Couchsurfing in China: Shanghai

So there I was, at that moment when a trip was ending, memories made, with nothing left but the flight home (well, and then writing about said trip for months on end...). It is always a bittersweet moment for me. By that point, I'm usually tired, missing my bed, and missing my dog. And at the same time, I am never quite ready to leave the place where I am. I always want more - more time, more experiences, and more delicious food that I definitely cannot get at home. But my trip ended, as all things in life do. I accepted the end of my time in China with as much equanimity as I could muster. It didn't hurt that I managed to just squeeze in one last stop before heading to the airport. Like just barely squeezed it in. As in I went pretty much straight from security to boarding my plane. But really, that is not relevant. What is relevant is that I had approximately 6 hours to get the tiniest glimpse of the incredible city of Shanghai. Six measly hours, most of which were spent sitting in traffic while marveling at the city surrounding me.

With time for a single stop, we chose to spend our time at the Pearl Tower, with its amazing view of the never-ending skyscrapers.

It wasn't until I was in Shanghai that I truly appreciated the population of China, the sea of people moving about in choreographed chaos. Having spent most of my time in a "small" city, my time in China would have been incomplete without at least a brief opportunity to experience the city. Plus, did I mention that the view was incredible?

And then there was the level with the glass bottom. It was literally breathtaking. As in I felt so anxious I could not breathe. And yet, I kept standing there. Perhaps because I was paralyzed by fear.