For a retired teacher, the trip to Taiwan carried special significance.
Fan Qingju was in the first group of mainland tourists to set foot on Taiwan soil. It was her first chance to visit her brother after more than half a century, despite the fact that her southern Guangdong Province home was just a short way across the sea from Taiwan.
After the civil war (1945-1949), Fan's elder brother and sister-in-law went to Taiwan with the fleeing Nationalist Party ofChina (KMT).
"In the past, they came to visit us every two years," recalled the 66-year-old academic. "But recently, they are not in good physical condition. How we wish to visit them."
Fan was among 106 Guangdong residents, the first mainland tourists to start a 10-day trip to China's largest island.
At the beginning of the year she didn't tell her brother she had overheard that Taiwan might be open soon to mainland tourists and she had applied to the Guangzhilu (GZL) International Travel Service Ltd.
"If I couldn't go, they will surely be disappointed," she said.
When the agency called with the good news, Fan described her feeling "like winning a lottery." The delighted woman then went about buying gifts for the trip -- clothes for her brother and Olympic souvenirs for her nephew and niece.
HISTORIC FLIGHTS
The first cross-Strait weekend chartered flight from China's mainland to Taiwan took off at 6:31 a.m. on Friday from Guangzhou. It was part of a historic journey of 760 mainlanders from five cities. The trip came three weeks after a meeting between the mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits and the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation.
Under an agreement, 36 return flights will operate every weekend, Friday to Monday, divided evenly between mainland and Taiwan airlines.
As many as 3,000 mainland tourists are allowed to travel to Taiwan daily in groups of 10 to 40, staying for a maximum of 10 days.
"I have been expecting to visit Taiwan and my dream will finally come true today," beaming Guangdong native Shi Anwei said before boarding the plane. "I was too excited to sleep last night."
Yang Guoqing, General Administration of Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) deputy head, said "regular flights across the Taiwan Strait would definitely boost the civil aviation market in the Asia-Pacific region and even the world."
Xia Xinghua, CAAC east China bureau director, said there had been great progress since Shanghai was chosen the first city for cross-Strait flight operation five years ago.
"The increasing and convenient flights across the Strait are not only an improved means of transportation, they are also an emotional and cultural bridge for the people. They have changed the way of thinking of both sides," he said.
EXPENSE NOT THE ISSUE
Zhang Jianjun, general manager of a Beijing-based advertising company, said he was satisfied with the simple application procedure for the trip.
"I just brought my residence booklet and working certificate," he said. The first Beijing citizen applying for a Taiwan tour spent two minutes to get his visa on Wednesday.
But he believed the cost of the 10-day trip was relatively high.
The price varied a little bit in different cities, but was generally between 12,000 yuan (1,748 U.S. dollar) to 13,000 yuan. A trip to Europe would carry a similar price tag.
"The price is acceptable for me," he said. "But for ordinary people, it is not cheap. I think the proper cost should be 7,000 to 8,000 yuan."
His view was shared by 64-year-old Lei Ming. The retired worker from the Shanghai Salvage Bureau added, "in the first group, we witnessed the historic moment which made the trip worthy."
Liu Minghua, general manager of the China Youth Travel Service Shanghai branch, said half of the 100 tourists in the group were retirees.
Their trip covered most famous natural and cultural attractions around the island in Taipei, Kaohsiung, Kenting, Hualien, Ali Mountain and the Sun and Moon Lake, among others.
Tourists were also able to try local cuisine and snacks. Liu, like officials from other agencies, invited some Taiwan travel agencies to conduct training for their tour guides.
Some travel agencies also provided handbooks for the tourists, such as GZL, which gave out a Taiwan map, schedule, instructions and even a famous songs for a keepsake.
EXPECTATIONS AND WORRIES
Much like Fan and Lei, each had their different expectations for the trip.
Zhang Jianjun, a Beijing businessman, was interested in Taiwan culture. "The film industry and advertising are well developed in Taiwan. As I am doing advertising, I want to learn some new conceptions," he said.
He most desired to see the Palace Museum and the 101 Tower, the world's tallest building. "Its a pity that Teresa Teng's tomb was not on the schedule. The pop singer was a pride of all Chinese," he said. Superstar Teng had enjoyed popularity in east Asia for more than three decades before her death in 1995.
"I also want to show our compatriots on the island our condition. People from both sides of the Taiwan Straits should get to know each other better and join hands for development."
Gao Wei, a Nanjing Institute of Tourism and Hospitality teacher, said she would pay special attention to the service. "I know that traditional courtesies in Taiwan are better-preserved. I would observe some examples for my teaching in future."
Chen Jiawei, 20, a Macau University of Science and Technology student, said he had made friends with many Taiwan youngsters via the Internet.
"Time permitting, I will meet them," he said, adding he would snap more photos and keep a diary so as to share his experience with friends on return.
For 64-year-old retired teacher Wu Jianzhi and his wife, the tour was a gift from their children for their 40th anniversary.
"China is growing stronger since the reform and opening-up 30 years ago. I have been to many parts of our country except Taiwan," he said. The old couple now "read reports concerning Taiwan from newspapers every day."
Even the CAAC's Xia had his wish. "Direct flights have not been realized yet as all the planes flew to Taipei by way of Hong Kong airspace," he said.
He quoted a famous line of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the great pioneer of the Chinese democratic revolution and founder of the Nationalist Party of China(KMT): "The revolution has not succeeded. Comrades needs to work harder."
However, worries still lingered for the trip.
"In Taiwan, smoking is banned in public places, even in the toilets," said Li Dongyun, a GZL manager. "In some scenic spots, like the Palace Museum, it is not allowed to take photos."
She noted that unlike business people in the mainland, Taiwan people were not used to bargaining when doing business.
A senior tour guide who declined to be named said the visitors would be rushed during their 10 days since they were arranged to visit so many sites. "There may not be enough time for them to stop (long enough) in one site, say, such as the Sun Moon Lake, toenjoy the beauty," he said.
(Xinhua reporters contributing to this story included Zhang Duo from the Beijing bureau, Lai Shaofen and Chen Ji from the Guangdong bureau, Wang Wei from the Shanghai bureau, Wang Junyong from the Jiangsu bureau and Yu Yingrui from the Fujian bureau.)
Source: Xinhua
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