Spatrachina Volume One

As I sat down to munch my lunch at Changi Airport, I was feeling this strange vibe of excitement. Strange? Yup, cos even though I've basically planned out my trip during the past 1 month, I've not really planned in details for several parts of the trip... I was going to jus play my luck card and bet against the odds. This is no ordinary trip for me. This is my 1st ever solo holiday trip (well, until my fren joined me 1 week later). The budget for this trip was set at $1500, all inclusive. Lotsa frens told me this budget is really cheap, considering the many places I will be visiting and the airline I will be taking. Well, I got my SIA ticket for free cos I used my Krisflyer points, paying only $250 for the fuel and taxes surcharges. My 6 nights in Shanghai were complimentary by my good friend Yufei. As such, I get to stay budget, yet be luxurious during the course of this trip.

My lunch at Changi, a MOS burger and a Barley from Burger King

Time to Board the Plane!

The plane that will eventually fly me to Shanghai

My fully seated SIA flight was a smooth one, landing at Shanghai 15 minutes ahead of schedule. The customs was a breeze, in contrast to the common view that 3rd world countries will have inefficient custom systems. However, the real drag was at the conveyor baggage collection area. I was waiting at the carosole at 10.10pm, and it was only at 10.45pm that I caught a glimpse of my baggage. I immediately rushed out of the terminal with my 18kg bag to catch the last bus out of the airport. And in a nick of time I did. Otherwise, I would be taking the Night Line which is usually very crowded. The bus journey of 45 minutes opened my eyes to the night of Shanghai, from Pudong all the way to XuJiaHui district.

Arrived in Shanghai!!

By the time I reached my final destination, it was already 11.40pm. I waited at the road for my fren, Yufei, to pick me up. She arrived with her father (a very friendly Shanghainess by the way), and drove me to their up market apartment. It was more than I had expected. The apartment was spanking clean and fully furnished with TV, bed, water heater etc. She even brought along some fruits and biscuits for my breakfast the following morning. With 2 boxes of mineral water containing 8 bottles of 4L each, I was virtually assured of a thirst free stay. This trip has definitely been a pampering start so far. Less than 7 hours of sleep later, I'll be embarking on my holiday plan, first to the river village township of Tongli. The night was peppered with too much excitement that I didnt really sleep much at all.