CHINA - round two

The Night Ferry to Qingdao And Beyond

I visited China in September 2010 for a brief week. That time I took the slow ferry from Incheon Korea to Qingdao China and boarded a bullet train for Beijing spending five days in China’s Capital.

China was enormous, relatively easy to navigate around, close to South Korea and cheap, so I decided to go and explore one more time. This time I was off to China’s centre of trade and finance – Shanghai.

I boarded the same Weidong Ferry from Incheon to Qingdao. I knew the procedure and the trip across went smooth. On China’s side I remembered that the people in the lobby of the ferry disembarked first and I skipped the long line and sneaked off to enter customs first. I also remembered the bus number to the railway station from last time and I printed a map to walk to the backpackers – too easy. If it had been a new foreign country or different route then it might have been different. 

 I spent a full afternoon and next morning exploring the streets of Qingdao and came across some interesting sights nestled between the old German architecture and rising skyline. A sign of the old ways still embedded in modern China as business men in suits come to by meat of the streets and women in high heels shuffle between chicken shit and guts on the sidewalk.

I went to China during the Chinese New Year (Lunar New Year) when lots of Chinese migrate cross country to be with their relatives for the festive season. It is regarded as the world’s biggest annual migration of people and this year it was estimated that 230 million people would travel cross country. For many it is the only time per year that they can visit loved ones and home. I spoke to a few people and they were all heading home to be with their family. Others told me that they have in the past stood on the train for a complete journey of 25 hours without sleep or a seat. Nowadays more people are able to fly or use bullet trains as the middle class in China is growing.

I on the other hand wanted to experience this mass exodus to and from the city and opted for a hardsleeper on a slow night train to Shanghai. The railway station was full with eager travellers wanting to get home and I was lucky to organise an overnight train ticket to Shanghai before leaving Korea. The queues were long and cramped but moving quick. I found my sleeping birth with ease and had the top bed sharing with five other Chinese eating noodles, listening to music on their cellphones and keeping to themselves. The journey went quick and was comfortable and I was on the platform in Shanghai only 22 hours later. 

The Centre of Finance and Trade in New China

The sheer size of Shanghai serving as China’s centre for trade and facade to the outside world blew me away. It was my first time to be in a world city dominated by skyscrapers and there were numerous mind blowing buildings drawing this city together.

It was Chinese New Year and a lot of the stores were closed with less people out on the streets. It was quieter than usual yet I could feel that this powerhouse was on the move and moving fast with an ever changing skyline and new trends.

The three things that caught my attention the most were the amount of construction taking place (all over China), young couples following the restrictions set out by government’s one-child policy and elder people spitting in shades of yellow and white on the marble sidewalks.

I stayed at Mingtown Hikers Youth Hostel near The Bund and it was cool to hang out with like minded travellers and interesting characters. They also had beer specials and free pool which kept me occupied at night.

During the day I walked the streets of Shanghai and visited some neighbourhoods, museums, exhibition halls, tall buildings, restaurants, narrow alleys and backstreets. It was great to be out on a mission again and I completely forgot about teaching.

Having been to China twice, spending time in Taiwan and living here in South Korea near the border with North Korea, has given me some insight about East Asia. South Korea is cool (Korean’s will agree) and I am having a blast here, but South Korea will never be on China or Japan’s level in terms of regional and international dominance and as one of my friends here on the outskirts said: “Korea will always play Robin to Japan and China’s Batman”.

Shanghai was a great experience. An impressive city continuing to transform itself as a world player. It was enriching to be ‘out there’ again, navigating my way from Korea via land to Shanghai and back by air. I also found pleasure in using a two year expired student card for discount with Chinese who can’t read “expires on” or going to neon lit night clubs with other travellers and finding a way to drink for free. Rewarding actions to remind me that I haven’t lost it yet. 

I won’t travel in Asia anytime soon, though there is so much more I’d like see and experience. I might one day come back, but now I am heading back to mother city Cape Town at the end of March where I will look back at an awesome time spent working and travelling in East Asia. This is by no means my last update from the Korean outskirts and I will keep this blog running as long as I am moving.

Another Highrise, Another Alley