ferry ensnared by junk

Monday 8th April
day 118

Shanghai

Fog bound and idle. There is a small fishing junk tethered to the stern. It’s nets have fouled our ferries propeller. Who is guilty? The ferry for running down the fishermen? The fishermen for fishing in the ferry lane? A big row.
It takes until after lunch to free the propeller, with several fishing boats clustered around the ferries stern end. This means we won’t get into Shanghai until after nine in the evening. This is a very stupid time to arrive in a city famous for its bed shortages.
However the night-time cruise through Shanghai is well worth it. Huge cargo ship’s bristling with cranes, stark deep shadows in the arc lights, big metal hulks, rows of the little illuminated windows. It takes us an hour or more of pass all this, then we steam right along the centre of Shanghai, straight up the Bund. What away to arrive!
Our stewardess leads us up and down corridors, over rails, down ladders and then out through the hold to bypass the masses clamouring to be first onto the ship. Hop straight on to bus 65, and get off at the Pujiang hotel just over Suzhou creek which I had spotted from the ferry. Check into the male dormitory 7 yuan, paid in Remninbees (my last) and FEC’s. Hot bath and bed. Wasn’t so difficult after all. Receptionist said there was no room, but ignored her.