Two-Day Shanghai-Suzhou Tour: Fulfilling Three Wishes in One Trip

**Trip Overview** **Duration:** 2 days **Time:** November **Cost per person:** 1800 yuan **Travel companions:** Solo **Style:** Cultural, Free and Easy, […]

**Trip Overview**

**Duration:** 2 days
**Time:** November
**Cost per person:** 1800 yuan
**Travel companions:** Solo
**Style:** Cultural, Free and Easy, Budget travel

**Visited Places:**
– Suzhou Humble Administrator’s Garden
– Suzhou Museum
– Beisi Pagoda
– The Bund area in Shanghai
– People’s Square
– Peace Hotel

**Published on:** 2019-12-09 at 22:06

**Personal Reflection:**
My writing skills are not great; please bear with me. I plan to copy this to my QQ space to reminisce when I’m older.

**Reasons for the Trip:**
1. The opportunity for this trip was my sister’s concert in Suzhou! It’s a birthday gift to myself!
2. Being a fan of ‘The Legend of Sword and Fairy’, Suzhou is the hometown of Lin Yueru, a place I have to visit in my life.
3. After graduating from the college entrance examination, I designed a travel route for four eastern cities, but my mother stopped me due to the reason that I couldn’t go alone, which was put off until now. She finally trusts me to go by myself! Yay~

**Pre-Departure Plan:**
Although plans always change, my overall itinerary mostly follows this.

**Before Departure:**
– Weather is a must to check.
– When I went, Guangzhou was still wearing short sleeves, and I checked the weather. Fortunately, it won’t rain, but there was a cold front coming on the 17th night, so I put the thick clothes I needed to prepare into the suitcase early.

**Items to Prepare:**
– Since I’m playing with a suitcase, I need to check in advance whether there is luggage storage inside the park when planning the route, like Humble Administrator’s Garden which doesn’t have it, so my plan rearranged it to after checking into the youth hostel.
– It is essential to do research, and I only learned from other organic tours on Ctrip that Suzhou Museum needs an appointment.
– (After arriving at Suzhou Beisi Pagoda subway station, I also learned that Humble Administrator’s Garden and Humble Administrator’s Garden also need appointments, but you can book tickets in advance on Ctrip)
– Then, I used my little time playing games in the internet cafe to check the opening times of the attractions I wanted to visit, whether I can store luggage, make appointments, and routes, then I started to arrange the route and came up with the above plan.

**Departure from Guangzhou:**
– To save money, I got up at five o’clock in my rental house to start packing things that hadn’t been packed yet, such as just charged power banks, charging plugs, charging cables, wireless Bluetooth earphones, etc.
– (Most importantly, I need to put on a good makeup, what if there is a handsome guy, right, hahaha)
– At 6:12, the first subway to the airport north prepares to board (friends in Guangzhou, pay attention to your own airport south or airport north, otherwise, it’s quite troublesome)
– Oh, when I arrived at the airport, it was amazing, I booked China Southern Airlines, and China Southern Airlines will send you boarding information the day before, you reply with a 1, and you have checked in, just need to check in the luggage.
– (I’m not very knowledgeable, this is my first time going out alone, and it’s been more than a year since I last took a plane, and it’s only the 3rd time I’ve taken a plane)
– Luggage check-in has changed to self-service, amazing, there are staff members to teach, and I helped the beautiful younger sister behind me, I’m great, hahaha.

**Travel to Shanghai:**
– After flying for more than two hours on the plane, I arrived in Shanghai, but actually, including picking up your luggage and getting to the subway, it was already 11:50… Although I reserved more time for him, the time was still very tight.

**Using Maglev Train:**
– I consulted Gaode (a navigation app, essential for traveling), and it suggested I take the maglev train, which I’ve never tried before. The speed was impressive, so I decided to give it a go.
– It was quite an expense, with tickets costing 50 yuan each… but with a day pass, I got a 20% discount, making it 40 yuan.
– With a ‘give it a shot’ attitude, I went for it. It was indeed fast, taking only 8 minutes for 40 yuan… effectively gaining me an extra 22 minutes, which wasn’t a bad trade-off.
– Following my planned schedule, I had an extra half-hour to grab a meal at KFC, which wasn’t bad at all (it was the only meal I had that day besides the bun and banana from the airplane meal).

