Trip # Assigned: ___________
Leader Name: Janet Taylor
Destination: China
APPLICATION TO LEAD AN AMC MAJOR EXCURSION
If possible, please fill this form out electronically so that it can be distributed by email. Type on
or over lines and directly into the appropriate sections of tables. When responding to Yes/No
questions, please delete the answer you do not want so that only the appropriate answer remains.
If you are filling out a hard copy, please attach additional pages if you find there is not enough
space to answer thoroughly.
I. TRIP PROPOSED
A) Trip Title: China: Land of Mystery and Paradox
B) Type of Trip: Cultural with some hiking and conservation observation
C) Date: Start October 9, 2004
End October 31, 2004
Length of Trip 23 days
Participants: (not counting leaders) Minimum # 10 people Maximum # 16 people
D) Brief outline of trip and trip activities. You may write or type below or attach as a
separate sheet. A complete itinerary with all available contact information must be provided
before departure.
Separate sheet attached
E) Permits: Does the trip require special permits (required on all U.S. federal lands)?
No
If yes, please explain what permits will be needed and how/when they will be acquired.
F) Equipment: Does the trip require special technical equipment?
No
If yes, what equipment is needed and will any of it be provided by the trip?
G) Educational Aspect: What are the specific education, conservation, or recreation
components of this trip?
Conservation – visit Nature Conservancy project in Lijiang; lecture on Yangtze River Dam
Recreation hike on Emei Mountain and LOTS of walking
Education – all the cultural sites visited
3/8/02
H) Outfitters: Will this trip require an outfitter? No, but because of language issues and the
considerable travel arrangements needed within China, Richard Wang (or an associate) will
accompany us for the entire trip.
Who are they? Richard Wang, General Manager of Xi’an Hi-Tech Travel Service, Xi’an, China.
Strong recommendation from Anne Watt, Sr. Program Director, Primary Source; Director, New
England China Network, of Watertown, Ma. They have worked together many years.
What is their safety record?
Not an outfitter, so ? seems irrelevant
Do they have liability insurance? Yes, for all persons traveling with them. $40,000 is highest
compensation per person. They have a license from the China Tourism Adm. to do international
travel business, and Richard is a licensed English speaking tour guide of advanced class.
Can they provide a certificate of insurance listing AMC as an additional party insured?
No
How do they handle emergencies? Clinics and doctors are available in all the hotels and the
sights we are to see. First aid services are readily available
II. LEADER INFORMATION
A) Contact Information
Leader: Janet Taylor
Co-Leader: Jeanne Kangas
Address: 4 Trotting Horse Drive
Address:959 Hill Rd.
Lexington, MA 02421
Boxborough, MA 01719
Home Phone: 781-862-1897
Home Phone: 978-263-8594
Work Phone: none
Work Phone: 978-369-0001
Email: jliztaylor@rcn.com
Email: jkangas@arnoldkangas.com
B) First Aid Training – To lead a Major Excursion, you must have current CPR and
Wilderness First Aid (WFA) or its equivalent at the time of your trip.
Course
Other cert.:
Leader
Exp. Date
On file
On file
Copy Attached
No
No
Course
Co-Leader
Exp. Date Copy Attached
Other cert.:
If copies of CPR and WFA or equivalent are not attached, please detail your specific plan to
obtain this certification. Both leader and co-leader will update before trip
3/8/02
C) Leader Experience and Training
New Leaders: If you are a new leader or co-leader, you must have submitted the form
“Application to Become a Major Excursions Leader.” Please attach a copy of that form.
Experienced Major Excursions Leaders: Please list below the last three trips you have led for the
AMC including destination, type of trip (backpacking, skiing, etc.), dates, and number of
participants. Feel free to list additional trips you have led, particularly if they demonstrate
experience related to the trip you are proposing.
1. Belize and Guatemala – Ecotour, #0212 - 14 participants
2.Rocky Mountain High – Hiking – co-leader with Joe Kuzneski - #0105 – 14 participants
3.Guadaloupe Sailing Trip
Feb, 2001 - 15 participants
D) Scouting: Have you or your co-leader led this trip before or traveled in the area?
E) : I have been in Hong Kong, but we will not visit there on this trip.
No
F) Special Experience: What special skills or experience are required to lead this trip and how
do you or your co-leader bring these skills and experience?
Both the leader and co-leader have led major excursions to countries where language and
customs have differed significantly from our own. We have also traveled extensively on our
own, are/have been hiking, skiing and canoe leaders in the Boston Chapter, with many years of
trip leading experience and positive response from participants. Leader will be studying
“traveler’s Chinese” this year.
G) Couples: If leader and co-leader are a couple or have some other close personal relationship,
what are your back up plans if one if you cannot go and the other must stay behind as well?
Or if you are in the field and both of you must return?
