Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Arrival in Shanghai

We have officially arrived in Shanghai. The flight from Munich was about 10 1/2 hours, which really doesn't seem that long anymore! We didn't have any problems going through customs, so we gathered our bags and went to find transportation. We saw a sign that lead us to believe there may be a shuttle, but it turned out the shuttle didn't go to Shanghai (the airport is not actually in the city of Shanghai). We were going to hire a taxi, but it was suggested that we use a car service instead. Our driver did not speak much English, so communication was very difficult, but we eventually got to the hotel.

The drive to the hotel was insane! There are painted lanes, but the concept of staying in your lane does not seem to exist here. The drivers are all very safe, but it is very different than in the states! For example, honking in the states is often a form of aggression, whereas here it is more of a signal to proceed or not. It was a total culture shock!

We came over a bridge and BAM! we were in the city. All of a sudden the buildings were huge, and everything was super congested! I can't explain how gigantic ALL of the buildings are. I will try to illustrate it with pictures - to come later - but I don't think the pictures will do it justice. I have never seen so many people in one space in my life! This will be a very interesting trip, if nothing else!

By-the-way: I am happily surprised by how many signs are a combination of Conji and English. This will be a big help for us!

Sorry to cut it short now, but stay tuned. There will be much more to come!

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