After my long flight delay on Friday I finally arrived in Shanghai early Sunday morning. See: No Saturday this Week

After eating dinner purchased with coupons provided by the airline I went to the gate area instead of back to the airline club. There were many people in the area who just like me had been waiting all day for the delayed flight.

All of a sudden there was excitement as the aircraft that we would be flying on was pulling into the gate. This was the third aircraft that had been scheduled for our flight. The first one had been switched to another delayed flight and we had been assigned an aircraft that was being repaired and should have been available with only a minor delay. Of course, well laid plans failed and we were then assigned an aircraft that was in the air but more than six hours away at the time.

We finally boarded and it was off to Shanghai. Unfortunately it was a crowded plane and I did not have a small person sitting by me. I was more comfortable on my flight a couple weeks ago when I spent Sixteen Hours in a Middle Seat.

When we arrived in Shanghai we had to park at a remote location and go down stairs to the tarmac.

I tried to get a few pictures, but did not pay much attention to camera settings as I was walking and taking pictures at the same time. However, this picture does capture the atmosphere of the tired passengers deplaning on a foggy morning.

Here is another view back from the bus that was taking us to the terminal where we would go through immigration and pick up our bags. Fortunately I did not have to wait too long for my bag.

After withdrawing some local currency from an ATM is was then time to take a taxi to the hotel. I had already been barraged with offers of taxi and car services from the time I walked out of the baggage area and they continued as I made my way to the official taxi stand.

I knew the approximate price of a taxi to my hotel and that it would be more since I would be paying the night rate so knew that the offers being made were way too high. Most of them were at least double if not four or five times higher.

After a very short wait at the taxi stand I was on the way to the hotel.

I was welcomed by name as I arrived at the check-in counter at the hotel and was quickly on the way to my room.

The bed looked real inviting so I set my alarm so I would get up before breakfast service was over and was soon asleep.

I did get up in time and had a good breakfast. Now for a relaxing day before a week in the classroom.

Steven