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Published: August 10th 2008
After almost a year of study and preparation, I have finally reached my destination. I am IN CHINA, not to view the marvelous Olympics, but to head East to TB, which is my abbreviation here on out for Tibet. After a 23 hour flight (including a 5 hour layover in Atlanta) I arrived in the magnificient Shanghai Podang International Airport, which is truly a showpiece. After NOT finding my name on a paper sign as i exited the customs area, I could have panicked, fallen on my knees and started to cry, but I decided, as often I do, to just let it be what it was. I strolled around one more time looking for my name. Nope! So, I borrowed a phone from a very tall and exquisite Chinese beauty who was very friendly, and after a few tries with phoning managed to get my hostel IN ENGLISH on the phone. "Oh, sorry, sorry, we will come." How long will that be, I asked as my head veered from side to side wondering where it could find a pillow. "One hour, sorry, sorry." Two hours later, after another phone call, along comes my drive holding my name on a sign. Alas, I am not alone in a country where I cannot speak more than one word of the language! Yes, I am happy!
The TWO hour ride back to the hostel, The Le Tour Travelers Rest, hostel, BTW, in a fantastic location in Shanghai, on a narrow byway, almost impossible to find, was enlightening. China has done a marvelous job to develop a shiny and inviting presense into this once "port only" city, with trees lining the highway, not just trees, but beautiful foliage that almost manages to hide the "real" Shanghai, the Shanghai I remembered from my 1990 visit. But just behind and between I could catch glimses of those ancient byways of smoke and fruit stands with people meandering along with conical shaped hats. Ah, I love it!
Le Tour Hostel is really quite nice, quite newish. The beds, typically Chinese planks with a layer or two of padding, well, I can't recommend, but hey, it's China and that's the way they like their beds. I stuffed a couple "borrowed" pillows under my back and slept away...the Ambian aided me with that, sorry to report. Anyway, Le Tour is otherwise great. Terrific location, just a half block from the ATM, near lots of great cafes, and really delicious dumplings (two nights in a row, YUM!). Also you can catch the underground without a problem. something I have not had the opportunity, or should I say bravery (one day not enough, by any means) to venture. My first day, yesterday, I went to the Venice of China, called, (OK, I will tell you later when I can write more about it - this should keep you in some amount of suspense😊 AND, if you check back I will be posting the photos as well.
Anyway, the day trip from Shanghai to the mystery city was 6am to 6pm, they pick you up, oops, they told us 6:30, but came at 6am, so we had to taxi ourselves over to some pick up spot. LOL, there was an American guy who is living here studying Chinese who was a godsend, along with his sister, who I rode with. LUCK IS ON MY SIDE! So, then while we waited I met Alisa from Milano, Italy who spoke very nice English and is here studying Chinese because she has a Chinese boyfriend, rather, she got the boyfriend after she began to study Chinese in Milano (due to the company she works for). Anyway, she's a beautiful Italian girl, 32, every eye on her here in the Land of Black Hair. She was a delight and we had an absolute blast together, laughing at the irritating "shopping stops", trying to speak Chinese to this one very old man and laughing until we cried, I got bite by small black ants as we sat on the curb awaiting the others (but hey, after the brown recluse bit in Las Vegas, nothing can stop me now! Anyway, we became the stars of the show and a whole bunch of Chinese kept insisting on photos with us, the spectacle they didn't expect on their tours! Fun and funny, since we two could laugh so much about it. Alone, this tour would have NOT been good!
There was also a great Chinese girl, 18, who hung out with us to practice her English. Very mature for 18. After they dropped Alisa off, she helped put me in a taxi after the tour dropped us in the middle of the city. Oh, how I would have panicked without these two marvelous new friends.
So, today, in fact in a few minutes, I am off to Beijing and then to Xining tonight. I will be there for 5 days with more time to write in my blog and post photos. And hopefully rest up and do some writing. I will then write more about yesterdays attractions and post our photos. I just spent about an hour chatting with a very interested American here studying English. See, this is what I love about this "hostel" experience. No one cares about your age, your nationality, your race, your creed. We are all travelers, we all have a commonality, as with the human family, we are all one when it comes right down to it. This is timeless and truly a remarkable experience. I love every minute so far, even the bad ones!
My best to all,
M
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Flygirl
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GREAT BLOG!
Hey Marilyn -- This blog is going to be GREAT! I can feel and share your excitement being in the travel world. Brings back fond memories of us traveling together in Fiji and Acapulco. I'll look forward to your next entry.