EXPERIENCE ANCIENT AND MODERN CHINA
Erik Madsen/Carson Tang
Saturday August 1st to Saturday August 15th 2009
Major Excursions Trip Proposal Form
The following pages contain the application to lead an AMC Major Excursion. Please complete the form with as
much detail as possible, and attach additional sheets if necessary. Also include a detailed budget/costing sheet
that clearly shows all costs associated with your planned excursion. The trip proposal form and budget are due
two weeks prior to the MEC meeting in which it will be reviewed. Deadlines will be posted on the MEC leader
website (http://snebulos.mit.edu/orgs/amc/) and sent to you on the MEC leader listserv well in advance of the
meeting. The MEC will not accept late proposals unless the chair is notified in advance with a compelling reason.
Incomplete applications will be returned to you and not reviewed until complete, so please make sure to fill in all
applicable sections.
The application was created in a Microsoft Word protected document. To fill in each section click on the check
box and/or on the grey text box and start typing. The boxes will automatically get larger as you fill in text. If you
find that you need a lot of space to explain a section, please say “see additional attachment” and attach a separate
page.
In addition, the following are helpful during the review process, but need only be submitted after your proposal is
accepted:
50 and 150 word notices for the AMC Outdoors and www.outdoors.org. Please see the current rules http://snebulos.mit.edu/orgs/amc/listings/ and schedule for submitting notices for the AMC Outdoors.
Trip prospectus – without the application forms attached – in Microsoft Word or PDF format
Finally, we need to have on file at Joy Street, the following documents:
A completed confidential medical form for the leader and co-leader (after approval is given)
Copies of first aid and CPR certifications for leader and co-leader (before or after approval is given)
A completed application to be a co-leader if the co-leader is new (before proposal is submitted)
We will accept snail mail applications, but electronic forms are preferred. Please save and forward your
electronic document with the following naming convention:
Leader’s last name, trip destination, year of trip and what type of document it is (application, budget, Outdoors listing or
prospectus)
For example, Smith-New Zealand-2007-Application.doc or Smith-New Zealand-2007-Budget.xls
Applications should be sent electronically to the MEC Chair, Stacia Zukroff, at mecchair@amcboston.org and
to amcexcursions@outdoors.org. They can be mailed to: Travel Programs Coordinator, 5 Joy Street, Boston,
MA 02108. If you have any questions, please contact Stacia at: 781-648-5503 or mecchair@amcboston.org.
SUMMARY OF TRIP INFORMATION
Title of trip
Leadership
Revised 7/15/2016
EXPERIENCE ANCIENT AND MODERN CHINA
Leader Erik Madsen
Co-leader Carson Tang
Major Excursions Trip Proposal Form, page 1 of 6
EXPERIENCE ANCIENT AND MODERN CHINA
Erik Madsen/Carson Tang
Saturday August 1st to Saturday August 15th 2009
Beijing, Xian, Guilin, Yangshou, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Shanghai
Saturday August 1st to Saturday
Total # of days 16
August 15th 2009
Hiking
Downhill skiing
Kayaking
Location(s)
Dates
Type of trip
check all that apply
Backpacking
Cultural
Road biking
Nordic ski
Mountain biking
Snorkeling
Other – please describe
Cultural trip involves lots of walking, several hikes limited to 6 miles, bike rental is
an option on part of the trip.
Max 24
Min 14
$ 2,793 Approximate Does it include airfare? Yes
No
$ 1,300 Approximate
Number of participants
Advertised cost
Airfare range if not included
LEADER AND CO-LEADER INFORMATION
Leader name
Leader address
Leader email
Leader phone
Wilderness first aid training
CPR training
Prior leading experience
Trip one
Trip two
Trip three
Other related trip experience
Co-leader name
Co-leader address
Co-leader email
Co-leader phone
Wilderness first aid training*
CPR training*
Prior leading experience
Scouting
Have either of you led this trip
before or traveled to this
area?
Erik Madsen
70 Oak Hill DR, Bristol, CT, 06010-2438
emadsen2004@yahoo.com
Home 860-314-0125
Work 860-418-6012
WFA
AWFA
WFR
Expiration: 04/2011
CPR
BLS
Expiration: 04/2010
Please list the last three longer (5+ day) trips you have led for the AMC including
destination, type of trip, 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.
Southern Utah, day hikes, 11 days May 06, 18 participants
Canadian Rockies, day hikes, 10 days, August 2007, 17 participants.
Bhutan, trek, 19 days, September 2007, 12 participants.