H) Medical History: Both leader and co-leader need to have a recent copy of the AMC
Confidential Medical Form on file at 5 Joy St. This form can be obtained online at
http://snebulos.mit.edu/orgs/amc/ or call Katherine Byers at 617-523-0655 x333 to receive a
hard copy by mail. Copies on file for both leaders
III. RISK ASSESSMENT
A) Please assess the risks/hazards of your trip. Carefully consider each area of risk and how it
may affect your trip with specific potential hazards. Then, devise a plan to attempt to prevent
each hazard and to respond to it if it becomes necessary.
3/8/02
Areas of Risk
Climate/Terrain:
trail conditions,
weather, etc.
Potential Hazards
Minimal – favorable time of
year; hiking days could be
strenuous
Prevention/Response
Options on hiking days
Chair lift at Emei Shan
Foreign Countries:
political concerns,
crime, language
translation
Always a potential for
political “event” or upheaval;
No one in group may be
fluent in Chinese
-Would cancel, if necessary, or rearrange
travel plans
Chinese leader with us at all times; leader
will take “tourist Chinese”
Transportation:
vehicles, drivers,
insurance
No driving by any group
members
All transportation on licensed airlines,
trains, cruise ship, buses
Participants:
skill level, health,
group dynamics
Possible issue with unusual
Will advise on medications to bring,
food and contracting intestinal shots to have before trip. Provide for
problems
options for meals
Other:
B) Emergency Action Plan
Before you leave for you trip, you will need to provide a list of participants and their emergency
contacts in case something happens to someone in the field as well as an itinerary with phone
numbers (where available) in case something happens at home. In the space below, please
describe your plans for dealing with emergencies. Please use as much detail as possible and
attach additional sheets if necessary.
Emergency Communication (phone contacts, language, documentation)
Full itinerary with names of hotels, phone numbers, etc, will be provided to all participants and
to the Club. Copies of passport front page will be required. Visas will be obtained beforehand.
Evacuation (out of backcountry location, out of foreign country)
We will not be in the backcountry. However, evacuation insurance will be offered to all
participants in case of medical emergencies.
Medical Care (local medical facilities – location and quality)
All cities we will visit have hospitals or clinics known to our guide.
3/8/02
IV. COST INFORMATION
Your application to lead a trip will not be accepted if a detailed cost analysis is not attached.
A) Estimated cost per participant with minimum # _$3950.00__ with maximum # $3950.00
Cost per participant to be listed in AMC Outdoors $3950.00
B) What deposits are required in advance? 10% on hotels; 20% on Yangtze River cruise; not
sure yet on flights.
C) What is the latest date for you to cancel and get a full refund? 30 days prior to arrival on
hotels; 45 days prior on Yangtze River cruise
D) What are your plans if you do not get the required number of people?
We will run the trip if we get 10 participants, and leaders will cover the remainder of our
expenses.
V. PRIVATE TRIPS
Are you currently (up to and including the time frame of this proposed trip) leading trips that are
“private,” i.e. not sponsored by the AMC?
No
VI. AMC OUTDOORS INFORMATION
Detailed instructions on trip listings available at http://snebulos.mit.edu/orgs/amc/
A) Request month for trip to first appear in AMC Outdoors
January, 2004
Date to be pulled October, 2004, unless earlier request given
B) Please provide an electronic copy of both the long (150 words maximum) and short form (50
word maximum) announcements. Note that the word count stops at the phrase “For info.”
See attached
VII. TRIP PROPOSAL AND APPROVAL PROCESS
Trips cannot come before the Major Excursions Committee for approval unless the forms are
completely filled out and received three weeks prior to MEC meetings for review. Please make
sure you have filled out all appropriate sections of this form completely and included any
necessary attachments.



First aid certifications
Leader Qualification information
AMC Medical form for both leaders
3/8/02


Detailed cost information
AMC Outdoors listings
By turning in this proposal, you are agreeing to the following:
I have read the Major Excursions Leader Handbook and I agree to follow all policies and
procedures of the Major Excursions Committee and the Appalachian Mountain Club in
preparing for and conducting my major excursion.
Thank you for completing this form!
 Copies of first aid certifications and medical forms should be submitted in hard copy only.
These can be faxed (marked attn: Katherine Byers) to 617-523-0722 or mailed to the Major
Excursions, 5 Joy St. address below.
 Email submissions of this trip proposal form are preferred.
Email should be sent to both of the following two addresses:
T. Walley Williams, Major Excursions Committee Chair at twalley.williamsiii@verizon.net
Katherine Byers, AMC Outdoor Leadership Coordinator at kbyers@amcinfo.org
Or, if you unable to send electronically, please mail a hard copy to the following two addresses:
T. Walley Williams, III
Chair, AMC Major Excursions Committee
71 Orchard St.
Belmont, MA 02478-3509
Major Excursions
Appalachian Mountain Club
5 Joy St.
Boston, MA 02108
Questions? Call T. Walley Williams at the above email or 617-484-1877.
