This BLOG is a way of sharing the highlights of our travels near and far with family, friends and anyone who is interested. This has mostly been about our international travel with a couple of domestic trips. It recently occurred to me that my international followers may be interested in my travels in my own backyard. 'The trouble with not having a goal is you can spend your life running up and down the field and never score.' – Bill Copeland
Sarah and Dan got a great deal on visiting Disneyland in both Shanghai and Tokyo and grandma got to tag along – she never needs to be asked twice. These are the kind of experiences I like to fill my life with I would rather create a memory then buy things any day of the week. The less you buy the more you can spend on making memories.
China Leg
Flight Qantas 129 A330-300 – Departed a few minutes late at 9:35am
Great seat in row 57KJ DEF 2 3 2 configuration at the back of plane allows room to stand in the aisle while someone passes. Food was good chicken for lunch and beef and rice for dinner were my choices
Kids were amazing never complained or asked once ‘how long now’? Emily and Daniel had several hours sleep and Ollie (so many movies too watch lol) got at least 2-hour nap during the flight.
We landed just after 6:30 pm. Shanghai is two hours behind Australia so no jet lag. Customs was a very simple and easy process and given the number of people in the queue we were through very quickly. We are confident now that we could have entered through the 144-hour visa waiver line. We had obtained a visa in Sydney just to be on the safe side. We didn’t want to put Japan part of the trip at risk if we were turned back. After finding bags lapping around carousel 10 we spilled out into the throng people in arrivals. Our transfer driver spotted us quickly. The Donald Duck and made Mickey Mouse luggage might have been a give away or that we only fair people in the place. After a very comfortable 30 minute ride our hotel stood before us and was a welcome sight even though only 8pm were all ready for bed.
The hotel is amazing Toy Story theme from top to bottom including woody appearing in the lobby from time to time. Not sure how many rooms all built on figure eight design which makes getting around easy. The grounds were so peaceful and a great place for an early morning walk
We were up early for the day our first day in the park and on the first bus for early entry. Hotel guests get early entry access to the park which is really good as giving everyone a chance to get set before the masses pour in. Our first ride was xxx one of the best in the park for all ages. Then we were off to slinky dog for a mini roller coaster. Dan and Sarah then tackled Rex’s Racer which looks relatively tame but was more of a stomach churner than it appeared.
Pirates ride was the next Emi didn’t like this much but Oliver loved it. Kept saying go again. The graphics were so real it felt like you right in the battle and on the galley rising up through the sea. We waited to meet Jack Sparrow and just got there right at the right time to beat the line. Jack spent ages talking to Ollie and Emi. Oliver just thought he was the best, everything was about Jack said this Jack said that for a long while afterward. After some bbq corn and yummy chicken sticks, it was time for the Fantasia show in front of the castle. The props and costumes were amazing and so well done. The kids were totally meresmised.
Next, it was time for the parade we settled down in a spot to wait. Sarah and dan ducked off to do the seven dwarf ride. The parade was fun and the character loved Ollie and Emi in their hats. Everyone in the park loved them. The characters to cast members and the people who were always wanting to take their photos. After the parade found the hotdog stand and they were quite tasty buns a little hard, not soft like ours but filled a spot. Next, it was time for Ollie to hold court with all the Marvel characters especially Captain America. Kids love all the characters and love meeting them over and over.
In meantime, Pluto and Goofy came walking out to do their stint. The waiting line was closed before we were finished with the ducks. So Ollie waited in the middle of Main Street and sure enough, when they were leaving Pluto spotted him took his hand and Emi with goofy to walked all the way back to the exit. It made Ollie’s day perfect and it was only 3pm with dinner at Cinderella’s table and fireworks to come.
We headed back to Main Street to meet Donald and Daisy together.
Before dinner, we decided to take the boat ride and the kids were delighted when the cast member loading the boats organised with our boat captain to let them steer – it didn’t seem to be something they were doing for others so kids felt a bit special –
No doubt their hats which caused a stir all over the park helped them secure this opportunity. They did
a good job and we made it around safely.
Dinner in the castle was really good and the food was delicious the character spent ages with the kids and although tired the kids were still loving their Shanghai Disney day with another day to come.
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No rocking to sleep needed at night for anyone.