**Arrival in Suzhou:**
– I boarded the high-speed train to Suzhou on time and arrived punctually.
– Upon reaching Suzhou, I couldn’t help but marvel at the journey that started at five in the morning and didn’t reach the destination until after two in the afternoon.
– I immediately headed to the subway, which I must say, had its quirks. Suzhou—a city that seems to require coins everywhere.
– The subway ticket machines don’t accept WeChat or Alipay (but there seems to be a local app for it, which I didn’t bother downloading), only coins or paper money in 5 or 10 yuan denominations.**A Day in Suzhou: A Journey Through History and Culture**

—

**Entering the Subway and the Charm of Beisi Pagoda**

It was quite frustrating each time I had to enter the subway. Those with a handful of coins were the most admired and popular near the ticket machines. As I emerged from the subway station at Beisi Pagoda, I was struck by the visual impact of the Jiangnan ancient town. I absolutely adore this feeling.

**The Suzhou Museum and a Timely Arrival**

The scenery along the way was like this: Following the navigation, I walked to the Suzhou Museum, arriving at 14:59 for my 15:00 reservation. I was quite delighted. After checking my luggage (free of charge), I entered the Suzhou Museum with my ID card. Before my visit, I had just watched the latest episode of ‘Qipa Debate’, where the topic was: ‘If a fire breaks out in the Qipa Planet Art Museum, and you can only save either a famous painting or a cat, which would you choose?’ Throughout my visit to the Suzhou Museum, I had this exact feeling…

**A Chat with a Friend and the Museum’s Facilities**

The Suzhou Museum not only had excellent hardware (with superb scenery!), but also top-notch software facilities. You could follow a WeChat public account to get a top-notch guide’s explanation (although some artifacts have been updated, and the information hasn’t been updated accordingly), and you could also rent an audio guide. Such tourist supporting facilities are actually lacking in many scenic spots, so a thumbs up for this. (Forgive me for not having this in my previous visits; they might have them now, but I’m out of touch, hahaha).

**Leaving the Museum and Preparing for the Concert**

Because I had to pick up my luggage before 17:00, I reluctantly left the Suzhou Museum at 16:52. However, I’m very grateful to the Suzhou Museum for teaching me how to appreciate cultural relics. Following my plan, I went to the hostel, dropped off my things, and got ready for my concert!!! The concert!!! Honestly, I absolutely adore Chen Li’s music~ The penetrating power of her voice, it’s so steady~ The best birthday gift ever! Even my seat number was my birthday date, it was destined for me to be here.

**An Evening Stroll and a Late Meal**

On the way back, I felt it was a bit early, so I decided to voice live stream with a friend while strolling through Pingjiang Ancient Town. I got back around 10:30 PM, but many shops had already closed. The entire street was quiet except for a few tourists and young people walking their dogs, but I also liked this feeling, the feeling of walking alone in a strange city.

I suddenly realized that I hadn’t eaten anything since two in the afternoon. So, I made a desperate attempt in the still-open shops, purchasing fruits for 30 yuan, marinated foods for another 30 yuan, and Suzhou tofu for 15 yuan. At last, I was full! (It’s not expensive; I just eat a lot… I must clarify this.)

**A Restful Night and an Early Start**

Upon returning to the youth hostel, I was surprised to find that the other girls in my room were already asleep. I could only prepare for bed with minimal movements. The next morning, I woke up at 6 AM, excited and not at all tired (although my waist was a bit sore). After dressing up and freshening up, I completed the check-out procedures (my luggage could still be stored at the hostel for safekeeping), and then I began my journey to the Humble Administrator’s Garden and the Lion Grove Garden.

**Breakfast and a Visit to the Gardens**

Walking down a street frequented by local elderly people, I spotted a breakfast shop and bought a pancake that was larger than my face for just 2 yuan, which was amazing. (There were sweet and savory options, and I preferred the savory ones.) Following the navigation, I took a bus to the area near the Lion Grove Garden. Since it was quite early at around 7 AM, there were relatively few pedestrians on the road. However, many tour guides were already outside soliciting business.

