CHINA 2010 THURSDAY 23rd SEPTEMBER
A very busy morning washing the bed linen, packing, cleaning, cooking a light lunch and throwing out clothes we are not taking home.
1pm we were ready to leave Xiamen hoping we would get away with our luggage weight on the flight from Xiamen to Shanghai and the carrier bags and holdalls we were going to use as hand luggage. We had noted the amount of bags the locals carried on the plane when we returned from Nantong so were not unduly worried about them but the suitcases seemed awfully heavy. Just over 40kg – great. We said our goodbyes to Mander and Helen thanking them again for everything they have done for us. We feel so much younger even if we don’t look it due to our stay in their city. Once we were through security without any problems we went down to the departure gate where boarding had already begun. There was only a few of us ferried out to the plane by bus and as we were about the last to board the stewardess closed the curtain between business and economy class. Most people had already boarded and with empty seats we were able to spread out. 2.15pm we pulled to the waiting area and 5 minutes after our departure time we were airborne. Our lunch today was a duo packet of dried cherry tomatoes in one section and mixed peanuts and almonds in the other plus a drink as long as it wasn’t alcoholic.
Landing at a gate it was a long walk to baggage reclaim even though very few people have hold luggage we still had a wait. Mr. Lui and Mr. Nee were waiting for us and whilst Mr. Nee took the luggage we didn’t require in Suzhou Mr. Lui rushed us to the train station adjoining the airport. We had 20 minutes before our bullet train left, unfortunately Mr. Lui didn’t know his way around the station and had to keep asking for directions. We tried following the signs but they weren’t very helpful and the outcome was the gate was closed and we had to have new tickets and wait about 30 minutes for the next slower train.
I chatted to a couple of students from Nanjing who had been celebrating the festival in Shanghai, one of them telling me her home town was Suzhou and it was lovely. We said goodbye to Mr. Lui and made our way down to the train. In carriage 15 we were sitting apart but as the train pulled out of the station Keith came to say no-one had occupied the seat next to him. I was sitting with three young people, two of which had immediately gone to sleep, but said I would wait until the next stop before moving. (We did not want a repetition of Anshan to Dalian when we thought we were going to be arrested over changing seats.) Again no one came so I joined Keith for the short distance. The whole journey had taken just over 30 minutes and the fare was 31 yuan for soft seats so it would be even cheaper on the hard seats.
It was almost dark when are emerged from the Railway Station where lots of building work is taking place. It was also a long walk to the bus station and adjoining taxi rank but with aisles of waiting taxis we didn’t have to wait. Our driver had to make a phone call before driving us to our hotel. (This has happened to us before so we were not worried.) We were dropped outside a very impressive illuminated building with lots of cars and a few coaches in the large car park. Our hotel was across the road, the ‘Leview Seasons Suites’ on Daoqian Jie, and with an efficient receptionist we were soon in room 228 almost at the end of the corridor with a view of the water which was a small canal and then the main road.
Our room was very nice and we had the luxury of a bath. We also had a Japanese style tea table but doubt if we shall use it fearing that once we sit so low we will not be able to get up! But best of all we have a leather bed with a soft mattress! In the bathroom I examined the boxes of toiletries etc. wondering what the ‘Vanity Kit’ was – a single cotton wool pad! A knock on the door and the housekeeper delivered a plate of fruit for us. As it was getting late we went to eat in ‘House 89’ one of the hotel’s two restaurants, the other being Japanese we think judging by the name. The food was very good and the prices similar to what we pay in ‘The Soup Expert’. We took a short walk but with it being dark didn’t venture too far noticing a distinct lack of restaurants and eating places. The price of beer in the nearby convenience store is extortionate as well so we will buy further afield.Back in our room Keith tried to get on the internet but failed so went to seek help from the receptionist who was now a young man and returned with him. No matter what they tried we couldn’t get a connection so thanked the young man for his trouble. Keith messed about and as I was about to settle down for the night finally got a connection but again the system was still very slow.
