Shanghai - the city of very tall buildings

So that's Shanghai done and dusted.

Well what can I say. Lots and lots and lots and lots of tall buildings, and where there are spaces between the tall buildings, lots of men building lots and lots more very tall buildings. Can't think what all the people do in these tall buildings, but I'm sure they are all very gainfully employed.

Two tall buildings, one that looks a bit like a bottle opener?

We had a really good time though, the place isn't packed with must see sights, but it was really nice wandering around (read "wandering" as getting lost).

The city has an area called the french concession, not to be confused with french connection(which I'm pleased to say it also had), which was the old french colonial area with some nice old European looking buildings.

We also visited the unique looking TV tower which gave us lots of nice views of the tops of the tall buildings.

Us in the top sphere

View over part of the city

Other highlights included:

Haggling with a woman into selling me an umbrella for a pound, she wanted 2, I could have got her to 50p.

Watching a man on a bike cart get blown over at a junction, and then watch him struggle to put his worldly possessions back on.

Drinking 50p pints of beer in our hostel.

Our hostel

So I think Chris's opinion sums it up "I'm glad I've been, but I wouldn't come back"

Onward and westwards now, we just arrived in Xi'an this morning, hopefully going to see the terracotta warriors tomorrow.

Till next time............

Last day in Hong Kong and onto Shanghai

So our last day in Hong Kong was spent visiting a massive statue of buda on one of the local islands. We took an unimaginably high and long cable car ride to get up there which was amazing, if not a little petrifying.

About half way along the cable car

Buda from the distance. Buda up closer


Due to a very late start to the day and a very tired Chris in the evening we didn't achieve very much else that day. Damn jet lag just won't give in!

So it was goodbye to Hong Kong. Loved our time there, and would like to take this opportunity to extend our gratitude to Richard and Stephen for their hospitality, it wouldn't have been half the fun without our trusted guides!

Our 20 or so hour train journey to Shanghai was fine, we had a four bed cabin to ourselves so got to chill out (i.e. didn't have to struggle trying to converse with a Chinese granny or anything!). One point to note though, we would not recommend ever eating food from a Chinese train buffet car, vile in the first degree! (Chris has managed to acquire a phobia of Chinese food as a result, what would this be known as?)

Our wee cabin.......and yes.......that is Chris asleep again!

"That" meal on the train.....ughh.

Anyway we arrived into Shanghai about lunchtime today, first impressions........absolutely and totally manic, surely one of the busiest places on the planet........but all good so far.

Jet lagged but happy!

So apart from a very strange sleeping pattern we've been having a great time in Hong Kong.

On our first night we went out for our first proper chinese food (although I did stick with the lemon chicken) followed by a drink in a bar on the 29th floor of a sky scraper, amazing!

Yesterday we took a crazy tram ride up to the top of "the peak", a huge hill overlooking Hong Kong. I say crazy since at one point the tram was tilting at 45 degrees...........and they still allowed people to stand up!
From the top we got some great photos of the skyline and went for a walk around the peak, and in the true spirit of globalisation Chris managed to get his grande skinny latte from Starbucks.

In the afternoon we headed into one of the suburbs to explore a market where we resisted the temptation to buy cheap tat, although Chris did purchase a scewer of unidentified meat (we think it was either eel or snake), it was rank!

Finised off yesterday with lots of free vokda in one of Hong Kongs premier gay bars, bliss.

Arrived in Hong Kong

Okay. So the first (and hopefully not last) post is here!!!

We arrived safe and well in Hong Kong a few hours ago. The 12 hour flight from London was relatively painless. Chris slept through most of it, quelle suprise!
We're staying with some friends of Chris in a nice apartment block near the centre.
First impressions of Hong Kong are good, but we'll update you once we've had a proper look around!

Off out for some Dim Sum just now, start as we mean to go on!