Shanghai Trip

[infinity]

Hi all, I am back! Got lots to share..... :bsmilie:

INFO
1. Originally, I plan to visit Zhou Zhuang (ZZ), Tong Li (TL), Suzhou (SZ) and Hangzhou (HZ) during my stay there, only manage to visit HZ due to 2 unexpected happenings!
a. The weather is damn cold (average temp range from 5 - 15c)
b. Due to on / off drizzles
My hands was freezing and shaking so much that I can't play with the settings. It is actually more convenient using a compact camera, just switch to auto and snap!

2. Despite the weather, there are many many many tourists! Only 5% using DSLR though. Wish I have a compact (S90 etc) rather than my 40D for this trip and probably, I won't ever consider bringing DSLR for cold / rainy season. My friends actually took more pictures than me! So disappointing! Sigh.....

3. We travelled mostly via metro and bus. Bus cost only 2RMB for each trip and metro normally cost between 1 - 3RMB. Metro is preferred over bus (very very very squeezy for certain routes! Be careful of pickpockets!), cheap and accessible to most areas.

 

[Daoyin]

Hope to see some of your shots somewhere in this forum. Suppose now to Mt. K.

 

[infinity]

Hope to see some of your shots somewhere in this forum. Suppose now to Mt. K.

Yep! Planning for Mt KK to commence soon!

 

[Shen siung]

Hi all, I am back! Got lots to share..... :bsmilie:

INFO

My hands was freezing and shaking so much that I can't play with the settings. It is actually more convenient using a compact camera, just switch to auto and snap!

Yes, as I said earlier on, use a fitting gloves that won't make your hand less versatile (with a thick gloves), yet protect your hand from cold, when trying to play with settings.

 

[kakashixx]

Im going shanghai too later this month from 27dec to 4jan. gonna spend new year over dere..heard it will be cold,wonder whether a long john + a normal jacket is sufficient..n is it fine to not wear any gloves?lol.

 

[Shen siung]

Im going shanghai too later this month from 27dec to 4jan. gonna spend new year over dere..heard it will be cold,wonder whether a long john + a normal jacket is sufficient..n is it fine to not wear any gloves?lol.

I guess it is not enough, unless... you can stand cold very well.
For me, I need a layer of thermal (or so called undergarment) for whole body, then a layer of t shirt, then maybe a layer of sweater / long sleeve, and finally a outer wind breaker / anything made by cotton (棉&#34948. Be ready that normal sports shoe might not sufficient if you stay outdoor walking for hours. I wear 2 layers of socks ;p still feel the cold from leg... Boots could be better.... I must wear gloves, if not will be freezing. also prepare something so you can cover your ears if needed.

 

[daredevil123]

I should not give advice for clothing for the cold. Even in coldest time in SHA I was wearing half of what everyone else is suggesting here... SG is so bloody hot. I sweat in SG all the time.

 

[pikapig]

im going to shanghai on a tour...do u think i shld carry my tripod? and its so cold..i was wondering if i will ever had the chance to use it with the crowds etc...but understand got nice programs from the tour

will bring my compact along...

 

[kakashixx]

hmmm..i think for e time being ill juz wear 1 long john+t-shirt+jacket..if need more clothings ill juz get it over dere i guess haha.n ill be wearing a normal pair of sports shoes,hope it wont be tooo cold lol.

 

[Shen siung]

im going to shanghai on a tour...do u think i shld carry my tripod? and its so cold..i was wondering if i will ever had the chance to use it with the crowds etc...but understand got nice programs from the tour

will bring my compact along...

For me, tripod is for some self portrait when I travel alone, and some for long shutter speed photos. If you could always set up tripod very fast, shoot very fast in night photography, you may just bring it. If you already have companion with you, you may just ask them to take photos for you.

 

[kakashixx]

i plan to travel to hangzhou for a day trip during my stay at shanghai,most probably will be travelling by the train.i was juz wondering whether there will be any problem getting train tickets(to and return) on the day itself.

 

[Shen siung]

i plan to travel to hangzhou for a day trip during my stay at shanghai,most probably will be travelling by the train.i was juz wondering whether there will be any problem getting train tickets(to and return) on the day itself.

If you can withstand the crowd / the rudeness of the train ticket counter staff at train station, you can try get on that day, but if it is a weekend, better get one day earlier. Or you may purchase from some travel agent, but I'm not sure about where to get it.

I got my ticket one day early, from the train station. My observation, on that day itself, many people will just squeeze up the train (ok, not so many, about 4 or 5 of them per train cabin, standing without seats). These people got their own ticket, but it could be like a few trains later (say they squeeze up a 10 am train, whereby they got the ticket of 11 am), so they can reach the destination early.

So i would suggest get ticket early, to avoid no more seats.

By the way, why don't stay one night in Hangzhou?

 

[velovictor]

Im going shanghai too later this month from 27dec to 4jan. gonna spend new year over dere..heard it will be cold,wonder whether a long john + a normal jacket is sufficient..n is it fine to not wear any gloves?lol.