He can put you in touch with an experienced MEC mentor who can help you with trip planning.
3/8/02
TRIP ITINERARY
D1 Fly from US – either Boston or New York
D2 Arrive in Beijing. Welcoming dinner of Peking Duck
D3 Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Taintan(Temple of Heaven), Lama Monastary
Beijing opera in evening
D4 Spirit Way, Ming Tombs and the Great Wall at Badaling
D5 Summer Palace, pedicab Hutong (lane) tour; overnight train to Xi’an with
air-conditioned soft berth 5:30 pm /7:30am
D6 Big Goose Pagoda, Shaanxi History Museum, Ming Dynasty city wall
Hot pot dinner
D7 Banpo Museum (remains of 6000 year old neolithic village), Terra Cotta Army
Dumpling dinner and Tang Dynasty show in the evening
D8 Morning flight to Chengdu. Panda Center (best in country), and Sanxingdui (3000 year old
Bronze culture, honored to be the 9th world wonder)
D9 Emei Mountain with Buddhist monastaries – hiking – stay over night in mountain hotel
D10 Bus ride to Leshan to see Leshan Dafo (giant Buddha in stone carving), bus return to
Changdu
D11 Morning flight to Lijiang, visit Nature Conservancy project, old murals at a village of Bai
Minority, Lijiang Museum (see culture of Naxi minority)
D12 Mu Palace (palace of Naxi chiefs), ancient city of Lijiang
D13 Morning flight to Kunming. Xishan, Yuantong Monastary, local flower market, dinner with
Dances of minority people
D14 Stone Forest, local tea house; late pm flight to Guilin
D15 Li River boat tour to Yangsuo
D16 Reed Flute Cave, Fuposhan (beautiful park with hill to hike); late pm flight to Chongqing,
stay aboard ship
D17 Yangtze River cruise departs at 9 am
D18 Yangtze River Cruise
D19 Yangtze River Cruise; depart boat at Shashi about 3:30 pm; 3 hour bus ride to Wuhan
D20 fly to Shanghai; afternoon activities; Acrobatic show in the evening
D21 One hour bus ride to Suzhou to see Zhouzhuang, canal and gardens for whole day
D22 Shanghai Museum, opera house, the bund. Farewell dinner. Huangpu River evening boat
Tour. Shopping
D23 Morning shopping if time. Depart for US
3/8/02
TRIP BUDGET
Per person
All costs in China, including hotel, food, transportation, entrances
$2310
Airfare *
1000
Cost for leaders
270
2 leader airfares --- $2000
1 leader land (1 free) $2310
div. by 16 participants
Administrative Costs
20
AMC Overhead
230
Contingency
Total

120
$3950
It is possible that these costs could change. Cannot get group rates until November and we
will also explore consolidator rates, which may be lower.
3/8/02
LONG FORM NOTICE
CHINA: LAND OF MYSTERY AND PARADOX
OCT 4 – 26, 2003 #------Come to China, where bamboo and stainless steel, capitalism and communism coexist. Visit the
quickly changing Chinese landscape, such as the Three Gorges Dam, the colossal project
uprooting over 1.2 million people and submerging forever more than 1,000 important
archaeological and architectural sites, before modernization erases more of this ancient culture.
We focus on the traditional sights and sounds of China, including the Great Wall, the mysterious
Terra Cotta army, the Panda Center, a hike on Emei Shan and a stay in a mountainside
monastery, the DaFo, Lijiang and a Nature Conservancy project in far southwest China,
Kunming, Guilin and a cruise on the Li River, and the famous Yangtze River cruise, before the
scenery changes forever. Our tour ends in bustling Shanghai. Approx. cost of $3695 is based on
dbl. occ., and includes round-trip airfare, all meals and lodging, plane, train and boat fares within
China, and all tickets and entrances. For info. send SASE (2 stamps) to CL Jeanne Kangas, 959
Hill Rd., Boxborough, MA 01719, or jkangas@arnoldkangas.com. L Jan Taylor (781-862-1897).
SHORT NOTICE
CHINA: LAND OF MYSTERY AND PARADOX
Oct. 4 – 26, 2003 #________
China, where bamboo and stainless steel, capitalism and communism coexist!! Trip includes the
Great Wall, Terra Cotta Army, Yangtze River cruise, Guilin and the Li River. Tour begins in
Beijing and ends in Shanghai. Approx. cost of $3695 includes double occ., round-trip airfare, all
meals, lodging and transportation, and all admission fees in China. For info., send SASE (2
stamps) to CL Jeanne Kangas, 959 Hill Rd., Boxborough, MA 01719, or jkangas@arnoldkangas.com.
L Jan Taylor (781-862-1897).
3/8/02