I ran across the third largest High Speed Rail station in China, 35 pounds on my back and dripping in sweat, I could feel my legs buckle and slowly give out.
As a solo female traveler, I'm overly cautious and particularly punctual. How did I get myself into this predicament and did I make it to my next destination?
During my week in this region, a technical difficulty with China’s rideshare/taxi app meant I used up extra cash on taxi fares and I wasn’t able to obtain more RMB (Chinese currency) before heading to Shanghai Hong Qiao Station. There was a single foreign exchange machine once I cleared security, but it wasn’t opened for operation until 1 hour before my departure time.
Do I wait and risk it? What if the machine doesn’t work?
I was headed to a remote village and needed more cash badly, but I was also carrying 3 weeks worth of luggage and camera equipment in my backpack. For once I decided I could be lazy and wait until 9:00 AM.
I was wrong.
For about 15 mins at 9:00 AM I struggled at the currency machine with no success. 45 mins until boarding time. I strapped my backpack on securely and gave myself a timeline to execute PLAN B.
Thankfully, a few days ago, I walked through this very station. I checked it out in advance, planned my route, got to know my surroundings and what to expect. Because of this I am armed with the knowledge that I could go underground and take the local subway to an airport close by.
I would be bottlenecked multiple times at security screenings and estimated it would take minimum 20 mins each way and I only had 45 minutes left.
Ready, set, GO! I ran out of the secured zone, excused my way down 3 busy flights of escalators, anxiously rode the subway 2 stops away to the Hong Qiao Airport, up 3 floors, through the entire airport security, across the departures hall to find another foreign exchange machine…
Which also did not work.
I stood there fidgeting with the passport scan feature, hoping my luck would turn but I was closing in on my time limit. Looking around at the line of passengers behind me, I overheard one man asking the attendant in Mandarin where else he could exchange money, he didn’t want to miss his flight to the USA. My ears perked up and I offered to exchange my USD with him.
Success!
I checked my watch, 19 mins left. Time to run the journey backwards across the airport, through metro & security, back up through the train station, and through passport check AGAIN. There was 7 mins to departure but I had to run through 30 dual sided platforms as seen in the cover photo. I slowed to a power walk because I was covered in sweat from carrying my heavy backpack, and my legs were weak from running.
Finally, I blew past my platform gate, found the correct car number and settled into my seat with 2 minutes and 45 seconds to spare. Successfully catching my 9 hour bullet train ride to Guilin.
That night, after crossing the Li River on a tiny bamboo raft in darkness then riding a mini moped truck into the remote village of Langshi, I sat in the yard surrounded by looming Karst mountains and looked up just in time to see the moon peek out behind heavy clouds. I said a small prayer in thanks, for I was so grateful to be sitting there, watching the moon.
Aside from the amazing view pictured below, check a previous post to see the cute homestead I stayed in and a list of the 3 unique Airbnbs I found during my China trip.
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