Hello Sebby, I can offer half an answer to your query. I have traveled a lot in the orient over the past 15 or so years (over 80 trips since 1999), virtually all for work and definitely all in male mode. I have had the opportunity and blessings to be able to visit much of Eastern China, primarily Beijing, Shanghai and north of Hong Kong areas. There were many good things and many bad things. I loved the people and the beauty seen in many of the cities and in much of the country side, particularly in the Shanghai and Suzhou areas. The air was dirty, at times painful to breathe, pollution everywhere, crowds beyond imagination and traffic horrendous. I treasure almost all of the opportunities that I was able to experience. I was spending my company's dime and I carried male privilege. There were many times that it took money and being male to work through the things that happen during travel. I usually traveled either alone or with local Asian colleagues and very much relish the memories. I do not know how I would have been able to get through many of the situations in female mode. Many of my cis women friends, both western and eastern had to regularly wrestle through gender barriers that never entered into my male life. My Asian travel experience and male presentation made it easy to travel with my wife where as I would have been at a great disadvantage had I needed to aid her when presenting as Anne.
Dealing with local Asian people in any of the regions that I visited was great, getting through the governmental road blocks in male mode was tenable. Navigating through those same road blocks in the gender biased, male dominant, often corrupt infrastructure is something that I never want to have to do in Anne mode.
I apologize if I have burst any bubbles but my experience suggests really thinking this through and possibly thinking about another region of the world for trans travel. Hopefully some other site members can offer some more positive advice.
Regards,
Anne
