Beijing

At 8pm on the 28th I met with Hannah at Shanghai Railway Station and we took the overnight sleeper train to Beijing.

As we boarded the train we were surprised to find 3 people already in our cabin and they explained they wanted one of us to switch with them so three could be in the same room! I told them we were together and not wanting to split up so two of them eventually left. It was rather frustrating to find they'd opened and used things like slippers left in the room for us to use.

The cabin fits 4 people, two in the top bunk and two in the bottom. There is a table in the middle with a kettle for boiling water. At the foot of each bed is a tv which plays 4 different channels. I was excited to see Inception was showing only to find it dubbed annoyingly in Chinese. Bedding is supplied as well as slippers and there are various plug sockets for charging devices. It was a little strange to be travelling sideways as it were, and also sharing a room with strangers of which the man was snoring really loudly throughout the journey....

Culture here is very different and it seems entirely normal to wander carriages in your pajamas and slippers and brush your teeth next to a stranger who is spitting up in the sink next to you. The journey time was about 11hours and 30 mins. Arriving in Beijing Railway Station it was very chaotic and we got away as fast as possible from the crowds.

Google maps in China are entirely inaccurate and showed the hotel as being in a completely different location! We walked a long way and I feel I asked about 10 different people for directions. Beijing people I find are friendlier than in Chengdu. Eventually when we found the hotel I made the stupid mistake of booking for yesterday! Luckily it wasn't very busy and we were able to get a room at the same rate. For 300RMB for two of us it wasn't too bad for a 2 star hotel and within walking distance to the Forbidden City.

After dropping off our bags we walked back to Beijing Railway Station to take the metro to Jishuitan Station. From there we walked to Deshengmen Arrow Tower to take the bus to Badaling gate of the Great Wall. By now it was already 11.30am and so many people. We paid 12RMB to take the bus which took just over 1 hour.

Entry to the Great Wall was 45RMB and was extremely crowded, I didn't walk much of it as it got rather steep and I feared my safety. At 2.30pm we started to leave and the queue for the bus back was so very long. We didn't board until 3pm and at this point we tried to use our ticket back but as it was a slightly different shade of blue many buses wouldn't let us on so we had to buy more tickets just to get back. The traffic was so bad we didn't arrive until 5pm.

Taking the metro we headed to Tiananmen Square and walked along until we got to a small paved area with lots of shops and cafes and a trolley car. We ended up eating in a Japanese restaurant before walking back along Tiananmen Square which had lots of lights on. Walking back to the hotel we stopped by Dairy Queen and had some good desserts ^^

The next day we got up super early and got to the Forbidden City by 8.30am which was when it opened and was so surprised just how busy it already was! We bought tickets and went in and was amazed at the size of this palace. We didn't have much time to detour and just stayed in one straight path. The garden was very beautiful and we got to see the golden throne. We then made a move to the Beijing South Railway station and the 5 hour journey back felt so much longer as there were so many stops.

I want to visit Beijing again for a bit longer as we were disappointed there wasn't a bus tour like there is in Shanghai. I'd recommend the sleeper train is a great way to travel, you get to your destination so very early and don't need to pay for a hotel.

Thames Town

On Sunday, Hannah, Jorge and I went to Thames Town which is in Songjiang Xincheng, end of line 9. It took about 45 minutes to get there and its so different compared to central Shanghai. It is much more rural and the place itself is so picturesque. We didn't have the address of the place and in the end we were directed to just follow the main road.

It was so hot (I later found out 36 degrees) and we were walking in the hot hot sun. My UV umbrella was a lifesaver. We passed many parks and saw many couples taking professional photos in beautiful colourful clothes.

We reached Thames Town which is a small community built up to look like English buildings. Even the roads are named things like "Oxford Street" and buildings "Windsor Island" etc. The guards wear uniforms like English guards found at Buckingham Palace (minus the bearskin hats).

Throughout this community you see more couples with photographers and make-up crew and crew carrying reflectors and props for the shoot. There are a few red phone boxes and in the centre of the place is a huge church. It looked like a commercial was being filmed and the outside of the church was set up as if a wedding was about to take place, including guests and professional cameras and dollys. There were some advertising banners around it too.

