Precis: If everyone in China were to eat only one serving per year of Chicken and Cashew Nuts, that would add up to 65,698 tons of the delicious nuts being consumed in China each year! It’s not only nuts of the tree varieties that are in demand in China…

When I’m in Beijing I always jump on my bike to get to wherever I need to go. Taxis just get stuck in the city’s notorious traffic jams and frankly I don’t want to add to the congestion.

Getting on a bus can be like packing yourself into a sardine tin and then you get stuck in the same taxi traffic jam anyway. But bikes – Beijing’s streets definitely cater for the cyclist! Not only do you get a dedicated lane away from motorized traffic, but if you ever have a problem there are always plenty of people to help you, as I found out when I was riding yesterday.

I was breezing along when all of a sudden I heard something small and metallic fall off my bike. I pulled over and checked it out. A nut had come off my front wheel leaving it dangerously close to collapsing. No worries! A quick trip to the bicycle fix-it men who sit on any busy corner in the city should do the trick.

I wheeled it over and showed him the problem. “No problem”, he says and pulls a giant bag of bicycle nuts of all shapes and sizes from his pocket. He tries one nut after another but none seem to fit. “Are you sure you have the right one?” I ask. “No problem”, he says but still can’t find one that fits perfectly. I’m about to walk the rest of the way when he has an idea. He jumps up and unscrews the needed nut from his own bicycle and screws it onto my bike. It fits! I thank him wholeheartedly and ride on with the rest of Beijing’s cyclists, grinning and glad that Chinese are so nutty about bikes!

By the time you reach Beijing on Intrepid’s ‘Grand China’ adventure you may have built up the confidence to take to the streets on bikes, but if you are still a little hesitant then you can relax, as this Comfort style trip lets you discover all the beauty and wonders of China without having to be too adventurous. This comfortable trip explores the vibrant cities, stunning countryside, vast history, ancient archaeological sites and a captivating culture that make up the rapidly evolving Middle Kingdom.

Link: http://www.intrepidtravel.com/destinations/China/intheknowtraveler