Not so bullet train

Another earlier start at 6:30 (the time of the morning when it’s not advisable to speak to ali). To encourage people to talk to each other, everyone had to move 2 spaces which added a lot of confusion in the bus and was the main talking point for the following 2 weeks! We went to the train station to board the bullet train which wasn’t so much a bullet as we broke down half way. There was smoke, there was an awful smell, a very sweaty driver was running up and down the train turning the computers back on and we didn’t have a clue what was going on as it was all in Chinese! All we knew was that people kept running up and down, and mopping the floor over and over again.

We reached Suzcho and went to the gardens of the humble administration which did have flowers in it this time. We had western style lunch but to be honest, we were missing Chinese food. We visited a silk factory and learned how silk is made, by 10,000 silk worms to make a top and 100 to make a bra!

We had a canal boat ride, and back on the bullet train that was more like a bullet this time. For dinner we went to a very large convention centre for sloppy Chinese food (we were used to westernised Chinese food). Ali and mum went home to bond, while Jo, Brigitte and I went up the Jinmao tower with a lift that flew up 88 floors in 40 seconds. The tallest building was next door and the view of the lights was amazing! We then walked about the waterfront and had hagen daz.