How to survive Shanghai?!
Robinson Crusoe has proven the ability to survive on foreign land. Made easy? I don't think so. If you're the first time in Shanghai you'll probably discover the little Robinson Crusoe in yourself. Sometimes it is really tough for adopt oneself to new habits and lifestyles. Shanghai has lots you first need to learn. Here's what I learned:
Pollution:
Well, honestly I've been in town when the AQI (Air Quality Index) was at a level of "very unhealthy" and didn't really notice while outdoor. Only the view isn't so great though.
What makes me more concerned is the pollution on the streets. I've been to many countries before, but Shanghai topped it all; People spitting on the streets, parents let the babies make their business in a corner of a subway station on a polished granite floor, small restaurants wash their dishes on the street side and so on. No wonder viruses aren't rare...
Locals:
If you arrived in your hotel in a real taxi or even by subway, well done or just lucky you! Lots of people asking (better word: pushing) you for driving you to your home. I just passed the Chinese custom and entering the "Zhongguo" at Pudong International Airport in Shanghai, and was asked an estimate thousand times for a ride to my home in Shanghai - by fake taxi drivers - probably all scams. That was just the beginning of "service sold on the streets". The list of 'street-business' goes far on:
-There are the one wants you for taking a taxi (although you've just arrived)
-The other sell (in exactly this order): 1. Watches 2. Rolex-watches 3. Massages 4. Happy-end-massages.
-Then in Chinese stores they sell you goods all "original" to a "friend-price" (yes, you can make here friends within seconds!!! great! isn't it?
Some have a food price which is really good, but then you notice the price would be for some grilled octopuses and meat you can't imagine to be edible...
Not to be too harsh. I think it is really economical to advertise, work and sell stuff on the streets; who wants to pay for an ad or a professional shop?
Eat & Drink:
Green tea, rice and noodles three times a day- I'm loving it!
Or not really- Starbucks, McDonald, Burger king they all found a reason to settle down in Shanghai. And I'm really glad!
Food poisoning is a problem- the word hygiene is not so common. Definitively not for the street food vendors. Street food is a real killer. I've tried four times street food in Shanghai. The last time I ate some beef, the bacterias killed my days after. I've heard some stories about people getting food poisoning from a Subway sandwich. Sure, you can get problems in every restaurant in the world. But in Shanghai, as a developing country, the hygiene standards aren't so high.
Tap water- I won't lose too many words. Just: Don't drink it!
Traffic:
Just a little historic lesson: what does it mean "survival of the fittest"? Here in Shanghai it means a lot! If you're not in a Hummer, I recommend you to learn the traffic rules in China.
So, here they are: Survival of the fittest. This is the only rule you need to know for battling toward your destination.
Red lights? What's that? Answer: A real beautiful color. Priority of the right? or is it the left? Don't bother...
To be serious- always look for other vehicles, pedestrians or goods, even if you've got green ligts and want to cross the street. The most dangerous are listed hierarchically: 1. Scooter 2. Taxi 3. Bus
L(o)ose money:
Compared to the western civilization, countries like Bangkok, Vietnam, Thailand and China have (for the western people) a very good exchange rate. That's why products are made cheaply. Although Shanghai is the most expensive city in China, the living costs are still lower than in most western countries. The great thing is, you can live a high society life, while just across the street it's possible to live (and pay) as a Chinese middle class worker.
In this city you can save real money. A beef-noodle menu you can get as low as 10RMB (1.64$). Taxi rides costs you 14RMB for the first three kilometers at daytime.
So why could Shanghai be expensive?
The most common loss of money is a lack of the knowledge of the real price. With many goods you have to haggle over the price. If you do not have a clue what the goods costs, it can be very expensive. Street vendors (at fake market/ fabric market etc.) know pretty good how to haggle. It's their job. For the best 10 haggling tips for avoiding scam-prices I created a list. Click here.
One other thing is pick pocking. This never happened to me, maybe because I always have my mobile and wallet in my front pockets or my bag. But pick pocking should be common too in Shanghai. Similar to other cities.
Pollution:
Well, honestly I've been in town when the AQI (Air Quality Index) was at a level of "very unhealthy" and didn't really notice while outdoor. Only the view isn't so great though.
What makes me more concerned is the pollution on the streets. I've been to many countries before, but Shanghai topped it all; People spitting on the streets, parents let the babies make their business in a corner of a subway station on a polished granite floor, small restaurants wash their dishes on the street side and so on. No wonder viruses aren't rare...
Locals:
If you arrived in your hotel in a real taxi or even by subway, well done or just lucky you! Lots of people asking (better word: pushing) you for driving you to your home. I just passed the Chinese custom and entering the "Zhongguo" at Pudong International Airport in Shanghai, and was asked an estimate thousand times for a ride to my home in Shanghai - by fake taxi drivers - probably all scams. That was just the beginning of "service sold on the streets". The list of 'street-business' goes far on:
-There are the one wants you for taking a taxi (although you've just arrived)
-The other sell (in exactly this order): 1. Watches 2. Rolex-watches 3. Massages 4. Happy-end-massages.
-Then in Chinese stores they sell you goods all "original" to a "friend-price" (yes, you can make here friends within seconds!!! great! isn't it?
Some have a food price which is really good, but then you notice the price would be for some grilled octopuses and meat you can't imagine to be edible...
Not to be too harsh. I think it is really economical to advertise, work and sell stuff on the streets; who wants to pay for an ad or a professional shop?
Eat & Drink:
Green tea, rice and noodles three times a day- I'm loving it!
Or not really- Starbucks, McDonald, Burger king they all found a reason to settle down in Shanghai. And I'm really glad!
Food poisoning is a problem- the word hygiene is not so common. Definitively not for the street food vendors. Street food is a real killer. I've tried four times street food in Shanghai. The last time I ate some beef, the bacterias killed my days after. I've heard some stories about people getting food poisoning from a Subway sandwich. Sure, you can get problems in every restaurant in the world. But in Shanghai, as a developing country, the hygiene standards aren't so high.
Tap water- I won't lose too many words. Just: Don't drink it!
Traffic:
Just a little historic lesson: what does it mean "survival of the fittest"? Here in Shanghai it means a lot! If you're not in a Hummer, I recommend you to learn the traffic rules in China.
So, here they are: Survival of the fittest. This is the only rule you need to know for battling toward your destination.
Red lights? What's that? Answer: A real beautiful color. Priority of the right? or is it the left? Don't bother...
To be serious- always look for other vehicles, pedestrians or goods, even if you've got green ligts and want to cross the street. The most dangerous are listed hierarchically: 1. Scooter 2. Taxi 3. Bus
L(o)ose money:
Compared to the western civilization, countries like Bangkok, Vietnam, Thailand and China have (for the western people) a very good exchange rate. That's why products are made cheaply. Although Shanghai is the most expensive city in China, the living costs are still lower than in most western countries. The great thing is, you can live a high society life, while just across the street it's possible to live (and pay) as a Chinese middle class worker.
In this city you can save real money. A beef-noodle menu you can get as low as 10RMB (1.64$). Taxi rides costs you 14RMB for the first three kilometers at daytime.
So why could Shanghai be expensive?
The most common loss of money is a lack of the knowledge of the real price. With many goods you have to haggle over the price. If you do not have a clue what the goods costs, it can be very expensive. Street vendors (at fake market/ fabric market etc.) know pretty good how to haggle. It's their job. For the best 10 haggling tips for avoiding scam-prices I created a list. Click here.
One other thing is pick pocking. This never happened to me, maybe because I always have my mobile and wallet in my front pockets or my bag. But pick pocking should be common too in Shanghai. Similar to other cities.