China: Beijing - Bullet Train and Karaoke Scam

So I find myself in Beijing after an exciting bullet train ride (it's exciting because it might crash at any minute) and I'm settled into my hostel for the week.

I'm too terrified to scream

Now I'd like to interject myself here and go on record by saying that China is one of those places where you probably don't want a hostel room with an ensuite.  It's one of a list of many countries where the plumbing can't handle toilet paper and so things can get rather smelly as you have to put your toilet paper in the bin.  Occasionally (especially in some bars) you come across a toilet where somebody has insisted on flushing the paper and lets just say that things get a little... messy.  I'm writing this at a cafe right now.  Just had some chocolate cake and it's sort of smeared a bit on the plate.  MMmmm.

Anyway,  my new friend from the hostel (ha! - a bloody Australian) had just arrived in Beijing from an overland rail trip from Moscow and had already fallen for one of those typical China tourist scams.  He was out for a stroll on the street when he was approached by two girls.  
We should probably assume that he was targeted because he was wearing one of those hats with corks dangling off of them to keep the flies off (I don't know why but flies love Australians).
After chatting for a bit they invite him to go sing karaoke at a karaoke club.  Off they go, and a few beers and songs later (no doubt singing the Australian national anthem: Tie Me Kangaroo Down several times) and he's downstairs in the lobby and asked to pay the bill.

And this is the point where he notices that the front door has been locked with a bicycle chain.

The bill comes to about AUS$350 which at the current exchange rate is probably enough to by a Porche with enough change left over to buy the requisite toupée (Australia's crap beer export market is booming - anyone fancy a Fosters?).  He got off lucky compared to some people who fall for the tea scam in Shanghai but still...

ProTip:  When travelling, try to avoid being Australian at all costs - it will only end badly.

Bikes, Cats and Scams

It's the first morning in Shanghai, I walk out the front door of my accommodation, and almost get run over by a scooter going the wrong way down the road.  Wait, that's not a road - that's the footpath.  I guess there is no wrong way down a footpath.
It's surprising, but it seems that almost all of the scooters and motorbikes in Shanghai are electric!  I applaud the noble attempt to reduce smog and pollution - but it sure makes you need to have your wits about you as you cross the road!

My personal photographer's last photo. RIP...

Exploring the city some more, I wander through the old French District, lined with beautiful trees, old colonial style buildings and bicycles.  It's a hot day and not too many people seem to be wandering around so I duck into a shopping mall to cool down.

Sorry about the boring photo

To my surprise I find that strangely the mall is devoid of customers!  No-one is in there shopping.  Does everybody have a job or something?  Where are the tourists?

I don't have a picture of an empty shopping mall.

Wandering further across the city, my GPS system built into my brain brings be to The Bund.

I should be a taxi driver

Now the Bund is a spectacular area - I just hate it that's all.  Jam packed with tourists of every flavor, including approximately 1.2 million Chinese tourists from out of town.  That on it's own is OK - on average Chinese people are pretty small and so don't take up much space - but what pissed me off was that I was approached ten times within one hour to go and have Chinese tea or coffee with a young female Chinese tourist.

Ten Times.

ProTip:  Don't do it.

Luckily I'd done my research before-hand and learned online that it's a common scam in the area - you get approached by a young "tourist" who wants you help them take a picture in front of something interesting - they continue to converse with you, and eventually pop the question to go and sample some Chinese tea.  You go and sample the average-at-best Chinese tea with them, only to find a bill for about $3000 at the end.  Say no, and they invite their gangster friends into the room with you until you pay.  It's sad but I actually met a German tourist later who had it happen to him.  When he didn't have much cash they made him use his credit card.

It's a shame really - because that behavior could easily give Shanghai a bad name.  The rest of Shanghai is not like that at all...
The fact that there seem to be so many of these people approaching me for it in the area - along with "Wanna buy a watch?", and "Want sexy massage?"  must mean somebody is turning a blind eye to it.  At the very least - it's made sure that I stay the hell away from The Bund.

More info can be found on the scam here: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=1792617

Welcome to Shanghai

Welcome to Shanghai.

Heading out of immigration after picking up my bags, I'm approached by a young woman in an airport uniform asking where I was headed to.  She brings me over to the airport transport desk and arranges for a taxi ride into town.  The taxi seemed expensive - but I was in a new place, and just wanted to get to my hostel and get settled.

Now the thing about Shanghai taxis is the drivers don't use GPS - they rely on having years of knowledge to get you to where you want to go.  Which works reasonably well if you have a knowledgable taxi driver!  My taxi driver took two hours to find my hostel - which is right next to a metro station.  Turns out he wasn't very knowledgable.

Luckily it was a scenic ride.

ProTip:  Don't use the transport counter at the airport - just head out front to the taxi stand - or even better find the Metro system and catch the train or the Maglev into town.  If you must use the transport counter, make sure you negotiate a fixed price first.  My ride would have been ridiculously expensive if I was riding on the meter.