Where in the world is Sue???

Well into Shanghai and yet another train journey.  Although this was a train journey with a difference - we had 3 beds in a 4 bed compartment (Sue, Nick & me), the third bed was made up by a respectable looking Chinese man.  All was fine until we turned in for the night and discovered the Chinese man was a snorer.  The man snorted, gurgled and made strange wheezing sounds, window panes rattled and many a (not so silent) curse was uttered.  It was worst when he stopped snoring because half of you wondered if he was still alive, while the other half waited on knife edge for the sounds to start again.  Needless to say not the best night we've ever spent on a train.

We arrived in Shanghai and the first taxi driver we approached for a ride to our hostel attempted to fleece us - having been in China for awhile we laughed at his feeble fleecing attempt (I mean not stalking, no bargaining - do we look like we just got off the boat buddy.).  Fortunately we had Sue to bat her eyelids and a Chinese taxi marshall came running to our rescue, he found us (by this I clearly mean Sue) a nice taxi driver and we were off.

The first thing we did after, of course, showering, settling in to the hostel and finding some food was to take a ride on the Maglev train - for those of you not in the know this is the train that runs by magnetic levitation, it gets up to 430kph and travels between Shanghai proper and the Shanghai international airport, the total trip takes 8 minutes - and now you know.  Nick was jumping around and grinning from ear to ear, I'd like to say it must be a guy thing, but both Sue and I thought it was pretty damn cool as well. When the train reaches it's maximum speed the cars going in same direction as you actually look like they are going backwards. When the train slows down to around 330kph and you start to think you are going slowly the Maglev train going in the opposite direction passes you in the blink of an eye - and you're reminded just how fast you are actually going.
Next we hopped back on to the metro and headed toward the Bund (waterfront of the Huangpu\nRiver - yes I had to look that up).  We got off at Nanjing Road and\nwhile batting away street traders trying to sell us "copy DVDs, bags,\nwatches, scarves, sex, drugs and rock&roll" walked toward to Bund - once there it was already pretty late but that didn't stop us from joining in with the other tourists taking pictures of what must be one of the most photographed spots in Shanghai.\n\u003cbr\>\u003cbr\>We ended off the first day by having some noodles (Sue making excellent progress on her chopstick eating skills), drinking some sake and then heading onto a bar for a nightcap - or two.  The bar we chose had the WORST cocktails I've have ever had - I never thought too much alcohol in a drink could be a bad thing.  We did manage to meet some lovely German men - but Nick dragged us away, telling us that the 'lovely' was the alcohol talking - although Sue and I think that the German man hitting on Nick probably had a little something to do with us leaving.\n\u003cbr\>\u003cbr\>Next morning we headed of to what was fast becoming our local for breakfast - they weren't open, a waiter was sleeping at one of the tables, but for us, their favourite customers, they were always willing to make a plan. We did have to wait an age for any food - I'm pretty sure they had to wake up the chef as well.  Nick then went to buy his ticket to Japan and Sue and I went off to buy our train tickets to Hong Kong.  We discovered that the train journey was going to be 20 hrs and only runs every second day - so we would be spending and extra night in Shanghai.  After sorting out the tickets we made our way to the Yuyuan Gardens - I can't say anything bad about the gardens, if you are into pavilions, rockeries, pools and loads of tourist then this is the place for you.\n\u003cbr\>\u003cbr\>After elbowing our way past various tour groups and out of the gardens we walked back to the Bund to take some day pictures, after that was out the way we thought that it would be nice to see a different part of Shanghai so we opted to take the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel. The tunnel runs from the Bund under the river to the other side (which doesn't have a swish sounding name). Sue was shocked and horrified to discover we had to pay to take the tunnel - has she learnt nothing about China by now.  The tunnel makes you feel like you've taken acid - or at least so I've heard Mom - they put you into a little see through carriage and while it slides it's way under the river they pummel you with flashing strobe lights and dodgy looking Santa's while other blow up things wave at you - nice.  Sue is still sulking about the 35Yuan we had to pay for that 2 minute ride.\n",1] ); //-->
Next we hopped back on to the metro and headed toward the Bund (waterfront of the Huangpu River - yes I had to look that up).  We got off at Nanjing Road and while batting away street traders trying to sell us "copy DVDs, bags, watches, scarves, sex, drugs and rock&roll" walked toward to Bund - once there it was already pretty late but that didn't stop us from joining in with the other tourists taking pictures of what must be one of the most photographed spots in Shanghai.

We ended off the first day by having some noodles (Sue making excellent progress on her chopstick eating skills), drinking some sake and then heading onto a bar for a nightcap - or two.  The bar we chose had the WORST cocktails I've have ever had - I never thought too much alcohol in a drink could be a bad thing.  We did manage to meet some lovely German men - but Nick dragged us away, telling us that the 'lovely' was the alcohol talking - although Sue and I think that the German man hitting on Nick probably had a little something to do with us leaving.

