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      Testimonials      
                 
   

 

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"We booked and went on an 18 day tour of China made by JIA's Dream Tours. It was one of the most memorable trips we have ever made. We enjoyed every day of the tour and recommend to anyone that if you want to travel in China, there is no finer tour than one made by Jia. Every detail which we wanted and as recommended by Jia was taken care of.

Transportation for all airport transfers and tours were provided. We were accompanied by an English speaking tour guide on each of the trips. The guides on each tour, as well as those on the transfers explained the history of the places we visited or passed by, the significance of what we saw, and what we should be looking at. The trips were varied and held our interests at all times. Inside local tips on the best way to go, including items we wished to purchase, were fabulous. The foods peculiar to the region or city we visited were outstanding. The guides were superb and extremely knowledgeable. They took care of our airplane tickets, paid for all entrance fees, for example, to the expos, museums, gardens, shows, etc., and almost all of our meals . The three or four meals not included were planned as to allow us to choose the restaurants of our choice at places where choices were appropriate. The drivers of the vehicles we were transported in drove safely and skillfully.

It would take a book to explain all of the intricacies of the trip in order to express the enjoyment we experienced and the absorption of all the splendor that China has to offer. The tour is personalized, customized, and not costly for what you receive in return and I doubt, if you are visiting China, you could find a better prepared and managed tour for the price we paid."

Paul & Doris Char, Cupertino, CA (June 2010)

     
                 
                 
   

 

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"We’ve just returned from a wonderful trip to China that ended in a grand finale at the performance, “Impressions of Sanjie Liu” produced and directed by Zhang Yimou, the world renowned director of the 2008 Olympic Opening Ceremonies!  It was an incredible once-in-my lifetime show set on the Li River with the magnificent Guilin Mountains as backdrop! 

The night before, we took an enchanting boat ride on the lake around Guilin.  It was like a Paris City of Lights illumination tour…just breathtaking!

Beautiful pavilions, magical bridges, twinkling lights everywhere formed dreamlike images emerging out of the water. It was a Chinese fairy tale, a mirror of China long ago. 

How did this trip begin?  After many e-mail communications with Jia Thompson, of JIA’s Dream Tours, our trip grew from plans for an 8-day  river cruise on the Yangtze River to two days pre-cruise at the Shanghai Expo and four days post-cruise in Guilin , Yangshuo,  and  Zhujiajiao, an ancient water town, a Venice of the East.  

Jia arranged local tour guides to see to our every need. They checked us into hotels and ordered our food at restaurants.  The tour guides were knowledgeable about history and guided us through masses of people into shows and local attractions. Attendance at the Expo was reported to be millions!  It was stress-free everywhere we went.  They got admission tickets for us, stood with us throughout the long waits at the Expo, navigated us through ancient villages and attractions so that we just glided into every site and enjoyed everything.  Jia called us frequently during the tour to confirm that all was well.  Before we left the US, we were even given a list of phone numbers of local guides in case we had any problems along the way.  But we never had any problems. 

The personal attention we received on this trip was outstanding!  Jia and all the guides were attentive to our needs every minute of every day.  They made this trip stress-free and memorable!  Thank you, Jia!!!"

Benson and Helen Kwan, Saratoga, California USA, (June 2010)

     
                 
                 
   

 

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"We thank Jia for the impeccable organization of our private tour in China, which lasted 14 days. We were impressed with the way she took care of all our strange requests during the planning of our trip, and even more so by the trip itself: no delays, no bad surprises and always a friendly and caring phone call to make sure all was well. By far the most efficient and friendly tourism professional we have ever met! Thanks again Jia!"

Daphne Mavrommati, Daphne's Club Hotel Apartments Greece (Nov 2009)

     
                 
                 
   

 

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"I had originally found Jia and Jia’s Dream Tours through an article that she wrote on AOL Travel during the Beijing Olympics. The way in which she described the country and her passion for China led me to reach out to her for a family trip that I was planning.

During the planning process she could not have been more accommodating or accessible when it came to our itinerary as well as all of the other pieces that went into the trip. When we were about to leave, she sat with us on a conference call and described the trip and answered all of our questions.

