist renderings of the hills but we had not seen anything like them before.

Yangshuo was interesting. I hadn't seen shopping like that before. Colleen, Bill and Pat walked to the top of Moon Hill. (I was a bit under the weather). We enjoyed the visit with the lady who was so proud for us to see her house. We might have been able to shorten the stay in Yangshou in order to have the extra night in Guilin.The flight to Chongqing was very late at night. We didn't get to the cruise boat until about 1:00 AM. We were so tired we decided to forego the side trip to Fengdu Ghost City the next day.

The cruise on the Yangtze River was very relaxing and scenic. The side trip to the Shennong Stream was a scenic and exciting ride. The tour of the Three Gorges Dam site let us realize the enormity of the project.

Thanks to you we have had a chance to experience the Chinese people. We have had a wonderful experience. The lunch at the Lu (I hope I haven't spelled their name wrong) house in the Hutong district of Beijing was exceptional. The meal prepared by Mrs. Lu was a special treat. Their warmth and friendliness was overwhelming.

There were too many special moments to recall in this e-mail. You can be assured that, if we are fortunate enough to take another trip to China, we will have China Odyssey Tours plan the tour. If you need any references, we would be happy to provide them. Again, thank you for making this the trip of a lifetime.

We liked the China journey very much. It is propably our holiday No. 1, because we have never known so many different places, people (in the cities, in the countryside, even the minorities) and the culture. We will never forget the Tang Dynasty Show in Xi'an, the Acrobatic Show in Shanghai and many others. There was nothing in the itinerary we did not like. Even the weather was OK it was not too hot for travelling. All the Chinese sights are very nice and they are really fabulous for European people. We felt very safe everywhere. We must not forget to mention the meals (all meals were delicious).

All guides were very helpfull and tried to show us as much as they could.
We will recommend the visit of China with your company to everybody.

With best wishes
Martina & Martin
From Czech
(May 28, 2006)

Dear Yoko,

Now that we are back and have some more time to breathe, I wanted to thank you and Odyssey Tours for the great trip we had. 

First I wanted to thank you in person for arranging everything in such a short notice and being flexible with all the requests I had. The trip all worked great. Everything was as planned. Hotels, drivers, guides...

The trip was very special, exciting and left me with the feeling I need to come again.The cruise from Guilin, the TerraCotta warriors in Xian were just unbeleiveable. 

It was also very nice meeting you in person and thank you again for the gift.

I have already passed your information to others looking at China as their next trip.

Thanks,
Ido
From Israel
(May 23, 2006)

I was very very pleased (and impressed!) that you were able to arrange every thing at such a short notice in the very busy holiday period, and I have no hestiation in recommending China Odyssey Tours to others.

Mark Leslie Hazlehurst
from United Kingdom and now working in Shanghai
(May 16, 2006)

Dear Annie

Natasha and I had a trip which was above our expectations. The guides in Beijing, Xi'an and Guilin made us welcome and helped us enjoy China and its people. All three we would recommend to family and friends. Each day of our trip seem to be better than the last. We seem to enjoy every aspect of the trip. All three guides recommended places to see and places to eat. Tom from Beijing took time to help us on our free days, which was fantastic. The first free day we went to the summer palace by our selves. Tom's commit the next day was" I would have gone with you as I had a free day and you should have asked me". He was very friendly and helpful. We would not have seen the pandas or the hutong without him. Ellie in Xi'an was a darling and she was Natasha's age so we all had a good time. She took us to see the mosque and meet her friends who made us very welcomed. What a lovely afternoon! Owen from Guilin was a pleasure to meet. We had great company and many laughs and conversations. He made every aspect of our stay enjoyable. He was knowledgeable on many subjects which was a delight. We had a great walk up to the dragons back. At least I did not feel like I was falling behind the two younger people. Every time I think about the walk, a smile appears on my face as it will always be a day I will remember with fondness. Top marks to all three guides as our trip would not have been as successful without these wonderful people.

Hi Annie

My son and I had a wonderful time in China. We loved your Country, your culture and your people. The guides you selected for us were great, and we gave each of them high grades on the sheets they asked us to complete for them. They were not only kind and courteous, but very knowledgeable and well-informed. Our only regret was that we needed more time to fully explore the sites and places we visited- but of course that means we willl ikely return again in the future to visit the places we were unable to visit on this trip. Thank you so much for all your efforts on our behalf.

Sincerely,
Andrew B. Blasi
From Florida USA
(May 11, 2006)

Hi Agnes,

First of all thank you sooooooo much for your support. As I am at the Hong Kong Airport now I will write you only a short notice, by for to short for the beautiful impressions your country kept for us.

The service you provided was excellent and I am really very thankful for your support and patience with us, as it might be a little more difficult to deal with clients from different parts of the world.

Everything worked out so fine and nothing to complain about what is on your side.

Lukas
Munich Germany
(May 9, 2006)

Hi Yoko,

My Mom and I had a wonderful time touring in China. So many things to see and so little time to see them all. The contrast between the Old and the Modern is so great. Each city seemed to tell a different story. 

