Care to Take the Bus?

Transportation in China is so interesting. While here, I have experienced all forms of public transportation. First off, the plane ride from Chicago to Shanghai went surprisingly well. The whole experience at the airport, security, ticket desk – everything – went way better than planned. I hope the way home goes just as well. On the plane, I sat next to a professor from the University of Arkansas. He teaches Poultry Sciences and was going to Shanghai to work with large commercial farms on the Bird Flu Epidemic. Throughout the flight, we often talked about agricultural practices both different and the same between China and America. It was all so interesting!!

After the 17 hour flight, I met up with everyone else in our group at the airport and we took a three hour shuttle bus ride to our campus. I noticed right off the bat that driving was fairly hectic. The bus driver was constantly honking his horn. I thought that this was just a highway bus thing…NO. It’s an EVERYDAY THING. I sometimes go crazy while walking down the street because everyone is honking their horns. Whether it’s at other cars, busses, people, bikes, or apparently just for no reason at all. Gosh dangit. I’ve yelled a few times: “STOP THE HONKING” but apparently a crazy American yelling at the cars doesn't help the matter.

The Chinese Metro is so easy and clean...better than the American train system!

Anyway, the bus system is so much fun to ride on. We can get on the bus in one part of the city and end up somewhere else new and exciting. From our campus, we can walk about 10 minutes either way on the highway to get to a bus stop. I already know that bus 82 goes to Walmart, bus 25 goes to West Lake and bus K11 takes you to Hangzhou Tower (a ritzy shopping district…anyone care to buy a $12,000 ceramic china bowl? I think not) and the Silk Market. It’s such an adventure every time you ride the bus. There can be times that there are only ten people occupying the bus, but most times my whole hometown seems to be crammed into the bus. Who would have thought having to fight for your life to get on, find a standing spot, and an exit plan could be so entertaining.

Someone is probably honking in this picture...

The first full day in China, we all decided to go to a family style restaurant after a rainy day at West Lake. After we ate, we needed to catch a taxi to get home. The first time I rode a taxi, ever in my life, was here in China. Crazy, I know. However, my first taxi experience didn’t exactly turn out perfect. A group of us flagged down a taxi and jumped in. Showing the driver the card to our campus, we went zooming off. Growing up, I gained an extremely good sense of direction and I’m not sure why. But I realized that we were headed the wrong way the second the driver did as well. So, here I am, sitting in the front seat of a taxi, trying to give directions to the driver. English and Mandarin have no correlation at all. AT ALL. But whatever, because we got home safe (:

Bike fix-it shop! They're everywhere around town

I wish you call could some explore this city with me – I can’t fully describe in words how exciting the public transportation is. You just have to experience it.

Go drive safely and DO NOT honk your horn at unnecessary times. Yikes. 

Tyler

Oh, and by the way, I decided to save money and boil my water instead of buying bottled water. Here in this part of China, it’s not safe to drink the water; even the locals don’t. So – Hopefully this goes well, haha.