We just returned, and the only way that I can describe it is that the trip was absolutely seamless. Our guides were great and were always waiting for us when we arrived in any new city. They were extremely knowledgeable and friendly, and led us through all that we wanted to see. Jia called us when we arrived in new cities, made sure everything was good, and if there was anything that needed to be addressed she did so and got it corrected.

All in all I would say that our trip was a 9+ (on a scale of 10), and I would highly recommend Jia to anyone who is thinking about a trip to China. "

Michael and Linda Haltman & Family, Jericho, New York, (Aug 2009)

     
                 
                 
   

 

envelope image   "When we first discussed a trip to China, we looked at guidebooks, talked with friends, and searched the web for ideas of where to go and what to do. It soon became apparent to us that JIA’s Dream Tours was the way to go for us. Jia helped us with planning every step of the way, with emails and phone calls to answer any of our questions and offer suggestions. She got to know our interests in history and culture, natural landscape, and even food preferences when planning the tour.

The sights and shows were magnificent, the accommodations and meals were superb, the guides spoke excellent English and were very knowledgeable about each place we visited, and the drivers skillfully maneuvered through hectic city traffic. We found the people in China to be outgoing and friendly; we loved being in a land with such a rich and ancient civilization, and a great modern diverse nation! The trip exceeded our expectations in every way, and the customized tour allowed us the flexibility to see what we wanted at our own pace. We were surprised to find that the price for our private tour arranged by Jia was less expensive than some group tours offered by other companies, yet it covered more places and activities, so it was a great deal. Jia took care of everything for us -- arranging hotels, meals, guides, sights, shows, domestic flights, etc. -- she even called us several times in different cities to make sure everything was going well which it was. Since we returned home to Oregon, we've been telling our friends and family about our great trip to China and recommending JIA’s Dream Tours for Jia's extraordinary personal service, knowledge and attention to detail. Here's a summary of our itinerary if you want to read further.

We flew from San Francisco to Beijing where we were met at the airport by our guide and driver who took us to the wonderful Bamboo Garden Hotel, our home in Beijing for the next six days, and our favorite hotel in China. The Bamboo Garden was a peaceful oasis in the hutongs, not far from the drum and bell towers, and it had the best coffee in China! We saw the Forbidden City (1420), Tiananmen Square, the Emperor's Summer Palace, Lama Buddhist Temple (1694), the Great Wall, Sacred Way and Ming Tombs, the exquisite Temple of Heaven (one of our favorite places), and other sights, and we gave ourselves a free day to explore walking in some of Beijing's lovely parks. We also saw two great shows in Beijing: "Legend of Kung Fu", and our favorite was the "Beijing Opera" in a traditional teahouse (Huguanghuiguan) which we want to see again. Our only regret was that we didn't spend even more time in Beijing. We're going to have to book a follow-up trip with Jia!

From Beijing we flew to Xi'an, "cradle of Chinese civilization", where we stayed right across from the old Bell Tower and near the incredibly intact Xi'an city walls (1370). Don't miss the excellent Shaanxi Provincial Museum in Xi'an and give yourself enough time to explore its treasures. We also enjoyed visiting the Banpo Neolithic Village Museum and the Big Wild Goose Pagoda; the Great Mosque was closed for repairs so we'll have to see it next time. The main Xi'an attraction is the Terracotta Warriors (3rd century BCE) which was even more impressive in person than we had imagined. En route to the site, we passed by the beautiful Huaqing Palace and Hot Springs, and that evening we enjoyed a spectacular "Tang Dynasty Show" and banquet.

Next we flew to Chengdu and stayed in the fabulous Tibet Hotel. Our first night in Chengdu we enjoyed the fantastic "Sichuan Opera" with its incredible face-changing act which we want to see again! Sichuan food is too hot and spicy for us, but we did give it a try. We visited a Panda reserve and then drove to the impressive Leshan Big Buddha (713); at 233 ft high, it is best viewed from a river boat. We spent the night at the Emeishan Hotel, which includes beautiful hot spring pools, at the foot of the sacred Buddhist Mount Emeishan. The mountain has many shrines and the 10,000 ft summit has an enormous golden statue of Buddha sitting on six-tusked elephants, and more temples with a fantastic view.