Beijing is trying so hard to get ready for the Olympics. So much new building mixed with old emperial architecture, I was facinated.

Xi'an - The drive from the airport showed the stark contrast between the farming countryside and the city. I was amazed by the amount of history in the area. It seemed that all the hills in the area were actually tombs.

Shanghai is trying so hard to be ultra-modern. So many western thoughts and ideas along with many more International residents.

I am looking forward to being able to visit again some day. Hopefully next time I will be able to relax and enjoy the time like a local.

Thank you so much again for all the help. I was really suprised when Stephen offered the phone to me while walking down the Sacred Road. It was wonderfull to finally get to talk to you and hear your voice. I am very impressed by how well you speak English. My friend in Shanghai doesn't even speak that well.

I will be sure to recommend China Odyssey Tours to any of my friends that want to travel to your country.

Sincerely,
John Bush
Bothell Washington, United States
(May 9, 2006)

Dear Laeticia,

We are now back in Hong Kong, and I just wanted to email you and say we had an absolutely marvelous trip to China - exceeded our expectations!! Thank you so much for arranging everything so perfectly. The driver, Mr Jai Gin (I think?) was so polite and always smiling, and Miss Li was so accomodating, kind, and courteous - she made us feel right at home and most welcome in your beautiful country. It was truly a vacation of a lifetime!

Kindest regards,
Lisa Digges
Ocean Summit Dr Piti, Guam
(May 4, 2006)

Vera, I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed the tour that you set up for Melita and our group. Your tour guide Winnie was delightful. She was easy to understand and has a very nice attitude. She made us laugh and we had a lot of fun with her. Thank you very much. Also, Mr. Wong, our driver was very nice and he drove very carefully. We appreciated everything you arranged for us. If we come back to China, I will ask for you again.

Sincerely,
Carolyn Banks and Leesa Franklin
GEORGIA USA
(May 4, 2006)

Dear Sir/Madam,

We had been on a tour to China organised by Touchwood from Bombay, India. We were a group of ten people, and our trip was from the 5th to 15th April 2006. We enjoyed the trip thoroughly, very well organized...all the four shows were amazing, something we will remember for ever!

Our national guide allocated by you was Charles Li Yu. It was due to him that our trip was such a success and so very enjoyable. Charles was a very wonderful tour guide. He was very caring and cosiderate, a quality rarely seen these days. Always had a smile on his face and tried his very best to keep each one of us happy!

We wish him all the best and plenty of success in his career.

Many thanks to all of you at China Odyssey Tours for a wonderful trip.

Warm Regards,
Dr. & Mrs. Sutterwala
From India
(May 3, 2006)

Dear Vera,

Giles and I would like to express our outmost thanks for a truly fun and wonderful time in Guilin. Our tour guide Mr. Liao and his driver was so friendly and helpful throughout our time with China Odyssey Tours and your online booking facility is incredibly convenient and easy!

We went on your 3-night Guilin Tour, which included a Li River cruise to Yangshuo and a day trip to Longsheng rice terraces. Mr. Liao was just amazing to have with us. My husband and I are independent travelers where we like to try different things. We prefer some flexibility in the schedule and with Mr. Liao, we felt like we were traveling with a friend rather than a guide as he really went the extra mile for us on numerous occasions.

We both found the Reed Flute Caves stunningly fascinating, made even more so by the fact that we were alone as the last ones to go through. We were very glad we went with the Longsheng rice paddies option even though it was the wrong time of year. It was still beautiful with the Dragon's Backbone clearly visible – it was one of our favorite places. The Li River boat cruise was very enjoyable too.

All of our accommodation was so comfortable and well situated. We always felt like we were in a quiet, secluded spot yet it was just a couple of minutes' walk to the main street.

While we were in Guilin, we were so happy to have met you Vera, as you've been such an amazing help via email. I know I had many, many questions and you were always available for answers! I have recommended you and your company to everyone I know whom is thinking of traveling to China.

One more thank-you to you both as you were so professional in your service and excellent in your friendly manner. We hope to travel through you again very soon.

I had a wonderful trip to China! I very much am looking forward to returning for another visit, perhaps in 2008. Meanwhile, I will tell everyone I know/meet that China Odyssey Tours is an outstanding travel/tour agency.

Please feel free to use my comments about your company in any way which you deem helpful to you. You may also include, if you would like, my EMAIL address in case any prospective clients want to talk to me about my experiences with China Odyssey Tours. I assure you that everything I say will be positive!

Bruce Alan Wallce
wasaf2004@cox.net
from Las Vegas, USA
(May 1, 2006)

I wanted you to know that all the arrangements were great. The hotels were good, and all 4 drivers and guides were terrific. They were kind, courteous, helpful and knowledgeable. I was definitely very pleased with the trip and you made it very stress-free. It was definitely the way to tour China. We are very tired today, but we had a wonderful time.
Thank you so much for your help!

Cheryl
From USA
(May 1, 2006)

Dear Sophie.

Our tour in China was wonderful. We had a great time, and our guides were great.
We find your tour to be very well planned, your guides very informed, and very friendly.