1pm we were ready to leave Xiamen hoping we would get away with our luggage weight on the flight from Xiamen to Shanghai and the carrier bags and holdalls we were going to use as hand luggage. We had noted the amount of bags the locals carried on the plane when we returned from Nantong so were not unduly worried about them but the suitcases seemed awfully heavy. Just over 40kg – great. We said our goodbyes to Mander and Helen thanking them again for everything they have done for us. We feel so much younger even if we don’t look it due to our stay in their city. Once we were through security without any problems we went down to the departure gate where boarding had already begun. There was only a few of us ferried out to the plane by bus and as we were about the last to board the stewardess closed the curtain between business and economy class. Most people had already boarded and with empty seats we were able to spread out. 2.15pm we pulled to the waiting area and 5 minutes after our departure time we were airborne. Our lunch today was a duo packet of dried cherry tomatoes in one section and mixed peanuts and almonds in the other plus a drink as long as it wasn’t alcoholic.
Landing at a gate it was a long walk to baggage reclaim even though very few people have hold luggage we still had a wait. Mr. Lui and Mr. Nee were waiting for us and whilst Mr. Nee took the luggage we didn’t require in Suzhou Mr. Lui rushed us to the train station adjoining the airport. We had 20 minutes before our bullet train left, unfortunately Mr. Lui didn’t know his way around the station and had to keep asking for directions. We tried following the signs but they weren’t very helpful and the outcome was the gate was closed and we had to have new tickets and wait about 30 minutes for the next slower train.
I chatted to a couple of students from Nanjing who had been celebrating the festival in Shanghai, one of them telling me her home town was Suzhou and it was lovely. We said goodbye to Mr. Lui and made our way down to the train. In carriage 15 we were sitting apart but as the train pulled out of the station Keith came to say no-one had occupied the seat next to him. I was sitting with three young people, two of which had immediately gone to sleep, but said I would wait until the next stop before moving. (We did not want a repetition of Anshan to Dalian when we thought we were going to be arrested over changing seats.) Again no one came so I joined Keith for the short distance. The whole journey had taken just over 30 minutes and the fare was 31 yuan for soft seats so it would be even cheaper on the hard seats.
It was almost dark when are emerged from the Railway Station where lots of building work is taking place. It was also a long walk to the bus station and adjoining taxi rank but with aisles of waiting taxis we didn’t have to wait. Our driver had to make a phone call before driving us to our hotel. (This has happened to us before so we were not worried.) We were dropped outside a very impressive illuminated building with lots of cars and a few coaches in the large car park. Our hotel was across the road, the ‘Leview Seasons Suites’ on Daoqian Jie, and with an efficient receptionist we were soon in room 228 almost at the end of the corridor with a view of the water which was a small canal and then the main road.
Our room was very nice and we had the luxury of a bath. We also had a Japanese style tea table but doubt if we shall use it fearing that once we sit so low we will not be able to get up! But best of all we have a leather bed with a soft mattress! In the bathroom I examined the boxes of toiletries etc. wondering what the ‘Vanity Kit’ was – a single cotton wool pad! A knock on the door and the housekeeper delivered a plate of fruit for us. As it was getting late we went to eat in ‘House 89’ one of the hotel’s two restaurants, the other being Japanese we think judging by the name. The food was very good and the prices similar to what we pay in ‘The Soup Expert’. We took a short walk but with it being dark didn’t venture too far noticing a distinct lack of restaurants and eating places. The price of beer in the nearby convenience store is extortionate as well so we will buy further afield.Back in our room Keith tried to get on the internet but failed so went to seek help from the receptionist who was now a young man and returned with him. No matter what they tried we couldn’t get a connection so thanked the young man for his trouble. Keith messed about and as I was about to settle down for the night finally got a connection but again the system was still very slow.
posted by Pam at
13:28
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