Shanghai Nights

Arrived off the boat in Shanghai on the 28th Oct.  Jumped in a cab and made my way to the Captain Youth Hostel.  I was a bit jubious coz of the reviews but the views were supposed to be amazing.  As I entered, Clare was there in the lobby.  It was great to see a friendly face and not have to hold my tongue in front of the blue rinse brigade lol!  A few shouts, screams and cuddles later we headed upto the bar.

View from the bar (this was hair of the dog after the bar crawl)

Our Captain type beds

The reviews were right about the view....it was amazing!  I couldn't have found a more central hostel and the staff were great!  Shame about the bar upstairs.... We got a breakfast which cost us £4.50 ( a rip off in China) and we got a measly plate of scrambled/fried egg that looked like someone had just spat on the plate, a slice of ham and some toast that was tickled by the toaster!    

Call this an English breakfast baahhhh!

We decided to go to the 7/11 and buy some beer and sneak it in the bar hahaha! Typical Brit style.  Well, they wanted £5 for a tiny bottle of beer and the supermarket was 80p each BOOM!!!  So we just sat there and chilled out for the day and decided on what to do whilst in the city.

The next day we got on the Hop On / Hop Off bus.  Cost £3 for a 24hr ticket.  We made our way round the city and got our bearings.  We stopped off at Nanjing Road - a massive shopping area and treated ourselves to a few pints and watch the world go by.  Before this though we went to the train station to get our next tickets.  Its funny how we always just happen to get the 'last seat'.  Had to settle for a top bunk hard sleeper (tell you about that later).  As my train was every other day and we decided to stay for Halloween I extended my stay 2 extra nights.

We tried to track down a costume shop everywhere.  We asked loads of people and searched Google with no result.  That night we went to the Old Street to have a mooch and get some dinner.  It was gorgeous!! Spent ages there.  We did see some red horns for Halloween but thought we would keep looking.  We did however, find a M&S and I bought a new top and shorts for a tenner.  I know I know but no chinese shops have my size.

Old Street at night

On the day of Halloween I decided I needed some make up.  I felt so pale.  So off we went back to Old Street.  The darkest foundation they had was still not my colour but it made me feel better.  Clare spotted a painting she really liked so we spent the next hour bartering.  She got it down from £125 to £45 bargain!!  Whilst in the shop I spotted a really nice one too.  I don't normally bother with that arty farty stuff but I went away and thought about it and returned 10 mins later to buy it.  Cost me £30 but its an original and I love it.  Also bought the red horns for our Halloween Bar Crawl.

My painting...love it!

That night we met up with the crawl in Camel Bar in the French Concession area of Shanghai.  OMG!! Wish we knew about this area sooner.  We talked 2 roomates form China into coming with us...Sally Sue and Jane.  Also found out we could have got costumes from near here as well. Gutted! but still had an amazing night!  As Jane was on the last minute she didn't have any costume so Clare collared a guy outside, showed her boobies and got a pair of light up pumpkins for her LMFAO!!!!  The bars were great and apart from the £13 we paid for the crawl, we spent aound £4 all night.  Spent more at KFC at 3am hahaha.

Jane and Sally Sue's first ever bar crawl

The Bar Crawl crew

My very pale foundation....the darkest one they had!

The next day we were both ok....strange but true.  I slepted on and off all day.  That night we decided to walk along the Bund (right opposite our hostel) and join a river cruise.  Got back and we were starving.  The hostel told us that KFC deliver!!!! BOOM...another zinger burger meal for me at 11:30pm.

On our last day the first thing on our agenda was a GREAT BRITISH BREAKFAST! Went back to O'Malley's from the pub crawl.  Ok it cost £12.50 but check the picture out!! An orgasm on a plate mmmmmmmmmm.  

PHWOARRRRR!!!!!

Sally Sue's first English breakfast ....omlette

Later we went back to Old Street yet again to get some souveniers for Clare and a new camera lead for my camera as I misplaced mine.  Later that day we parted snogs at the train station and promised to keep in touch.  Got to my cabin on the train to find my top bunk.  JESUS... it was an effort to get up.  I had a laugh with the Chinese people about it but I managed.  Couldn't sit up lol!  Tried to get a photo but my camera battery died DOH!  Got talking to a guy from Hong Kong and the night went really fast.  Bed was comfy so just finished my 3rd Hunger Games book and went to sleep.

Bye Bye Shanghai...my most favourite city in China x x