SWFC

Today started at 1.30am. That's when my brain decided it was time to wake up. Time Zones are such fun. It did mean I got to watch the impressive light show displayed on the skyscrapers along the banks of the Huangpo River. Eventually getting back to sleep I finally had to get up about 5am and start planning the day. A visit to the Bund was a no-brainer. It's a tourist must see, and since I'm a tourist, well, I think you can see where this is going. Initially I thought that if we could just get to the river front we'd find a bridge and simply cross over to strut the bund like international bon vivants. What I really should have realised is that the amount of large traffic motoring up and down the Huangpo, including cruise ships, indicated that bridges would be few and far between and any bridge would need to be high and probably vehicle only. Once this information was processed I realised that I'd need a vehicle to get me across this muddy brown slow moving liquid road. Then I had the revelation, what we need is a hop-on, hop-off bus. Fortunately I happened to know where one stops. After a few false starts and about two kilometres of moderately aimless wandering we finally lucked upon a parked Citysightseeing bus. We paid our 160 Yuan and boarded to enjoy the great sights of this mega-city. Sitting on the top deck, cruising the boulevards and timeless lanes of Shanghai was well worth the time and money invested, apart from the occasional frustration of a few random long stops. I think this was probably because the driver was gasping for a smoke. After about three hours of motoring around Shanghai we backtracked the loop and got off across from the Bund, but on the opposite side to our hotel. What the? China you devious devil! Not to be denied I rememberd reading about a tunnel that runs under the river transporting tourists from one side of the river to the other, in a psychedelic trippy mixture of lasers, spotlights and mood music. I, and probably you, have probably never seen anything like it. It was a one of a kind and got us to the right side of the river. Now we could casually saunter back towards our hotel, with a stop at the Disney store and the flagship Shanghai Apple store on the way. Tomorrow we get a Didi ride to the Shanghai Disneyland Hotel before hitting the park for our first day. Can't wait!Read more