Dear Lonely Planet,

Wuhan, July 30, 2007

Dear Lonely Planet,

Our family is really thankful for all the very useful information and sound advice in your books. Sometimes we just float right through the cities on our journey, surfing upon your books like on a shrimp sandwich (as we Swedes say sometimes)! I have thought many times that we'd be quite lost without them.

However, there are some things I would like you to consider. For example: your maps are (not always, but sometimes) very difficult to read. I should ask someone else to draw the maps. And be much more fastidious in checking that the maps really correspond with the information in the text.

And the Spring International Travel Service on Tibet Road in Shanghai does not sell international tickets - you have to go to the (excellent) Spring International office in 1558 Dingxi Rd if you want flights to Korea, for example.

And the Top Travel agency in Seoul moved to Jongno last Christmas. It can be reached by taking the subway (line 1) to Jonggak, leaving by exit 8. (If you have ever tried to find an address in Seoul on a very hot an humid day you will understand why we felt we wanted a serious talk with your Korea editor that day.)

And the Daoxiangyuan bakery on Shengping Jie in Tai'an does not sell fresh, chunky, chilled sandwiches (tuna, chicken, bacon, ham). Bread and cakes yes, sandwiches no. You really had us fooled there!

Baguo Buyi Fengweijulou in Chengdu is now a Japanese restaurant.

City Hotel Xi'an in Xi'an should not be a favourite! The breakfast is very saddening, and the staff most uncooperative.

There are no buses after 7:30 pm to Shaolin from Zhengzhou. A taxi to Dengfeng costs 560 yuan (on meter) + 25 yuan (motorway toll).

That was all for now!

Kind regards,
the Toss-Finnsiö family from Sweden, on tour around the world for a year


(Ovanstående var ett mail jag aldrig skickade eftersom jag inte lyckades hitta någon kontaktadress till Lonely Planet. Men det säger ganska mycket om hur beroende vi var av deras reseguider, och hur frustrerande det var när informationen inte stämde.)