Has anyone here been to Shanghai?

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Piper and I are going next month (SURPRISE! LOL Good thing our passports are in order, unlike last time, but that's another story....). We're going to be taking the subway and our own two feet for most of our travels, or a train/boat if we're going out of town, but I know the topic of taxis is going to come up at least once. Does anyone know if they have anything as basic as a seatbelt? Piper's Radian is coming along for the flight, but it's likely to stay in the hotel room (though I have to admit I'm tempted by CARES since we cannot rent a car there so it's moot). I know cabs are generally international nightmares, but we're likely to take one at least once. I've taken Piper in them before, and been petrified, but I'd really really really rather not.

If it comes up that a cab is going to happen, which is worse, an improperly fitted shoulder/lap belt, or a lap bet only? Crushed trachea AND internal injuries, or spinal AND internal injuries? *think subway thoughts* Or me strapped in and her facing me strapped to me in a Kozy? That's IF they have seatbelts anyway. One of the awful after market products (like this http://www.onestepahead.com/product/85252/297755/118.html see how it nicely pulls it down to his shoulder and up to his belly button?). I hear that they're mostly Passats, but that doesn't mean much, they're made in China for the Chinese market. NYC has Crown Vics, doesn't mean they have seatbelts anywhere that are actually usable.

Just suck it up, hope for the best, and avoid using them as much as possible? Get CARES and a Compass booster and leave the Radian home? See about CARES and a Laptop off of ebay and leave the Radian home? We're crunched on time to order anything online perhaps, we're leaving in 25 days.

And not that it matters too much because it's not out of the ordinary, but Piper and I are going Raleigh-Chicago-Shanghai and back by ourselves. With a 35 minute layover in Chicago on the way there. So the less bulk and the more I can put on my back the better, as I'm likely to be running from one flight to the next.

Opinions?

Merry Christmas!

Wendy
 
ADS

Lara

New member
My mom went to China about a year ago, and she said that she thinks there were belts in all of the cabs they rode in.

I have no idea what you should do as far as seats go.
 

lovinwaves

New member
Hi Wendy, my Sister-in-law lives and Teaches English in China. Is there anything you would like me to ask her? We keep in contact with her through email. I'm not quite sure if you even have a question she could help you out with (LOL), but let me know.. :) She is extremely brilliant, and a very helpful woman.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
That's so cool!!! I'm mostly just wondering about the seatbelts in taxis. I've heard differing things.

Actually, if there's something she knows of off the beaten path, but still within public transportation of Shanghai I'd really love to hear about it. Everything I'm reading is very touristy, and while we're going in January and there won't be too many, I still want to see the real China, not the face the Chinese put on for Americans. I want to go someplace where I don't dare eat the food or drink the water. :) But somewhere I can go via bus or train.

Thanks!

Wendy
 

Morganthe

New member
I still want to see the real China, not the face the Chinese put on for Americans. I want to go someplace where I don't dare eat the food or drink the water. :) But somewhere I can go via bus or train.

Thanks!

Wendy

I haven't been to China, but I did live in Korea for a year remote tour and visited dh during his own remote. My parents visited China, but they were still required to be on scheduled tours in the mid-1980s. Still they had free time. We found the same thing to be true in those countries...

Quickest way to escape the tourist areas is to find the local markets. A real education at those locations. Shang-hai is bound to have several, ask the hotelier for the largest one aimed at locals, not the tourist junk stuff. Everything worthwhile in life is at those markets. They're set up in zones... produce, food, meat (Oh yay -- dog carcasses prominently displayed in Korea :rolleyes: ), textiles, furniture, quick serve food stands, and stuff that just can't be classified. You can spend hours at a good one. Be sure to go early and take your time. They usually start packing up around noon, even when it's an all day market schedule. Sells out fast.

Try out the foods as long as they're re/cooked in front of you. Some are very tasty :D
Be sure to pass up the fried silkworms. They do NOT taste like popcorn despite the resemblance.

