It looks just like any other Train initially.

The Track is different:

Holy smokes this IS quick:

I think it took about 5 minutes and 20 seconds to cover the 30 Kilometers to the Airport. Pity we couldn’t have one running from Waterford to Dublin Airport!.

On entering a Taxi, we were normally greeted by a recorded English announcement helpfully telling us to put on our seatbelts. But its impossible, the belt is trapped behind the seat, and the buckle is somewhere under the seat. Once you start moving you realise there is something different. Driving in Shanghai is a ‘might is right’ type of experience, or maybe ‘who dares wins’. A Horn is not optional. Its used to warn others that you are coming through without stopping (those pesky pedestrians that cross when the green man is on), and that they had better get out of your way. Or it is used to tell the bicycle/moped/car to get out of the way. Headlights seem to be used for the same function as well.

Indicators are optional, though they do get used now and again. Lane markings are just a general guideline, red lights are a mystery. I can’t figure out why they stop and some red lights and not at others. However, with all the hornblowing and flashing of lights and general chaos there doesn’t seem to be any road-rage, (its not personal), and they seem not to tail-gate.

Anyways, Saturday night in shanghai, we were trying to re-adjust to Irish Time, so we decided that there was no better way than to stay up late, we headed for the Jin Mao Tower for a drink, and a view. The bar, Cloud 99, is the highest bar in the world apparently.

We were able to see Clouds passing outside while sitting there drinking our chosen poison. As well look out over Shanghai at the Oriental Pearl Tower. Great view!

The markets here are really interesting, lots of stuff on offer. The three most common items seem to be watches, bags or dvds. The buying process is interesting as well. It is expected that you will haggle, for example, we went to purchase one item, the initial price was 850 Yuan, we left the shop with it for 150 Yuan.

What really surprised us was that it is possible to haggle in the Department Stores, now whether the money is actually going into the till or not is a completely different matter.