Excepts from a China Diary 6th Sept.08

The Singapore to Shanghai flight left at 1.30am. Luckily the plane was half empty and there was plenty of room to spread out and attempt to get some sleep. Even with pillows and a blanket it was still hard to get comfortable and alas I didn't get two winks. Breakfast was served an hour or so before we were due to land but my appetite was non-existent and I picked at some scrambled egg and nibbled at a crust of a bread roll. Just before landing at Pudong I could see fields of some sort of crops, perhaps vegetables growing in long domed tents and paddy fields with small houses dotted here and there.

Pudong Shanghai airport was very new,  austere and devoid of colour with neatly uniformed airport staff who unsmilingly directed us to the barriers. This first impression of China agreed with the stereo-type I had in my mind and was a direct contrast to Singapore Airport with its dazzling lights and shops full of luxury consumer goods. The atmosphere in Singapore was enhanced by a girl playing a harp entertaining the milling travellers walking aimlessly through the airport wiling away their time until their flights were called. What added to the colour was the profusion of beautiful orchids of all shades lining the walkways.

However, I wanted to see the new China regardless of these first impressions. The staff were efficient and there was no trouble getting through customs and I think that was because we were probably the first flight in that day. I caught up with Sue again and we wheeled our loaded trolleys  out into the waiting crowd. We scanned the Chinese faces looking for signs with our names on but nobody had ours.  Sue badly needed to have a smoke and sought an area outside the building while I kept sleepy eyes on our bags and  on someone from the college who might recognise us. After about twenty minutes Sue returned with a young Chinese girl carrying a large sign with 5 inch letters PAULINE on one side and SUE on the other. Her English name was Kelly.

Kelly took us to a van with a waiting driver who helped us pile our bags into the back. I took the middle seat and curled up hoping to get some shut-eye during the next three hours it would take to get to Shaoxing. Once we got out of the airport we were in the countryside with fields and fields of vegetation beside rows of interesting shaped houses. I could see that the newer houses had retained some of the old Chinese features like roofs with turned up eaves and ornaments at the top that looked like small Eiffel Towers or cupolas. Occasionally there was an old traditional house that was quaint and exotic amongst the newer types.

The roads we travelled on were amazingly good as they were mostly freeways with toll booths. They rivalled the American freeways with plenty of lanes and the signs were in Chinese and English. I dosed during the journey but every now and then I'd get the sensation that we were speeding and it felt faster than 12oks per hour. I'd peek out the window at the passing scenery that was mostly small farms and villages. 

After some time we slowed down as we were driving through a city, Sue announced that  that it was Shaoxing so I sat up and took notice. I recognised street scenes like I'd seen in Sri Lanka with its small shops selling everything, people on bikes, rickshaws wobbling down the side roads and the continual sound of car horns. Further on we came to the centre of the city and unlike Sri Lankan cities, there were large modern multistoried office buildings, posh hotels and department stores. 

Then we turned into the Univesity campus at West Gate. Ahead were large blueish grey accommodation blocks for the students and a row of shops and offices. We crossed a small bridge over a canal and a little further we arrived at the  apartment block for foreign teachers. It had six floors and that's when Sue and I found out that we were both on the fifth floor, no lifts, ten flights of stairs with our luggage.  Suddenly help came from everywhere. We met Diana, her student friend Sunny, Warren and a couple of others who helped lug the bags upstairs.

By this I was truly wrung out compounded by the fact that this journey had started with my being sick the day before I was to leave and not so good the day of my flight. So I was glad to finally get to my accommodation. Sadly my first impressions I muttered to myself was 'it's a dive'. The floors were grotty and dusty and it was sparsely furnished. Later on I was able to look at it objectively and realised that it was OK and only needed a good clean up. It was actually well appointed with good solid furniture, TV, fridge/freezer, water dispenser, normal toilet and small but adequate kitchen.

Di invited us into her place for a cup of tea and it was good to chat to Sunny about the college from the students point of view.  After a short rest it was off to sample the canteen fare for lunch. The food looked good but my appetite was lacking and I picked at some chicken and rice. I rested for a couple of hours but was feeling a bit depressed so thought I'd chat to Di. I started to doubt my decision to come to China but Di said it was normal to feel that way and that it would take a couple of weeks to adjust to the change. After more talk and encouragement I decided that all I really needed was a good night's sleep.

Later Kelly came over to fix up the computer and the air conditioners followed by Joanna, the Head of the English Department who gave me a meal ticket and more info. That night we had dinner at the third floor canteen that was better than the other one as there was more choice and the food was freshly cooked while we waited. 

That was my first day in China, it would only get better.