Our next stop was Guilin where we took a peaceful cruise down the beautiful Li River, famous for scenes of misty limestone hills as seen in traditional Chinese prints, cormorant fishing, and tranquil villages with water buffaloes in rice paddies along the shore. We docked at Yangshuo where we stayed at the Paradesa Hotel, bought souvenirs in the street market, and saw the nearby Big Banyan Tree and Moon Hill. The highlight at Yangshuo was an astonishing open-air show at night: "Impression of Sanjie Liu" staged on the river with lights and music, featuring local ethnic singers and dancers, and directed by the same person who directed the opening ceremony of the Olympics last year -- Wow! We also saw Reed Flute Cave and Big Elephant Hill in Guilin.

Then we flew to Hangzhou, known for its beautiful gardens and tea -- they weren't kidding -- it was very lovely with Spring flowers and we enjoyed a gondola ride on West Lake near our hotel. We also visited the famous Buddhist Lingyin Temple and the well-preserved mansion of Hu Xueyan. An express train took us to Shanghai, and from there we took a day trip to Suzhou, with a boat ride on China's ancient Grand Canal. At Suzhou we visited a classical Chinese garden (Master of Nets) and an interesting silk factory where we bought a gorgeous silk comforter. Jia told us of a well-known Chinese verse: "In heaven there is paradise, on earth there is Hangzhou and Suzhou." They are indeed lovely places.

Our last stop was Shanghai, a huge modern cosmopolitan city and a center of finance and commerce. Our first afternoon there we spent almost four hours at the great Shanghai Museum and we didn't see all of it -- really worthwhile to visit. The next day we visited the Jewish Museum, the excellent Shanghai Aquarium, and of course, the skyscrapers Jinmao Tower and the Oriental Pearl Tower located across the Huangpu River from the Bund. In the evening we enjoyed a fantastic "Chinese Acrobat Show"! En route to the airport, the superfast Maglev train passed us by, which reminded us that next time we need to try it from downtown Shanghai to the airport in seven minutes! So that was it, a fantastic voyage, our first and hopefully not our last trip to the Mysterious Middle Kingdom of China!"

Libby and Joseph Bottero, Eugene, Oregon (April 2009)

     
                 
                 
   

 

envelope image   "I took my first trip to China in June with a friend. It was a two week, multi-city, private tour arranged by Jia. We started in Hong Kong, travelled on to Guilin, Xian, Beijing and ended in Shanghai. We decided to work with Jia’s Dream Tours based upon the recommendation of a colleague. It was a great decision. Jia spent many hours interviewing us and tailoring the agenda to our needs and interests. The service did not end there. Jia checked on us numerous times throughout the trip. The local guides were very knowledgeable and professional. The service and the accommodations were excellent. We especially enjoyed the Bamboo Garden Hotel in Beijing. The hotel grounds are charming and peaceful yet it is situated in the midst of a bustling Hutong neighborhood. Overall the experience was wonderful. We will recommend Jia’s Dream Tours to anyone considering travel to China."

Christine Haskins, Chicago, Illinois, (June 2009)

     
                 
                 
   

 

envelope image   "Jia personally arranged and guided our 15 day, 6 city, "off the beaten path" tour of China, which included a 3 day river cruise. It was truly a trip of a lifetime, showing us a side of China not many westerners get to see.

I would like to say that Jia's meticulous planning, with amazing local guides in each city, made the trip what it was, but this does not give her enough credit. The amazing part was how gracefully and efficiently she handled the unexpected, including a few potential vacation killers. From cancelled flights to an injured tour member who couldn't walk, Jia overcame these obstacles with aplomb, often before we even knew they even existed.

Jia's skill as tour organizer was matched only by her demeanor as our guide. With 13 very independent minded tourist to ride herd on, I am sure there were times she wanted to throttle us :). But she was always upbeat, always friendly, and was somehow able to get us where we needed to be, without seeming pushy or bossy.

