I woke up in the morning feeling like I hadn’t slept at all. Maybe it was because my card key didn’t work for accessing a pillow and blanket that were in a locked cabinet in the room, or maybe it was because the “matress” was incredibly hard, or maybe it was just because of jet lag. It was probably all of the above. At least I was able to get up on time. I headed down to the bar where they served breakfast, and ordered an omlet. It ended up being strange, but actually really good. Afterwards I spent some time exploring the hostel more. I found so many cool areas that I wished I had time to linger at.

An patio on the second floor

A view of the entrance courtyard

The deck on the rooftop, I couldn’t help gasping with delight.  I love rooftops!

The lobby

A very tired selfie before leaving the hostel

I made it almost to the metro station but then remembered that I had left my food at the hostel.  I rushed back to grab it, moving much slower than I wanted (thanks to my luggage), and then returned to the station.  I was now running much shorter on time, but I arrived at the Shanghai railway station very quickly.  However, I had no idea where the ticket office was.  My surpervisor for my intership had purchased a ticket in advance for me and I just needed to pick it up.  The station security staff was able to tell me where to go and I rushed accross the street in pursuit.  When I arrived at the ticket office panic struck, I saw for the first time the ridiculously long lines that I had been warned about for traveling in China.  I only had 40 minuets before my train left and things were not looking good.  I picked a line and proceded to wait… and wait… and in patient Chinese fashion polietly, but firmly push my way towards the ticket window so no one would cut in front of me (essential and normal for waiting in lines in China).  Getting the ticket took only a minuet and I was soon rushing back to the station with 15 minuets before my train left.  I power walked as fast as I could past security, the long corridors, the waiting room, and finally to the platform hallway.  I unfortunately I went to the wrong platform and had to frantically ask someone to point me to the right one.  Running as best as I could I made it to the right train just in time.  Incredibly frazzeled, I made my way through the crowded train car (lucky number 13!) and to my seat.

The ride was long and cramped but there were so many interesting things to see along the way.  Lush greenery, old buildings, skysrapers under construction, factories, villages, crumbling sidestreets…  The list goes on and on, plus it was raining on and off during the ride which gave the experience a plesently eeire feeling.

It was dark by the time I reached Wuhu, Anhui after the seven hour train ride.  My supervisor and her assistant met me at the station, she was much younger than I expected.  We then climbed into a taxi and headed to the office for the oganization, which is also where I would be staying.  The office was located on the 18th floor of a tall aparment building.  The floor was actually marked as 17A because 18 is considered bad luck.  Same with 14 so there were floors 13, and 13A instead.  The office was a reletively spacious apartment, dimly lit and a kinda grungy, but with a very homey feel.  A huge bookshelf lined the common room and pictures of flora and fauna decorated the walls all around.

Several people from another organization based in the nearby city of Hefei (the capitol of Anhui Province) were also visiting and we all walked to a nearby hole-in-the-wall restuarant for dinner.  The meal was sooo good, and the people were all very nice.  Introductions were done in Chinese an English, after which mostly Chinese was spoken.  I had a hard time understanding though!  When we returned I was able to settle in, take care of a few work items, and finally relax.