Shanghi...

Wow what a blur I have to actually think about this to remember it as we didnt have long at all here... after the LONG sleeper train journey we went back to the hotel to freshen up and an hour later was on an orientation checking out the museum - getting food from the supermarket (basically western food like sandwiches dont really exist her - you have to get your cakes, sweet breads in the mornings along with fruit etc and we keep them for breakfasts and lunch as we are on the move literally the whole time)! However at the olympic stadium I did have a McD - eeww and they are as bad as the English ones :( i.e CRAP...

In Shanghi its very different from Beijing as most speak English... it is full of skyscrappers (very impressive!!!) and even has the 5th largest one in the world! It is more of a western city and full of younf fashionable people (different from Beijing where you were photo'ed with the chinese...stared at and generally an "alien" to them) so felt less special here!lol...We did alot of walking in Shaghi and explored the Bund and art deco buildings... but because of this "2010 expo; better life better future" malary where they are improving everything there was so much construction and demolitian going on that didnt really get to enjoy the bund scenery and things:(

The pros: I managed to have a starbucks and costa - yay to westernisation - i cannot believe how much I have been missing tea (and cerial - their milk is erm 'different' and 'interesting') they LOVE their sweets though- literally sweets everywhere... sweet breads (no savoury)...fruit with dried sugar and honey ... fruit smoothies (they are good)!! and random sweets they walk along the streets with - its just so different from England! OMG their dumplings ARE AMAZING though - cooked in these huge dumpling pots (a meter diameter) - usually like 6inches diameter - the ones you would receive on a table in a restaurant...and with 50 odd dumplings...sooooo good!

so after arriving on day 5 and doing all this over that day and day 6... we left the hotel at 2pm (still on day 6- see not alot of time in shanghi - could have done with another day!!) we were on another sleeper train...

SLEEPER TRAIN #2 - the one we dreaded...

Now this the "Eastern sleeper train" or "hard sleeper" has the hole as a loo- i have lost my sqatting vaginity and been in the minging hole hoover loos whilst on a moving train - bloody experience and a half ewwww!!! This train also doesnt have compartments (not with a door you can close) and 3 bunks -so 6 in a small compartment... i was on the middle bunk (scared of heights so swapped with someone so i werent on the top lol) and this has a hard bed with people smpking at each end and smelling a bit pissy..for 16 hours!!

I slept for a lil while and actually felt a bit homesick and the "what the f*** am i doing set it a bit" but it actually was ok... afew of the group got very drunk and we were playing games and it turned out to be more socialable that the other train and actually quite fun... had a pit noodle on board (the only thing they supply is hot water) and ate crap that everyone bought to make the train ride seem better... ahh only one more sleeper train to go (but thats not til the end of the trip)... we then arrive in Xi'an