Here’s the story you’ve been waiting for about my big trip to Shanghai. I’ve made a slideshow with a commentary which includes only one awkward silence. It won’t win any oscars but I hope you’ll enjoy it and that you’ll get a idea of what Shanghai and the World Expo are like. The slideshow lasts 9 minutes and takes you on a journey from Noosa in Australia where I live, to Sydney, Shanghai and finally back to Noosa.
Apologies if you’re reading this in an email – you’ll have to visit the blog to see the video. Sorry, it’s difficult to embed it so it works for all email programs but I’ll try to work it out for next time. I’d love it if you have a few moments to check it out.
Footnote
My dear husband, who also doubles as a blog bullshit detector, claims I said in the commentary that by law all buildings in Noosa are less than 10 foot tall. That’s wrong. I probably meant 10 meters which is three storeys tall. Still much shorter than the Shanghai World Financial Center, the one that looks like a bottle opener, which at 492.0 meters high (1,614.2 ft) is the third highest building in the world, topped only by buildings in Dubai and Taipei. I like the Oriental Pearl Tower in Shanghai best though – it’s the one that looks like a rocket with the two crazy flashing giant balls.
Thank You
Many thanks to Coca-Cola in Australia, China, Singapore and the USA for entertaining us so royally and especially our very own coke dude who gallantly and gamely escorted us from business class lounge to posh hotel to fancy restaurant to hip bar. It was the perfect perk. You got us off our computers, out into the big wide world and made us all feel special and appreciated. I appreciate that.
I’d like you to meet my fellow Aussie bloggers. I’m sure you’ve been wondering who those hot chicks in the photos are and I’m happy to introduce you to:
Amanda - creator of the Bad Mother’s Club where real mums can hang out.
Brenda - creator of Mummy Time with miscellaneous (and hilarious) ramblings of an almost grown up mum.
Stacey - creator of Sunny Mummy Australia, a warm place to be.
Most of all thank you to all my blog readers and commenters. I owe it all to you for sticking with me and motivating me to write more and write better.
Thanks so much for reading Get In the Hot Spot – or watching it today.
What do you think? Is there anything else you want to know about the trip, Shanghai or anything at all? I’ll answer all your questions in the comments below.
delta waters
kitty kilian
Red Nomad OZ
Steve Thomas
Tammy
x Corrine/Frock...
{ 51 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Annabel
That was very interesting! All the best with the revamped blog. Looking good.
Carol
Excellent work, Annabel!
Your approach is very grown-up compared to mine. Hehehe…
I was just thinking ‘theres not enough make-up here’, then Jerapas said as much – amazing coincidence!
That was great – thanks Annabel x
Coral – Thank you, lovely to see you again.
Brenda – Well, I think all the funny stuff had been done already!
John Kelleher – Lol. Yes, next time I’m going to get Jeerapas to give me an extreme makeover. Might need a bit more than just make up though…
Great to see the pictures, Annabel. Not even one shot of you sipping the sponsor’s product??
Well done.
Robin
Robin – I was glugging it so fast they couldn’t capture it on film. How do you think we stayed on form for our 18 hour days?! They gave us this special coca-cola that freezes when you turn it upside down, a can of iced coffee from Japan and a milky fruit pulp drink the Chinese love. Did you know Coca-Cola make Grinder’s coffee too? I didn’t but I’m becoming a veritable font of Coca-Cola trivia. It’s all part of the brainwashing:) Enjoy!
I love your style Annable, little wonder you came to the attention of Coca Cola.
Congratulations on your adventure.
Catherine
Catherine – Thanks so much for visiting and leaving that sweet comment. Being picked by Coca-Cola really did help me feel more confident about my writing and make me feel as if I’m making progress with my ever more ambitious blogging plans. Nearly every day I get a sign that I’m doing the right thing, sometimes two! Mainly comments from readers and my growing subscribers and blog visitors. I’m delighted to be in touch with you via our blogs.
Annabel:
Thanks for the interesting slide show, I was very interested in China, as I know very little about it. You deserved the trip as a very interesting blog writer.
Again, thanks for the blog and pictures.
Hi Annabel,
Looks like you had a great time in Shanghai and thanks for the slide show. Nice to see what Shanghai looks like in the daylight–and from ground level. (I’ve only ever seen the inside of the airport as a stop-over en route to India from San Francisco and it was late at night when we arrived.) Did you have any free time to wander around on your own, or was your itinerary fairly tight? I hope you’ll write more about your experiences and perceptions in Shanghai in terms of any personal insights, revelations, challenges, lessons for growth, etc.