**A Guided Tour and the Beauty of the Gardens**

A young lady approached me, asking if I needed a guide. After the guide learned about my plan, she suggested that I visit the Humble Administrator’s Garden first and then the Lion Grove Garden, as there would be student groups later on. Having been impressed by the Suzhou Museum the previous day, I felt that without a guide, I would miss many places in the Humble Administrator’s Garden. Therefore, I asked the guide to show me around the garden. The experience proved that I was right. Even the paving stones had their meanings. With every step, thereIn the middle of this artificial mountain, there was an enclosed ‘Wo Yun Shi’, a place where a tall person would meditate. If I were to sit in meditation here, I would also find it very interesting.

Of course, apart from the rockery, the Lion Grove Garden has many other distinctive features. For example, the stone boat, and the lake views. Many feelings can only be understood and not expressed in words. On the second floor, one can also learn about the history of the Lion Grove Garden. Taking my time to look around, I felt that it took the efforts of many people to preserve it for us to see. It’s not easy…

After visiting the Lion Grove Garden, I went back to Pingjiang Ancient Street for more eating. As a person who prefers salty flavors… the snacks on Pingjiang Ancient Street were too sweet for me. (For me, coming to Suzhou, I must eat candied hawthorns because this is what Li Xiaoyao bought for Zhao Ling’er.) However, I must say that Pingjiang Ancient Street met my fantasy of a Jiangnan ancient town. I was too full to eat more. (Mainly, I couldn’t walk anymore, as I had already wandered around there in the evening…) So, I went back to sit (rest) at the quiet bar next to my youth hostel for a while.

It was almost time to go to Shanghai, so I retrieved my luggage and took the subway. (Almost missed the high-speed train… fortunately) Upon arriving in Shanghai, I hailed a ride to the vicinity of Nanjing Road. I used a mini-program called ‘Cun Zhi Ji’ to store my luggage (there is a downside, which is having to collect it before a fixed time; later, not wanting to be in such a hurry, I simply took it with me to the Bund.) After dining at a time-honored restaurant (the name of which I’ve forgotten, but the food was delicious!), I headed to People’s Square to scout the area, essentially wanting to sing a line from ‘I’m eating fried chicken at People’s Square,’ only to unexpectedly discover the beauty of the underground tunnel (does it look like a movie scene?). After scouting People’s Square, I proceeded to Nanjing Road to sing ‘Shanghai Night, Shanghai Night, you are a city that never sleeps…’ Here, not only was my fantasy of Shanghai nights satisfied, but also my romantic fantasies came true. Walking along, I was on my way to the Bund. Many tourists had come for its fame, somewhat akin to… a pilgrimage? Haha… Along the way, I passed by the Peace Hotel. Continuing forward, when crossing the pedestrian crossing, the Oriental Pearl Tower was right across from me, making me feel that all the hustle was worthwhile. My destination, the Bund, had arrived.

Next time I visit Shanghai, I must take that sightseeing bus, a regret I leave for myself. It was almost time to prepare for the airport, or I would miss the last subway or bus. Checking the bus schedule, I found an airport line five waiting point nearby with the last bus at 21:30. At 21:45, I waited for it. Emotionally touched… Next was the overnight stay at the airport, an indescribable feeling. It was my first experience staying overnight at an airport, but apparently, others were more experienced, with bed curtains, sunshades, cardboard, and more spread out on the floor—I was indeed too young and naive. I slept intermittently until around 4:30 a.m. when the airport started to get busy, and I packed up to prepare for boarding. Fortunately, I checked the weather forecast; it was only 13 degrees in Shanghai, and I could feel the cold through the glass when boarding… Salute to the airport staff!

At 6:55 on the 18th, it’s time to go home! Back in Guangzhou, it was 25 degrees; as soon as I got off the plane and got my luggage, I took off as much clothing as I could. Back home, of course, I took a long nap, preparing for work the next day.

My journey to Suzhou and Shanghai… if fate allows, it will continue.