China & Tibet with Odysseys Unlimited

What set our 19-day Odysseys Unlimited (Newton, MA; 888/370-6765, www.odysseys-unlimited.com) tour of China apart from similar itineraries of other companies was our tour’s director, Ms. Wang Ping.

From our first evening in Beijing to our final trip to the Shanghai airport via the maglev, Ping was with us. She was charming, conscientious, extremely well organized, funny, caring and patient. Ping leads several Odysseys tours a year in China, including Tibet.

She made sure that none of the 23 in our group was left behind, and we never felt rushed. She allowed good time for souvenir shopping and at our traditional meals told us with good humor exactly what we were being served.

She had printed handouts for each destination and was quite helpful in preparing us for Tibet’s high altitude. She frankly answered political questions about the Cultural Revolution and the difference in the approaches of Chairman Mao and his successor, Deng Xio Peng.

She handled the included tips for local guides and bus drivers with class and charm. It was very quickly obvious in the hotels and on the cruise that Ping was well known and respected.

As experienced independent travelers, my wife, Jan, and I were a little hesitant about what we might encounter on a fully escorted tour. We were pleasantly surprised at Odysseys Unlimited’s approach and their wisdom in choosing for our guide the wonderful Wang Ping.

Our “China, Tibet and the Yangtze River” tour, Sept. 16-Oct. 4, 2007, cost around $10,000 for the two of us, including air from Los Angeles and 5-star hotels.

LEE KLINE

Leesburg, FL