Welcome to China!
I have officially arrived in Shanghai! I’m typing this latest dispatch from the comfort of my hotel room bed (the mattress is almost unbelievably firm, and not, I think, in a good way). The room is, at the very least, air conditioned, and it is a bed, and while the Internet may not be fast, there is Internet. All of which I am grateful for.
The past few hours have been full of firsts (and a few seconds, such as my second-ever ride on the Shanghai Maglev, which continues to astound). First time putting myself through Chinese immigration all on my own. First time hailing a cab in China on my own and then giving directions to the cab driver on my own despite the slight language gap. And, in a particularly noteworthy first, I have had my first experience with a Chinese scam artist.
Some brief background. I few Delta to Shanghai, and Delta allows you to bring two fifty-pound checked bags and a carry-on and a personal item. I arrived in Shanghai with two fifty-plus pound duffel bags, a twenty-plus pound suitcase, and my computer case. It was incredibly awkward to navigate. While I was able to put everything on a trolley in the airport, eventually my luck ran out. In other words, I had to leave the airport.
On my way to the train and on my way out of the train, the staff helped me with my luggage, taking a near-impossible task and making it merely difficult. Once I left the maglev’s Longyang Road Station, I was on my own, and it was up to me to figure out how to transport myself and my suitcases across the street to the official taxi stand. Some of it I dragged the two duffels while sparing half a hand to carry the other suitcase. Some of it I took the suitcases in shifts. Some of it I just gave up.
Long story short, there I was, looking rather tired, rather exhausted, rather overburdened, and very American. Just as I was about to get into the line to wait for a taxi, a man came up to me and offered to take me wherever I needed to go for 250 RMB (about $40). He was clearly not licensed to drive a taxi (he claimed he was an Uber, but offered no proof). I said I wanted to take a taxi like the ones lining up to take people where they wanted to go. He lowered his price to 200 RMB and helped me move my suitcases in the direction I wanted it to go. I still said no. He claimed that the taxis only went to the airport (a semi-nonsensical claim, as we were right next to the far quicker, far cheaper maglev). I got into the taxi line and started hauling the suitcases down towards where the cars were waiting. And, much to my surprise, the man helped me drag my luggage towards the certified cabs. I’m still not sure what to make of the experience. I’m pleased with myself for avoiding a scam, humored that I was targeted, and grateful that I got a little bit of help with my truly unruly luggage.
I was also pleased that I got a taxi ride for a somewhat more reasonable 60 RMB.
