1. Car GPS is not particularly reliable. Maps can be used in conjunction with smartphones. When taking photos at the speed limit, it is better to install an electronic dog insurance.

2. It is best to change drivers every two or three hours. I was confused for a second in the main channel of Inner Mongolia. It was very scary. I used to know that I would sometimes feel sleepy, but I never believed that I could actually lose consciousness. This cannot be overemphasized.

3. Be especially careful when reversing on mountain roads.

4. There must be a certain amount of food + drinking water in the car. Traffic jams can happen at any time.

5. When the fuel gauge reaches the middle position, pay attention to the gas station. Only add PetroChina or Sinopec. New cars within two years do not need to care whether they are fueled by ethanol or not.

5. If you are going to an unfamiliar place for a long distance, fill up the tank whenever you encounter a regular gas station, no matter how full the tank is. Currently, the two gas stations known to be farthest apart are Dongtai (Sebei) and Huatugou on National Highway 315 in Xinjiang, with a road distance of about 400 kilometers.

6. Slow down in advance on any road sections with water or mud. During the Spring Festival of 2009, I encountered my first drift near Dongzhong on the China-Vietnam border highway (S325). Afterwards, my daughter-in-law said she thought it was over. There was a cliff on one side and a rock wall on the other, and there was a deep drainage ditch between the road and the rock wall.

7. Try not to walk at night. If you have no choice but to walk at night, your speed should be reduced to about 70-80% of that during the day. When meeting a car, turn off your headlights in advance, but flash your headlights at certain intervals (depending on the degree of darkness and road conditions, a dozen or a few seconds) to make sure there are no bicycles or pedestrians on the right. Note: It is often possible to encounter motorcycles, motorized tricycles, or even large trucks parked on the roadside without taillights (the taillights are not lit).

8. If there is a vehicle that seems to have broken down on the roadside and someone is waving for you to stop, please slow down first to judge the authenticity based on the time, location and specific circumstances. If you are sure it is an accident, you should try your best to help, otherwise move quickly.

9. Pay attention to food hygiene, especially in summer.

10. When going to areas with altitudes above 3,000 meters in the west, you should take rhodiola and other medicines to prevent altitude sickness one or two weeks in advance. In those places (even Gannan) it is normal for the lighter to fail to light, so you can prepare matches. Be very slow when opening a drink bottle or applying sunscreen and be careful about the spray. Even if you know it in advance, it will still be a surprise when the time comes.

11. Don’t necessarily stay in the first hotel you see. Visit a few more to see the price/room ratio. Lots of bargains and very good conditions. Maybe you can even find one with a 50% discount on opening.