Back home - but a back log of China stories!

I'm feeling rather "spaced out" - after arriving in Brisbane at 10.35 am on 16/1/09 after leaving Shaoxing by bus at 7.30 am on 15/1/09 and having little sleep! The bus trip was uneventful as for some reason there was little traffic on the highway between Shaoxing and Shanghai, and we arrived at the airport in good time. But over two hours to wait for our Singapore Airlines plane to leave.

There were three of us on the plane from Shanghai to Singapore, but we left Singapore on different planes. Mine was the last to leave at 10 minutes past midnight. So seven and a half hours in the plane.

Both flights were fairly uneventful, but there was quite a lot of turbulence especially between Shanghai and Singapore, so we (and the cabin crew) remained seated for much of the flight.

In Singapore I wandered around looking at the shops - didn't really spend any money of note, but kept walking as I thought if I sat down I'd fall asleep!

I had a glass of Chardonnay at Harry's Bar and a great Toasted Chicken Sandwich at the Hard Rock Cafe (which I'd recommend! Highly) - it was big enough for two people!

I dozed on and off on the plane - probably because of the chardy and the drink at the HRC, but was still quite tired when I arrived. MM and two granddaughters were there to meet me, and I headed home for a short time before my dental appointment. (I'd broken a tooth on New Year's Day - so had a repair job done.)

MM bought me an E-bike for Christmas, so I've yet to try that out!

I'm still feeling a little surreal but slowly coming good. Had my hair cut today - and did a little shopping, so bit by bit I'm coming good, but still tired.

I have some great photos of visits I made in my last few days in Shaoxing and Hangzhou, so will post those in the next day or so.

Leaving Shanghai

We left Shanghai on a Sunday morning - leaving the New Harbour Service Apartments very early in the morning by taxi to get to the airport. I was thrilled to see the new airport - as when I had arrived in Shanghai nearly five months earlier we landed at the old (almost derelict) airport.

The new airport was quite a sight - with vast windows overlooking the runway with some small farms on the other side. As well one could see a variety of watercraft in the sea beyond - making their way into or out of Shanghai.

I love Shanghai - though not the pollution that seemed to hang in the air like a dirty wet blanket during our time there - but happy to move on to our next destination.

We fly Singapore Airlines (recently voted the best airline in the world!), and were soon booked in, and ready for our visit to Singapore.

Arriving in China

We left Brisbane at 11.45 pm and arrived in Singapore around 5.15 am (Singapore time) knowing we had some 2 hours to wait. I was last in Changi/Singapore Airport in 1991, and how it has changed.


It is much, much bigger, hugely friendly with displays of wonderful Singapore orchids. Altogether friendly and welcoming. I was travelling with two gentlemen - friendly Aussie blokes whom I met at Australian City College - and we were soon lined up at the Sports Bar for our first drink. I had a lovely red wine and the guys had a few beers.

We were very tired - sleeping sitting up in economy class is not a good sleep, but we were OK. One of the guys had been to Yuexiu before, and I was the only one of the trio that had never been to China.

There is now an airtrain that takes folk between the different parts of the airport. M1 managed to get on the train before the doors closed and M2 and I were stranded, until the train returned. We boarded and found that we had taken a different route. Back to the origional departure spot, and then on to the right destination and we were reunited again. Lots of laughs!

It wasn't long before we boarded the next Singapore Airlines flight - the 5 hours to Shanghai.

As it turned out we landed early in Shanghai and jour meeting and greeting party had not arrived. We had been given instructions to wait for two young ladies who would have "a plate with characters on it and our names." Eventually M1 found them - with the sign with thename of the college in English and Chinese and with "Dianne Michael" on it. The two blokes are both called Michael - which is why I will call them M1 and M2. Easy for me.

The girls had travelled three hours by bus and went off for something to eat, leaving us with our luggage to watch the world (in Shangai) go past.

The Shanghai airport was more than adequate - but compared to Singapore - well, there is no comparison. Shanghai was stark and functional, without the glamour and welcoming of Singapore. No doubt Shanghai Airport will upgrade one day to cater for the increasing number of Westerners to the country.

Eventually we found our bus driver and bus and were on the road to Shaoxing. Will I ever forget that bus ride? Never in a zillion years.