Stroked My Little Charm

It wouldn’t have been the way I’d have chosen, but in the end it worked out.  We drove.  First from the Qiantang River over to one of the two Alibaba campus’ in Hangzhou.  This was supposed to take thirty to forty minutes.  It took us more than two hours.  The last hour’s worth of time we covered about four kilometers, which we might have easily walked faster. 

I think this is the second time I’ve gone to Google maps, entered “Alibaba Campus” into app and planned a trip with hotels, travel times and coordinated with others accordingly with completely the wrong location in mind.  Alibaba has two “main campus” on either side of the Qiantang River.  Trying to stay calm about being one hour late I stroked my little charm and told the driver “Beijing’s worse.”

Then, rather than rush to the Hangzhou East station, to catch a high speed rail to Shanghai, someone in our party suggested that drive there instead.  I knew this was theoretically possible.  But had no idea just how long this would be or what it would cost.  I called three Uber drivers.  They all gave up as soon as I called and reiterated where I was heading.  “Look at your app next time Jack, before you accept the ride.”  Outside I approached a traditional cab who had a rather shabby looking vehicle.  I offered him eight hundred renminbi.  I’d heard it could be done for as little as six.   He pressed for one-thousand.  My friends had already agreed to that figure with a cleaner cab off to the left.  Right.  To Shanghai then.

I sat in the front, and fiddled with my mapping software.  It certainly seemed far.  The little dot was certainly moving slowly.  But at least there was no traffic on the highway that connected the two cities.  And it was a lovely spring day to drive along and consider the watery world of northern Zhejiang.  Ahh, so that’s where Shaoxing and the famous rice wine is from.   Some other time I’ll have to find out if there is much of any extant Imperial architecture.

The conversation in the back is interesting.  The driver is having a much louder conversation beside me with his dispatcher.   The pull of sleep is stronger then either.  The next thing I know a policeman at the boarder of Shanghai city is asking our driver why he’s entering the citadel.  Staring in, the car full of foreigners seems to placate him.