I would definitely go on tour with her again, and can recommend Jia's Dream Tours without reservation."

Tim Cuffel, (Oct 2007)

     
                 
                 
   

 

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"Jia’s Dream Tours: Too Good To Be True? It’s True!! Believe It! When we first contacted Jia and received her proposal for Our Dream Tour, we couldn’t believe the price. A 25-day custom tour that took us exactly where we wanted to go for LESS than some of the 18-day package tours offered on the internet? Well, the price was correct and we got the trip of a lifetime.

Since we were traveling as a party of two, we didn’t have the pleasure of having Jia as our guide but she did arrange for an English speaking guide in each city as well as a private car and driver. The guides all spoke excellent English and were very friendly and helpful (even retrieving a lost ATM card in Beijing); the drivers were all excellent as well. Our guide met us at the airport—right outside of baggage claim—in each city we visited and our car magically appeared at the curb to collect us. When we switched cities, our guide took us to the airport, got our tickets, checked our luggage and made sure we knew which gate we were going to before leaving us at security. We always felt safe, secure and pampered.

We had specified the principal sights that we wanted to see, but after talking with us Jia proposed additional ones we had not thought of; her choices were all perfect. We were able to visit the selected sites at our own pace and our guides would adjust the schedule to insure that we got to see what we wanted. The guides even steered us to local restaurants for our meals and helped us with order; we got excellent regional Chinese food in local restaurants—sometimes we were the only westerners in the restaurant—rather than the mediocre food one gets on package tours.

Jia spent several hours on the phone with us a few days before our trip, filling us in on what to expect in each of the cities we visited. Our experiences were fantastic and we have many wonderful memories that will last a lifetime. If you want to go to China, have Jia arrange your trip. You won’t regret it. The Chinese are warm and friendly, have a great sense of humor and are wonderful hosts.

We haven’t met Jia yet, but we think of her as a good friend and we are immensely grateful to her for arranging “Sherman & Kristine’s Dream Tour”! Thanks, Jia!"

Sherman Gavette & Kristine Denslow, Camas, Washington (Oct 2007)

     
                 
                 
   

 

envelope image   "I chose an ambitious trip for my first foray into taking groups of my readers to interesting places: Hong Kong, Tibet, and mainland China. Jia put together an incredible trip for us that not only impressed me, but the entire group. They were unanimous that it was a trip of a lifetime, and that Jia's expertise paved the way for it to be just that for all of us. Anytime a problem cropped up, Jia was on top of it -- often before we knew a problem existed. And indeed, most of the time, my group didn't know that there ever was a problem because Jia was able to take care of it before it impacted them in any way. She went the extra mile to ensure our needs were taken care of, and she was incredibly knowledgeable about where to go, what to see, what to do, and what to eat. If any of my friends tell me they're planning to go to China, I will tell them not to even think about it without calling Jia's Dream Tours to set it up for them."

Randy Cassingham, ThisIsTrue.com (Oct 2007)

     
                 
                 
   

 

envelope image   "This is my second trip with Jia. The first one (in 1996) was fantastic, letting me visit the usual tourist places of China, and with superb national and local guides. But this second one was even better!

Again we had the best of national and local guides, professionals who brought the countryside and people to life for us and gave us historic perspectives of the things we were seeing. But this trip was of lesser-visited tourist attractions, though there were plenty of tourists. Jia designed a trip that took us from the magic of Hong Kong, through Guangzhou and Chengdu to Lhasa, Tibet, and then back through Chengdu to Chongqing, down the Yangtze to Wuhan where we saw the Three Gorges Dam, and back to Hong Kong. Wow.

We visited a panda breeding center, mountain villages, locks and dams, temples and palaces. We shopped in all kinds of markets, mingling with locals and tourists alike. Guides sang local folk songs to us and let us sample various folk dancing steps. And the intriguing light shows in various cities were entertaining too.

Jia designed a fantastic tour for us and made sure all of the little details were attended to. It was a flawless trip."