This place also has a museum that shows the advancement of the town and has interactive projections etc. It was so strange like walking into a movie set!

This weekend Hannah and I are off to Beijing and I'll have my first experience on a sleeper train. I'm not sure what to expect really but I hope it isn't too bad.

Today I had a better day than I'd had in a long time and felt productive writing 2 hours worth of Chinese characters in Starbucks before going to the Vietnamese restaurant for lunch and then to a 3 hour class. I think I'm slowly finding my focus again.

Chengdu - day three - last day and Shanghai Aquarium

I tried to have a lie in but it wasn't happening so I spent about 3 hours lying in bed watching videos online. By 10.45am I decided to check out and left my bag in reception.

I went to the nearby shopping centre and walked around and found it had no logic at all. Each floor was different laid out and I hit dead ends and was exhausted so I headed to the basement to Carrefour. I managed to waste some time in there before going to KFC for some food. Normally I'm fine but when they ask me something really fast I have no idea what they said and then they know I'm foreign and their behaviour towards me changes.

Whilst eating and a bunch of teens sat at the table next to me when all of a sudden one of the guys sat opposite me. I just felt so awkward I got up and left. I went back to the hotel and told the worker outside I needed a taxi to the airport. My itinery said I need to go to the new terminal building but when I told the driver that he had no idea what I was on about and kicked me out!

So I went to the reception and she also didn't understand me so at this point I said just take me to the airport. I really wanted to get out of here. Waiting at the airport for 4 hours seemed much better than more of this. A taxi driver came into the hotel and between the receptionist and the worker from outside they were telling me he wouldn't use the meter and charge me 70RMB for the whole trip. I knew it only cost me 53RMB last time but I wanted so badly to get away and so I agreed to it. Then they told me the driver would wait with me until my flight! I had no idea why I stressed it was fine! What was I going to do sit in his taxi for 4 hours and not speak?! Crazy people.....

So I got to the airport and was way too early to check in so I went to the cafe, made to pay 38RMB for a plastic cup of Pepsi! At least there was free wifi and the minute I could check in I went to get my boarding pass. Its weird that the English version wouldn't work, it didn't recognise my passport number as a passport number but as an ID card number!

Going through security was relatively fast and I ended up waiting at the gate right until my flight.

My return flight was with China Eastern airlines and there was a man in my seat the stewardess had to ask him to move for me as he kept ignoring me. Luckily there were two foreign men behind me so when we were being served dinner I overheard what was being served so I could ask in Chinese. I got tripped up when I asked for hot water though and had to ask in English which then got the man next to me to ask about where I was from. Awkward..... then we just ignored each other.

3 hours later I arrived in Shanghai to be greeted by pouring rain. Its funny how at the domestic flight terminal taxi rank there were no "fake" drivers trying to con us out of money. Anyone who says Shanghai is big should guess again, the woman behind me who kept trying to push in front of me, then recognised the woman a few people behind us and decided to hold up the queue by having a conversation.....

I was so glad to be back in Shanghai and everything felt more familiar.

Shanghai Aquarium

I decided to go to the aquarium today to make the most of my week off from uni and since its a weekday figure it'll be less busy. It cost 160RMB to get in which is cheaper than I thought.

The aquarium is laid out across 3 floors which after you decscend to the next floor you are unable to go back up again. Some tanks were so small the fish looked miserable. I saw a video about shark finning and cried so much I left. I couldn't believe they let little kids see this. I'm so against sharks fin, I'm thinking to join some shark societies and stop this horrendous act. I saw the shark being finned whilst still alive and conscious, it kept blinking in pain, blood everywhere, and when the evil people were done they just kicked the rest of the live shark back into the water! I cried and cried.

I didn't like this aquarium much.

Then I went to the Super Brand Mall and walked around. I ate at Chamate and had a beef rice bowl which was really nice but so hot I burnt my fingers. I went to Renoir, the jigsaw store, and bought a cool new jigsaw that I'd promised myself after I finished my exams.