Oh, and don't hit the locals, even when they smack you to get your attention. Walking down the market near Kwang Ju, I suddenly felt this firey pain in the center of my back that just took my breath away. When I turned around, here was this tiny (4'9) elderly woman who had run up and hit me very hard to get me to focus on her products. I just couldn't believe it. DH and I towered over her, but she fearlessly kept hitting me with her hands and waving her sale baskets in my face. DH had to run interference so I could get out of there.
My parents had a couple of similar incidents at markets in China, but nothing as persistently violent.

Markets -- they're not just a place to shop, they're an adventure :D

Have a great time! I'm very envious.
M.

FWIW --
I know Piper is older than my dd, but if you're going to be on buses, and especially subways + walking tiring distances, you might consider getting an Ergo Carrier for her in these crowded confused situations. She's so little and the crowds are so constantly deep, holding hands is just not reliable. There are straps that go from wrist to wrist, but I wouldn't trust one in these conditions. After experiencing Seoul, Kwang Ju, Paris, & Rome on the bus and subway systems, I know that having dd up on my back is the safest and easiest way to navigate heavy chaotic crowds, especially when my hands are full with tickets and maps.
 

Dillipop

Well-known member
How about the cares for the plane and the ride safer travel vest for any possible cabs? That way you can just stuff it in your bag while traveling, and if you need it, you have it for any cab rides?
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
I haven't been to China, but I did live in Korea for a year remote tour and visited dh during his own remote. My parents visited China, but they were still required to be on scheduled tours in the mid-1980s. Still they had free time. We found the same thing to be true in those countries...

Quickest way to escape the tourist areas is to find the local markets. A real education at those locations. Shang-hai is bound to have several, ask the hotelier for the largest one aimed at locals, not the tourist junk stuff. Everything worthwhile in life is at those markets. They're set up in zones... produce, food, meat (Oh yay -- dog carcasses prominently displayed in Korea :rolleyes: ), textiles, furniture, quick serve food stands, and stuff that just can't be classified. You can spend hours at a good one. Be sure to go early and take your time. They usually start packing up around noon, even when it's an all day market schedule. Sells out fast.

Try out the foods as long as they're re/cooked in front of you. Some are very tasty :D
Be sure to pass up the fried silkworms. They do NOT taste like popcorn despite the resemblance.

Oh, and don't hit the locals, even when they smack you to get your attention. Walking down the market near Kwang Ju, I suddenly felt this firey pain in the center of my back that just took my breath away. When I turned around, here was this tiny (4'9) elderly woman who had run up and hit me very hard to get me to focus on her products. I just couldn't believe it. DH and I towered over her, but she fearlessly kept hitting me with her hands and waving her sale baskets in my face. DH had to run interference so I could get out of there.
My parents had a couple of similar incidents at markets in China, but nothing as persistently violent.

Markets -- they're not just a place to shop, they're an adventure :D

Have a great time! I'm very envious.
M.

FWIW --
I know Piper is older than my dd, but if you're going to be on buses, and especially subways + walking tiring distances, you might consider getting an Ergo Carrier for her in these crowded confused situations. She's so little and the crowds are so constantly deep, holding hands is just not reliable. There are straps that go from wrist to wrist, but I wouldn't trust one in these conditions. After experiencing Seoul, Kwang Ju, Paris, & Rome on the bus and subway systems, I know that having dd up on my back is the safest and easiest way to navigate heavy chaotic crowds, especially when my hands are full with tickets and maps.

Thanks for the info!!! I will definitely check out the markets. No worries about me eating the food, I'm a vegetarian. Though Piper may try some things. She's not a vegetarian. LOL

We had an ergo but I've sold it. We rarely used it anymore. It was invaluable so often (Seattle, NYC, Scotland were a few of the places it went), but I stopped using it often and a friend asked if she could buy it off of me. So I sold it to her. I have our kozy carrier, though, which should work just fine. I *may* bring our KKAFP, but that's not as comfortable for either of us, especially over both of our winter coats.

So what do you do when people hit you? Just say no thank you and walk on? And walk and walk so they don't keep hitting you?

Thanks for the tips!

Wendy
 

Lara

New member
How about the cares for the plane and the ride safer travel vest for any possible cabs? That way you can just stuff it in your bag while traveling, and if you need it, you have it for any cab rides?

