The Indian Contractor visits Vietnam and China on a Shoestring

Chinese trains are known to get packed to the brim. Our Beijing- Huangshan trip will vouch for the accuracy of that statement.This train was no exception. The crowd at the waiting hall was frightening. Our train was scheduled to depart at 1440. It was only 1330. We found a seat and sat down. We were passed by these ladies in uniform yelling something in Chinese. Gilbert told me they were selling "extra" tickets that allowed you to board the train early. We thought it might be a nice idea to get one as we could avoid the unnecessary pushing and shoving that normally happened at crowded platforms.

So gilbert bought 2 tickets at RMB10 each. The lady told him we could board the train at 1410. We waited patiently. The clock struck two. Then two ten. We took our bags and saw people rushing towards the gate. When I stood up something amazing happened. The whole waiting hall (about half a football field in size) turned around and stared at me. Gilbert told me,"nanda, you should cut your hair, the whole station is staring at you!" I turned around and yes, it was true. I had to take out my camera and point it at them and take their pictures in order to get them to turn away! I hope to process that film soon and post the picture on this travelogue. Hangzhou had defenitly never seen an Indian before, let alone one with a messy hair!

By now the queues at the gate were getting longer. and people from everywhere were converging at the gate.
We wondered if they too had bought the ticket. Gilbert took out the ticket and examined it. Two old ladies behind us looked at the ticket and told us we've been conned. Apparently the only way to board the train is through the gates at the waiting hall so there is no way we can board the train early. We looked around and the lady in uniform was no where to be found. What can I say? We should have been patient. We did have confirmed seats after all. It was only a matter of how many people we push to get to the seats.

We boarded the train and departure was about 10 minutes late. The smell of alcohol returned and the compartment was getting more crowded. Gilbert told me he had never seen these people (the working class and the drunks) up so close. This truly was a very good introduction to backpacking for him. It came complete with the scams and the not- so- clean trains.

We reached Shanghai around 6pm. We got out of the train and headed for the subway station. We planned to take the train to the bund, to rendezvous with Gilberts dad for dinner. Gilbert tried calling his dad earlier but he could not get through. Just as we entered the platform, his dad called and told us he was coming to the station to pick us up. So we got out of the train we just boarded. It was supposed to be my first subway ride in Shanghai but it was cut short, just before the doors were about to close. We got out of the station and waited for the car. They found us after 15mins. We went to the bund for dinner but there was no where to park and the heavy traffic meant that every wrong turn we made, cost us lots of time. So finally we decided to eat near Gilberts place.

We went to the Tang Dynasty Restaurant. It was really a grand place. The food was grand too. I had some nice Tofu and plenty of rice. The other vege dishes were great too. After dinner, we went movie shopping. I was not a big fan of movies so I watched as GIlbert and my buddy raided the shelfs and picked up a few movies.

When we got home, Gilbert proposed going for a foot massage(the third one since we set foot in Shanghai). I refused to join them. Then just as they were about to leave, I joined them. I don't know why. We reached home after 12 and watched Mr Bean make a fool of himself through Europe in Mr Bean II. Gilbert dozed off towards the end and I followed suit just as the movie ended.

It had been a long day. I had been awake for nearly 36hours.