Expo 2010 Shanghai

First of all, discard all prior knowledge that you possess of the Expo 2010 Shanghai. Namely, the things you read about in those circulating emails of the World Expo TRIAL RUN. It's a trial run, for goodness's sake. The REAL thing, however, is definitely worth the visit.

In writing this blog, I hope to share my experience with you guys, who are anxious to go or are still undecided. This will be a synopsis-like post, and I hope to share the pictures of each pavilion in later posts.

All right, so what should you know about the Expo 2010 Shanghai?

1. The official website: http://en.expo2010.cn/
Basic info on the World Expo can be found here.

2. Transportation: http://expo.shanghaidaily.com/transport.asp
For convenience's sake, I took the expo taxis. The expo taxis are the only taxis allowed near the expo entrances. There is no extra charge for taking expo taxis compared to other common taxis. You can go anywhere with these expo taxis, and not necessarily to the expo grounds. In fact, the expo taxis are newer, more spacious, and the drivers are specially selected from each taxi company, thus they can speak better English and are perhaps more well-mannered (just a casual remark from people living in Shanghai).

Cheaper alternatives would be buses and MRT.

The Chinese government, in preparing for this event, has increased the number of public transportation in Shanghai. The best part is, in line with the theme of "Better City, Better Life" of Expo 2010, the transportations produce low CO2 compared with normal vehicles. The air is certainly cleaner than when I visited two years ago, as a result.

There are even buses in the expo grounds. It's a thoughtful amenity, as the grounds are so big, walking on foot would prove to be a Herculean task.

3. Security
Every visitor to the Expo is required to undergo security checks prior to entering the grounds. That means using your common-sense and not bring anything deemed dangerous. Liquid is also strictly forbidden, with the exception of small amounts of liquid medicine.
4. Water
Because liquid is prohibited, I always bring half a bottle of water and finish it before the checks. Finding a water station inside the Expo is very easy so I would only refill my bottle halfway to ease on the weight-load on my shoulder.

5. Food
There are plenty of restaurants in the Expo, ranging from well-known eateries (KFC, Ajisen Ramen, Bi Feng Tang etc) to special ones (I had Uruguay beef and African food). Prices range from very cheap (bread, bun, biscuits sold at stalls) to high (fine cuisine from around the world, which can be found in a lot of the pavilions).

Of course, you could always bring your own food (just not drinks), but really, this is your chance of eating weird food from places you've perhaps never even heard of. Why give the chance up? My doner kebab (Turkish), beef with rice and potatoes (Uruguay), abalone with stewed rice (African) and sausage with potatoes (Belgian) are interesting. They may not be all tasty, but they are an experience in their own.

6. Toilets
No worries at all. There's one around every corner. They are kept pretty clean as well.

7. Visitors
Around 95% of the visitors come from China itself. From what I observed, a lot of them are travel groups from inland China. That is why the people tend to be less refined. They cut queues, talk loudly in public, and have a 'kiasu' attitude (fear of losing) for anything that is free. They also take baths once every few days. They are a force to be reckon with, even the seniors. I've been pushed around by old ladies a few times to know I should stay away from them. Of course, to be fair, you have to understand they are who they are because of the Cultural Revolution. To have lived through those ten dark years is a feat itself. I salute them, but I make sure I stay out of their way as well.

Of course, not everyone behaves that way. People from around the world have come to visit the Expo, and it is a fun experience talking with them. I've talked with people from America, Canada, Niger, Turkey and a whole lot of people working in their respective countries' pavilion, and it is always nice to learn something about their country.

What I find interesting is the way their eyes lit up the moment I talk to them in English. I suppose being a Chinese and looking like a Chinese, they expect me to converse with them in Mandarin, just like the 95% of visitors do. It did feel weird watching Chinese talking to Westerners using Mandarin, because we are so used to switching to English in their presence. Right now, not everyone is fluent in English, but things are changing. Children are learning the language from a very young age in school. In ten years time, China will overtake India as the country with the most English speaking population. Imagine that.

As I was saying, they were surprised I can talk in fluent English, with none of the Chinese accent as well. Many asked where I was from (I'd make a great ambassador), and wanted to learn more about Malaysia. Go on, make their day. Surprise them with a language other than Mandarin.

8. Best time to visit
Just an opinion, but I think May (fast ending), September and October would be the best time to visit. Summer holiday is from June until August, which I'd imagine there'd be a lot more people then. Plus, summertime in Shanghai can get pretty hot, reaching 40 degrees celsius. You wouldn't want to be stuck in a queue under this kind of temperature.

If you can forgo the Chinese Pavilion, then the best time to go would be after noon. The sun is less unforgiving, and the people tend to thin out during the evening. By night time, the weather would be perfect, the lights would be on, and the people are far fewer which means less chance of getting stuck in a queue. The official closing time of the Expo is twelve midnight, but smaller pavilions would be closed near ten o'clock. Make good use of the time, visit the major pavilions instead. Popular pavilions would still be crowded at night, unfortunately. The Japan Pavilion had a one and half hour waiting time even when it was approaching ten o'clock. I couldn't get to visit it, and I'm still disappointed.

NEVER visit during the weekends. This is akin to committing suicide. You'll probably suffocate from the sea of people and/or drive yourself insane from waiting in never-ending queues.

9. Reservation machines
A few of the popular pavilions have reservation machines just outside. You have to use your expo ticket to use it. You'll receive a reservation ticket, stating the time you should visit the pavilion. No more queues!
10. Rest
There are plenty of seats around the expo, along with plenty of shades.

11. Basic tips

• Bring an empty water bottle to fill up in the Expo. You never know how long the queue is going to take.
• Although the weather report is quite accurate, always bring an umbrella with you. The shops in the Expo do sell them, though I'm not sure about the price. Sunglasses and hats are good accessories too.
• Queue time depends on the way the pavilions are designed. For instance, the Denmark Pavilion had a very long line, but it was constantly moving, so in the end it only took me around fifteen minutes to reach the inside. The Israel Pavilion had a shorter line compared to Denmark's, but at one time it could only contain a set number of visitors so it took me more than half an hour just to get inside.
• With the first introduction of the Expo Passport in Expo 67 held in Montreal, Canada, it has been a hot-selling item in the Expo grounds. What you can do is, the first time you enter the Expo, look for the special shops selling Expo merchandise. The passports are sold for 30 RMB each. The fun part with this passport is, most pavilions have their own stamp that you can stamp in your passport. It definitely feels like you've visited all those countries in your passport.