Up and at ‘em early again to take advantage of early park access which is a part of being in the Disney hotel. Enter through. Special entrance before the park opens. Our second day was a bit of a blur for me but I know there were more character visits and slowly the book was filled with character signature on their page.
Sarah had purchased a Disneyland storybook (A- Z of characters I think) and kids were getting each character to sign their page. Emily patiently waits for a long time to meet with Snow White and she was made feel very special.
We had a shorter day today as kids were starting to get worn out so we decided on a late lunch at Cheesecake Factory which is located in the downtown Disney area before heading back to the hotel for a rest – well grandma and kids. dan and Sarah headed back for a night session to finish their Disney experience Dan called the Tron best Disney ride at any park he has visited.
The kids day was complete a very tired Ollie walks into the hotel and who’s there no other than Woody. He suddenly found a second wind to do once last character visit before grandma took them to the hotel convenience store for a scratch up dinner. Next stop Tokyo
This park is really amazing and I would recommend to anyone. So well done and very organised.
Our car service Sun Transfers got us off to a great start and returned us to the airport with no fuss and worth every penny for peace of mind. Hotel staff we so helpful and we had no language issues.
All in all, it was a brilliant experience mostly down to Sarah’s hours and hours of research and a great understanding of all things Disney which means she plans everything to get absolute best out of the park visit. Plenty of hidden gems if you do the research.
Next stop Disneyland Tokyo Japan
After breakfast eight of us decided to take a cab down to Nanjing Rd and check out the shops and visit The Bund. Two cab eight people would we ever see the other four at the meeting place on Najing Rd. Surprisingly despite going different ways and being dropped on different corners we found one another again. The morning was spent wandering down towards the Bund from the Peoples Square.
Shops shops everywhere and the highlight was going in and checking out the The Peace Hotel is a hotel on The Bund in Shanghai, China which overlooks the Huangpu River. The word “bund” means an embankment or an embanked quay which decribes it perfectly. Even if we only slipped in to use the bathroom but I do know when I go back to Shanghai I will be having a night or two here.
We headed under the Huangpu River river to Pudong which is a district of Shanghai, China, located along the east side of the Huangpu River, across from the historic city center of Shanghai in Puxi in The Bund Sightseeing Tunnel which is one of Shanghai’s top five tourist attractions and it’s also one of its strangest. Bizarre, trippy audio-visual effects play as you travel in an automated car ‘into the core of the Earth’ under the Huangpu river.
Guard on hand to keep everyone off the grass
Just has to try it!!!!
Spending half a day wandering around was great experience and Shanghai is just like New York, I have another favourite city in the world to add to my list of favourite cities.
I will definitely be back to explore this great country and Shanghai more. Rested up in the afternoon to get our strength back for the MacWool Farewell China dinner.
While we were out seeing the sights Don, Ian and Kerrie were scouting out a venue for our farewell dinner. Can’t remember the name of the restaurant but it was in the French Quarter and we had a great night with everyone sharing their memorable and not so memorable moments of our time in China.
David Zhou – Our guide
The common thread in every speech was how lucky we were to have what we all considered ‘The Best’ national guide in China. David Zhou from Wendy Wu tours was just fantastic and really contributed to a very successful and amazing trip.
Nothing was ever too much trouble he had a great sense of humour and quickly picked up on the Aussie fun loving ways. He will always be remembered by all in our tour group.
The next morning eight of the group were up very early to catch a very fast train to Biejing for an additional couple of days while the six of us heading home from Shanghai had a bit more time for one last buffet breakfast before a bit more free time heading to the train station to catch our train. Sharpy and Frank wanted to visit an old haunted of Peter and Nadia Brice. The just had to go there even if too early for a beer. The Shanghai Maglev Train is a magnetic levitation train, or maglev line that operates in Shanghai,China. It is the first commercially operated high-speed magnetic levitation line in the world and only the third Maglev line to be operated.
The train line was designed to connect Shanghai Pudong International Airport and the outskirts of central Pudong where passengers could interchange to the Shanghai Metro to continue their trip to the city centre. The top operational commercial speed of this train is 431 km/h (268 mph), making it the world’s fastest train in regular commercial service since its opening in April 2004. During a non-commercial test run on 12 November 2003, a maglev train achieved a Chinese record speed of 501 km/h (311 mph).
The train ride was sensational and my need for speed ensured this was one of my highlights of the whole trip for me.
