A Snow Start

Today's weather: High = 0 Low = -3
Snow accumulating to 2 inches

OK so it looks beautiful outside my apartment window as Shanghai seldom gets snow, and it makes things very aesthically pleasing with the trees and the apartment buildings covered in the white stuff. Obviously some good photo and video opps and you'll see them on my other blog soon enough.

But the thing is, I'm rather worried if my Spring Festival trip is gonna get off the ground as Shanghai and surrounding area are unprepared for snow. Granted, 2 inches is hardly a lot of snow, you would think. But to get an idea of what this means, picture a city in the south like New Orleans or Atlanta getting this kind of weather. Then, throw in millions of more people trying to travel for the holidays, mix in a transport system taxed to the max, and you've got the idea. In the past, flights have been grounded and travel disrupted all over South China just because of a few inches of snow.

Let's face it, the south of China is not prepared for snow. They are supposed to get mild winters. Buildings are also designed for mild winters, not what we're getting now. Proof? My kitchen tiles are falling apart because of this weather (see last post). And finally as I type this, a car is skidding outside trying to get outside the compound gate.

So yeah I'm rather worried here. Here's the gameplan:

1. Take the afternoon train to Hangzhou -- the train option was a good call, opting out of the bus!
2. Attempt to take my evening flight to Guangzhou.
a. If it leaves the airport and lands in Guangzhou, then refer to #5
b. If it's canceled or grounded, then book another flight from a destination further south (Wenzhou)
3. Use the emergency train ticket I got to travel from Hangzhou to Wenzhou
4. Take an afternoon flight to Guangzhou
5. Transfer to the flight to Bangkok leaving a day later than today (just in case of emergencies)