Into Chek Lap Kok (赤鱲角), Onboard CX365

After saying Zaijian Zhongguo (再見中国) - Goodbye China, we boarded our flight, CX 365, on Cathay Pacific's Airbus A330, headed from Pudong Airport in Shanghai to Hong Kong.

Take off was delayed massively. We were on board, at our parking bay for nearly 40 minutes before we pushed back. I am told that Shanghai is notorious for flight delays. We were at the receiving end the second time, the first being when we flew into Pudong from Zhangjiajie with a delay of over an hour.

The delay did not perturb me at all, as I was happily plane spotting and clicking away to glory!

Finally, when we did take off, 15 minutes into the flight, the meal service began. Neeti had pre-ordered a Hindu Vegetarian Meal (HVML), which was kind of interesting...

Her meal tray had a fruit bowl - dragon fruit, papaya and watermelon, a wholewheat kulcha and orange juice....

There was cauliflower tikki and a cauliflower samosa!

Ha ha! The flight kitchen would have got a bulk discount on cauliflowers, it seems!

Nonetheless, Neeti was quite satisfied with her meal. 

I stuck to eggs and sausage, not something "exotic" like a vegetarian cauliflower buffet!

The view outside, of the South China Sea, was amazing!

We got into a major turbulence halfway into the flight. There was a buildup of a massive pressure over the South China Sea, which brought with it stormy weather...

The flight became bumpy and at a point we headed straight into an airpocket and went into a freefall for a few seconds.

There was a Taiwanese family group behind us with as many as 8-9 cute little kids. These little kids enjoyed the turbulence. They shrieked at each toss and turn we encountered in the storm as though they were on a joyride in an amusement park...

Finally the descent into Hong Kong began and we started to see ships and ferries in the sea below us...

Final approach!

Passing over the hills on our final approach!

Touchdown at Chek Lap Kok island, better known as Hong Kong International Airport!

Taxiing to our gate!

I am keenly looking forward to next few hours here!

Plane Spotting At PVG

As we get ready to say goodbye to Shanghai and China, which had been a wonderful host to us in these last 10 days, the thought of getting back to the stress and grime of Mumbai was a bit too overwhelming.

Luckily for me, the respite came easy, and instantly when I got a view of the airside at Shanghai's Pudong Airport.

A Cathay Pacific Airbus A330 being readied for departure. 

Delta's Boeing 777

Korean Air Boeing 737 on the taxiway

British Airways Boeing 777 that had just arrived from London Heathrow, LHR

We've boarded. The Swiss Airbus A340 is also being readied for departure!

A United Boeing 747-400 in background 

Ready to fly to Zurich!

This magnificent Aeroflot Airbus A330 just flew in from Moscow SVO. I could see this Russian beauty thanks to a delay in our pushback 

Air China Airbus A319 taxiing towards the runway 

The sexy beast of United being pushed back. 

It's always fascinating to see a Boeing 747 being pushed back 

An impressive lineup 

A China Eastern Boeing 737 holding short as we get on to the runway  

On the runway now!

An ANA Boeing 767 on the taxiway

And rotate!

Goodbye & Xie Xie Zhongguo!

Zaijian Zhongguo (再見中国) - Goodbye China!

Finally, the time had come to say bye to China.

We were picked up at our hotel by Shaun at dot-6AM. We left the Bund for Pudong, from where our flight to Hong Kong is to depart. The drive took nearly 40 minutes in Shaun's smooth Roewe.

At the airport Shaun accompanied us to the checkin counter. Luckily for us, Shaun was there to translate, when it was found that our bags were 3 kilos overweight.

Then we proceeded to immigration hugging and saying bye to Shaun, who had been quite friendly and nice when he showed us around the city. Shaun handed us his business card which mentioned his name as Richard Liu! On seeing a surprised look on my face, he said "That's my English name for business", apparently he was getting into some business venture with a Canadian friend.

We finally said adieu to Shaun and got our immigration and security check done smoothly. Then we checked out some duty free shops, but with the Rupee at these levels, everything seemed unaffordable.

