2002-11-11 - 4:58 p.m.

I Shanghai Myself

Well, after a 24-hour plane ride, here I am in China!

I flew on Northwest Airlines from Albany, to Detroit, to Tokyo then finally to Shanghai.

While I was sitting in the airport in Detroit there was an announcement over the PA system about how it was illegal to transport more than $10,000 in Traveller's Cheques... and then it ocurred to me - SHIT! I'd left the traveller's cheques I'd bought back at home! Right on the table behind my computer! Crap!

Well, it was annoying, but not fatal - I have other ways to get money in China, like my credit card and my ATM card. But still, why get the cheques, then forget them? Grrrr.

Last night I was running around like a maniac, trying to get everything packed. I wanted to have the apartment clean for when I came back, but insted the place got more messy as I hunted down things I wanted to pack. Oh, well! Nothing can be done about it now!

The flight I was on was supposed to land in Tokyo, then we all had to deplane, go through security, the wait two hours and get back on the plane again. Why? Don't ask me!

I passed the time amusing myself looking fo example of Japanses Cuteness, and I found a couple. There were these posters welcoming people to Tokyo, featuring a photograph of a girl in a shiny silver fairy costume. Apparently it's impossible to embarrass a Japanese.

All the security checkpoints were manned by these girls in these cute red outfits and they all were wearing these white gloves with the lines on the back - just like Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse wear. If that's not cute, I don't know what is!

You'll notice this entry is not too coherant - I am obviously jetlagged all to hell.

After a 2 1/2 hour flight, the plane landed in Shanghai. The Shanghai airpost was utterly lacking in Japanese Cuteness. I would say the theme for the place was Militaristic Seriousness as all the women manning the customs and quarantine posts were all in pretty elaborate uniforms. From the sour looks on their faces, these uniforms must have itched like hell.

After finally getting trough all these hurdles I found my luggage and my dear Lily and I were finally reunited! Yay! Much smooching occurred.

We then took a taxi to our hotel in downtown Shanghai. I have to admit compared to my recent trips to New York, Shanghai impressed the hell out of me. The city seemed huge, and it's getting bigger every day. It's the largest city in China with about 13 million inhabitants, give or take a few. The city is booming economically, and Lily was telling me that an are covered with gleaming skyscrapers was just farms and fields less than a decade ago.

Our hotel was a four star hotel in downtown Shanghai and that was very impressive too. It was luxurious and surprisingly affordable. In fact everything in China is amazingly cheap. Being in China will bring out the thrifty bugger in you!

Anyway, that's my first day in China. I don't know how often I'll be able to update here, but I will try my best.