I took the Metro back and went back to the flat to rest a bit. At 5.15pm I headed to Xiujiahui and was amazed it took me 45 minutes to get to the book mall! I was so tired I made it just in time to Wall Street English where I was to meet my language partner who convinced me to come to converse with local Chinese and help them learn English too.

The English Corner was boring, but interesting to see how Chinese learn English. I heard my friend say it costs him 4000RMB for 2 years of class which I think is very reasonable but expensive to him.

After this class I went to an "egg" restaurant and had omlette rice with beef which was ok, cold though.

In Chengdu - day two - at the Panda Base

Having got up at 6.30am I headed to have breakfast and surprised it was so busy! Guess most people getting ready for tours there were many buses outside. My driver arrived at 7.30 and drove me to the base which is located north of the city and took about 40 minutes to drive there.

Upon arrival I met with my tour guide and my driver, Wu, went to book my lunch and left. I was working with a French family, they had a little girl maybe 3 years old. It was quite a trek to the panda house we were to work in and this little girl is such a brat and making horrible comments at me and her parents don't care! Was so angry and upset that a little kid could make me feel like this.

So when we got to the panda house we were introduced to the five we were working with. 3 were adults and 2 were teenage twins. Pandas make the most interesting sound, almost like laughter. We then went inside and started cleaning out the cages. It turns out pandas are very fussy and of the bamboo they receive, about 40% goes to waste, they choose not to eat it.

Also because of their diet their poop is rather odd looking and yellow in colour with the texture of sawdust. At this point, two more ladies joined our group. The guide then went to cut up some apples and we used a long piece of bamboo to feed to the pandas. Lots of people started to take photos since the pandas were quite active. Wu told me that it was a good day for pandas because they like the cold weather.

We then had to wait for the panda cake to arrive which is shaped like mooncakes and made of rice, soya beans, corn and vitamins. We again used the bamboo pole to feed it to them. The guide told us some pandas don't like this cake and some love it. Some are also very fussy and need the keeper to feed it to them with chopsticks!! Now that is fussy!!

After this it was only 11am but seemed to be the end of our volunteer experience. The two ladies were booked with another tour operator and went to a different tour. Unfortunately I was stuck with the French family who I had to go to lunch with. Because Wu already paid my lunch it was all set and included for me. The guide told me I was free to explore on my own or I could join her tour but the thought of following with this kid was driving me nuts.

After an awkward lunch I left and explored on my own. At this point it was hot and sunny and the pandas were all sleeping or hiding. I saw some red pandas but they were also sleeping. It was a bit frustrating I missed seeing them all in the morning. So I then tried to go to the panda nursery but couldn't get in so I walked back to the front gate to ask tourist information. There were two girls who seemed to work there and two guys in there chatting to them. When I tried to ask one girl she then rudely got up and walked away. I asked the other girl but my Mandarin isn't that good so I asked in English. There are lots of foreigners in this place so her working in tourist information she should be able to speak English. Then the stupid guys start making fun of me for speaking English. If you want to make fun of me then don't use the language I'm using - idiots!! I was so embarrassed and upset I wanted to cry I walked out.

I went to the panda museum for a while and to the research lab museum thing. Again a bunch of teenage Chinese kids walking in front of me I overtook them then they followed me and I could hear them mocking me. It's just incredibly difficult to deal with on my own.

I watched some programme, trying to get myself together. I walked to the panda cinema but it was full and so dark I couldn't see where to even walk. The base is huge and walking is exhausting. In the end I called Wu to get me early.

He kindly drove me to the Wide and Narrow Lanes which are very old style buildings which have gardens, restaurants, bars, cafes and shops inside them. The whole place people just take photos.

I then walked to Tianfu Square which doesn't have a whole lot of things to be honest before I got to Chunxi Lu which has lots of shops. I stopped by Haagan Daz to have something to eat and drink and rest my feet. The lady kept talking to me in Chinese and I had no idea what she said before she caught on before muttering something at me and walking away. I don't know if she was paying me back and she bought me some different food I didn't know how to ask her about it. I sometimes feel people do this on purpose to me because I can't complain. I then feel them watching me to see if I'd dare do something about it. I'm so frustrated with this attitude.