Kit Cassingham, The B&B Lady * Sage Blossom Consulting * Member ISHC (Oct 2007)

     
                 
                 
   

 

envelope image   "I'd have to say that this trip was well-planned, included so many little extras that would be difficult to arrange on one's own (like the shows), and was very well executed. I would certainly not hesitate to use Jia's company again myself or recommend it to my friends. I've done domestic package tours in Japan and so often it amounts to nothing more than a person carrying a flag that everyone follows from place-to-place. This was more of a hand-holding experience that made it very easy to focus on the *places* we went rather than the logistics of how to get there."

Joseph L (Joe) Larabell http://larabell.org (Oct 2007)

     
                 
                 
   

 

envelope image   "Jia, your efficency made me a believer in using a tour company/guides for trips. You made it all go so smoothly and were a good source for information. I really enjoyed the tour and your charming company. Am recommending Jia's Dream Tours to all I know. Thank you for such a great experience! Now I need to learn more about China and Buddism. =)"

Carol Huston (Oct 2007)

     
                 
                 
   

 

envelope image   "Jia: Thank you so much for the adventure-of-a-lifetime! We never traveled with a tour before, so this being our first time experience, I must say I’m completely amazed! The hundreds of details that you arranged, the grace and professionalism with which you handled the inevitable adjustments, the quality of accommodations and transportation, and unique perspectives we experienced that we NEVER would have had if we tried this trip on our own…. Absolutely wonderful! I could go on, but I just want you to know how much I appreciate YOU; we look forward to more Dream Tours!

If the devil is in the details, you are an angel, for certain! You had all of the little and not-so-little details worked out and maintained your cool and professionalism through it all! Thank you so much for Everything!"

Jeff Loether Electro-Media Design, Ltd. (Oct 2007)

     
                 
                 
   

 

envelope image   "Words can’t describe the immense gratitude that Jeff and I have for both of you and your professional company! The trip that we took with you to China and Tibet was only possible because you make arrangements for me to have a wheel chair in every place where we went. You were so kind to offer all this work after the accident that I had when travelling in Hong Kong in our own before we joined your group of thirteen travelers that took us as a family and acted as angels carrying me along with my adorable husband all over the place, allowing me to enjoy all the wonders of those amazing lands! You guys share with us your love and compassion and we will never forget this romantic and incredible adventure!

We are already waiting for the next opportunity to experience another face of life with you!"

Lilly Loether (Oct 2007)

     
                 
                 
   

 

envelope image   "In May 2007, we (a party of 7 people from UK) undertook our incredible dream tour of China with Jia's Dream Tour, and - boy, it was truly unforgettable, amazing and dream tour for all of us! We visited the places in China: Beijing, Xian, Shanghai, Guilin/Yangshuo and finally Hong Kong!

We firstly heard of this Jia's Dream Tour through the Internet and then we had discussions with Jia several times about our plans in China. We were very impressed with her knowledge and her suggestions that would make our time in China a great memorable one for us, such as suggesting us that we would enjoy an evening show of "Legend of Kung Fu" in Beijing as part of our night entertainment. This was something that was not offered by all British tour operators. Plus it highlighted the deep knowledge of Jia about her home country and her birth city.

Her deep knowledge, her great suggestions, her enthusiasm, and a pleasure to talk with her were convincing all of us. We decided to take a plunge with Jia's Dream Tour over many local British Tour Operators.

From the moment we arrived in China to the moment we departed from Hong Kong/China, we experienced a really truly unforgettable dream tour in China! It was and still is the "Tour of Lifetime" for all of us.

Her suggestions, her understandings, her suggested itinerary, her attention, her enthusiasm, her help and her knowledge were all top spot on/world class!

We saw many amazing places, enjoyed many cultural-related activities and places (both day-time and night-time), and enjoyed local cuisines! I never thought that I have developed a fondness for squid-related Chinese meals! :D

The tour guides throughout the tour were excellent, and very high quality - a big credit for Jia to ensure that we receive top/quality tour guides for our tour, to ensure we enjoy a truly dream tour in China! :D The tour guides were native Chineses but despite of that fact, they spoke excellent English, and their knowledge of places/tourist attractions are really impressive! I really enjoyed listening to their history lectures on many places!

