Safely In Shanghai [updated]
Updated: April 8, AM
We are in Shanghai and and settled in at the Peace Hotel for the night. After taking a nice long hot shower, we crashed almost immediately and got some really good power sleep for several hours. Then the time lag kicked in and it has been 30 minute naps off and on for a couple hours now. It is 5:30 AM and no more sleep for now I think.
Our Flight Over:
Living in San Jose, Nancy and I took the opportunity to try a different flight route this time and avoid SFO completely. Instead we flew to Shanghai from San Jose by taking American Airlines to Tokyo and then a connecting flight on ANA to Shanghai. The total flight time is a few hours longer due to the connection in Tokyo, but it is really fantastic to be able to fly from San Jose since we live only a few miles from the airport. The return leg will be the same routes, and with the long leg being the Tokyo to San Jose flight on and American 777, it will actually make things easier for us and for Emily on the return home as San Jose International is much less hectic and not 90 minute car service after clearing Immigration.
We arrived on time in Tokyo on Friday and had no difficulties making the terminal transfers and check-in between American and ANA. Operations at Tokyo airport for international connecting flights are crisp and efficient, with the exception of some language limitations if questions are asked. So we had about 90 minutes once all settled in at the ANA gate to do some shopping and snacking in the airport.
The flight from Tokyo to Shanghai was also pleasant, with great food on the airline (for a change) and with an evening arrival in Shanghai after the early evening Jumbo Jet rush well ahead of us, Shanghai International was almost empty and we cleared immigration and customs in less then 20 minutes with bags in hand. No lost baggage, and only about 30 minutes behind schedule at the end of 17 hours travel.
We hired a cab from the airport to take us to the Peace Hotel. Fast, took us 35 minutes, happily no traffic as it was after rush hour. Cab fares are very reasonable in Shanghai. We made the long trip from the airport to the Peach Hotel in The Bund for 145 Yuan.
Hotel check in was fast and uneventful. The staff are friendly and professional. We elected to get a room with a king size bed, so that lands us in one of their executive state rooms on the 6th floor, and hence we have a great bed, nice large room & bath to spread out in, and a computer for typing all of this into the blog as well. Hotel rooms are pricey in Shanghai and this one runs us $198 a night, but after a long trip... it is money well spent for our short stay here in Shanghai.
The Hotel is very old (built back in the 20's) but is very nicely restored (with modern updates combined with original features and charm) and gives you genuine opportunity to feel the ambiance of earlier imperial British presence here in Shanghai. Nancy and I generally stay at one of the newer 4 or 5 star hotels in downtown Shanghai when here, but this is a nice change of pace, pleasant, and besides this is our rally point chosen for us by Heartsent.
[Photos to come later]
That's it for now, time to go relax and try for maybe one more nap before we get up and hit the city in the morning.
We are in Shanghai and and settled in at the Peace Hotel for the night. After taking a nice long hot shower, we crashed almost immediately and got some really good power sleep for several hours. Then the time lag kicked in and it has been 30 minute naps off and on for a couple hours now. It is 5:30 AM and no more sleep for now I think.
Our Flight Over:
Living in San Jose, Nancy and I took the opportunity to try a different flight route this time and avoid SFO completely. Instead we flew to Shanghai from San Jose by taking American Airlines to Tokyo and then a connecting flight on ANA to Shanghai. The total flight time is a few hours longer due to the connection in Tokyo, but it is really fantastic to be able to fly from San Jose since we live only a few miles from the airport. The return leg will be the same routes, and with the long leg being the Tokyo to San Jose flight on and American 777, it will actually make things easier for us and for Emily on the return home as San Jose International is much less hectic and not 90 minute car service after clearing Immigration.
We arrived on time in Tokyo on Friday and had no difficulties making the terminal transfers and check-in between American and ANA. Operations at Tokyo airport for international connecting flights are crisp and efficient, with the exception of some language limitations if questions are asked. So we had about 90 minutes once all settled in at the ANA gate to do some shopping and snacking in the airport.
The flight from Tokyo to Shanghai was also pleasant, with great food on the airline (for a change) and with an evening arrival in Shanghai after the early evening Jumbo Jet rush well ahead of us, Shanghai International was almost empty and we cleared immigration and customs in less then 20 minutes with bags in hand. No lost baggage, and only about 30 minutes behind schedule at the end of 17 hours travel.
We hired a cab from the airport to take us to the Peace Hotel. Fast, took us 35 minutes, happily no traffic as it was after rush hour. Cab fares are very reasonable in Shanghai. We made the long trip from the airport to the Peach Hotel in The Bund for 145 Yuan.
Hotel check in was fast and uneventful. The staff are friendly and professional. We elected to get a room with a king size bed, so that lands us in one of their executive state rooms on the 6th floor, and hence we have a great bed, nice large room & bath to spread out in, and a computer for typing all of this into the blog as well. Hotel rooms are pricey in Shanghai and this one runs us $198 a night, but after a long trip... it is money well spent for our short stay here in Shanghai.
The Hotel is very old (built back in the 20's) but is very nicely restored (with modern updates combined with original features and charm) and gives you genuine opportunity to feel the ambiance of earlier imperial British presence here in Shanghai. Nancy and I generally stay at one of the newer 4 or 5 star hotels in downtown Shanghai when here, but this is a nice change of pace, pleasant, and besides this is our rally point chosen for us by Heartsent.
[Photos to come later]
That's it for now, time to go relax and try for maybe one more nap before we get up and hit the city in the morning.
posted by Emily's Parents at 7:50 AM
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