Soft Suzhou

Though we were given time this morning to chillax before leaving for Suzhou it turns out we had a massive drama. After getting up we had to pack to leave and Sarah locked her case only to find out she couldn't open it again! After much yanking and trying a number of different codes we went for brekkie to think of Plan A and B. Plan A was to text her dad to google it, my Plan B was to break in! In my ignorance in suitcases it turns out that Samsonite cases can't be broken into, hmmmm. Time came for our cases to be collected so for now it was left, but no worries, the story continues later!

We left for Shanghai train station for our train to Suzhou. The station was huge and randomly you had to go through security in order to get in! Obviously we stood out like a sore thumb in amongst the locals waiting for the train. Kind of cool really seeing and existing in the real China rather than the tourist China. It reached 12.39 and our train sign turned green, which i can only guess means it was ready for boarding. So off we went, pushing and shoving like everyone else to get to the train and take our seat. It turns out they have only been using the high speed train a month and you can tell, clean and well kept. As we left Shanghai we reached a top speed of 325km/hr whizzing past flats, houses and then farms as we left the city. Half an hour later we arrived in Suzhou, or the Earthy Paradise as it means. Here everything is softer, the place - it's a lot slower and less frantic, the language - even arguments don't sound abrasive and the men, according to our guide Wendy. Bunny was handed over to Wendy for safe keeping during our time here.

We firstly visited The Humble Administration Garden, a large space designed as if you were walking around a painting. Lots of small buildings, traditional in style are mixed amongst ponds covered in lotus flowers. It turns out that women were only allowed in this garden during festivals or special occasions, not really fair. However one man built a garden around his house for him and his wife to enjoy. That's nice. The Couples Retreat Garden was a lot smaller but still had small buildings, ponds and lotus flowers. After a long time walking round the gardens (my legs were killing) we made it back to the hotel.

So as promised earlier the drama of the suitcase continues. Plan A wasn't really working as Sarah had no reply from her dad and Plan B was a way off yet, Tracey got the porters to come and help. So as i emerged from the loo to a room of people speaking Chinese Plan C was unfolding. The porters took the case off to their luggage store and lo and behold they got in! No idea how - i was told they were unbreakable! But hey, drama over and everyone happy.

It had been a tiring day which ended with a delicious meal of very baby shrimp soup, whole fish with some kind of ketchup, some kind of rubbery fish and crunchy veg which the waiter didn't know what it was - turns out it was jellyfish! It was OK, looked like onion chutney. So after a wander it was off to bed for an early start of Tai Chi in the park. Cool.