Jia was really impressive as well. She kept in touch with us a few times throughout the tour to ensure that we were happy and had a great time throughout the tour. It was really impressive to see that she go extra mile than other tour operators as she wanted to make our tour a dream one for us, just like her company's motto! :D

When our tour in China was over, we were not looking forward to come back to UK as we enjoyed our time in China immensely. We already missed China very much! It was an amazing country to begin with, but with the tour from Jia's Dream Tour, the experience in China was even more amazing and a dream one for us!

Incidentally, we bumped into several very good family friends all over places in China (small world indeed! :D). They went with a different (British) tour operators but they didn't do as many things as ours and they didn't even have good night entertainment as we did! I mean that they never even knew about those popular evening shows in Beijing, Shanghai, Guilin ( i.e. The Legend of Kung Fu, Shanghai Acrobatic Show and Impression of Sanjie Liu). They said that they woukd have booked with Jia's Dream Tours rather than their British tour operators if they knew how much fun and good time we were having in our dream tour in China.

This may sound like we are biased but we do highly recommend Jia's Dream Tour to anyone who want to visit China ( whether they are first-time visitors or not). They will enjoy dream tours just like us!

We will not hesitate to book another dream tour with Jia's Dream Tour when we are planning to visit China again in near future, as we are so impressed with Jia and all! :D

A Very big credit due to Jia for making our time in China a truly amazing, dream, unforgettable and incredible one for all of us!

Jia's company motto is indeed spot on! As our tour in China is indeed dream for all of us! "

Karti Sunda and family/friends, London, UK (May 2007)

     
                 
                 
   

 

envelope image   "Just a quick note to thank-you for organizing our wonderful trip to China. The experience far exceeded our expectations and ranks as the best customized tour we've taken.

Traveling to China can be intimidating for some people, but from the beginning, Jia made the experience flow seemlessly and exactly to our wishes. She went further than just planning a trip, but took the time to get to know us and thus discover passions of ours that she was able to incorporate into the trip.

Every restaurant, attraction and hotel accomidation was planned with detail. Jia was quick to adjust and modify our iternary when we discovered we didn't like certain foods or area attractions. Anything that needed modifying was done with perfection.

Our guides were all very well briefed in the history and usual content of China, as would be expected. They also, however, adapted to every situation to make the experience even more vibrant and tailored then ever sharing a wealth of information and allowing us experiences that most tourists would not have the pleasure of experiencing.

Being world-wide travelers and having been on many planned international vacations, we set the bar high. Jia's Dream Tour lived up to its name, far surpassing any bar of excellence we could have set. We look forward to enjoying another trip one day."

The Bachner Family - Chicago, IL (March 2007)

     
                 
                 
   

 

envelope image   "Our incredible 1997 tour of China was unique and special because of our extraordinary tour guide, Jia Thompson. She described the rich history of China clearly and in charming detail. She was knowledgeable, caring, and unflappable, able to solve the inevitable travel glitches with calm and poise. We felt safe and secure. Her understanding of the complexities of various transportation modes, hotels, and entertainment venues, and her guidance navigating us through airports and other destinations was comforting. We knew we could trust her. Jia is as beautiful inside as out. Would that we only could tour China again with her!"

John and Janice Pechauer, National Advisory Council of the U.S. SBA, Honolulu, Hawaii

     
                 
                 
   

 

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"A natural leader and business-savvy MBA. Warm, dynamic and enthusiastic; Jia is the perfect cultural bridge to experience China!

Lee Jerrell, Ph D, Associate Dean College of Business, San Jose State University, CA

 

     
                 
                 
   

 

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"Her grasp of Chinese History was profound and thorough. She, as a native born Chinese, not only had an empathetic understanding of the culture of this great land but also the ability to communicate it to us through the medium of the English language which is not her mother tongue. Our appreciation of the past and present history and the culture of the people of China was made possible through her erudition. History and culture cannot be expressed uniquely in words. They must be felt and lived. Ms Liu Jia truly felt and lived the glorious history and culture of China. This enabled us to appreciate, respect and marvel at what we saw and experienced.