Carson Tang
2nd Floor, 1653 11th AVE, Brooklyn, NY, 11215-6018
carsonoutdoors@earthlink.net
Home 917-880-5091
Work 347-689-9090
WFA
AWFA
WFR
Expiration: 02/09 Will renew as necessary
CPR
BLS
Expiration: 8/7/08 Will renew as necessary
If you are a new co-leader you must submit an application to be a major excursions
leader or co-leader prior to submitting this application.
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below:

To lead a major excursion you must have current CPR and WFA at the time of your trip (or AWFA for all
backcountry trips). If you do not have the required level of certification at the time you submit your proposal or it will
expire before the date of your trip, you will need to make arrangements to recertify in a timely manner.

Revised 7/15/2016
Major Excursions Trip Proposal Form, page 2 of 6
EXPERIENCE ANCIENT AND MODERN CHINA
Erik Madsen/Carson Tang
Saturday August 1st to Saturday August 15th 2009
Languages
Does either the co-leader or
leader speak the local
language?
Couples
Do the leader and co-leader
have a significant personal
relationship?
Private trips
Do either of you lead trips that
are private - not sponsored by
the AMC?
Co-leader: Yes
No
Leader: Yes
No
Not applicable:
Executive summary
Please provide a brief
description of the trip and the
activities planned.
Cultural tour of China, to experience the people, architecture, culture, history, and natural
beauty of an ancient civilization comming to terms with the modern era. Points of interest
include sightseeing in an around the cities of Beijing, Xian, Guilin, Yangshuo, Hangzhou,
Suzhou, and Shanghai. Trip will include Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Great Wall,
Summer Palace, Terra-cotta Warriors, Wild Goose Pagoda, Tang Dynasty Dance show, Li
river cruise, Yangshuo rice paddies, Reed Flute Cave, Elephant Trunk Hill, Six
Harmonies Pagoda, tea plantation, Jade Bhuddha Temple, Shanghai Old Town, Shanghai
museum, Acrobatic Show, Lingering Garden, Panmen City Gate, and Embroidery
Institute. Opportunites for cultural immersion will include a visit with minority villagers.
Participant involvement in cultural activities like farming, cooking, and crafts will be
sought for their educational value.
All accomodations in five star hotels to be arranged in advance by tour operator.
Yes
No
If yes, please list who has agreed to be your back-up in case one or
both of you need to drop out. This is required for approval!
Yes
No
If yes, please note that you cannot advertise AMC and private trips
together unless there is a clear distinction between the two in any marketing
materials you send out.
LOGISTICAL DETAILS OF TRIP
Accommodations
Please describe your plan for
accommodation(s)
Meals
Please describe your plan for
providing meals
Permits or permissions
Does the trip require special
permits or permissions?
(required on many U.S.
federal lands and national
parks)
Special equipment
Does the trip require special
equipment?
Special experience
Does the trip require special
skills on the part of the
participant?
Pre-trip activities
Do you plan to get your group
together before the trip for an
activity or social event?
Conservation, education and
recreation
How will this major excursion
meet the mission of the AMC?
www.outdoors.org/about/
mission.cfm
Revised 7/15/2016
Most meals in China included in tour package. Many dinners to be coordinated and
provided by trip leaders. Trip cost will include all meals.
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below:
China Visa must be obtained by all participants. Trip leaders will assist participants with
the visa process. The cost of visa is included in the price of the trip.
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below what type of equipment and how you
will ensure that people know how to use it:
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below what type of experience? Also describe
how you will ensure that the participant has this experience?
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below what you will do:
Cultural immersion and education are key themes of this trip. The accompanying licensed
english speaking guide will be proficent in the history and traditions of the places we visit.
Environmentally sensitive subjects like, wildlife habitat, overfishing, pollution,
automobile use, and industrialization will be discussed. When possible english speaking
guides will be sought at museums. Participants will learn village life through experiencial
learning. Participants will have opportunity to assess the relationship between
environmental conservation and human progress in China.
Major Excursions Trip Proposal Form, page 3 of 6
EXPERIENCE ANCIENT AND MODERN CHINA
Erik Madsen/Carson Tang
Saturday August 1st to Saturday August 15th 2009
TOUR OPERATOR AND GUIDE SERVICE INFORMATION
Will this trip require a tour
operator or guide service
during part, or the entire
trip?
Name of tour operator/guide
service
Tour operator website
Safety record
Please provide information
about their safety record.
Insurance
Do they have liability
insurance?
Emergency response
Please describe the outfitters’
response plan in the case of an
emergency.
