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Is This REALLY China? 🇨🇳 Our FIRST TIME in Shanghai
First Time in Shanghai: Bund, Yu Garden, and Futuristic Tech
Is Shanghai really as incredible as everyone says?
In our first 48 hours in China, Shanghai completely blew away every expectation we had. From riding the metro for the first time and exploring the iconic Bund, to futuristic malls, incredible Chinese food, ancient temples, luxury shopping districts,...
Is Shanghai really as incredible as everyone says?<br><br>In our first 48 hours in China, Shanghai completely blew away every expectation we had. From riding the metro for the first time and exploring the iconic Bund, to futuristic malls, incredible Chinese food, ancient temples, luxury shopping districts, and some of the most impressive technology we've ever seen, this city left us speechless.<br><br>We came to Shanghai expecting a modern mega-city, but what we found was so much more. Incredible food for under £10, peaceful parks, ancient culture, stunning skylines, futuristic electric cars, and experiences that genuinely felt like stepping into the future.<br><br>📍 The Bund & Shanghai Skyline<br>📍 Nanjing Road at Night<br>📍 Yu Garden Area<br>📍 Jing'an Temple<br>📍 Shanghai Metro<br>📍 Chinese Street Food<br>📍 Futuristic Chinese Technology<br>📍 Luxury Shopping Malls<br>📍 Shanghai Expo Greenhouse<br><br>If this is your first time discovering China, Shanghai might just be the perfect place to start.
Fi and Nick's first 48 hours in Shanghai shattered every expectation. From the dazzling Bund and futuristic malls to ancient Jing'an Temple, this city is a whirlwind of contrasts. They rode the metro, savored incredible street food, and even tried Chinese electric cars. Shanghai isn't just modern—it's a glimpse into the future, wrapped in centuries of culture. A must-watch for anyone curious about China.
Is Shanghai really as incredible as everyone says?<br><br>In our first 48 hours in China, Shanghai completely blew away every expectation we had. From riding the metro for the first time and exploring the iconic Bund, to futuristic malls, incredible Chinese food, ancient temples, luxury shopping districts, and some of the most impressive technology we've ever seen, this city left us speechless.<br><br>We came to Shanghai expecting a modern mega-city, but what we found was so much more. Incredible food for under £10, peaceful parks, ancient culture, stunning skylines, futuristic electric cars, and experiences that genuinely felt like stepping into the future.<br><br>📍 The Bund & Shanghai Skyline<br>📍 Nanjing Road at Night<br>📍 Yu Garden Area<br>📍 Jing'an Temple<br>📍 Shanghai Metro<br>📍 Chinese Street Food<br>📍 Futuristic Chinese Technology<br>📍 Luxury Shopping Malls<br>📍 Shanghai Expo Greenhouse<br><br>If this is your first time discovering China, Shanghai might just be the perfect place to start.
In this episode, travel couple Fi and Nick take their first steps in Shanghai, overwhelmed but buzzing with excitement. They navigate the metro with a mix of nerves and triumph, scoring their first metro tickets. Their first meal – two local street snacks for just 55p – sets the tone for affordable, delicious eats. The Bund and Oriental Pearl skyline leave them speechless, with Nick calling it the best skyline in the world. <br>Yu Garden and its surrounding area feel like a dream, with Fi nearly crying at the beauty of the ancient architecture and koi fish. They enjoy honey glazed pork noodles for under £10, declaring it the best pork ever. At Jing'an Temple, the contrast of a 247 AD Buddhist temple surrounded by skyscrapers blows their minds. <br>Day two brings rain, but they embrace it. They explore the French Concession, where Wukang Road feels like a quiet European street. They visit the Louis Vuitton ship-shaped store and dive into futuristic malls. Inside a NIO showroom, they test a car with a massage chair and an AI assistant named Nomi that dances and sings. At the Huawei store, they try clip-on headphones and glasses that take photos, and sit in a Huawei car with a cinema screen. <br>At the Science and Technology Museum market, Fi haggles for a snake mug – a tense but successful encounter. The day ends at the Shanghai Expo Greenhouse, where a thunderstorm light show and fragrant flower towers overwhelm them with emotion. Fi says, 'I feel so emotional – I could cry.' <br>Overall, their first 48 hours in Shanghai completely answer the question 'Is this really China?' with a resounding yes. The city blends ancient culture, affordable food, quiet electric traffic, and mind-blowing technology. They leave eager for the next 28 days in China.
