Day 23 to 24 part 1

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Rest of Day 23 - My friend Jen went out in the rain to get her train ticket and I decided that I was not going to get drenched again so stayed in and had an orange juice in the hostel bar. Met a girl called Jena from New York and she too was having a miserable time in Shanghai because of the rain. Managed to waste the whole day just chatting with Jen and Jena and then when the rain eased off in the evening we went out to find food, with a Korean girl called Ocean (??). For some reason we just couldn't find anywhere good and really wanted to eat Chinese food but its actually quite hard as there are a lot of Japanese fast food restaurants around. The food was a bit dodgy and we couldn't really figure out what any of it was really. Tried it all but (thankfully) didn't have my appetite back yet. We then decided that as it was our last night in Shanghai so we had to do what it was famous for... Nightclubs! I wasn't that keen as I was tired and still not fully well but thought that I would go just for an hour, no later than 10.30. Another Korean girl told us where to go (she was big on going out) so we trusted her judgement. We arrived and it was all very nice, sharks swimming in tanks and stuff but it was just a swanky bar. We went accross the road to a place called Richys which was apparantly where we would see some dancing.... not at all! It was all too much of a hassle for my liking but we decided that yet again Shanghai bad luck had struck again and we would just have one drink and go. Again it was just a bar so we stood where the waitress people told us to stand as we didn't want to pay to sit in one of the lounge areas. We were then moved a couple of times and told there was no beer. I ordered a sprite (3 pound 50!!) and the girls ordered some cocktails. After about half an hour of faffing about we thought the order was confirmed. I then had to sign a receipt to even place my order of sprite and then wait a further 15 minutes for my CAN of sprite to arrive. I couldn't believe that I had to sign for a can of sprite it was so bizzare. I was then told off by security for taking a photo and there was no dancing just a lot of people ordering strange looking jugs of drinks and a lot of starring at us! We had a bit of a dance just to show Shanghai how it was done and before we got too embarassed we left. It wasn't exactly clubbing how I know it (but I suppose i was wearing my walking boots still... felt very underdressed) but that just about finished Shanghai off for me!

Day 24 - Was excited to be leaving but on reflection we decided that Shanghai would be better in the summer and if you had time to get to know it. Went to the Propoganda Poster Museum which was in the basement of a block of residential flat (just as Lonley Planet described) but it was really cool. A lot of posters were origionals and some were the only ones left from the era as many were destroyed by the government. Learnt a lot about Chinese history and felt very smug and educated. Some of it was very suprising. Then caught a cab to the Old Town to look for a famous tea house. I was pouring with rain again and we couldn't find it after looking down all the alleys so we just stopped at this famous bun place for food. Again lots of strange food arrived and tried it all but some of it was not great. It sounds awful but i totally prefer the fake chinese food we get served in Britain! Then it was time to go so got a cab to the SOuth station where I discovered on the way how massive a city Shanghai is. There is a just tower after tower of residential blocks. Waited a the station and waited and waited and eventually the announcement came that the train was delayed... quelle suprise! I was on my own so couldn't leave my bags but by this point I really really needed the loo. There was nothing to do except go the squat toilet with my massive bag on my back, day pack, coat and brolli! It was a struggle but I made it. I was the only white person in the entire station so I was already being starred at a lot... this only made things worse. 2 hours later the train finally arrived and I found my hard sleeper cabin!...

To be continued.....

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Comments

[Eddie]

Hi from Shropshire
Fantastic - What agreat story so far. I have been keeping up with your blog, it sounds every bit the adventure you were hoping for. Sorry to hear you have been under the weather. Hope you are feeling well again now. The tough times will be just as much of the adventure when you tell us all about it in a few months time as the good times. Happy exploring, keep safe and have a brilliant time. Keep up the blog - Ed