Today was the day when I went on a shopping in Shanghai like there is no tomorrow. My shopping spree has officially commenced, and frankly, there’s no turning back now.
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Lost in Shanghai
Speaking of winning, yesterday was a logistical masterpiece. My bus, in a stunning display of punctuality, was only about three hours late. Apparently, “people on the ground” were to blame – a truly insightful explanation. Then, for reasons known only to the transportation gods, it dropped me off on a random side street. Not a station, mind you, just… somewhere. Felt very “Authentic Global Travel Experience,” you know? The kind where you have absolutely no idea where you are, especially when you can’t read or speak the language and this is 2009, when smart phones just starting to emerge and mine still had green background screen.
My brilliant plan involved following a crowd. Naturally, I chose the wrong crowd. A quick detour later, and I finally stumbled upon the metro. By this point, my backpack felt like it was filled with lead weights and my poor little daypack decided it had had enough of this adventure. The zipper spontaneously combusted, and the whole thing just… unraveled with the things falling down on the ground. Less than a week after buying it! Unbelievable! It just got a bit wet and it seems melted away as if it was made of paper. My inner monologue, shall we say, became quite expressive regarding the origin of said backpack, since it was bough it silk market in Beijing. Tying it up with various bits of string became my new core strength exercise. Luckily I didn’t lose any things and now I needed to go shopping in Shanghai for a new backpack in order to be able to bring them back home to my country.
Security Check in Metro
Adding to the fun, I was subjected to a security check in the metro, presumably for carrying dangerous levels of enthusiasm or perhaps… well, let’s just say they’d be thrilled to know my laundry situation. They checked me again today, just for consistency, I suppose. The guard quickly changed her mind when she saw my dirty laundry in the plastic bags. Though I must admit, the first time, the guard was positively delightful – even helped me put my patched-up backpack back on and offered a charming “thank you.” Today’s interaction was more focused on my tripod. Had to perform a quick mime routine to indicate it was, in fact, for taking pictures, not engaging in impromptu jousting.
Search for WiFi
My streak of navigational brilliance continued at the metro. Nailed the wrong stop. Twice. Paid twice, naturally. My brain felt like scrambled eggs. So, I did what any resourceful modern traveler would do: wandered aimlessly in search of free WiFi to use it on my iPod touch maps, hoping the internet fairies would guide me. This involved strolling past towers scraping the sky, observing impeccably dressed individuals in suits and shiny shoes, while I, in my dirty shorts and disintegrating sandals, provided the stark, unwashed contrast. The stares were plentiful, and my smile? Wider than ever.
I eventually found myself near the Grand Theater. A momentous occasion called for a wardrobe change. Off with the trusty, torn sandals, on with socks (a rare luxury at this point), and into my new, presumably less structurally compromised, shoes. Farewell, my fallen footwear heroes.
Hunger, that persistent travel companion, led me to the golden arches of McDonald’s. A Big Mac meal felt like a gourmet option, given the distinct lack of visible street food and the decidedly “fancy” vibe of the restaurants. I should have just attached the drip like the lady in the photo instead of stuffing myself with that greasy burger.
Scam in People Square
Finally, blessed relief! I located People Square. I finally knew where I was. It is like a centrepiece of all life in Shanghai! I collapsed onto a bench, and naturally, this was the precise moment a charming local couple decided they needed a photo taken by me. They even spoke English, and quite well! Too well if you ask me! Then came the inevitable invitation for tea ceremony. It sounded so genuine and I was almost tempted, but I quickly recalled reading about it at on the hostel board: “Come for tea, leave with a significantly lighter wallet” scam. I’d read the cautionary tales of tea bills reaching astronomical figures around 1000RMB or more. I just came up with a quick lie: “Waiting for a friend” which was enough to get them off my back. Next I was of for shopping spree in Shanghai!
Shopping in Shanghai
I dropped by big backpack in hostel and I was back to the main event: shopping! Backpack discarded! I was off to a fake Yinyang Market. Now in 2025 (the time of article update) there are 3 most popular fake markets in Shanghai: AP Plaza, Qipu Lu Clothing Market and Hongqiao New World Pearl Market.
This fake market was an experience here. At one place, the sheer joy of buying pants that fit earned me a free bottle of water. Another, had an impressive denim selection. I even spotted some Armani jeans that were heartbreakingly beautiful, and tragically, one size too small. The agony! Also found some intriguing half-jean, half-fabric hybrids that were almost perfect, but the available sizes meant they either resembled leggings or required a belt the size of a rope. The “hanging low” look was not quite what I was going for.
My cinematic acquisition, a Harry Potter DVD, turned out to be a masterclass in minimalist packaging: completely empty, no DVD inside when I bought it. A bold business strategy, I’ll give them that. At least I haggled like a pro, getting it down from 86 RMB to a slightly less painful 10 RMB (~£1). A small victory in the face of DVD-less disappointment.
I also bought a nice diesel bag in a Silk market in Beijing, but that lasted like 1.5 days until the first rain. It literally melted and my things started dropping form my bag in the middle of the street. I had to gather everything and wrap in what is remaining of the backpack and later put it in a plastic bag. So I bought North face bag in this market for like 40 RMB (~£4), which actually lasted quite long! It was funny, that all the logos were covered by a sticker and once you ask, they remove the sticker and show the brand name.
Today’s agenda also involved seeing the world’s tallest skyscraper as of 2009 and possibly a haircut. Wish me luck on both fronts.