Yes
No
Please describe their services. If you are using a tour operator for the entire trip,
please describe why you will be using them rather than doing this trip on your own:
Tour operator will coordinate entire trip except for a few select dinners. Leader will
get overseas flights through either a consolidator or tour operator. An english
speaking guide will accompany the group for its entire stay in China. The guide will
inplement the trip intinerary as contracted, and see that the trip runs smoothly.
Additionally the guide will educate the participants about the culture and
environment of the sites visited. The trip itinerary was created by the leaders as a
custom trip. Credentials and references will be checked prior to signing a contract.
Leaders will make clear the expectation that all services rendered by the guide be of
the standards set forth in the contract.
Sunshine Travel USA, & China International Travel Service
sunshinetravelusa.com, cits.net
Sunshine travel usa is a registered tour operator in China. Sunshine travel usa specializes
in creating custom tour packages. Sunshine travel usa has helped us to plan all the details
of the trip. Sunshine travel usa will be responsible for booking our boat cruise, air travel,
and hotels, all of which we will review to be satisfactory before having them booked.
Sunshine travel usa does not own or operate any of these entities. Sunshine travel usa will
use CITS (China International Travel Service) to implement the land portion of our tour.
CITS will be providing our guides and making all necessary transportation and
accommodation arrangements. CITS has been in operation for 30 years and currently
controls 10% of the China travel business. It is the biggest tour operator in China. It is run
by the government and administered through CNTA (China National Tourism
Administration). CITS uses an examination and licensing process to assure quality in tour
guides and tour management. We are researching to find out about the safety record,
liability insurance, and emergency response of CITS. CITS from my research thus far
does not appear to be a shoddy fly by night opperation. We do expect that CITS will prove
to meet the high tour operator standards of the AMC. We choose CITS because they have
the best expertise and resources when it comes to accessing places that are less frequented
by tourists. Because of its size we thought it best not to work directly with CITS, but
instead to work with an affiliated tour operator. Sunshine travel usa has been very
accomodating and attentive to our needs thus far, and has more pull with CITS than we
would individually. The safety record, liability insurance, and emergency response of
sunshine travel usa are secondary to those of CITS.
Maximum amt: $ Researching, will
Liability? Yes
No
provide at a later date.
Are they willing to list AMC as an
Yes
No
additional insured?
See safety record above. Any additional information concerning emergency response will
be forwarded to AMC as it becomes available to us.
RISK ASSESSMENT
Please assess the risks and hazards of your trip. Carefully consider each area of risk and how it may affect your trip.
Devise a plan to prevent each hazard and to respond to it if it becomes necessary. Please be very specific for each section if
applicable.
Trail conditions, river crossings, weather, wildlife (bears, snakes, etc.)
Climate/terrain
Potential hazards
(1)Mud, (2)rain, (3)lightning, (4)hypothermia, (5)poisonous snakes, (6)ticks, (7)Heat
Revised 7/15/2016
Major Excursions Trip Proposal Form, page 4 of 6
EXPERIENCE ANCIENT AND MODERN CHINA
Erik Madsen/Carson Tang
Response
Foreign Country
Potential hazards
Response
Transportation
Potential hazards
Response
Participants
Potential hazards
Response
Other
Potential hazards
Response
Saturday August 1st to Saturday August 15th 2009
exhaustion, (8)motion sickness, (9)Sunburn, (10)Common Cold, (11)Diarrhoea,
(12)Giardia, (13)Amoebic Dysentery, (14) Bird Flu
(1)Light weight hiking boots, (2)rain jacket with hood, (3)adequate clothing water and
calories, (4)Take shelter or follow solo proceedures for avoidance, (5)avoid vegetation
and holes, (6)avoid vegetation and inspect self for ticks, (7)Drink fluids with electrolytes,
avoid sun, (8)Participant has Dramamine, (9)Suntan lotion, (10)Wash hands before
touching self, (11)Participant has Immodium, (12)Explosive diarrhoea, see doctor,
(13)Bloody diarrhoea, participant treats with metronidazole, (14)Be aware of outbreaks
and avoid those areas.
Political concerns, crime, language translation, terrorism
(1)Theft, (2)robbery, (3)language difficulty, (4)Terrorism
Will check US State Dept website for China concerns (1)Hold onto belongings, or keep
locked, (2)Avoid crime areas, (3)Have list of common phrases, Guide speaks English, (4)
Terrorism is not directed at tourists.
Road conditions, drivers, insurance
(1)Accidents, (2)Liability
(1)Will ask Tour Operator, and guide to explain proceedures in the event of an accident,
(2)Will expect Tour Operator contract to assure that all drivers are licensed and have
appropriate insurance.
Level of fitness, screening concerns, experience with equipment or activity
(1)Not physically fit for walks, (2)lying about ability, (3)Getting Lost.