The ride safer starts at 35 lbs:( . That was gonna be my suggestion too, but Piper doesn't weigh enough.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
How about the cares for the plane and the ride safer travel vest for any possible cabs? That way you can just stuff it in your bag while traveling, and if you need it, you have it for any cab rides?

Possible on the CARES, though I'd like to give her something more comfortable than a huge seat to sleep in, it'd be awkward for her without the Radian's sides. And the ride safer is too big on her. The smallest they have is 35 pounds (she's just 30). We have trouble with harnesses fitting her in a lot of places. Also, if there's lap belt only I can guarantee there's no tether. I'd be surprised if there are tethers in any cars there. And if there are no seatbelts there's nothing.

The taxis are just scaring me. Sigh. I need to call someone and figure this out.

Wendy
 

mamato2

New member
Only been in the airport on my way somewhere else BUT I have an aquaintance who has been living there for almost a year in a high rise right down town. She has a driver, not sure what car, so may not often have the opportunity to be in other vehicles than that one. I can ask her whatever questions you have for her if you'd like.
When we were in China the taxis we were in had no seat belts but then the cities we were in were not so large and modern as Shanghai.
What fun you will have, China is truly amazing and rapidly changing country!!
C.
 

Morganthe

New member
Thanks for the info!!! I will definitely check out the markets. No worries about me eating the food, I'm a vegetarian. Though Piper may try some things. She's not a vegetarian. LOL

So what do you do when people hit you? Just say no thank you and walk on? And walk and walk so they don't keep hitting you?

Rice and noodles are always sold at these markets, along with dishes that have fried veggies. If you can get some sort of written sentence on paper to hand to a vendor asking for non meat item selection, you might have some great tasty food. Meat is more of a side dish in Asian recipies than for us Western folks. I wouldn't suggest trying to say the correct words since Mandarin Chinese is a language of inflections. Who knows what you could accidently ask for? :eek:

Best thing to do in public situations is do not make eye contact longer than a moment. A vendor will take it as product interest. It will also deflect a possible confrontation and you will be considered polite. Eye Contact is a Western habit. But if you have a persistant vendor or person, just throw up your hands in that international message of negativity, duck your head down, and make a negative sound in your throat as you walk on.

I did run into young men and women who it turned out to just want to practice their English. They act like stalkers and will freak you out. There's a pattern to their questions, as if it's a homework assignment. Sometimes I talked, usually to the women, other time, I waved them off. I still remember the one man who asked me with really poor English... "May.... I.... intercourse... to... you?" LOL

Personal space is so much less there. Asian cities are opportune places for perverts to hide since its so crowded. But being brushed up against and pushed is the norm in crowds. In regular situations, everyone will stand closer than here and if you're not ready for it, you will be extremely uncomfortable.

I had to get used to Korean men standing within inches of my breasts. Since they were usually 2 inches shorter than me, it was pretty humourous conducting an 'official interview' with them staring at my chest in utter (udder?) shock. :D I think I'd care now, but at 21, I thought it was great to throw them off their balance.

Be familiar with some words in Chinese before you leave. Try to learn -- Yes, No, Thank you, please, & the equivalent of "Where is Ladies Room?"-- These are always vital if you're leaving the tourist path where it's unreliable that someone will speak English. Like it or not, you're an example of EVERY American who exists in the world, so it will be a huge unexpected plus if you even just attempt the language. I'll guarantee people will treat you nicer too. My Korean was terrible at best, but it helped breaking the ice.

Have a card with your hotel information written on it. Easier to get directions, be directed to the right subway exit, and Taxi drivers will understand better.

Oops, I just realized I really nattered on there. Sorry. I don't know about your travel history and you might already have plans to handle everything. I'm just too used to advising young inexperienced military spouses on handling non-American travel.