I left and walked on but every time I stopped, men on motorbikes and scooters would pull over and start asking me something and it scares me so much I keep moving. I went to the road selling mobile phones which was a big mistake. Some woman hit me with her laminated card and grabbed my arm to look at her probably stolen phones.

I pulled away and walked swiftly and she kept following and I wanted to cry again. In the end I tried to get a taxi but people kept walking into me and more men in motorbikes approached me so I thought I'd head back to Chunxi.

I got hungry and went to Pizza Hut to get away from things. I managed to drift away and read my book instead before I went to get a taxi. I flagged one down and couldn't tell him where I was going, it's so different to Shanghai where the driver stops whilst you tell him where you want to go. He then got rather aggressive because I couldn't speak Chinese. I kept handing him the card with the hotel address on it and he kept flipping it at me before finally snatching it. He then got the address and threw the paper back at me!

When he dropped me at the hotel and I paid him he just threw the money at me in such a huff I was so close to tears at this point.

I've seriously not had a good time in Chengdu. I've also come to realise its more a place for stopping by and transferring. There is so little to see and do here.

Tomorrow I'm going back to Shanghai I wonder if I can get an earlier flight. I actually think after check out here I'm going to spend the next 5 hours in the airport. I can't take it much more out here. Travelling alone was a big mistake.










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In Chengdu - day 1

I woke up at 5am and was out the door by 5.45am. It was easy to get a taxi and he was overjoyed at taking me so far. It took just over 30 minutes and came to 170rmb. He also wished me a safe journey which was nice.

I got a bit worried I was at the wrong terminal I couldn't find my flight listed! But then I realised those were the times for international departures. I used the ticket machine to check in and print my boarding pass as I didn't have any luggage to check in and that was lucky since the queue was horrendous!

Normally when I go through security I end up taking every bit of metal off as I hate setting off the detectors, but seeing this is China I was bound to get searched anyway, I didn't bother. So yeah, lucky it was a female officer searching me.

I underestimated how far the gate was and Terminal 2 of Pudong airport has a lot more shops. Gate 94 was waaaaay down the end! I went to the cafe upstairs for a bit bowl of udon noodles (yes at 7am!) I was starving!

Boarding was easy and not too long to wait. I chose the aisle seat and deliberately didn't belt up because I figured there was someone coming to sit in the middle seat (there was already a girl in the window seat). However, next thing I knew a groin was thrust in my face and this man actually climbed over me without even asking me to move, to sit in the middle seat! I am still astonished at how something so simple can be impossible to people.

There was no entertainment on flight and it was 3 hours to Chengdu. I fell asleep before we even took off. We were given drinks and then a breakfast, either a western style or eastern. The food wasn't too bad actually and came in this cute lunch box thing. Seats on Air China are rather cramped and a small plane since its a domestic flight.

Chengdu airport is quite old it seems and I came out looking for the taxi rank. I kept getting some hassle people offering me a taxi I ignored them and went to the rank. Whilst I was queuing and this man kept asking me where I was going and I kept telling him to leave me alone, I want to queue for a taxi. He waited for me when I got to the top of the queue and tried to persuade me to take his taxi! Then his friend joined in and when I tried to get into a taxi that was waiting and they talked to him and he told me to take their taxi. Their taxi looked a bit different to the other ones pulling up and it scared me this was a fake. The man then told me he would take me for 150rmb. I heard of this kind of thing so I got scared and left. They kept calling after me and I wanted to cry I was so scared and alone. When I looked at the security waving the taxis over into the rank they just stared at me and I was surprised nobody was doing anything about this!

So I managed to get a taxi which looked like all the others and the man was in a uniform so I felt a bit better. Then some weird person started putting his luggage into the boot! The driver had to get out and tell him he already had a passenger. Then he didn't believe and looked me right in the eye before he gave up. Already not a good impression out here!

