Updates

Tuesday 07-07-09



As the rain is absolutely bouncing down, I have decided to update the blog from the beginning. Luckily I kept a diary as I couldn't access the blog.



I will start with Manchester to Shanghai.



The flights were pretty good although going via Qatar is quite a long way round. Somehow or another it seems that I ordered low sodium meals so all in all I had four of them during the 19 hours. Their idea of low sodium certainly isn't mine but as it was sort of special, you do get served first!



When we arrived at Shanghai we were told to keep our seats as a medical team were coming to check everyone's temperature due to the swine flu epidemic. When they got on they were all dressed in decontamination suits complete with masks and headgear. I have a couple of photos on DVD but seem unable to access them at the moment. It took ages before they finished but by the time we had cleared the Health Check desk and Immigration, the baggage was on the carousel.



I had decided I would take the maglev train which was a mistake really as I should have chosen the hotel bus. However, I knew best!! As well as the maglev I had to transfer to the metro. By this time it was rush hour so when I tried for a taxi after the metro there was no chance. I asked for directions and was told it wasn't very far to walk. No it wasn't very far if you were not carrying a backpack and pulling along a small case and the temperature wasn't 90C!! I was absolutely wet through to my money and passport in my moneybelt! I had warned the hotel that I may be later than 6 pm so that wasn't a problem. I checked in, had a shower, put my clothes in the hotel laundrey bag and went looking for something to eat. The only place open was KFC so that had to do. Although Yu Gardens, where the hotel was, is a famous tourist spot, everything closes at 9pm. again, I have photos but cannot access them.



Wednesday 08-07-09



I got up bright and early to go and people watch on the Bund. Wrong!!! Shanghai is hosting Expo 2010 next year and everything is being rebuilt, renovated or new buildings going up - and no access to the Bund. My love affair with Shanghai is definitely over, at least until after Expo 2010, when hopefully the city will go back to a place I enjoy.



I decided to move on to Tun Xi as soon as I could find the correct bus station to book a ticket. That was a task and a half too! I was told it was 'just around the corner' - yeah right! Luckily a nice policeman collared a young man and asked him where he was going and as he was passing the bus station he took me to it. I would never have found it on my own. Anyway, mission accomplished I could relax for a couple of days and wander around the city. I'd already done the touristy things the other times I had been so I decided to look at the shops. I enjoy getting on buses (they usually cost about 20p) and just ride to the end, have a wander round and then come back. This is fine if you don't wander too far from the bus route, but taxis are quite cheap to get you back to where you started! I've found some really nice places doing that (as well as some really grotty spots!) Plus the buses are air-conditioned which is a bonus when it is so hot outside.



Next instalment



Shanghai to Tun Xi 10-07-09



Finding the bus station was easy this time - I took a taxi although he dropped me quite a way off due to the one way system.



The bus journey took about six hours and I bet two of those was to get out of Shanghai. It just seemed to go on forever.



When we arrived at Tun Xi dus station I was told that was as far as it went. I said it was supposed to go to the long distance bus station. A woman who spoke reasonable English asked where my hotel was? I said I wanted to go to the Koala Hostel in the old town. She said it was very far away and it would probably be full. However, lucky for me she had a room for 80 yuan and it wasn't far. It was mentioned in the Lonely Planet so it cannot be too bad. She showed me three rooms - all had air-con and a TV. The first had no loo, the second had a squat one and the third, which I took had a proper one, all be it in a miniscule bathroom. It was in need of a coat of paint but it was absolutely spotless, unlike the Classical Hotel in Shanghai which was four and a half times the price. That was in need of a real good bottoming (as you all know, I am so houseproud!). I spilt some water on the carpet and mopped it up with the bath mat. Wrong move as I then had to wash the bath mat out.

The woman took me to a restaurant nearby and I had a good meal for pennies as well as a Snow beer - the local brew.

I got up early the next morning and walked into town. I eventually found the Koala Hostel and booked in from Sunday. All the staff spoke very good English as university students all sign up with the hostels during the summer holiday so they could practice there English. The old town was pretty interesting but I thought I would save the bulk of the exploring until I was actually staying there. The staff told me which bus to catch to the first hotel and that it would cost me 1 yuan.

As it was pretty hot I went back to pack and have a siesta - what else can you do?

Sunday 12.07.09

I walked round the corner and got a taxi to the old town. First thing I had to do at the hostel was book a trip for the following day to the ancient villages of Hon Cun and Xi Di. I'd seen Xi Di on a Chinese TV programme and it looked really interesting but it hadn't been in any of the guide books. It was cheaper and certainly a lot easier to book the trip through the hostel and I even got a discount because I am old!! There are some advantages.

The laundry had been building up so I used the hostel washing machine and hung it on the roof terrace. You would think that because it is so hot, things would dry quickly. They take two days because of the humidity. I finally managed to get on the internet that day too.

The hostel was really nice. There were two sets of bunks (with softish mattresses) in the room and a locker each with a shower room was bigger than my bathroom. I managed to get a bottom bunk as I am know my mountaineering days are over.

Monday

All ready for the trip out. It was in a seven seater car and they let me sit in the front. That was a waste of time as I promptly fell asleep and only woke up when we got to Hon Cun. We had about one and half hours to wander round which was long enough in the heat. I filled in a visitor questionnaire when asked and then had my photo taken with some young boys. This happens quite a lot as they all want there pictures taken with foreigners. Why I don't know.

We had a lunch booked at 12 noon so it was hurry hurry to get there and then it was off to Xi Di. Yixian has a river and you could see all sorts of people going down it on rubber dinghies. It looked really good, especially in the heat but I have no wish to do it.

Xi Di was every bit as attractive and interesting as I expected so it didn't disappoint me. On the way back to Tun Xi we made a stop at a Chinese herbal medicine factory - it sure beat the usual tourist tack places! A good day was had by all.