(1)Screen participants carefully, (2)Be thorough in questioning, check references, meet
participant at pre trip meeting, (3)Participants will have on their person directions for what
to do when lost, and be advised verbally how to aviod loosing the group.
Conditions unique to this type of trip
(1)TB, (2)Typoid, (3)Sexually transmitted disease, (4)Malaria, (5)Bed Bugs, Lice, Crabs,
(6)Bee stings, (7)Cholera, Dengue Fever, (8)Filariasis, (9)Encephalitis,
(10)Leishmaniasis, (11)Rabies, (12)Tetnus, (13)Typus, (14)Bird Flu
(1)watch for symtoms and participant treats with antibiotic, avoid people that cough,
(2)Increasing fever requires medical attention, drink bottled/boiled water, avoid washed
vegetables, (3)Use condoms, (4)Participant uses Deet, netting, clothing, stay indoors,
(5)Avoid bloody marks in or near bedding, use sheet liner and pillow case, (6)watch for
anaphalaxis, (7)Stay hydrated, (8)Look for fever, pain, swelling of limbs, scotum, lymph
nodes, blindess and seek medical attention, (9)look for fever and altered consciousness,
aviod mosquitoes, get medical help, (10)Use deet and aviod sand flies, (11)Seek medical
help if bitten by animal, (12)Get tetnus shot prior to trip, (13)Aviod Ticks and Lice, (14)
Monitor incidents of Bird Flu prior to trip, avoid places with outbreaks, take vacination if
available prior to trip, know symptoms.
EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN
Please describe your plans for dealing with emergencies. Use as much detail as possible, and list any special
communications equipment you may need to ensure the safety of your participants. DO NOT LEAVE THIS SECTION
BLANK
All participants will carry their personal emergency contact information, including contact
Emergency communication
Phone contacts, language,
info for the AMC and any travel insurance, Leaders will also carry all participant
documentation, distance from
emergency contact and medical information. Will ask that tour operator provide guide and
emergency services
participants with emergency services contact information for all points on the trip. Guide
will facillitate language issues in most emergencies. Group will be in civilization
throughout entire trip and thus close to and accesible to emergency responders.
None needed, phones are available or close by.
Emergency equipment
What sort of emergency first
aid or communication
equipment (satellite phone,
two-way radios) do you plan
to use, if any?
Revised 7/15/2016
Major Excursions Trip Proposal Form, page 5 of 6
EXPERIENCE ANCIENT AND MODERN CHINA
Erik Madsen/Carson Tang
Saturday August 1st to Saturday August 15th 2009
Evacuation
Please describe your plan for
evacuation from the
backcountry location if
applicable?
Medical care
Please describe the medical
care available in the area(s)
where you will be traveling
and list names and telephone
numbers for these facilities.
NA
Deposits
What deposits will be required
by airlines, hotels, tour
operators, etc., and when?
Refunds
What is the latest date you can
cancel and still receive a full
refund?
Participant deposit
What are the initial deposit
and your schedule of
payments?
Cancellation policy
What will your cancellation
policy be for the participants?
US to Asia flights will need to be paid for before 4/1/09, however, purchase sooner may
get a lower price. Land costs will be paid on or before 6/1/08.
See emergency communication above for means and method of communication. Cities are
nearby that have good basic medical care. Serious medical issuses could result in transfer
to larger city, or return to US hospital.
COST AND BUDGET DETAILS
Minimum numbers
Will you still run the trip if you
do not get the minimum
number?
2/1/09 for full refund minus a $60 administrative fee and any existing or future incurred
costs.
Deposit due with application is $1,000. Remaining balance due by 2/1/09.
After 2/1/09 cancellations are subject to the conditions of Refunds above, in addition to
the following conditions. Land costs will be refunded if a replacement participant can be
found. Airfares purchased in the participants name are the property of the participant and
cannot be refunded.
Yes
No
If yes, please describe conditions:
Leader may elect to run the trip with fewer than 14 participants as a one leader trip,
provided AMC approval is given. The absolute minimum number of participants is 9.
Reference web links:
MEC Home Page:
Forms:
Deadlines:
Club House:
http://snebulos.mit.edu/orgs/amc/
http://snebulos.mit.edu/orgs/amc/application/
http://snebulos.mit.edu/orgs/amc/listings
amcexcursions@outdoors.org
E-Mail Addresses:
Club House:
MEC Chair:
amcexcursions@outdoors.org
mecchair@amcboston.org
Revised 7/15/2016
Major Excursions Trip Proposal Form, page 6 of 6