Next morning we headed of to what was fast becoming our local for breakfast - they weren't open, a waiter was sleeping at one of the tables, but for us, their favourite customers, they were always willing to make a plan. We did have to wait an age for any food - I'm pretty sure they had to wake up the chef as well.  Nick then went to buy his ticket to Japan and Sue and I went off to buy our train tickets to Hong Kong.  We discovered that the train journey was going to be 20 hrs and only runs every second day - so we would be spending and extra night in Shanghai.  After sorting out the tickets we made our way to the Yuyuan Gardens - I can't say anything bad about the gardens, if you are into pavilions, rockeries, pools and loads of tourist then this is the place for you.

After elbowing our way past various tour groups and out of the gardens we walked back to the Bund to take some day pictures, after that was out the way we thought that it would be nice to see a different part of Shanghai so we opted to take the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel. The tunnel runs from the Bund under the river to the other side (which doesn't have a swish sounding name). Sue was shocked and horrified to discover we had to pay to take the tunnel - has she learnt nothing about China by now.  The tunnel makes you feel like you've taken acid - or at least so I've heard Mom - they put you into a little see through carriage and while it slides it's way under the river they pummel you with flashing strobe lights and dodgy looking Santa's while other blow up things wave at you - nice.  Sue is still sulking about the 35Yuan we had to pay for that 2 minute ride. \u003cbr\>Next stop was drinks at Cloud 9 bar, it is on the 87th floor of the Hyatt in the Jin Mao building, we certainly did not fit the part in our denims and trainers - but they let us in anyway - and the drinks and views were, to quote Bill & Ted, excellent. We finished off the evening by hitting another 2 bars before we staggered, or rather taxied, home.\n\u003cbr\>\u003cbr\>Tired of spending a fortune on breakfast we decided to try some street food the next morning.  There was lots of smiling and gesturing but we finally landed up with a pancake that had egg (very little), coriander, other unidentified spices and a stick of dough in the middle to hold it together - it was surprisingly not bad, not the best, but not bad.  Nick then dragged us to the Port Authority to wish him a fond farewell - I must say there was definitely water in Sue's eye when we lost our favourite stalker.  The rest of the day was spent on trying to organise DHL packages, our trip to Hong Kong and Guilin and discovering that we would need another visa to re-enter China after Hong Kong - trip admin at it's best.\n\u003cbr\>\u003cbr\>Our last day in Shanghai we opted to try the street vendor's again for breakfast but decided to go with something different to our pancake experience.  We landed up having a pastry, once again filled with unidentified spices, once again not bad.  We then metroed our way to see the Jade Buddha Temple, not as impressive as some of the temples we have already seen, but a nice time waster none the less. \n\u003cbr\>\u003cbr\>We then had a leisurely lunch, coffee and did some shopping before heading off to the train station.  I know to you this doesn't sound very exciting but I had a good laugh because 1) Sue got chatted up in Chinese by a 60 year old security guard at the bookstore, 2) The Elvis look alike taxi driver started, yes you guessed it, singing to Sue on the way to the train station - unfortunately not an Elvis song and 3) the immigration officer, with the poshest British accent I have heard in awhile (and you know how Sue is a sucker for that), asked if Miss Hood was coming back to China?  There was more giggling than there normally is at immigration.  All in all a happy end to our stay in Shanghai.\n",1] ); //-->

Next stop was drinks at Cloud 9 bar, it is on the 87th floor of the Hyatt in the Jin Mao building, we certainly did not fit the part in our denims and trainers - but they let us in anyway - and the drinks and views were, to quote Bill & Ted, excellent. We finished off the evening by hitting another 2 bars before we staggered, or rather taxied, home.

Tired of spending a fortune on breakfast we decided to try some street food the next morning.  There was lots of smiling and gesturing but we finally landed up with a pancake that had egg (very little), coriander, other unidentified spices and a stick of dough in the middle to hold it together - it was surprisingly not bad, not the best, but not bad.  Nick then dragged us to the Port Authority to wish him a fond farewell - I must say there was definitely water in Sue's eye when we lost our favourite stalker.  The rest of the day was spent on trying to organise DHL packages, our trip to Hong Kong and Guilin and discovering that we would need another visa to re-enter China after Hong Kong - trip admin at it's best.

Our last day in Shanghai we opted to try the street vendor's again for breakfast but decided to go with something different to our pancake experience.  We landed up having a pastry, once again filled with unidentified spices, once again not bad.  We then metroed our way to see the Jade Buddha Temple, not as impressive as some of the temples we have already seen, but a nice time waster none the less.

We then had a leisurely lunch, coffee and did some shopping before heading off to the train station.  I know to you this doesn't sound very exciting but I had a good laugh because 1) Sue got chatted up in Chinese by a 60 year old security guard at the bookstore, 2) The Elvis look alike taxi driver started, yes you guessed it, singing to Sue on the way to the train station - unfortunately not an Elvis song and 3) the immigration officer, with the poshest British accent I have heard in awhile (and you know how Sue is a sucker for that), asked if Miss Hood was coming back to China?  There was more giggling than there normally is at immigration.  All in all a happy end to our stay in Shanghai.