Shanghai - 上海

Off to Shanghai! After Tom had his deodorant taken away by a dangerous criminal during a security check in the Beijing Metro, we drove with a delay to the train station from where we wanted to take the train to Shanghai. However, when we arrived there, we were informed that our train would depart from the other end of the city, so we hurriedly got in line for taxis... Our train was supposed to leave at 10:00 am. Our driver did his best and raced towards the train station on the 6-lane streets of Beijing, way too fast. We reached the train station at 9:59 am, forgot our food bag in the taxi, sprinted to the gate, and had to watch as the green lamp of the gate barrier turned red and we were left standing in front of closed gates - so we missed the train! Cursing, frustrated, and in a bad mood, we walked to the counter to book a new ticket. Spending another 70€... But when the lady behind the counter saw our tickets, she said we could simply reschedule our tickets for a later date... Only in a socialist-communist country like this! Two hours and a few beers later, we were heading to Shanghai at 300km/h.

Arriving in Shanghai, after maneuvering through the metro system and catching a glimpse of the city for the first time, I was overwhelmed. Skyscrapers, masses of people, and lights - everywhere.

The next day, we went on a shopping tour. I got myself a new phone and Tom got some socks. In the evening, Tom started feeling weak and got sick. The next day, my health followed his, and my plan to go partying in Shanghai's rooftop bars and clubs fell through. At least I heard reports from our roommates every morning about how awesome the previous night was. But Tom and I eventually rallied and met up with Tony, a South Korean guy we got in contact with through a friend (Anke). We had a few beers in a cool bar district and met some new people. Following Tony's recommendations, we visited, among other things, an old slaughterhouse that now houses cafes, urban art shops, and other stores due to its unique architecture. We also wandered around the city, and I got lost in photography amongst the city's skyscrapers. Tom rested in the hostel.