Two years in a row, I celebrated Christmas in Shanghai. Both times, I had trips planned to other Asian countries, and Shanghai was a convenient layover point, giving me an opportunity to recuperate and wander the streets of the city. Having never flown this long or far before, the thirteen-hour time difference threw me completely off. On my first visit, I needed a taxi, but the driver didn’t know any English, and I didn’t know Mandarin. This was the first country I’d visited where I was completely lost due to the language barrier. I called the hotel, and they were able to guide the driver to the hotel, which was in East Pudong. Fortunately, many people in the touristy areas of the city spoke English, so there was hope after all. After a thirteen-hour flight, I was rightfully exhausted and crashed for the night after grabbing something to eat.

I expected to wake up on Christmas Day feeling jolly and ready to explore, but my body had other plans. Luckily, I had 48 hours of downtime in the city. After getting more rest than I thought I needed, it was time to get out and about. It was cold and rainy, so I was bundled up tightly.  I don’t remember the name, but I came across an underground flea market. I only lasted inside about ten minutes because of the constant hounding from vendors. There was a mall not too far away, which is always a reliable option. As a nerd, I appreciated seeing one of the coolest Apple stores that was underground nearby. Throughout the day, it was interesting to see people randomly taking pictures of me when I wasn’t doing anything out of the ordinary. After comparing notes with other travelers, I was advised it might have been curiosity due to being in places where tourists are less common. Ater comparing notes with other travelers, I was advised it may have been curiosity due to being in places where tourists of color are less common or stand out more. 

After dinner, it was time to see what nightlife had to offer. I didn’t have any expectations since it was the night of Christmas. Interestingly, I ran into some other travelers, one of whom spoke fluent Mandarin and we were all looking for somewhere to go. We ended up at a small club a few blocks away. It was pretty empty, but we didn’t need a huge crowd to have fun. It was great to dance and laugh the night away before I flew out the next day to Indonesia.

The second year after landing a customs officer noticed that I was in Shanghai on the same dates as the previous year and made a comment about how much I must love it there. We exchanged some pleasantries and not long after, I was exiting the airport. This time I chose a hotel that was a bit more centrally located. I’d consider this area the Times Square of Shanghai. Since I’d made this trip the prior year, I knew exactly what to expect this time around. It was pretty much the same itinerary as before…arrive late on Dec 24th, downtime on the Dec 25th, and fly out late on the Dec 26th. With more energy, I was able to stay out longer to see more of the city. The Bund is gorgeous, especially at night. It’s definitely a city focal point. It’s full of shops, restaurants, and businesses. All in all, the best place to stay when in town. I loved seeing the architecture that seemed to be at every corner. 

Christmas is here again and it’s time to decide what to do. Yet again, I ended up at another nightclub, which was vibrant and offered a beautiful city view. This time I met some travelers from Morocco and South Africa. We had a wonderful time talking about where we were from and the best time to visit each of the countries along with some recommendations of what to do. There was a lot of dancing and smiles from ear to ear as we all enjoyed closing the holiday before the night ended. Once again, I get some sleep and head on to the next destination…Thailand.

That’s the great thing about travel, some of the most random moments become the most memorable.