Left the hotel at 9.30.
There were two taxi drivers standing around out the front with their cars parked. They approached me and asked if I needed a taxi. I said I was going to Longyang Road. "Maglev?" they asked. "Yes, Maglev!"
One of them took the fare. In the car, he kept saying, Maglev 70, 50, 120; Airport 150, and made chopping gestures. It seemed like he was saying there's no way he can beat the Maglev, isn't the Maglev really cool, so I answered, yes, Maglev!
After he did this a few more times, it dawned on me that what he meant was that he would take me one way to the airport for 150 that was quick with little traffic, but that the trip to the Maglev station would take a long time because it was busy on the road.
Good way to get me worried. The plane was leaving at 11.55. Leaving at 9.30 would have been plenty of time if I'd taken the subway. :-(
We drove for a while, in several different directions. He took me out to a major expressway to the North. Saw some of Shanghai that I didn't see on the way in. In particular, there were lots and lots of new roads being built, and the whole area smelled like steel welding, or maybe concrete, construction at any rate.
Got there at 10.30. Hopefully just enough time. He dropped me at the far side of the road and pointed to the Maglev terminal.
The fare was 80 Yuan. I gave him 100. Don't know why. He made me feel like he was trying to do me a favour, but I think he was just trying to get a bigger fare out of me. Oh well.
The next Maglev train was at 10.45. Not freaking out yet, but rather worried.
The train went thru lots of marshland, farm land, and old houses. More like the old China you'd expect. Quite a contrast. Still this far out there were lots of new elevated expressways being built.
Made it to the check-in queue at 11. Check-in closed at 11.10. Made it to the desk just in time! Phew!
The flight was uneventful.
The Xian airport is actually about an hour away from the city. Took the airport west shuttle bus.
Spoke to a guy called Xie Guanlu. He was a team leader at ZTE mobile phones. He was based in Xian, but had been travelling around to places including Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Sydney. Actually his ZTE mobile phone was Telstra branded!
He said he'd call one night for dinner if he was free.
Arrived at the hotel, the Melody Hotel. The airport bus stopped right out the front. Very convenient, central location.
First impressions of the hotel were good. Reception were very friendly if a little slow. There was even an Ajisen Ramen noodle restaurant inside the hotel!
Went out to find a drink. Most places were little sidewalk convenience stalls that sold Tsing Tao 9. Packaged quite differently from Tsing Tao, but still called Tsing Tao. Made in Xian.
Only cost about 3 Yuan, but tasted like water, and was warm. :-(
Did some reading and went to sleep.
There were two taxi drivers standing around out the front with their cars parked. They approached me and asked if I needed a taxi. I said I was going to Longyang Road. "Maglev?" they asked. "Yes, Maglev!"
One of them took the fare. In the car, he kept saying, Maglev 70, 50, 120; Airport 150, and made chopping gestures. It seemed like he was saying there's no way he can beat the Maglev, isn't the Maglev really cool, so I answered, yes, Maglev!
After he did this a few more times, it dawned on me that what he meant was that he would take me one way to the airport for 150 that was quick with little traffic, but that the trip to the Maglev station would take a long time because it was busy on the road.
Good way to get me worried. The plane was leaving at 11.55. Leaving at 9.30 would have been plenty of time if I'd taken the subway. :-(
We drove for a while, in several different directions. He took me out to a major expressway to the North. Saw some of Shanghai that I didn't see on the way in. In particular, there were lots and lots of new roads being built, and the whole area smelled like steel welding, or maybe concrete, construction at any rate.
Got there at 10.30. Hopefully just enough time. He dropped me at the far side of the road and pointed to the Maglev terminal.
The fare was 80 Yuan. I gave him 100. Don't know why. He made me feel like he was trying to do me a favour, but I think he was just trying to get a bigger fare out of me. Oh well.
The next Maglev train was at 10.45. Not freaking out yet, but rather worried.
The train went thru lots of marshland, farm land, and old houses. More like the old China you'd expect. Quite a contrast. Still this far out there were lots of new elevated expressways being built.
Made it to the check-in queue at 11. Check-in closed at 11.10. Made it to the desk just in time! Phew!
The taxi ride, check out the gray sky
The end of the taxi ride
The Maglev train
The flight was uneventful.
The Xian airport is actually about an hour away from the city. Took the airport west shuttle bus.
Spoke to a guy called Xie Guanlu. He was a team leader at ZTE mobile phones. He was based in Xian, but had been travelling around to places including Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Sydney. Actually his ZTE mobile phone was Telstra branded!
He said he'd call one night for dinner if he was free.
Arrived at the hotel, the Melody Hotel. The airport bus stopped right out the front. Very convenient, central location.
First impressions of the hotel were good. Reception were very friendly if a little slow. There was even an Ajisen Ramen noodle restaurant inside the hotel!
The Melody Hotel
Inside my room at the Melody
Not much of a view, but that doesn't matter
Medicine vending machine, cool!
Went out to find a drink. Most places were little sidewalk convenience stalls that sold Tsing Tao 9. Packaged quite differently from Tsing Tao, but still called Tsing Tao. Made in Xian.
Only cost about 3 Yuan, but tasted like water, and was warm. :-(
Tsing Tao 9, OK but very weak
Did some reading and went to sleep.
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