The taxi driver seemed to have some problem and kept sneezing or something every few minutes.... The drivers here aren't as crazy as in Shanghai. The road "walls" on the motorway are designed Chinese style and a lot of the buildings here are still old style.

When we arrived at the hotel it only cost me 53rmb! Compared to what that other driver was going to charge that's insane! Taxi here is much cheaper than Shanghai and starts at 9rmb. I got to my hotel room which is at the Holiday Inn Express in Wuhou. It's not really worth the money I have to say but I wanted to go with a brand I knew and where there is free wifi etc.

After resting and trying to calm myself from the whole ordeal and finally hitting me I was alone out here, I got a taxi to Wuhou Temple. The taxi driver knew I was foreign (this scares me in case they then try to rip me off). And he kept turning his head to stare at me... It cost me 11rmb to get there and 60rmb entry fee to the temple which I think was rather steep!

The temple is very nice, it has lots of statues in memory of the different soldiers from the Three Kingdoms era. The shrine is for Zhuge Liang. There are lots of smaller gardens, pavilions, and even a small museum. Next to the temple is Jinli street which has lots and lots of stalls and shops selling souvenirs and handicrafts. I even saw a man making candy animals by blowing them like glass!

Afterwards I thought I'd walk a bit I thought I saw some malls around. I was hungry but couldn't find a mall! I ended up in a huge book shop like Borders and people sitting around on the floor, cross-legged and reading. I then kept walking and eventually found myself back at the hotel!

I stopped by the convenience store to buy some things and the lady gave me change it looked so different this money, I tried to ask her what this was but she looked at me like I was crazy that I didn't know what this money was. I was worried it was fake or something and I tried looking it up online but with no luck.

I ended up having dinner downstairs in the hotel but so many things on the menu they don't have! Very frustrating. I just had more noodles and need an early night. Tomorrow at 7.30am I have a driver come to pick me up to take me to the panda reserve! I'm really excited but wonder if I'll get teary, I seem to when I see pandas in real life, they are so beautiful.



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HSK done and dusted

My HSK exam was at 9am and wasn't so hard at all. I wish I'd applied to sit the Level 3 one instead. Anyway, after the exam at 10am I thought I'd head to East Nanjing Road for a walk.

I went to this pasta place for something to eat which was really cheap. I find it very frustrating the layout of the shopping place because the first 3 floors belong to a sports shop and then floors above are other stores and restaurants. There is no escaltor to those floors and you are required to take the lift. 3 lifts in this store and there are 12 floors in total... the speed of these are so stupid and annoying!!

I did a lot of walking in and out of so many stores and shopping malls and then at 2pm met with my friends and we went to The Bund. Took some photos and then went on the ferry. It turned out its 2RMB to take the ferry with a token but 1RMB if you use your Metro card.

The ferry was packed and it felt like cattle being pushed on board. Pudong is very nice and spacious, it made a big change from Puxi. We went by all the tall towers; Jin Mao, SWFC and Oriental Pearl. Could see the Shanghai Tower being built, I'm always amazed how much taller it is each time I go past.

We then went to the Super Brand Mall which is huge! I really underestimated the size of it all. Then we went to have something to eat and drink, waiting for the sun to set so we could get a good view. It was a shame the weather was so cloudy and it also rained a little.

We went to the riverside promenade and took some photos and I managed to ask this Chinese boy to take our photo and then I helped him take his photo as I saw him struggling with his iPhone. We then headed back to the ferry but found the bridge we crossed had been blocked off so we tried to walk around. No such luck! There is no way across these giant roads apart from the flyovers. So I had to work out my Chinese words to ask the crew how we could cross and it turns out they were filming an advert for Coca Cola! So we were allowed to pass by walking right through their shot surrounded by people dressed in red and yellow uniforms.

We took the ferry back and then headed on the East Nanjing Road where a man driving a rickshaw thing ran across the red light and narrowly missed us and a bunch of people, he was then chased by a policeman on a motorbike and so there was a lot of drama.

Then Hannah left to head home and Jorge and I went to Pizza Hut for dinner. Afterwards I took a taxi home it was so late and I was so tired.

