Shanghai, China

Once the travel bug bites there is no known antidote, and I know that I shall be

happily infected until the end of my life.

MICHAEL PALIN

The urge to travel has always burned in me, and being in Korea rather than on the southern tip of Africa really does make the possibility of seeing other parts of the world that much easier and more tangible. After months of talking about hopping on over to China to visit my long-time friend Noxy, I finally booked my flights and organised the all-important visa through SoHo Travel, a travel agency based in Seoul whose team made my life significantly easier considering the trip was a bit of a last minute decision.

Shanghai: three and a half days, one green traveller, one old friend, one heap of pre-New Year’s madness, lots of new people and voilà – an unforgettable “let’s do that again” experience of Shanghai. Considering I was a “travelling for leisure” newbie, this trip taught me a lot about planning ahead, if you can, as well as trusting your instincts, and most importantly, having fun.

Shanghai, like any big city in the world, exudes magic. Magic made up of things like bright lights; rich culture and history; art; architecture; and food. Shanghai did not disappoint in any aspect during the short but sweet time she hosted me. My trip was memorable because I saw Shanghai through the eyes of people who live there, living and breathing Shanghai along with them. My friend told me that Shanghai was crazier than usual over New Year’s, but it also meant there was even more magic in the air. I may now be spoiled on Shanghai abuzz with New Year energy, but those serendipitous meetings of time and place are what make traveling so special.

Shanghai is a fascinating and sprawling city with far too much to see in a few short days, but considering I was there for such a short time, I think I was able to take a good bite out of it. We started off by venturing around Moganshan Lu/Moganshan Arts District. The arts district is said to be the biggest hub of Shanghai’s vibrant contemporary art scene. It’s made up of studios and galleries arranged like a piece of art themselves with coffee shops, and bookshops sprinkled in between, and graffiti along the walls leading up to the M50. It was here that I was reminded that I have a great love for doors with personalities and stories to tell, as in the “Old Door” series of photographs by one of the district’s most prominent artists, photographer Xuanmin JIN (XMJ Photography).

The next day was a double adventure. We went to The Bund, the well-known boulevard on the West side of Huangpu River where history and the present come together in a time-warp mash-up of old and new architecture. Unfortunately, because of the New Year, it was much too crowded to appreciate past taking pictures. Another gem worth appreciating is The French Concession, which isn’t too far from The Bund. The French Concession is gorgeous and deserves to be seen during the day spilling into the evening with its quaint shops, galleries, restaurants and boutiques in case you forgot to pick up trinkets to take home or just to indulge in some cake and coffee. Here is where negotiating prices for anything from postcards to an umbrella, at least in the little stall shops, is perfectly acceptable. Beware the prices of things; considering the differences in currency between Korea and China, prices will sound wonderful until you convert and realise they are in fact rather scary- or maybe that’s just first trip jitters. I’ll have to check when I go back.