I was then reminded that the Priority Pass card that came complimentary with my HDFC Bank credit card could give us access to the lounge. So it was.... we headed to a lounge called the VIP Lounge. The name, it turned out, was a misnomer. It could be accessed by anyone not only VIPs! I smiled to myself at the thought of being a "VIP" for an hour or so till our flight leaves.

The lounge itself was nice and spacious, with a nice view of the security hold area below.

Pudong Airport is spacious. That is where China scores over us, it has built capacity for growth for at least the next 10-15 years. Pudong complements the other airport in the city Hongqiao, which caters to local and regional traffic. In India, lobbies and the government would baulk at the idea of having two operational airports in a city....

We had a glass of juice each alongwith some fresh fruit and a sandwich and I kept peering at aircrafts parked at the gates. More on that in a subsequent post on Plane Spotting At PVG...

The highlight of the VIP Lounge at Pudong was a visit to the loo. And there I saw this - a jazzy loo.... choose the temperature, choose the kind of bum wash you want! Can't get more graphic than that!

This was indeed interesting!!! Keep guessing whether I experimented with it or not...

And just now boarding for our flight, Cathay Pacific CX365 was announced. We have picked our hand baggage and are headed to the gate, saying Zaijian Zhongguo (再見中国) or Goodbye China!

Last Day In Shanghai!

Yesterday was the day when we stepped alone in to the city of Shanghai, with some trepidation, as we were unsure whether we would be able to communicate with locals, and without the help of our guide, Shaun.

After a hearty breakfast at the 18th floor restaurant of our hotel, which had an excellent panoramic view of the Bund area, we headed to the East Beijing Road Subway station to head to Baoshan District, on the outskirts of the city where an Ikea store was located, as per their corporate website, to check out the latest in homestyling. Armed with a map of Shanghai's subway system and Google Maps app on our phone, we were confident we would make it.

At East Beijing Road we bought an RMB 18, 24-hour subway pass and took a train to Baoshan. We reached Baoshan in about 30 minutes. And then we headed to where Google Maps told us the store was. Unlike the previous few days, it unusually warm and sweaty. And we were excited to reach the huge plot, where the store was supposed to be.

O God! Instead of crazed shoppers, there were only rugged construction workers to be seen. Yes, it was indeed the Ikea store, resplendent in the blue and yellow colours! But where the hell were the shoppers and where the hell was the entrance to the store. Was the store under renovation?

With all those thoughts in our mind, we ,made it to a security cabin. We tried to communicate with the guard, but language was the biggest barrier. Understanding our predicament, the kind soul led us to the site office of Ikea, where a lady who knew English helped us out. She told us that this store would open only on August 15, 2013. 

This is China! The website did not say that the store wasn't open. I can't imagine this happening in India, despite all our flaws as a culture and a country. 

But we had to visit the closest Ikea around. The lady guided us to the another Ikea store at Xuihui, close to Hongqiao. We thanked her and set out for Xuihui, which was at the end of the city, a 40-minute train ride. 

After reaching Xuihui, we asked a middle-aged man where Ikea was. He smilingly gesticulated "Aaaaa Eeekeya! There, there!", he pointed!

It was nearly 12 noon when we reached there. We spent nearly 2-3 hours checking out furnishings and hoping Ikea comes to India and Mumbai fast. Then we headed to the Ikea cafe and had salmon steak and meatballs with dragon fruit juice and tea. The food was awesomely yummy and delicious.

Then we took a cab to head to our hotel - afterall, it was time to pack and head back home.

After completing our packing, thanks to Neeti's legendary packing skills, we set out to Xintiandi, for our last night in China. We took the subway to Xintiandi, making full use of our RMB 18 subway pass.

A tea house in Xintiandi

Something for the next trip! 

Missed having the hotpot on this trip!

As lively as ever! Did not expect Xintiandi to be so lively on a Monday evening!

After checking out the restaurants in Xintiandi, and finding them far too expensive, thanks to the depreciated Rupee, we settled for good ol' Starbucks!

Starbucks' green tea, red bean frappucino, which we had in Beijing...

But here we settled for a sandwich and tea...

On our way back to the subway station, a mall was being decked up for kids' event the next day!