Geneva 🇨🇭 - Shanghai 🇨🇳

My flight left as per schedule though oversold as people tried re-routing from their middle eastern flights through Asia. I scored the very back row aisle seat which was comfy enough. Full of a head cold but fortunately a stop at the chemist had provided some relief. 12hrs later I landed at Shanghai airport. My $700 return airfare meant a 14hr layover, and rather than stay at the airport and quite possibly go insane with boredom (😂) I opted to obtain the free visa offered to Australians for up to 144hrs layover, and so off I went full of false bravado to navigate transport and sightseeing and be back to the airport for my flight this evening. I had also downloaded the suggested Chinese payment app, and had an electronic Sim card. My payment app didn't work as it needed a 2FA from my home mobile number which I'm not using while away 🙄. Good news, i was able to purchase a day metro and high speed train combo ticket. The “Maglev” train ran just over 300kms per hour!
If you can find the right transport app, in no time you are riding the metro like a boss 😂. It's still been a 28,000 steps day, plus high speed train, regular metro and a ferry ride.  
Absolutely freezing cold and I wasn't wearing enough layers. A bleak fog for most of the day.
I was asked to have my photo taken multiple times today 😂 so I asked them back lol.
What a fun city to wander. I saw the modern office skyscrapers,
the Bund historical European style river front buildings, the People's Park and the old town with fabulous architecture, Yuyuan gardens, great food markets and lots of vibrant lanterns for their new year's celebrations.  
Back to the airport now and boarding in a couple of hours. Hoping I can get some sleep on this leg of the journey!
 


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