China: Day 1

I just returned from China, and while I blogged everyday, I couldn't post the files online since China sensors blog sites. So here, slightly after the fact but still fresh since I am less than 5 hours off the plane, are tales from the Middle Kingdom:

China Day 1: NYC/San Fran/Shanghai

As most of you likely know, I am in China for the next 8 days. The first week includes class sessions, speakers, and local business tours run through my MBA program (there are about 110 of us here), then the last couple days I am heading to Beijing for more touristy-type attractions.

I’ll try have at least a brief blog daily – today’s will be especially short since its past 10 pm in Shanghai and I’ve slept about 6 hours out of the last 48.

I left NYC early this morning (Sunday), cooled my heels at JFK for ~ 4 hours due to some flight delays, connected to San Francisco, cooled my heels further with another couple hours of delays (though with the added benefit of airport shop Ghirardelli collections), and finally arrived in Beijing Monday evening at 6:30pm. Actual travel time: ~ 26 hours.

As I was waiting for my luggage in the Shanghai airport, I noticed someone in a Columbia EMBA jacket. She and several colleagues were from the Berkley-Columbia program, so we quickly made friends and they kindly offered to split their car with me. Since they had a native Chinese speaker in the group, this was an added bonus! Most cab drivers here speak zero English, and aren’t likely to understand novice Chinese, so hotels recommend carrying cards with your destination written out in Chinese characters to show your driver.

While my experience in Thailand was mainly bargain-based for taxis (or more likely tuk-tuks, a sort of motorcycle bench), Shanghai is largely metered cabs with reasonable fares. The hour-long ride from the airport to our hotel in the Bund section of Shanghai is ~ 80 ¥, or ~$12. From what little I’ve seen of the city so far, it strikes me as a mix of NYC and Las Vegas. The infrastructure is new and modern, with multiple skyscrapers, lavish hotels, and duel Chinese/English signage… but there is also a profusion of neon lights.

We rolled straight from the hotel lobby tonight to a small welcome dinner. A hot shower and much-overdue post-flight tooth brushing was in order after dinner, and I am about to faceplant as soon as I finish typing. Tomorrow the real adventures begin!