Shanghai Surprise! (11 - 17 July 2011)

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What an enchanting adventure this trip to Shanghai has been! Every day of the journey had been filled to the brim with an onslaught of fascinating activities and superb sights. And to think I was reluctant to participate at first, due to the tests I would be missing.

From the first day, we travelled by bus to a cultural centre, where we spent the day crafting traditional sculptures and items, learning about the various customs and lifestyles in China in the past, and much more. The following days were equally as fruitful, in which we advanced to several museums which portrayed the ancient cultures and artifacts of the country and proceeded to the central business district to ascend one of the tallest buildings in the city, while also having the chance to exercise our haggling skills on some small stalls along the way.

Through all of it, the contrast of the archaic past of the country to the modernity that it has attained after all these years truly characterized the rapid advancement of the country, and why many consider China to be the next leading power of the world, if not already.

But the climax of this journey was undoubtedly the tour of Huang Shan. The strangely jutting granite peaks we witnessed on our battle up the grueling slopes of the mountain always managed to encourage us to press on. Indeed, the view at the summit was well worth it. The feeling after I climbed the last step was miraculous, and the sight proved to be simply breathtaking.

Although I had been to Shanghai in the past, the things that I encountered on that trip were of a completely different class from what I experienced in the span of these exhilarating few days.  The things I have learnt about Shanghai from this venture are priceless, and I am thoroughly grateful to have been able to take on this opportunity. In the meantime, I hold high hopes that I will be back for another round next year!

By Ong Zhong Tao (Sec 3 Resilience)