Ms Liu Jia is a "naturelle" in public relations. Every member of our group felt included in her concern for us. She is gifted with a warm personality and good sense of humour. We respected her professionalism and devotion to her job…Ms Liu Jia is a composed person, capable of making decisions, full of initiative, gifted with commonsense and exuding with charm. This is an exceptional combination of talent in a young lady. As a person, Ms Liu Jia is elegant, kind, sensitive, caring and decorous. She moved among the members of our group with dignity, poise, confidence and exuded the virtue of the dictum, "to be gentle is to be strong".

I do not wish to make this reference a panegyric but this is how my family, I and all the members of our group felt about her. She is no doubt a great asset to her Company and also a wonderful daughter and great ambassadress of China."

Juanito Joseph Perera Ph.B., S.T.B (Rome), B.A. (London), M.A. (UNSW), (MCAE), Karing Cross, Australia

     
                 
                 
   

 

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"An excellent tour guide can make travel golden. After a lifetime of wanting to visit China, I finally arrived in Beijing Airport late one May evening in 1997. And there was Jia, waiting for me with other tour members who had arrived moments earlier.
The lovely Jia, we soon came to appreciate, bridges the Eastern and Western cultures so well with her fluency, culture, fine education and tour-guiding experience. Jia represents her culture beautifully with far-ranging knowledge. As a single, older woman, traveling alone, I was thankful to see that Jia was a warm and caring young woman whose unfailing competence was trustworthy.

We toured much of Eastern China and cruised up the Yangtze River from Wuhan to Chongqing through the three gorges. The ancient ways are still visible and the biggest and the most of everything seems to be in China.

After two weeks of touring and seeing wonderful things, the day came, when Jia stepped down from the bus out of our lives. Tears came to my eyes thinking I would never see her lovely person again. But a couple of years ago, my phone rang, and unexpectedly I heard her voice. I smiled with happiness. And I'm hoping again, even at my age, to take a JIA’s Dream Tour to China."

Sally MacLachlan, Delmar, NY

     
                 
                 
   

 

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"During our tour in China, we encountered a major delay due to mechanical problems with our airplane… Her handling of the situation set the standard for the other tour guides in the same situation. The other guides were always seeking her advice and following her lead but none were able to provide the same level of service. Our group was the envy of the other groups.

Her dedication to her job showed that she prided herself on providing outstanding service in an exceptional demanding and I am sure frequently thankless job. Her sincerity was shown in everything that she did. There was never a doubt that everything she did and every decision she made was in the best interest of the group regardless of the consequences to herself. Jia Liu showed extreme maturity, integrity and good judgment during our tour."

Robert M Caine, Hoover, AL

     
                 
                 
   

 

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"I write this letter on behalf of Jia Thompson of JIA’s Dream Tours, who my wife and I had the pleasure of having as a guide for nearly a week in and around Beijing, China. Upon our arrival in China Jia made us feel immediately at home. She had a perfect understanding of English and knew her Chinese history exceedingly well. She planned our itinerary very well. She was very attentive to our comfort and used great care in selecting restaurants and allowing for rest time. In short, she made our stay in China a memorable one. When we look at our photos and videos we realize that the trip was a success largely because of Jia. The trip to the Great Wall in particular was one of the most exhilarating experiences that we have ever had, in large part because of Jia’s knowledge and ability to fascinate. We would recommend her highly in planning a trip to China."

Michael and Elaine Serling, West Bloomfield Michigan

     
                 
                 
   

 

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"My two week tour of China in October 1996 was a dream come true. Though I signed up for a tour of all the regular tourist things, it wasn't a run-of-the-mill tour. Jia made a wonderful tour fantastic by the detailed information she offered regarding the history and culture and by taking us to sites not part of our planned schedule when we had time. Jia was brilliant at handling the big and little glitches that happened during our trip. We all felt well taken care of by this capable woman."

Kit (Riley) Cassingham, The B&B Lady * Sage Blossom Consulting * Member ISHC

     
                 
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