The Failed Trip to Hefei

The plan was, to go from Suzhou to Hefei via bullet train and stay there for the night and visit the Bao Memorial temple. Bao was the famous figurehead of a just and fair judge during ancient times protrayed in many chinese drama that even banana like me knew about him. 

There is not much to do in Hefei according to the web and I thought just a quick dash for a night and visit the memorial before going to Wuhan would be a good break, for Suzhou to Wuhan was about 700km and a average 5 hours train journey.

Bullettrain to Hefei 

I reached the train station early at 930am but the next ticket to Hefei was at 12pm so it as just a time burner again. It was my first time navigating the bullet train in China and I have to say it was really very simple. I reached Hefei by 3pm and navigated the metro system to find the first hostel that I booked, Makerhouse Hostel.

Inside the Train Station in Suzhou

Crab Souvinear Stall inside the Train Station - Suzhou

Suzhou Souvinear - Crabs 

Somehow ended up in some residensial area with nothing nearby and a crack load of construction work. I had to walk next to the bulldozer to get to the building according to the map and then there was not a single sign of the Hostel. Rather there was a sign but it was totally written in Chinese. What was the point of putting the hostel name in English and listing in internation website if there is no signs for forigners to find it.

I ended up being blunt and walk into the apartment building going up the lift to the matching floor to have a look and there was only one one door which was wide open. I think it was the place, it looked like the photos in the website but totally without filter which means the place was filthy, I dun have high standards, althou with age I have lesser and lesser tolerence in some sense yet I do remember certain experience in India and this was comparable.

There was nobody around as well, so there was no way I was going to stay here with construction madness outside and dodgy looking one night stand hostel with no locks on door where anyone can come in. I canceled the booking online and headed to the next hostel on the list. Back to the metro and navigate again to the other side of Hefei.

This hostel was also unmarked. I seriusly wonder how do anyone find these type of hostel if they cant read chinese. Address in English is useless for the last mile really. Navigation can only get you so far then you have to somehow figure out which door to go in and which floor to go up and which room it is.

With my limited ability to speak the local languege, I was still able to find the 2nd hostel. Up to the Doorstep, there was no sign and worst no bell and no one to answer the door. I was starting to wonder if I was at the wrong place. Another guy came up to the door and key in some code to the keypad and open the door. I was not shy at all to be frank and just followed him in. Yep it was the hostel alright but without anyone to man the place. Also filthy like crazy and filled with ciggarate smoke.

I gave up at that point and canceled the 2nd Hefei hostel booking of the day and headed back to the train station. To Wuhan I told the ticket officer and boarded the late evening train of 7pm to Wuhan. This time I had phobia so thoughout the train ride I was looking very hard for hostels and having multiple of them pinned on maps for back ups. There was nowhere else to run to and I needed a place to sleep.

Traveled on: November 2023