Thank you, Outsider. Chinese doctors have given me wildly varying (and contradictory) lists of foods to avoid in the past, but your list tallies with those I've seen online (except mushrooms? not seen that one before). I take Allopurinol daily and Ibuprofen (and Colchicine) when I have an attack, so I'm glad I'm on the right tracks there. Have lost 10kg weight over the last year too, but still hobbling! Appreciate your good advice.

You might be able to rent a car with an international license (perhaps), but you can't use one to drive in China. Only a Chinese license.

Good news. Thanks.

I'd be interested to hear from anyone alse who suffers from gout. [For those who don't know what it is, it's a very painful swelling in one's joints (often the base of the big toe) caused by a build up of "uric acid". It usually affects middle-aged men and the main reasons are thought to be diet and lifestyle]. I'm actually penning this at 2am, not being able to sleep for the pain. Despite never partaking of the "big three" causes of gout attacks myself - alcohol, sea food, offal - I still get regular and painful attacks. I'm interested to find out if any fellow sufferers have figured out certain Chinese foods that cause problems or, having cut out some food/drink, have found relief from the symptoms. Thanks.

lawlz0mg: Culture and bad habits are quite different. The vast majority of Chinese people I speak to also hate all spitting, public smoking, government corruption, etc. It's just the few who continue to get away with it. Excusing bad habits as "culture" insults real Chinese culture, which is something the Chinese are rightly proud of.