28 Days, 7 People, 3 Arrivals: A China Trip Full of Details

Last summer, I received a rather unique inquiry: seven Singaporean guests wanted to travel all over China in 28 days, covering almost every popular destination - "Shanghai - Suzhou - Hangzhou - Huangshan - Luoyang - Xi'an - Xining - Tibet – Zhangjiajie." But there was a "small problem": they were arriving in three separate batches!

"The first two will travel for 12 days initially, the second group of three will join midway, and the final two will arrive towards the end of the itinerary." I stared at the screen, my fingers unconsciously tapping on the desk. In all my years in the industry, I had never encountered such a Russian doll-like itinerary arrangement.

"This is practically a real-life jigsaw puzzle," I muttered, finishing my coffee in one gulp. But it was precisely this challenge, full of variables, that later brought me the warmest service story of my career.

Starting with a Retired Singapore Airlines Captain

The first to depart were a couple. The husband was a retired Singapore Airlines captain who enjoyed the perk of free flights, but only if there were available seats. This meant his itinerary was full of uncertainty - his boarding wouldn't be confirmed until the very last moment.

I remember that night, I stayed glued to my computer, waiting for his message. Late into the night, he finally texted: "Boarded!" I immediately notified the guide to pick him up from the airport. This couple was the first domino in the entire 28-day itinerary. If they arrived even a day late, the subsequent 12-day East China leg would have to be completely reshuffled.

I meticulously designed a "Golden 12-Day" East China express tour for them: the dazzling night view of the Bund of Shanghai, a private early morning visit to the Suzhou gardens, a sunset cruise on West Lake, the sea of clouds and sunrise over Huangshan......

Every attraction was timed for the best possible experience, even the high-speed train schedules were accurate to the minute. After all, to satisfy a captain who had flown planes his entire life, the itinerary had to be as precise as an airline timetable.

Before their departure, I also taught them how to register and verify their WeChat accounts, making it easy for them to contact us anytime in China.

A Team Gradually Completed Like a Puzzle

On the 13th day, another three guests joined the Xi'an leg, making the itinerary even more complex. They were from the same family and had high expectations for comfort.

In Lhasa, one of the guests experienced altitude sickness, and I immediately contacted the hotel to arrange for an oxygen concentrator to be delivered to their room. Additionally, they felt the originally arranged vehicle was not spacious enough, so I quickly coordinated a switch to a larger SUV and upgraded their hotel rooms to ensure they could rest better.

In Zhangjiajie, another unexpected event occurred - the captain suddenly had diarrhea. I contacted the guide immediately to take him to the nearest hospital. After the doctor prescribed medication, he recovered his energy the next day. He later specifically thanked us for our quick response, saying that it might not have gone so smoothly in other countries.

The Final Surprise: Free Extra Attractions for a Couple

On the 22nd day, the last two guests, a young couple, arrived in Zhangjiajie. Their itinerary was originally quite tight, but I noticed a free day that could be flexibly adjusted, so I took them to an attraction that wasn't originally planned, free of charge. Although it was just along the way, they were very surprised and felt that we were truly considering their interests.

Throughout the entire 28 days, I was on call almost 24/7 to ensure any needs could be addressed immediately. Whether it was a laundry issue, a vehicle change, or a sudden health problem, I resolved it quickly, without making them wait. This rapid response service ultimately earned their high praise.

After their trip, they wrote a lengthy positive review on TrustPilot, detailing every aspect, from the airport pickup arrangements to the handling of altitude sickness and the last-minute flexible adjustments. What moved me even more was that after returning to their country, they proactively recommended their friends to me for itinerary planning - the best affirmation of my work.