Fi and Nick dive headfirst into Shanghai, from 55p street food and the Bund's jaw-dropping skyline to futuristic malls with dancing cars and a tear-jerking light show at the Expo Greenhouse. Their first 48 hours prove Shanghai is a sensory overload of tradition, tech, and tastiness – a perfect start to their China adventure.
Fi and Nick explore Shanghai's food, skyline, temples, and futuristic tech, feeling overwhelmed and emotional in a city that blends tradition with innovation.
First 48 Hours in Shanghai: Street Food, Skyline, and Futuristic Tech
0:49 Use Alipay for everything – from metro tickets to street food. Link your card before you go and practice scanning QR codes at payment terminals.
2:06 For a cheap local meal, look for street stalls away from tourist areas. Two meat pockets cost just 55p – a great way to try authentic flavors.
3:20 To buy metro tickets, use the vending machine with Alipay. Choose your destination, scan the QR code, and collect your ticket. It's quick once you get the hang of it.
23:53 Visit a NIO house to experience China's electric car tech. You can sit inside, use the massage seats, and ask the AI assistant to dance – all for free.
37:46 For bargaining at markets like the Science and Technology Museum, start at half the asking price and be prepared to walk away. It's intense but fun.
39:11 On rainy days, head to the Shanghai Expo Greenhouse in the evening. The light shows and flower displays are magical and not crowded.
0:49 Use Alipay for everything – from metro tickets to street food. Link your card before you go and practice scanning QR codes at payment terminals.
2:06 For a cheap local meal, look for street stalls away from tourist areas. Two meat pockets cost just 55p – a great way to try authentic flavors.
3:20 To buy metro tickets, use the vending machine with Alipay. Choose your destination, scan the QR code, and collect your ticket. It's quick once you get the hang of it.
23:53 Visit a NIO house to experience China's electric car tech. You can sit inside, use the massage seats, and ask the AI assistant to dance – all for free.
37:46 For bargaining at markets like the Science and Technology Museum, start at half the asking price and be prepared to walk away. It's intense but fun.
39:11 On rainy days, head to the Shanghai Expo Greenhouse in the evening. The light shows and flower displays are magical and not crowded.
0:01 First steps in Shanghai
2:06 55p street food breakfast
3:20 Buying metro tickets
7:01 Bund and Oriental Pearl
10:09 Yu Garden and emotional moment
17:30 Jingan Temple visit
23:38 NIO car with massage seats
26:40 French Concession and Wukang Road
32:00 Huawei store and car tech
38:56 Expo Greenhouse light show
0:00 We have Arrived in China
0:52 First taste of Shanghai
3:27 First time figuring out the metro in China
4:53 So this is Shanghai... WOW
7:13 Do city sky lines get better than this?
9:50 Is Yu Garden real?
11:30 Michelin Guide food Is what price!!!
14:11 Night life in Shanghai (Buzzing)
15:51 Day two lets go deeper into Shanghai
17:39 Jing'an Temple is beautiful!
19:23 Learning Chinese...
21:49 This mall is actually real!!!??
23:51 Trying Chinese cars for the first time!
26:51 This place in Shanghai looks like England?!
29:06 Day 3 is very wet...
What were the first foods you bought in Shanghai?
They were 55p for two! Really aromatic and gingery, with meat inside – a perfect local breakfast.
How did you figure out the metro ticket system?
We used Alipay to buy tickets from a machine. It was a bit nerve-wracking but we got purple and blue tickets – success!
What was the bargaining experience like at the market?
She started at 150 yuan and we ended at 65. It got a bit aggressive – she wouldn't let us leave. But I got my snake mug!
