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The First Adventure

 I had my first of adventures in Shanghai, and this is when I realised I was starting to like it. The company had provided us with a a metro card with 50 RMB-I had no idea how much this was, but I was very grateful. I knew, unlike most of my fellow cohort who were remaining in Shanghai, that I probably wouldn't use the money. 

Jason, who seemed to like me, invited me to go out with him to explore, so we met up together downstairs in the hotel. We found a place close by the hotel on the evening called 'Yang's dumplings', and of course, I ordered the cheapest thing, because I was worried about money, so I bought the 8RMB dumplings, which were pork soup dumplings, one first of the most delicious foods I had ever had. I was trying to learn to use chopsticks, but just ended up sticking them in the middle of the chopsticks, which I learnt was rude because I just wanted to eat. 



Figure 1: Shanghai's famous skyline.

We caught up with other members of the group and saw an impressive 'stone government looking building', perhaps an embassy of some sort. I didn't want to go in as it looked intimidating and I had no idea what it was, a Chinese government building? I'm still unsure, but one fellow former British 'bouncer' who was also going to be working in Shanghai said 'let's walk in and just look like we belong'.....'I rolled my eyes and thought.....among a load of Chinese', 'like that will work'. But I decided to go along, with every step thinking that we would be thrown out. We walked over to the lift, and decided to push a button to the very top and realised there was a bar that overlooked the impressive Shanghai skyline. This was a time when I didn't drink-I had no idea what kind of alcoholic drink I would like....all I remember was my grandfather smelling of whisky and my dad of beer-so I ordered Hot chocolate, which I remember paying the equivalent of 5 pounds. I enjoyed it, I really did and I enjoyed Jason's company. 


Figure 2: Shanghai CBD

Then the real challenge came of 'how to get back to the hotel'. It was getting late, perhaps around 10pm, and so we decided to get back by metro, but of course we didn't really know how it worked. We went to the nearest station to the hotel that one of us could remember....but we had no idea which exit to take...there were so many exits, we just took any exit. We still struggled to find the hotel, and I seemed to be dragged by Jason to some sort of muddy underpass, while we were still in work clothes. Eventually, after walking in circles we found it and successfully made it back to the hotel....that was my first mini adventure. 

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