Today

I could have had a lie in but no such luck I woke up at 8am! I sat around in bed watching tv for a bit and then got up, had some food then went to West Nanjing Road for a walk. There was some kind of Korean festival on and lots of things happening out there.

I'm due for an early night as I have to leave 6am to get the taxi to Pudong airport and flight to Chengdu! Tuesday I'll be at the Panda Base - I really can't wait! I'm so scared too of going on my own but I have to do it, this is my dream!

Midterms, Markets and Meet-ups

I'm getting far behind in my blog... So last weekend I attended a meet-up and met expats in Masse Bar where we played board games, had drinks and food, was so much fun I had to tear myself away to go home to study!

This whole week I've had mid-term exams and so far received one result for my Reading exam which I scored 90%! I'm so pleased with that since it involved writing an essay in Chinese characters.

As each exam finished I felt less and less pressure and have been out a lot more. I am finding that going out is the best way to learn Chinese and being able to converse with shop assistants and people at the market stalls has helped a lot.

The other evening I felt like visiting the "fake" market at Nanjing Xi Lu. I guess because in England the markets tend to be outdoors so I walked right past the plaza. There were lots of foreign people and inside I think 4 floors worth of stalls. I guess because I pass for Chinese they don't really bother me with broken English, luring foreigners into their over-priced stalls.

In this market there are a wide variety of things from mobile phone cases, to branded clothing, suitcases, silk scarves etc.

After the market I went for a walk and found this pedestrian street with a few food markets around, some restaurants and cafes and even a Krispy Kreme! Although I didn't stop by as I was too hungry and wanted some proper food. I then found myself wandering into this shopping mall and in the basement was a 10Yuan store. I stopped by Ajisen for some udon noodles and then got a taxi back.

Another day I went to Yuyuan Gardens, totally forgetting the rudeness of some people. I couldn't even get in the door because a man and a woman decided to block the entire doorway to have a conversation. And no amount of "excuse me", tapping, pushing, could get them to move! Until some old ladies came by and made a fuss.

The people in this market tend to recognise me and comment they have seen me before. That worries me a little and I didn't stay too long before heading off. I didn't get to explore what I wanted and didn't get any more string for my Chinese knotting.

I also went to Qipu Lu market which I read was by Qufu Lu metro. It was still quite a trek and the weather was so humid I almost gave up looking. I finally found it after asking several convenience store clerks. Qipu Lu market has several plazas dotted around, lots of outdoor stalls, food stalls and so many bikes you can barely move. The main parts of the street are only accessible to pedestrians.

I have to say I've never seen so many pajamas in my life - seriously there were stores every few steps selling pajamas.... I managed to buy some Converse style trainers for about 40RMB so not bad at all! I got a little bored that stores tended to repeat throughout the street so I left and went to Joy City Mall.

I walked around a bit and found the ABC Cooking Studio. Although they didn't speak any English I'm quite curious and want to try a class! I then went to Cloud 9 which is a Taiwanese chain restaurant and the waiter there did speak English so it felt a bit more relaxed. There was also free wifi which is a bonus!

After my exam today I decided to head to Nanjing Lu since I don't spend much time there and its always so busy. But being Friday it wasn't too busy. I'd found 30RMB in the restaurant the other day and I don't like to keep these things so I gave it to a homeless man on the street, he was so grateful and it felt really good. I hope my karma is good.

There was a sale on Snoopy clothes so I went to have a look and then went to the kids shopping mall which was mostly clothes, not toys - very disappointing. I then went to Haagan Daz for some ice cream. It was rather embrassing when I told him I was one person and I was send to the corner in the back! Unless it was for my own benefit to avoid staring at happy couples spoon-feeding each other ice cream I'm not sure.... but still, it was rather lonely in the corner. I do find when I'm eating alone I'm usually made to sit in the corner. Rather sad =(

Tomorrow (yes on a Saturday!) is my HSK exam (only Level 2 for now) and then afterwards I'm hoping to take the ferry to Pudong. I don't have uni for a week and on Monday I'm leaving for Chengdu! I'm really excited but nervous!

