China
Ranked by energy return on investment (eROI). Built for travelers with chronic pain, fatigue, and flare‑prone conditions—tool-first, calm defaults, simple Plan B thresholds.
Low‑effort wins
- One base-camp (minimize transfers).
- Seated/transport-first ‘big win’ (cap walking).
- Quiet-ready: indoor reset + headphones as default.
Rule: one base‑camp + one “big win” + one protected reset window. Not a checklist sprint.
The 4‑Hour Day (anti‑itinerary)
- Quiet Anchor: 45–60 min indoors (dark/quiet), headphones ready
- Loop A (90 min): seated/transport-first win (cap walking)
- Buffer (30–45 min): snack + seat + bathroom + decide ‘continue vs stop’
- Loop B (90 min): seated win OR skip entirely (protect tomorrow)
This is designed to “still count” even if you stop early.
Plan B (Red → Amber)
- If overload signs appear: exit within 10 minutes → Quiet Anchor → return to base.
- If flare risk rises: cap walking to one zone; use transport between stops.
Decision detox: you pre‑decide the swaps before symptoms spike.
Fit / Avoid
Good fit if: You can time-shift (early/late) and use indoor resets. You can do transport-first sightseeing and zoned walking.
Not a fit if: You’re triggered by crowds/noise without reliable exits. Long walking days / stairs without support. You dislike pre-booking/admin tasks.
Tune by season, neighborhood, and travel style. This page is a baseline.
Protections checklist
Use these as non‑negotiables. They reduce crash risk without requiring heroic self‑control.
- Quiet Anchor daily (30–60 min, predictable, indoors if needed).
- Two exits pre-planned for high-stimulation moments (taxi/ride + indoor reset).
- Time-shift: early/late windows; avoid peak crowd blocks.
- Transport-first: one zone/day; cap walking; use rides between stops.
- Seated version for each planned “win” (museum, cruise, viewpoint, café).
- Pre-book the key friction points (transport/entries) to reduce admin load.
Copyable snapshot
One-Page Trip Snapshot — China Spoonie 38/100 • Reward 88/100 • eROI 1.42 (Low) • Demand profile: Mobility High • Sensory High • Planning High Low-effort wins: One base-camp (minimize transfers). | Seated/transport-first ‘big win’ (cap walking). | Quiet-ready: indoor reset + headphones as default. 4-Hour Day: Quiet Anchor: 45–60 min indoors (dark/quiet), headphones ready | Loop A (90 min): seated/transport-first win (cap walking) | Buffer (30–45 min): snack + seat + bathroom + decide ‘continue vs stop’ | Loop B (90 min): seated win OR skip entirely (protect tomorrow) Plan B: If overload signs appear: exit within 10 minutes → Quiet Anchor → return to base. / If flare risk rises: cap walking to one zone; use transport between stops. Fit: You can time-shift (early/late) and use indoor resets. You can do transport-first sightseeing and zoned walking. Avoid: You’re triggered by crowds/noise without reliable exits. Long walking days / stairs without support. You dislike pre-booking/admin tasks. Disclosure: Educational decision-support. Not medical clearance. Tune by season, neighborhood, and travel style.
How we scored China (rubric)
Inputs (0–5)
- Mobility load: 4/5
- Sensory load: 4/5
- Planning friction: 4/5
- Recovery infrastructure: 4/5
- Optionality/control: 4/5
Formula
- Difficulty = 0.30*Mobility + 0.25*Sensory + 0.15*Planning + 0.15*(5−Recovery) + 0.15*(5−Optionality)
- Spoonie Score = 100 − 20*Difficulty
- eROI = Reward ÷ max(10, 100 − Spoonie)
Disclosure: educational decision-support. Not medical clearance.