Last weekend, I went down to Hangzhou to visit some NZ friends. It was a super quick visit due to leaving the train bookings a little last minute. Hangzhou is about 2hrs from Changshu, which makes it an easy distance to get to on the weekend. I travelled second class on the train on the way down and first class on the way back. The difference between first and second class was just the number of people in the carriage and the chairs are slightly different. In general, I find train travel in China really good and very comfortable. I try to book a window seat that way I can catch a good look at the landscape as we move along. The high-speed train goes about 194km hr which is awesome.
Below are some photos of the city. West Lake is a beautiful area. I love views of the surrounding mountains, the walk ways around the lake through beautiful garden areas and watching the boats. There are beautiful streets with lovely shops, restaurants and bars. I’m looking forward to returning and exploring more of this area.
