Chinese Prisoner!

I booked a cheap flight to Shanghai about a month ago, then pretty much forgot about it. A friend of my girlfriend's offered to put me up so I didn't have to arrange accommodation, he also said he'd pick me up from the airport, and I had my flight...nothing else to think about, nice and easy. I checked the time of my flight the day before and didn't even buy a guide book until the day I was flying!

As I settled down into the three hour flight I leafed through the guidebook and noted places I could go and see. The building where the Communist Party was founded, the 'French Quarter' an area of Art Deco buildings where colonial invaders based themselves, a sex museum! (in China!? that's a bit surprising), Jinmao Tower - China's tallest building, etc. etc. All looked pretty good, I skipped onto the 'essential info' of the guidebook - currency, travel, visas, language.....wait a minute......visas, I don't need a visa, surely, I'm a British citizen, they let us in anywhere for 30 days don't they? Lets see....a luyou or travel visa is needed for stays up to 30 days in China...ah, bugger!. I was a little worried at this point but maybe not as worried as I would have been without a friend working in immigration at Heathrow (alright Russ!). Whilst he couldn't help me in China I knew from talking to him that the procedure for people who arrive without a visa is to simply send them back to the country they came from, so whilst I would forfeit a holiday at least I wouldn't be locked in a Commie prison sewing Nike tracksuits. So I settled down to enjoy what I thought would be a three hour holiday on a plane.

After I arrived and confessed to the immigration people I was offered the lifeline of going to Hong Kong (where British passport holders can stay for 180 days with no visa!) to apply for a fast-track Chinese visa and then flying back to Shanghai. I couldn't do it that night as it was 10pm by this point, so I stayed overnight in a hotel mainly used by employees. I wasn't actually 'in' China as it was before the immigration section, so I spent the night in what I guess is international airspace or maybe no-mans land, in a twin room with an immigration guard in the other bed keeping hold of my passport and making sure I didn't try and run away. The next day I got up at 6:45am and was on a plane to Hong Kong by 7:20am as having an immigration guard with you gets you past all the queues. It does draw a little attention from other passengers though, who perhaps thought I was some sort of international criminal.

Anyway, I went to Hong Kong and got the visa in about 5 hours then flew back to Shanghai that night. Obviously this little mishap meant my holiday cost a LOT more than I originally planned as I had to buy last minute flights to Hong Kong and back, a visa, and pay for the night in a hotel. It did give me about 7 hours to look around Hong Kong which was quite nice and also gave me a good travel story!

Anyway, I went to all those places I mentioned from the guidebook as well as looking around Hong Kong, I've put a lot of photos online, click the blog title to see them.


I went through the 'Bund Sightseeing Tunnel' which has nothing to do with Shanghai at all, very weird, and very funny. You might be able to hear the descriptions of the light shows such as 'hot magma' and 'space swirl'.



Chinese people singing in a park on Saturday, and a woman in traditional clothes dancing a bit. They weren't asking for money, just having a bit of fun!