My work at office got over. I need to rush to hotel before 6 and chk out to avoid full day charge. I got my Hotel reservation changed in for Shanghai. Took Michelle help for printing. She also offered me to help in finding the train in railway station. I went to Hotel, freshened up, Chked out. As suggested by Michelle I went to “The place” nearby. It has all kind of restaurant. As I entered the premises…there was large canopy above me. It was almost as big a Street. I think it i
s for the concerts. Went into the mall…found a Indian restaurant “The Ganges”. Ordered for tomato soup, 5 chapattis, Dal and masala chai. Filled myself. Came out of the mall.Oh my god!!!.............the canopy was not canopy but a big LCD screen. Someone told me it is largest LCD screen in Asia. WOW!!!!. Took some snaps. Walked into hotel and collected my baggage. Michelle arrived on time at 7.30. Went to Beijing square …and than to RAILWAY STATION. WOW!!!!!At last I am railway station. Safe with….. Michelle as
s for the concerts. Went into the mall…found a Indian restaurant “The Ganges”. Ordered for tomato soup, 5 chapattis, Dal and masala chai. Filled myself. Came out of the mall.Oh my god!!!.............the canopy was not canopy but a big LCD screen. Someone told me it is largest LCD screen in Asia. WOW!!!!. Took some snaps. Walked into hotel and collected my baggage. Michelle arrived on time at 7.30. Went to Beijing square …and than to RAILWAY STATION. WOW!!!!!At last I am railway station. Safe with….. Michelle asshe knows Chinese. 
Parked the car, Walked through the station front area. Very crowded…... Very very crowded. She went to police standing nearby to check for the visitor ticket. 
We stood in queue to enter the station. It was a small que but we have pass through scanning machine. I was pretty excited by then. My baggage went through the scanner. I was busy in clicking photos. I wanted to take photos of the scanner as well. Oh my ghosh!!!!!!!!!!!!! I slipped . Fell down. Didn’t get hurt but few photos got clocked when I was slipping.I got up. I felt like 2 to 3 pairs of eyes are observing me very closely. We looked at the train schedule. 
Everything was in Chinese (Thanks got Michelle can read it). We need to go to waiting hall 2 upstairs. The hall was decked up pretty nice and very traditional way (chandelier and chairs). I still had at least 1 pair of eyes very close to me…… watching us. Went it to final hall …..our train was still not called. We had sufficient time. I realized Michelle is not very comfortable with this much crowd. Believe she is in this railways station after almost 4 years. Last time she came to board the train to a location which was not connected by Air. We went back to main hall. 
I requested her to stand with me till train is called. It was amazing to watch people. The culture, their behavior, dress, interaction ….amazing stuff. Now it was time for our train. We went back to next hall which will lead to ticket chking. We stood in Queue (Well pretty much India Railway station queue. 5 or 6 people moving together.). Ticket chk is done landed in bridge got down by elevator. Holaluya!!! In front of me ….white bullet train. Searched for my coach…...Than my seat. GOT IT!!!!!The coach is really high class….the berths are luxurious. 
The comfort of a Hotel room bed. I congardulated myself for the my decision to use the Train.. Lady in front of me was from university. 
She can speak in English. We spoke about Tai Chee, Yoga & recission for 1 hour. Then I went to sleep. 
Though there was Mr. Mrs smith on the TV but it was in Chinese ( no English channel!).Trying to sleep. The train was picking up speed ( 91 Km/hr….135 km/hr….).ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZWoke up around 5.30AM. it was already sunney outside. Country side was clearly visible. Village house, paddy fields etc. Always seen a countryside from 5000ft . The feeling of seeing at ground level is pretty exciting.Reached Shanghai @ around…..7.30Am. It was pretty crowded ventured out of station without asking anyone for direction. Followed the instinct on where the tax stand might be (depending on the direction towards which empty taxis are going). Ended up in a escalator going down. Asked a police man about “T-A-X-I”. He showed me to go down. There you are in front of taxi stand. I mentioned the hotel name to them. They understood the same. Dropped me at hotel. I chked in and went to office. So convenient!!!!