After a rather eventful flight home with Ian in pain with a flare up of kidney stones, we arrived home after a fantastic trip with the best group of people you could ever travel with.
The team at MacWool should be congratulated on a great this initiative and providing us all with the opportunity to get out of our comfort zone and experience another culture with the bonus of seeing what happens to our wool when it leaves Australian shores.
Up early and on board the bus for a big day or the road visiting a scouring, a top making and a weaving mill. Each of these mills proved very interesting in their own way. The bus ride to the first mill gave those feeling a little weary some extra zzz before we arrived.
Some of the group were suffering from heavy colds and bravely battled on to see the very reason we were all in China, the mills.
The mill owners and all the mill staff were very gracious with their time and gave ample opportunity to get up close to their business. There is no way we would have been allow to see these processes if in Australia, no yellow lines and catwalks to stay on here.
The mills owners seemed genuinely happy to have woolgrowers visiting them and showing interest in their business.
The owner of Australian Harvest mills gave us over an hour of his time in the board room telling us about his business and answering questions form our group.
Australian wool is seen very much as the premium wool in the world but the Chinese still would like to buy our wool cheaper. Plenty of questions were asked and answered on both sides and it was interesting exercise to do this through an interrupter.
The Australian Harvest Mill, which has a strong alliance Australia, provided lunch and the fare was authentically chinese and this was enjoyed but we are all getting over the cuisine. After fantastic few hours at Harvest we headed to the final mill of the day which was a spinning and weaving mill. It was interesting to see such mechanisation up close and the volume of product they move through the mill in a single day.
Up close
This mill was surrounded by the homes (blocks of units) of the workers and there were lots of children wandering in and around the mill yard, again no chance of that here.
It was a very quiet ride home in the bus with most passengers sleeping and those that remained awake were able to witness the skill of our driver in very heavy peak hour traffic.
Henry with finished product – heavy too
A quick meal at Holly’s Place (owner, Benny just back from studying in Sydney since he was six) burgers all around for dinner and everyone turned in all feeling very tired. Free day tomorrow!!!
Couldn’t help himself
Neither could he…one for the pool room – Photo with the security guard
As this is what we came for, everyone was keen to start checking out the mills. We were lucky enough to have representative from Tech Wool take us to the all the mills.
Wu gave up two full days to ensure we got the most out of our visits the various mills. Everyone in the group really appreciated her being with us to add value to our experiences at each of the mills that she had organised for us to attend.
Our first mill was a carbonising mill about 2hours outside Shanghai, we were welcome by the mill owner who spend time explaining the process and showing us around the mill. He was delighted as this was the first time actual woolgrowers had visited his mill.
It was amazing to be able to get up close to all the processes, there is no way this could have happened in Australia due to OH& S regulations.
After Don presented the excited mill owner with a hat and boomerang we headed back to town for lunch. The place Wu chose for lunch was amazing and was huge, there were many many private dining rooms all with amazing decor. Wu ordered an array of mostly seafood dishes of which the crab was my favourite.
John and Sharpy reviewing John’s test results while standing in a mill in China – Technology
Sharpy talking to Tom Elder about his wool –
After lunch we headed to a textile exhibition and show, where we spent an hour or so before boarding the bus to be taken to a tailor where many of the group ordered items from suits to jackets and shirts. I was able to pick up a very nice piece of material which I will have made into a jacket at some stage.
The hotel is amazing Toy Story theme from top to bottom including woody appearing in the lobby from time to time. Not sure how many rooms all built on figure eight design which makes getting around easy. The grounds were so peaceful and a great place for an early morning walk
We were up early for the day our first day in the park and on the first bus for early entry. Hotel guests get early entry access to the park which is really good as giving everyone a chance to get set before the masses pour in. Our first ride was xxx one of the best in the park for all ages. Then we were off to slinky dog for a mini roller coaster. Dan and Sarah then tackled Rex’s Racer which looks relatively tame but was more of a stomach churner than it appeared.
We headed back to Main Street to meet Donald and Daisy together.
No doubt their hats which caused a stir all over the park helped them secure this opportunity. They did
a good job and we made it around safely.
Dinner in the castle was really good and the food was delicious the character spent ages with the kids and although tired the kids were still loving their Shanghai Disney day with another day to come.
No rocking to sleep needed at night for anyone.
Our Adventures - Near and Far 