I just came back from Shanghai. 19nov to 3rd dec. well 19-23nov is freezing like hell.. i even buy a leather glove but like no use too.. lol.. after that the weather turned better.. and on that day i came back the weather is just nice.. 16 degree. maybe u sld check out weather forecast before your trip to Shanghai.. whats a normal jacket? lol feather ones will be good. can resist up to -10 degree. Its better to get warmer than freezing.. hahaha

 

[velovictor]

Hi all, I am back! Got lots to share..... :bsmilie:

INFO
1. Originally, I plan to visit Zhou Zhuang (ZZ), Tong Li (TL), Suzhou (SZ) and Hangzhou (HZ) during my stay there, only manage to visit HZ due to 2 unexpected happenings!
a. The weather is damn cold (average temp range from 5 - 15c)
b. Due to on / off drizzles
My hands was freezing and shaking so much that I can't play with the settings. It is actually more convenient using a compact camera, just switch to auto and snap!

2. Despite the weather, there are many many many tourists! Only 5% using DSLR though. Wish I have a compact (S90 etc) rather than my 40D for this trip and probably, I won't ever consider bringing DSLR for cold / rainy season. My friends actually took more pictures than me! So disappointing! Sigh.....

3. We travelled mostly via metro and bus. Bus cost only 2RMB for each trip and metro normally cost between 1 - 3RMB. Metro is preferred over bus (very very very squeezy for certain routes! Be careful of pickpockets!), cheap and accessible to most areas.

Welcome back... yeah i heard the week before i went Shanghai is raining non stop. so i considered myself lucky out of 15 days no rain.. haha either sunny or cloudy. 19nov and 20nov i saw the road is wet so i presume it rain while im sleeping. spent my 2 days(24-25nov) up on Huang Shan with sunny weather.. pretty awesome as i caught the sunset and sunrise.

 

[daredevil123]

If you can withstand the crowd / the rudeness of the train ticket counter staff at train station, you can try get on that day, but if it is a weekend, better get one day earlier. Or you may purchase from some travel agent, but I'm not sure about where to get it.

I got my ticket one day early, from the train station. My observation, on that day itself, many people will just squeeze up the train (ok, not so many, about 4 or 5 of them per train cabin, standing without seats). These people got their own ticket, but it could be like a few trains lat动er (say they squeeze up a 10 am train, whereby they got the ticket of 11 am), so they can reach the destination early.

So i would suggest get ticket early, to avoid no more seats.

By the way, why don't stay one night in Hangzhou?

Actually, those standing people have what we call "standing tickets". I strongly recommend you buy tickets in advance (1 day at least) and get the bullet train (called dongche zhu 动车&#32452. There are more trains to hangzhou at Shanghai South train station. And no, bullet trains do not allow standing passengers nor do they allow people to board a earlier or later train.

 

[Shen siung]

Actually, those standing people have what we call "standing tickets". I strongly recommend you buy tickets in advance (1 day at least) and get the bullet train (called dongche zhu 动车&#32452. There are more trains to hangzhou at Shanghai South train station. And no, bullet trains do not allow standing passengers nor do they allow people to board a earlier or later train.

I've taken the Dong Che Zhu all the while, and trust me, they always let the locals board the train and stand at the back About 4 or 5 per train cabin. Those local usually carry later ticket, and that's why they can enter the restricted area (ticket checking).

 

[kakashixx]

my friend already booked e hotel accommodation in shanghai itself alr haha,so no choice muz slp in shanghai.thanks every1 for all e help though,i learnt alot from this thread haha.my plan for my shanghai trip will be to go to shanghai+hangzhou+a watertown which i have yet to decide which lol.

I'll share my experience after my trip there and probably some pics although im still quite new to photography lol.pray for good weather!>.<

 

[daredevil123]

I've taken the Dong Che Zhu all the while, and trust me, they always let the locals board the train and stand at the back About 4 or 5 per train cabin. Those local usually carry later ticket, and that's why they can enter the restricted area (ticket checking).

Funny, I've never seen this and I have been living in Shanghai 5 years and been taking D-head a lot since it started a couple of years back. I think it depends on which trains also. The one that goes to Changsha I believe there are standing people since I have seen 1 or 2 standing people once (in my 20+ times taking that train). The short D trains to Hangzhou and Yiwu, I've never seen any standing crowd. BTW all my D train rides are off Shanghai South station as I live close by. Was your D train ride off South station or Shanghai station? South station seems to be stricter with passengers, and Shanghai station has always been a mad house.

 

[daredevil123]

my friend already booked e hotel accommodation in shanghai itself alr haha,so no choice muz slp in shanghai.thanks every1 for all e help though,i learnt alot from this thread haha.my plan for my shanghai trip will be to go to shanghai+hangzhou+a watertown which i have yet to decide which lol.

I'll share my experience after my trip there and probably some pics although im still quite new to photography lol.pray for good weather!>.<

Have fun. Actually shanghai hotels can always cancel. Shouldn't be a problem. And hotels right by the water of Westlake is quite cheap if you know where to look. :bsmilie:

 

[pikapig]

i bringing my diana mini there too..hope can get 2 film back at least...

by e way, i used to hear the china ppl are still v rough and ermmm impolite....

is there any improvement now? any do and don't? i heard don bargain if u are not genuine abt buying the tings.