Hang em' High!

Hello from Shanghai. Apologies on not putting up an update in the last few days but it seems internet cafes are not easy to come by in Shanghai (or at least foreigner friendly ones - we were refused from one last night!!). So I have finally given up and handed over 30 yuan to use the oldest PC i have seen in quite a while in the hotel "business centre". To be honest the one thing I would do differently about this trip would be to bring my laptop with me. Seriously would have made things a lot handier.

Since the last blog we have travelled to Xi'an from Beijing on the overnight Z19 train. We were in the soft sleeper section although this time is was a 4 berth cabin. 3 of us didnt sleep that night as the fourth passenger (a chinese businessman had the most annoying continuous snoring I have ever had the misfortune to suffer through). Eventually got to Xi'an and it was boiling and unfortunately that was only 8 in the morning. We had definitely exceeded the melting point for Irish People. We just managed to walk to and from the supermarket that day and then mooch around our very nice hostel (a series of indoor courtyards), literally fit for nothing else. The next day we took a hostel organized tour to the Teracotta Warriors the main reason for travelling to Xi'an. They really were amazing and i think i have some great photos but unfortunately without a computer newer than 1982 i can't upload and view them properly yet. It was a flying visit to Xi'an and on the way back from the warriors we were left at the train station to get another overnighter to Shanghai. Monday was a public holiday and between the cruel heat and the crowds waiting for the train was not a pleasant experience. We thought we were going to be lucky when no one else joined our cabin at Xi'an but it seems our luck was fleeting as that night just as i had dozed off a couple and their very young baby came to stay. In fairness the baby was a good as gold for most of the night (certainly better than the previous snorer) but still the 6' x 6' cabin is a small space for 5 people. Thankfully that is our last train journey of the trip, unless we get to take the Mag Lev out to Shanhai airport tomorrow morning. That would be pretty cool though as it reaches speeds of 420km/h and makes the traffic travelling alongside it look like it is going backwards.

Shanghai itself is an expensive city, nice but expensive. Our hotel is by far the best value thing about it. At $50 a night it is a complete bargain given the size of the room and its location (5 min walk from Nanjing shopping street). We went to the 88th floor of the Jin Mao tower yesterday to get a proper look at the city. Apparently a sky scraper has been erected every 2 days since the late 1980's and it looks like it. Literally hundreds of ultra high rise buildings. Even our 88th floor vieing perch was overshadowed by the building just next door to it. The colonial influneces are also really obvious from the german styled "Bund" to the French concession area of town. Sometimes you really feel like you are in europe but you know just a stones throw away is authentic chinese life.

Right my 30 yuan has now run out so I better go. Tomorrow we fly to Hong Kong where i will start another wild goose chase for an internet cafe. We are going to go to Disneyland which should be cool. I will report back once I can.

Take care,

Jules