We had a great time and specifically enjoyed our tours with Chris (Heife) in Guilin and with Richard (Lu Zheng)in Beijing. All the guides were very attentive and very friendly. We appreciated the uniqueness of each of them in every city. Sherry is quite a good story teller and good with jokes. Simon had a great sense of humour despite the difficulty of that second return flight to Chengdu. Forrest was particularly charming and great with the historical context of Xian and its importance in Chinese culture and politics. Of course, your attention was greatly appreciated as well.

We will highly recommend your tour company to our friends, and will use Your services when we come back to China in the future. Yes we are planning on coming back sooner than you might think.

Xie Xie and thank you very much!

Ayal Armon and John Jamieson
From USA
(April 29, 2006)

I would like to thank CHINA ODYSSEY TOURS and especially Ms.YOKO YI for the most wonderful and memorable tour I have ever taken. Everything went flawless, the guides meeting us at the airport, the hotel accommodations, sightseeing trips, and return to the airports for the trip to the next city. There were no problems or worries at all on this trip. Ms.YOKO keep in touch with us and we always had the option to call her anytime if there were any problems of which there were none. We have visited several ASIAN countries but this was the most organized and well planned tour we have taken, again thanks to Ms.YOKO. The tour guides were very knowable of the area and were willing to help us in any area. The hotel accommodations were excellent and the food delicious. I cannot thank Ms.YOKO enough for working with me in setting up this tour. I know I changed my mind several times but she continued to work with me until we had it finalized. She was so helpful and even called us several times at the hotel to make sure everything was ok and that we got there ok. She even e-mailed me at home to make sure we got back home ok. We had the pleasure of meeting her and her manager for diner, which was a very enjoyable time. I would highly recommend CHINA ODYSSEY TOURS to anyone who is planning this type of trip. My thanks again to Ms.YOKO and her manager for all the assistance they gave us in setting up this beautiful tour of China. China is such a wonderful place with so much to see and do there. I would like to post all 400 plus of my pictures but they mean more to me than the readers of this letter. You would get tired of looking at them. So go to China and take your own.

CHUCK MITTERER
PANAMA CITY BEACH, FLORIDA, USA
(April 25, 2006)

Dear Sinba:

We are now starting our return to my Counry and want to thank you by the excellent job you did for us.

Being honest, I was afraid because it was the first time that I book by the Web, now I feel that China Odyssey Tours, has an excelent Team and are very Profesionals.

David in Shangai, Eillen in Xian and Julian in Guilin would be alwais remember by us.

Thanks, once again.
Miguel Merino
(April 20, 2006)

Hi Vera,

I'm just wiriting to let you know that everything went very well with the itinerary you had put together.The Yangtze Cruise was excellent, and all of the guide arrangements worked out perfectly. You did a great job, and I will highly recommend China Odyssey Tours to others.

Thanks for everything,
Richard Griffin
From Michigan, USA
(April 18, 2006)

We can recommend using China Odyssey Tours - they were great. Safe, reliable and friendly. The trip was so much more enjoyable for having an English speaking guide who could order our food and sort out all our arrangements. There was little English spoken by the locals so a guide was needed. (More Detail)

Sarah Shuttleworth
from Hong Kong
(April 16, 2006)

Dear Annie,

Thanks a lot for your support. We had a wonderful trip and would definety visit China again when we get another opportunity. It is a wonderful place and hopefuly our children will also visit the place.

R.Sadagopan
from Abu Dhabi
(April 12, 2006)

Generally I found the service provided by China Odyssey Tours to be of a very high standard and in some cases exceptional. I found the company easy to deal with throughout the whole tour. I received good value for money. I would highly recommend Vera as a travel consultant and will certainly use her services again.

Leigh Adkins
Geelong, Australia
(April 10, 2006)

Dear Violet and Laeticia (and Forrest),

I just wanted to tell you how very, very much we enjoyed the tour to Xi'an! Visiting Xi'an was certainly the highlight of our trip to China. The hotel was great, the dumpling dinner was delicious, and the Tang Dynasty show was wonderful. And, the flights you arranged were perfect for our schedule and we truly appreciate your time spent in making those arrangements.

We especially appreciated having Forrest as our tour guide. Everyone in our group was impressed with his sincerity and his genuine concern for others. He is an exceptional tour guide and a outstanding "ambassador" for China! He is a polite and considerate young man and was so helpful and willing to answer all of our questions. He was by far the best tour guide that any of us have ever had! You are very fortunate to have Forrest as one of your tour guides! Also, we compliment the driver who was a very safe and conscientious driver.

If any of my friends go to China in the future, I will most certainly recommend China Odyssey tours to them.

Many thanks to all of your staff for the wonderful tour you arranged. And please let Forrest know that all the ladies really appreciate all his consideration and kindnesses to us. Also please let the driver know that we appreciated him driving safely and were grateful that he was very conscientious to make sure that even though there were time constraints, he made sure that we were able to visit all the locations on our tour.

Thank you so much for arranging the trip of a lifetime for us!

Rita Covil
California, USA
(April 3, 2006)