 

Portuguese Baked Rice 28RMB

 

Xiao Long Bao but in bread not dumplings

 

Swiss roll ice cream at Haagan Daz

Hangzhou

Yesterday Hannah and I went to Hangzhou for the day. In China you have to buy tickets from ticket offices and no earlier than 10 days in advance. Our train was at 8.20am so we had to get there pretty early and try to find out where to go. The station was at Hongqiao which I'd never been before. Last year I went from Shanghai Railway Station to go to Suzhou.

After tedious security checks and asking people if we were in the right place we found the platform. The train was quite comfortable with lots of legroom. A one way ticket from Shanghai to Hangzhou costs 78RMB and takes about an hour. There are some stops on the way but the train terminates at Hangzhou.

From the station we took the K7 bus to West Lake. The bus costs 1RMB and takes about 15-20 minutes to get to the lake. The lake is much bigger than it seemed and I'd read it would take 5 hours to slowly walk around it. There are some ferry boats that take people to the smaller islands in the middle of the lake which cost 45RMB for the day.

We decided to walk in the other direction to most people and came across many smaller parks, bridges, gardens as well as many food stands and souvenier shops. Seeing as the night before it was a huge storm and I'm told even a slight earthquake, it was surprisingly warm to the point I'm sunburnt!

You can hire bikes and even 2 and 3 people seater ones although there are many parts of the lake where you can't ride the bike. It costs I think 200RMB as a deposit and 100RMB to rent although the amount is deducted according to how many times you use it or something. It is much like in London with the Boris bikes you can put them into a rack when you don't want to use them and swipe a card to release a bike.

There are also some trolley cars taking people to different stops and since they squeeze onto the same paths as people it can get very dangerous but musical with the "horns" playing various tunes. I find it amusing still to see all these stores selling instant noodles! There are also black sweetcorns which I thought were burnt but apparently not - I can't say they looked appetizing. Some meat skewers, candy floss, popcorn..... and plenty of ice cream.

There were so many people that at some point you feel you are just being herded like sheep into the same direction..... We managed to pull out of the current and went up the hills to get a better view. We also found the remains of a palace up there that had been preserved under glass. It was kind of amazing this feeling of looking at ground and architecture from ancient times and thinking who might have walked on this ground and what they might be thinking of the world now as we stood on wooden slats listening to a man playing an erhu in one of the pagodas.....

At one stage we seemed to have wondering into a nearby park and thus lost sight of the lake. We were so tired but kept going and in total it did take us about 5-6 hours to get around. It was another headache trying to get the K7 back to the station and we were so lucky we left when we did as it took about 40 minutes of trekking up and down the road and asking various people where the K7 bus stop was. I asked a very nice policeman who pointed us up the road which took another 15 minutes trekking!

The buses were packed and when we squeezed on a bus we were right against the doors standing on the step. As we got back to where we spoke to the policeman he leapt out chasing a man and then forcing him head down on his bike and grabbing his handcuffs. That was such a drama and right in front of us! And that policeman was so nice and friendly and spoke English too.

The bus stopped and people wanted to get on but we were already so squished. I have no idea how we managed to fit 3 more people in of which the businessman kept turning around at us and grinning (creepy) and hanging onto the rail right above my head that I had to keep crouching. There was awful traffic and it felt like we were stuck forever..... a baby crying, so stuffy and claustrophobic, and you couldn't move and getting cramped and sore feet from walking ALL day......

When the bus stopped at the station I pretty much fell out losing feeling in my legs. We went to Cafe85 for some sugary drinks and luckily enough to get a seat. We took the train back and got back into Shanghai by 8pm.

Hanghzou's West Lake is very beautiful but I think it would be better enjoying not during a holiday season! There are some parts that are less busy and can be more relaxing. Its also a place where anything goes and you randomly can hear people burst into song, others make crowns out of willow tree leaves they are good at weaving them and adding flowers, you notice some of the most hideous of clothes.... its just very colourful a place to be....