Other than the trip from the airport, I never took a taxi in Seoul. The traffic was horrible and the subway was much faster. It would emerge to go over the large river and I could see that there was always severe congestion on the roadways. No one ever seemed to move. I wouldn't be surprised if Shanghai was the same thing, especially since it is such a much larger city -- over 20 million people! Seoul has "only" 10.3 million. :rolleyes:
For further info, you might find this link handy
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/

Happy travelling.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Rice and noodles are always sold at these markets, along with dishes that have fried veggies. If you can get some sort of written sentence on paper to hand to a vendor asking for non meat item selection, you might have some great tasty food. Meat is more of a side dish in Asian recipies than for us Western folks. I wouldn't suggest trying to say the correct words since Mandarin Chinese is a language of inflections. Who knows what you could accidently ask for? :eek:

Best thing to do in public situations is do not make eye contact longer than a moment. A vendor will take it as product interest. It will also deflect a possible confrontation and you will be considered polite. Eye Contact is a Western habit. But if you have a persistant vendor or person, just throw up your hands in that international message of negativity, duck your head down, and make a negative sound in your throat as you walk on.

I did run into young men and women who it turned out to just want to practice their English. They act like stalkers and will freak you out. There's a pattern to their questions, as if it's a homework assignment. Sometimes I talked, usually to the women, other time, I waved them off. I still remember the one man who asked me with really poor English... "May.... I.... intercourse... to... you?" LOL

Personal space is so much less there. Asian cities are opportune places for perverts to hide since its so crowded. But being brushed up against and pushed is the norm in crowds. In regular situations, everyone will stand closer than here and if you're not ready for it, you will be extremely uncomfortable.

I had to get used to Korean men standing within inches of my breasts. Since they were usually 2 inches shorter than me, it was pretty humourous conducting an 'official interview' with them staring at my chest in utter (udder?) shock. :D I think I'd care now, but at 21, I thought it was great to throw them off their balance.

Be familiar with some words in Chinese before you leave. Try to learn -- Yes, No, Thank you, please, & the equivalent of "Where is Ladies Room?"-- These are always vital if you're leaving the tourist path where it's unreliable that someone will speak English. Like it or not, you're an example of EVERY American who exists in the world, so it will be a huge unexpected plus if you even just attempt the language. I'll guarantee people will treat you nicer too. My Korean was terrible at best, but it helped breaking the ice.

Have a card with your hotel information written on it. Easier to get directions, be directed to the right subway exit, and Taxi drivers will understand better.

Oops, I just realized I really nattered on there. Sorry. I don't know about your travel history and you might already have plans to handle everything. I'm just too used to advising young inexperienced military spouses on handling non-American travel.

Other than the trip from the airport, I never took a taxi in Seoul. The traffic was horrible and the subway was much faster. It would emerge to go over the large river and I could see that there was always severe congestion on the roadways. No one ever seemed to move. I wouldn't be surprised if Shanghai was the same thing, especially since it is such a much larger city -- over 20 million people! Seoul has "only" 10.3 million. :rolleyes:
For further info, you might find this link handy
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/

Happy travelling.

Thank you! I've been using worldlingo.com and I can print out "I'm a vegetarian" or more specifically, since that meaning can vary, "I don't eat beef, chicken, pork, or fish." I'm scared to put any other animals on there. I already have our hotel info printed out three times (not that Piper needs her own copy, but that way if she's lost she has a local "return to" address) in both Chinese and English. I'm going to put them with our passports (ugh, had to get visa photos today. Piper's is great but I look stoned). I also want to print out some other phrases. "Do you speak English?" "Can you please help me?" (apparently please is not used as much as here, and never at the end of a sentence), "Where is the nearest Metro stop?" Bring along a little cheat sheet.

We bought Barron's Chinese today and have been listening to the CD. We've got hi, bye, yes, no, thank you, and 0-99 down. Where the ladies room would be the next to add to that list. I'm hoping to get either "I don't speak Chinese" or "Do you speak English?" into that, just to be polite, but me breaking down in tears going, "Does anyone here speak English? Or even some Spanish?" would get the point across. LOL Those are just TOUGH phrases. Luckily I have a decent ear for language, and Piper is a kid and can pick it up quickly, so we're learning some together. She knows about as much as I do. Nathan may pick up some, but he's going to be in training sessions all week with English speakers, and going out to dinner with them most nights, so I think he'll be taken care of.

"May I intercourse to you?" LOL LOL LOL The look he must have gotten!!! Hopefully he really was that naive and ignorant of English.