My next interesting journey was …train from Malasiya to Singapore. Language was not an issue. Everyone understands (almost!!) English. But issue was train. After experiencing Bejing to shanghai bullet train. Malasiya to Singapore train looks very uncomfortable. Well…..train is never uncomfortable…..but the earlier experience has raised my expectation. One was a train where passenger didn’t even feel the vibration when it is moving at 200+ km/hr …other was …oh god….every break u can fall down of your bed or seat. Each break was experience. It is a cabin for 2. I had young male international lawyer as company. We talked about my work …his work…Malay politics… Indian food… recession….They serve food….I ordered for biriyani. It came with Chicken stew and I ate only the biriyani part. Went into sleep mode. Had very god sleep until …they woke me up at Malay border for passport chk. Them immediately I had got down for Singapore immigration. Officer was bit confused of I not mention my address in Singapore. As I was flying on same day my plan was some shopping and then get to airport to write this diary.Got out at Singapore railway station. No one can say it is Singapore railway station. It doesn’t look like Singapore. I felt like suddenly the Singapore was exposed compared what we usually see out there in Orchards road, Changi Air port or bogy junction etc. Take my word….nothing like using road transport to understand real culture of the country. Somehow I felt this time Singapore came out as bit arrogant, Careless and “like any other’ country. I for the first time had experience of Singapore cab driver take me for ride and making me pay more than double to reach my address.
Parked the car, Walked through the station front area. Very crowded…... Very very crowded. She went to police standing nearby to check for the visitor ticket. 
We stood in queue to enter the station. It was a small que but we have pass through scanning machine. I was pretty excited by then. My baggage went through the scanner. I was busy in clicking photos. I wanted to take photos of the scanner as well. Oh my ghosh!!!!!!!!!!!!! I slipped . Fell down. Didn’t get hurt but few photos got clocked when I was slipping.I got up. I felt like 2 to 3 pairs of eyes are observing me very closely. We looked at the train schedule. 
Everything was in Chinese (Thanks got Michelle can read it). We need to go to waiting hall 2 upstairs. The hall was decked up pretty nice and very traditional way (chandelier and chairs). I still had at least 1 pair of eyes very close to me…… watching us. Went it to final hall …..our train was still not called. We had sufficient time. I realized Michelle is not very comfortable with this much crowd. Believe she is in this railways station after almost 4 years. Last time she came to board the train to a location which was not connected by Air. We went back to main hall. 
I requested her to stand with me till train is called. It was amazing to watch people. The culture, their behavior, dress, interaction ….amazing stuff. Now it was time for our train. We went back to next hall which will lead to ticket chking. We stood in Queue (Well pretty much India Railway station queue. 5 or 6 people moving together.). Ticket chk is done landed in bridge got down by elevator. Holaluya!!! In front of me ….white bullet train. Searched for my coach…...Than my seat. GOT IT!!!!!The coach is really high class….the berths are luxurious. 
The comfort of a Hotel room bed. I congardulated myself for the my decision to use the Train.. Lady in front of me was from university. 
She can speak in English. We spoke about Tai Chee, Yoga & recission for 1 hour. Then I went to sleep. 
Though there was Mr. Mrs smith on the TV but it was in Chinese ( no English channel!).Trying to sleep. The train was picking up speed ( 91 Km/hr….135 km/hr….).ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZWoke up around 5.30AM. it was already sunney outside. Country side was clearly visible. Village house, paddy fields etc. Always seen a countryside from 5000ft . The feeling of seeing at ground level is pretty exciting.Reached Shanghai @ around…..7.30Am. It was pretty crowded ventured out of station without asking anyone for direction. Followed the instinct on where the tax stand might be (depending on the direction towards which empty taxis are going). Ended up in a escalator going down. Asked a police man about “T-A-X-I”. He showed me to go down. There you are in front of taxi stand. I mentioned the hotel name to them. They understood the same. Dropped me at hotel. I chked in and went to office. So convenient!!!!My next interesting journey was …train from Malasiya to Singapore. Language was not an issue. Everyone understands (almost!!) English. But issue was train. After experiencing Bejing to shanghai bullet train. Malasiya to Singapore train looks very uncomfortable. Well…..train is never uncomfortable…..but the earlier experience has raised my expectation. One was a train where passenger didn’t even feel the vibration when it is moving at 200+ km/hr …other was …oh god….every break u can fall down of your bed or seat. Each break was experience. It is a cabin for 2. I had young male international lawyer as company. We talked about my work …his work…Malay politics… Indian food… recession….They serve food….I ordered for biriyani. It came with Chicken stew and I ate only the biriyani part. Went into sleep mode. Had very god sleep until …they woke me up at Malay border for passport chk. Them immediately I had got down for Singapore immigration. Officer was bit confused of I not mention my address in Singapore. As I was flying on same day my plan was some shopping and then get to airport to write this diary.Got out at Singapore railway station. No one can say it is Singapore railway station. It doesn’t look like Singapore. I felt like suddenly the Singapore was exposed compared what we usually see out there in Orchards road, Changi Air port or bogy junction etc. Take my word….nothing like using road transport to understand real culture of the country. Somehow I felt this time Singapore came out as bit arrogant, Careless and “like any other’ country. I for the first time had experience of Singapore cab driver take me for ride and making me pay more than double to reach my address.
No comments:
Post a Comment