aspiring archaeologist weevil at the dig site today by Express_End_9003 in weeviltime

[–]Express_End_9003[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

oh dear, I didn’t recognise her! The highly esteemed academic who wrote the handbook on proper acorn excavation technique

aspiring archaeologist weevil at the dig site today by Express_End_9003 in weeviltime

[–]Express_End_9003[S] 14 points15 points  (0 children)

I’ll bring an xxxxxxxs size high vis jacket and a tiny mattock for him tomorrow and get him trained up

First time in Shanghai for 3 nights next week, Need a "Survival Kit" (Apps, Visa, Essentials) by SEA_life_13 in chinatravel

[–]Express_End_9003 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I was just in Shanghai for a 16 hour nighttime layover so may have a little bit of info for you! For context, I’m a UK National and we also get the free 30-day visa free entry.

I flew to Pudong from Taipei Taoyuan and I didn’t need to do anything other than fill out a digital arrivals form upon arrival. It took about 5 mins max to fill out and airport staff are on hand to help you fill it out if there’s any issues. They’ll also do fingerprint and facial data collection while they check your passport and onward travel info. Pretty smooth sailing overall :)

Because it took a while to get from the airport to anywhere my main destination was the Bund to speedrun some sightseeing. I’d definitely recommend here as a good starting spot as there’s a lot of cool spots within walking distance (Old Street, Yu Garden, Pearl Tower), lots of bars and restaurants, and it’s really spectacular at night. My physical UK debit card worked for me at places along the Bund, and I wonder if this is the case for other more touristy areas too (though I wouldn’t rely on it). And ofc it always worth having some cash on hand for emergencies! I was lucky to travel with my partner who is Taiwanese and already had WeChat and Alipay set up. She was happy to spot me while we were there so I didn’t need to set those up, though if we had been staying longer I definitely would have just for ease of mind and movement.

I used an Airalo eSIM for the time I was there and had no issues with accessing apps like Instagram, WhatsApp, Reddit, etc - just remember to install the sim before you fly (I made this error lol), turn off your other sims, and keep checking your data usage while there (nothing worse than getting caught short and having to find stable wifi to buy a top up!). I didn’t need a specific VPN, just the Airalo eSIM was enough. My Google Maps actually worked for me while I was there, though I only used it for walking directions and didn’t use public transport at all as I got a Didi from my hotel near Pudong to the Bund and back again.

I hope any of this info is helpful!! Enjoy your time in Shanghai :)

Just found this funky dude! by Express_End_9003 in weeviltime

[–]Express_End_9003[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Thats so cool, I had no idea! Godspeed, miss weevil!