Unfortunately, I have a bit of Enochlophobia, a fear of crowds. Or more specifically, being squished in one. My a cappella group has gotten me into a few anxiety attacks by getting in a huddle a few times. Oh well, a good sweat will help me stay warm in January, right?

I didn't know that about eye contact. As a general rule I don't make a lot of eye contact with strangers. Nothing more than a fleeting glance anyway. What's going to be more difficult is Piper running around wanting everything. LOL

We do a decent amount of international travel, but this is our first time to a country where the alphabet is completely different and there is NO hope of recognizing anything. Nathan and I know quite a bit of Spanish, so in France we can usually figure things out a bit. Same thing for Nathan in German speaking countries with his knowledge of English. But there's no basis for reference in China. I'm starting to pick up a few characters already, though I don't think I'll need them because I've heard that everything is signed in Latin letters, but it's neat being able to read "Shanghai" in Chinese. Though I know I'm not going to get too many of them, as there are over 13000 characters.

Thank you!!!

Wendy
 

gwenvet

New member
I had forgotten that Ari had a playdate today with a little Asian boy from his preschool and turns out they are from Shanghai! What a coincidence! So I asked about seatbelts in taxis and she said some do have them but nobody over there uses them, you just hold onto her. She said it with a straight face, and kind of dismissed it as not important, but I hope I didn't act too shocked. Sounds like you will be lucky to find one and if you did they might look at you as if you were from Mars if you went to install the car seat. Good luck!
 

mamato2

New member
I also know some simple Mandarin if you need any phrases. Things like 'wonderful' and 'very good' and 'excellent' can really make folks more willing to stick it out and help you with what you want.
You don't want to drink the water ANYWHERE in China, except Hong Kong!!! The hotel will provide you with a 'hot pot' for you to boil your own water to cool and drink and may even give you a bottle or two a day if it is a really good hotel.
Bottled water is cheap though and readily available. Remember to use this water to brush your teeth too. Seriously, even the Chinese do not drink the water unless it is boiled.
C.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
I had forgotten that Ari had a playdate today with a little Asian boy from his preschool and turns out they are from Shanghai! What a coincidence! So I asked about seatbelts in taxis and she said some do have them but nobody over there uses them, you just hold onto her. She said it with a straight face, and kind of dismissed it as not important, but I hope I didn't act too shocked. Sounds like you will be lucky to find one and if you did they might look at you as if you were from Mars if you went to install the car seat. Good luck!

Thank you. I will be avoiding them at all costs. If the EZ On vest didn't require a tether I'd get one of those and stick it in my bag, and put it on her if we were going to grab a taxi, but a tether is needed. :-(

I could put her on the floor...... Compartmentalize her. Put her under my jacket or something at my feet, laying facing the backseat.

Nathan is going to think I'm insane if I do that. But that's the only thing now I can think of if the situation arises.

Wendy
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
I also know some simple Mandarin if you need any phrases. Things like 'wonderful' and 'very good' and 'excellent' can really make folks more willing to stick it out and help you with what you want.
You don't want to drink the water ANYWHERE in China, except Hong Kong!!! The hotel will provide you with a 'hot pot' for you to boil your own water to cool and drink and may even give you a bottle or two a day if it is a really good hotel.
Bottled water is cheap though and readily available. Remember to use this water to brush your teeth too. Seriously, even the Chinese do not drink the water unless it is boiled.
C.

That's nasty. I've heard that a lot, though. I'll make sure to have bottled water. I generally do that when I'm out anyway.

I have a friend who is fluent in Mandarin, I'll make a point of asking him to teach me some "wonderful" "very good", etc. It's hard for me to learn Chinese from text alone. Even a recording is tough because it doesn't correct me.

We're staying in a brand new Marriott in Pudong, I don't know if that's considered a nice hotel. It's a business hotel, so we're in an executive apartment, a little kitchen, a bedroom, a living room with office stuff.

Thank you!

Wendy
 

Simplysomething

New member
Man. China.

I have suggestions or help, since I've never left the US. lol.

Just gawking at the thread. Very interesting stuff.


You people travel a lot! (You people being...the other members of this forum. lol)

K.
 

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