2: Nicky's flat.
3: Shanghai skyline.
Shanghai smells like: builder's rubble.
Tastes like: tasty spicy savoury pancakes; over-priced tea.
Looks like: a builder's site.
Sounds like: spitting.
Feels like: wary of Russian embassy officials; grateful for nice people who let me sleep on their couch.
I woke up early, fed the cats, and headed off to the Russian embassy to get my visa. There was some waiting around, then some feeling nervous in front of embassy people as they go through everything written on my application form and ask me questions, then utter disbelief at the cost of a visa.
"Can I get same day processing?"
"Miss, it's a little expensive." There's a sign on the wall, 120 dollars. I can live with that.
"That's ok."
"240 dollars, please."
"What?"
"That price is for Chinese people. For British people same day processing is 240 dollars."
That's a lot of money. Suddenly regular 5 day processing and coming back to Shanghai to pick up my passport seems like a much better idea.
Feeling naked without my passport, I go for a walk. The buildings in Shanghai are a brilliant mix - old Chinese buildings, French mansions, British banks, American-style hotels. People look at me curiously. For all that Shanghai is supposed to be an international city, everyone seems to be Chinese. Including the 3 Beijing students who want to practice their English and then take me to a tea-tasting session. I don't have anywhere I have to be, so I go drink tea. It turns out to be extremely tasty, and surprisingly expensive. The students open their wallets without hesitation. This is the new Chinese middle class, it seems.
After tea, I walk around some more and find myself in the People's Square. The people's hobbies seem to be spitting, kite flying, and shouting hello to foreigners (though not necessarily in that order). I feel like I've been under the spotlight too much, so I go back to Nicky's apartment. I play with her cats and wait for her to come home so we can go for dinner.
I met Nicky though a site called Couchsurfing.com, where travellers can arrange to stay on couches all over th world. A bit like house swapping, only without the house or the swap. I stay in her house, and in return I buy her dinner. Much more convenient than a hostel. Nicky is an architect, originally from Beijing. She studied in America and her English is excellent. Her house is in the French quarter, and extremely pretty. It's interesting to be in a real person's house instead of staying in a hostel.
Tastes like: tasty spicy savoury pancakes; over-priced tea.
Looks like: a builder's site.
Sounds like: spitting.
Feels like: wary of Russian embassy officials; grateful for nice people who let me sleep on their couch.
I woke up early, fed the cats, and headed off to the Russian embassy to get my visa. There was some waiting around, then some feeling nervous in front of embassy people as they go through everything written on my application form and ask me questions, then utter disbelief at the cost of a visa.
"Can I get same day processing?"
"Miss, it's a little expensive." There's a sign on the wall, 120 dollars. I can live with that.
"That's ok."
"240 dollars, please."
"What?"
"That price is for Chinese people. For British people same day processing is 240 dollars."
That's a lot of money. Suddenly regular 5 day processing and coming back to Shanghai to pick up my passport seems like a much better idea.
Feeling naked without my passport, I go for a walk. The buildings in Shanghai are a brilliant mix - old Chinese buildings, French mansions, British banks, American-style hotels. People look at me curiously. For all that Shanghai is supposed to be an international city, everyone seems to be Chinese. Including the 3 Beijing students who want to practice their English and then take me to a tea-tasting session. I don't have anywhere I have to be, so I go drink tea. It turns out to be extremely tasty, and surprisingly expensive. The students open their wallets without hesitation. This is the new Chinese middle class, it seems.
After tea, I walk around some more and find myself in the People's Square. The people's hobbies seem to be spitting, kite flying, and shouting hello to foreigners (though not necessarily in that order). I feel like I've been under the spotlight too much, so I go back to Nicky's apartment. I play with her cats and wait for her to come home so we can go for dinner.
I met Nicky though a site called Couchsurfing.com, where travellers can arrange to stay on couches all over th world. A bit like house swapping, only without the house or the swap. I stay in her house, and in return I buy her dinner. Much more convenient than a hostel. Nicky is an architect, originally from Beijing. She studied in America and her English is excellent. Her house is in the French quarter, and extremely pretty. It's interesting to be in a real person's house instead of staying in a hostel.
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