China

Landing at Shanghai’s airport was an experience I didn’t expect at all. Despite being the city’s main airport, it was almost completely empty – vast, open spaces with barely any people in sight, which was the opposite of what I imagined. The emptiness didn’t make things any less chaotic, though.

The airport lacked basic facilities – if you wanted a shower, they were only available in the lounges. On top of that, communicating with anyone was nearly impossible. English was virtually non-existent, there were hardly any staff around, and figuring out how to leave the airport turned into a real challenge. Overall, it was unexpectedly difficult, confusing, and far less convenient than one would expect from a major international airport.

As I explored the airport, I discovered something surprising – they had a metro system between gates, not terminals, but actual gates! Intrigued, I decided to check it out, wandering through the airport and marveling at this unusual setup.

Eventually, I decided I had enough time to leave the airport and explore the city. That’s when the real challenge began. I started asking around to figure out how to get out, but none of the staff spoke English. To make things even more frustrating, they kept insisting that it wasn’t possible to leave the airport.

After several attempts and a restless nap on the airport couches, I finally found a Chinese police officer who spoke English. He was the first person able to help me navigate the situation and directed me to the visa counter. However, even he was met with resistance when the staff informed him that I couldn’t leave the airport at that moment and asked me to return in an hour and a half.

With time to kill, I rode the metro between gates again, explored the airport further, and kept myself occupied. Finally, I decided to give it another try. This time, I made it to the visa control, where they scanned my fingerprints, face, and other details. After what felt like an eternity, I was finally allowed to step outside into the city!

Nowhere accepts card payments! Thankfully, before my trip, I had done some research about China and learned that I would need an app like AliPay to make any payments. Thanks to this preparation, I was able to purchase a metro ticket and begin my journey into the city.

To my surprise, the train ride into the heart of Shanghai took more than an hour. The ticket cost a modest 7 RMB, but the experience of navigating such a vast transport system was priceless. Without the app, though, I would have been completely stuck.

During the entire train ride, I was the only European onboard, surrounded entirely by local Chinese passengers. One thing I noticed was how almost everyone was constantly on their phones—scrolling, texting, or watching videos.

At first, I enjoyed looking out the window as the train sped along. However, after a certain point, the train went underground, and the view outside disappeared completely, leaving only the soft glow of phone screens as my fellow passengers stayed glued to their devices. It was a fascinating blend of modern commuting and digital life in Shanghai.