Rush hour metro ain't that bad

Weird huh.

 

So I've been taking the metro to and from work this week.  I start at Xinzha lu station on line 1, go one stop south to people's square, change onto line 2, and then go 2 or 3 stops east to Lujiazui.  I've been a bit later to work this week, leaving home at 8-8.30, and arriving at 8.30-9am.  I have been leaving work at 6pm to 6.30pm this week.

 

Oddly enough, i haven't experienced the 'really really' busy that I'd seen before.  Sure it's busy, and there are pinch points where there are throngs of people (like changing lines at people's square, which takes over five minutes of crowded shuffling up stairs and corridors.  On the trains though, it's not tooooo bad.  Sure getting on, when it's busy, can be a rush.  The trains don't stop long enough to let everybody on and off in a civilised fashion, so you have to be somewhat assertive / rude in order to get on.  (This can't be helping attitudinal development here - I'm regressing myself!).  But on the trains, I can usually find a spot to stand, and I don't have to press up against too much warm flesh.

 

Walking in the sunlight to and from the metro stations remains a hot and sticky business.  Having bought a bargain trolley-backpack for my laptop etc. in the market, wheeling my laptop is next to effortless, which helps keep me from soaking my shirt.

 

I'm quite happy with this situation - that I should be able to take the metro most of the time, and take taxis only in the summertime or when I'm feeling lazy.  I feel less extravagant now, less of a sore thumb.