Arrival in Shanghai

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Finally, after spending about 7.5 hours in the airport waiting for my colleague whose flight was delayed, I decided to take the metro to the hotel. I was told that it would take over an hour but that it was relatively simple and a lot cheaper than a taxi. Of course, that sounded ideal so I made my way out of the terminal to the metro gates. We had to send our bags through an x-ray machine and buy tickets from a vending machine. Just as I approached the line of machines, everyone of them changed to 'coins only.' I raced to get to the last one that would take a bill and with someone's help I managed to buy a ticket. It's a little like the DC subway -- you type in your destination and the distance that you will travel from your present location determines the fare that you pay, unlike the NYC system which charges a flat rate for all. It took me about an hour and a half and a few times I dozed off and my suitcase fell over -- I didnt sleep much on the train so I've been up about 2 days now.
First I took the #2 (green line) to Guanglan and get the exchange the #2 green line to Xuxing (sp?). Took that all the way to Jong Tsu and there I switched to the #11. Take the 11 to Shanghai West Railroad Station. We're staying at the Radisson at 210 Taopu Road, Putuo District Shanghai China (...it's a very nice room...huge bath and shower combo, etc.) It's good to be here and able to take a shower and relax. We just walked to the corner to find something to drink....not much variety but I did get a Jasmine tea unsweetened and Judy got more than a dozen of the yengme (a fruit that looks like one of those sqeeze balls).
Tomorrow we're going on a tour of Shanghai and then hopefully see a little of the World Expo on Sunday.

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