Cheap Airplane Tickets

SHANGHAI -- Uniworld Grand River Cruises promised this: "An evening at the Beijing Opera."

Here's what it was: A performance of the Beijing Opera at the lovely Liyuan Theatre, with a big cast -- I counted 14 people, including tumblers -- in full makeup and costume, large traditional orchestra, effective backdrops and simultaneous English translations flashed on electronic boards (some hilarious, but never mind that), plus free tea and cookies cheap airplane tickets.

Viking River Cruises promised this: "A wonderful performance of the Peking Opera."

Here's what it was: Three performers (also in full makeup and costume) from the Peking Opera of China on a makeshift stage set up in a hotel meeting room, a small traditional orchestra, no translations, no tea, no cookies.

I know. I saw them both cheap airplane tickets proving what you get, even from quality tour companies, isn't always what you wish for.

With Beijing literally building toward its 2008 Summer Olympics -- 100 hotels, we're told, are being added to the 600 already here -- this seemed a good time to take a look at a couple of options for touring China.

Our method: Back-to-back tours offered by two well-known, well-regarded companies -- Viking, renowned for its European cheap airplane tickets river cruises; and Uniworld, sister to London-based Trafalgar, the venerable coach-tour provider.

(There are dozens more companies to choose from. Two was our limit. We have a budget.)

Now, there are other ways to see China than on packaged, fully escorted tours. While the tours generally stick to the basic crowd-pleasing destinations, it's a huge country: Lonely Planet's China cheap airplane tickets guidebook has nearly 800 pages on places to visit, and only about 200 of those pages deal with beaten-track Beijing, Xian and Shanghai.

Moreover, in today's less-restrictive China, experienced and innovative travelers can do most of it on their own. Even language and signage aren't the barriers they were: Increasingly, signs are readable to Westerners and, especially in Beijing and Shanghai, there's no shortage of young people eager to speak with you in English. Many, of course, will be trying to sell you something you may not want (Rolex knockoffs, bad art, in-room massages) cheap airplane tickets, but, hey . . .

The reality remains, however, that when we're dealing with China, there's something both comforting and efficient in cheap airplane tickets leaving the planning and pacing to experts.

"If it's your first time here," said veteran traveler Susan Eisele of Casa Grande, Ariz., wearing a Viking name cheap airplane tickets tag at the Great Wall, "that's what you should do."