SHANGHAI

---

---

Two nights ago， Dan and I　ｍａｄｅ　ｉｔ　ｔｏ　Ｓｈａｎｇｈａｉ；　ｂｕｔ　ｉｓ　ｗａｓｎｔ　ｅａｓｙ。Ｆｒｏｍ　Ｈｏｎｇ　Ｋｏｎｇ　ｗｅ　ｏｐｔｅｄ　ｔｏ　ｔａｋｅ　ａ　ｔｒａｉｎ　ｔｏ　Ｇｕａｎｇｚｈｏｕｏｎ　ｏｎ　ｔｈｅ　ｍａｉｎ　ｌａｎｄ　ｏｆ　Ｃｈｉｎａ。　Ｏｕｒ　ｉｎｔｅｎｔｉｏｎｓ　ｗｅｒｅ　ｔｏ　ｃｏｎｎｅｃｔ　ｔｏ　ａｎｏｔｈｅｒ　ｔｒａｉｎ　ｔｈａｔ　ｗｅｎｔ　ｔｏ　Ｓｈａｎｇｈａｉ　ｆｒｏｍ　ｇｕａｎｇｚｈｏｕ。ｏｕｒ　ｐｌａｎ　ｗａｓ　ｗｏｒｋｉｎｇ　ｏｕｔ　ｎｉｃｅｌｙ　ｕｎｔｉｌ　ｗｅ　ｈｉｔ　ａ　ｒａｔｈｅｒ　ｂｉｇ　ｗａｌｌ。　Ｔｕｒｎｓ　ｏｕｔ　Ｇｕａｎｇｚｈｏｕ　ｉｓ　ａ　ｌｏｔ　ｄｉｆｆｅｒｅｎｔ　ｔｈａｔ　Ｈｏｎｇ　Ｋｏｎｇ。 Almost no one spoke English， and we both felt like we were aliens that had just landed， because everyone that we saw coulden‘t help but stare at the tall white guy with a beard， and Mr。 Dan Strautman who is as blond as they come。 On top of the language barrier， we didnt have any money。stupidly we relied on our plastic to pull out some money once we got there was no ATM　ｎｅａｒｂｙ　ｔｈａｔ　ｗｏｕｌｄ　ｔａｋｅ　ｏｕｒ　ｃａｒｄｓ。　Ｗｅ　ｗｅｒｅ　ｈｅｌｐｌｅｓｓ　ａｎｄ　ｓｔｒａｎｄｅｄ，　ａｎｄ　Ｉ’ｌｌ　ａｄｍｉｔ　ｉｔ　ｗａｓ　ａ　ｂｉｔ　ｆｒｉｇｈｔｉｎｇ。　Ｄａｎ　ａｎｄ　Ｉ　ｈａｄ　ｔｏ　ｓｔｏｐ　ｆｏｒ　ａ　ｍｏｍｅｎｔ　ｔｏ　ｆｉｇｕｒｅ　ｏｕｔ　ａ　ｐｌａｎ。　Ｉｔ　ｗａｓ　ｔｈｅｎ　ｗｈｅｎ　Ｉ　ｎｏｔｉｃｅｄ　ａ　ｂｌａｃｋ　ｍａｎ　ｗａｌｋｉｎｇ　ｂｙ。　Ｉassumed he probably wasnt chinese， so Iａｓｋｅｄ　ｈｉｍ　ｉｆ　ｈｅ　ｋｎｅｗ　ｅｎｇｌｉｓｈ。He said he knew a little bit, but that was a lot more than everyone else. We asked if he knew where any ATM was so we could get money, and he actually walked across town and got a cab with us to go to the bank. After that he offered us help getting plane tickets to Shanghai, and then even offered us to hang out at his house for awhile (weird). Dan and I were pretty skeptical of trusting this guy because he was way "too nice" . long story short he really helped us out and came through huge, and now we credit Cele with getting us to Shanghai.

So now we've been here in Shanghai for a couple days now and we hav had so much fun. This city really is an amazing. There is so much going on everyday, so we havent been bored at all. We are staying at a hostel, and just stayi ng here, we've met some really great people and mad some pretty good friends.
Our plan is to take a train to Shanghai tomorrow night on a sleeper train, and then push up to Mongolia after about two days.

I'll update this more often if I can, but the internet is not so reliable, and this keyboard that I am typing was probably made in China.

PK 　

---

Photos

ｏｕｒ　ｈｏｔｅｌ　ｖｉｅｗ　ｉｎ　ＨＫＧ
ｉｔｓ　ａ　ｌｏｎｇ　ｗａｙｓ　ｄｏｗｎ！

Comments

[Brenden]

Billy
Good to know you guys figured stuff out, I bet that plastic ordeal was a little hectic.. That hotel view looks nuts! Carry some freakin rope in case of a fire, ya might be able to make a zip line!! Surfed with Mike F at pipe a little, consistant swell for a few days but then it died. Zman and I are leaving for up north on OCt 1st...i'll send you pics of the fishing at the famous c-dale pond. Have fun, stay safe, watch out for what they try to feed ya!

[Charles V.]

Now we can relate!
Pat, Now you know what my Korean experience was all about! I can't wait to hear all about your trip in person! Tip: When you go to the Great Wall, don't be late for the tour bus ... they get really pissed!