I highly recommend Tai Chi as a both a gentle exercise and a moving meditation. It’s a great way, too, for learning about energy flow versus the energy that is expended forcing, pushing or resisting something.
On that note, I had better stop resisting what I’m supposed to be doing, and get on with my day. Keep on writing the great articles!
Cheers,
Sue
Your narration was great, Miss Annabel! I can always hear your smile when you talk…and yes, you did say 10 feet tall, but I thought of it as exaggeration or hyperbole as a way to tell a good story. Crazy about the Chinese blogger getting 500 MILLION hits on one story — I’m lucky if I get 50 (‘course my blog is only 3 weeks old!). Looked like a GREAT experience and makes me want to go to Shanghai!
Wow, your slideshow totally makes me want to go to China even more. It sounds like you had a great time and were treated very well by Coke.
I admit being confused that you didn’t sound like my Aussie friend. I see you were born in the UK so that makes more sense
Noosa looks beautiful as well, though I was surprised it was so small that close to Brisbane on the coast.
I can’t get the video
It must be the fact that my computer is crap and I’m on the edge of a rainforest….I want to see it, I want to see it!
Hey Annabel – loved the video. What an amazing trip. Sounds like Coke put on a good show for you and you really made the most of the variety of people and experiences on offer – no wonder they chose you as an example of ‘positive living’! Shanghai seems genuinely very ‘foreign’ somehow if you know what I mean.
I hope you got some good tips from other bloggers. As for the guy who got 5oom hits on his blog, what on earth was his article about?
Will look forward to hearing more about it in future blogs!
Write on.
love
tom
Ahhh I can get it…it’s just taking 14 hours to download…woo hoo can’t wait…gonna go and make myself a cup a tea and get ready to watch it!
Well worth the wait…I think you should do a video on every blog
Hi Annabel
What a fabulous experience. Thank you for taking us along on your trip to Shanghai. I’m sure Coca Cola will benefit greatly from your thoughts and ideas… good to hear that they walk the walk. As such a huge company they have a lot of influence, and, while I’m not a fan of their product, I like to think that their advertising gives us all a positive spin on how we can capture the moment and live life.
Oh, and I loved your accent! Cheshire?
WOW…. Go Annabel! What an amazing adventure you have had/are having since leaving our little island.
Loved the slide show, thank you.
Annabel, that as a great, and informative, account of our trip!!!
Well, different sort of informative … like Brenda said, very growed up.
LOVED it, well done
And great to hear your voice again xox
Bill – Thank YOU for taking the time to watch it and leave a comment. I found it all fascinating and am glad it interested you too.
Sue – No free time at all, our schedule was quite tight and hectic but at least I got a taster and probably saw more than I would have on my own too. Thanks for asking me to write more about personal insights, revelations, challenges, lessons for growth. I had a lot of them! Id love to share them with you. I worry that it won’t interest everyone but I love those kind of mediations and will try to write it so people can takes something positive out of it. Yes, Tai chi. Will take it up when I retire. Looks more fun that golf:)
Molly – Yes, I’m glad I went now. 500 million hits blew my mind too. Let’s make that our blogging goal:)
Jennifer – Glad I surprised you with my Brit accent. Some of my British friends say I sound like an Aussie/Kiwi but I think I’ve still got the accent. Can’t get rid of it:) Noosa is special. I wanted to show people what it’s like as I really am living my dream life here. Most of the coast betweem here and Brisbane is quite built up and highrise. I love Noosa, all the more so after my trip to the big city:)
Teresa – Thanks for persevering jungle girl! I do need to do more videos. Hopefully I’ll get better at it too…. there’s certainly room for improvement.
Tom – Yes, they did treat me so well. It was overwhelming really but you soon start to get used to the red carpet treatment. I can see why so many stars become beastly. Back to reality now and my humble existence so it won’t happen to me. Good question about the most popular blog post byt the Chinese blogger – it was about how he bought a gun (hunting rifle) and got a gun licence! So interesting. You really were listening, thank you!
Cate – They do have a lot of influence so this is a great way for me and my readers to influence them. They really are listening to what I say, reading comments here and say they have already made changes to the way they do some things. It’s a great opportunity for all of us in that way. Not Cheshire. I was brought up in the countryside in Leicestershire and went to school in Leicester. It’s about as far from the sea as you can get on a small island like England so that’s probably what made me want to live by the seaside:)
Margarita – Lovely to hear from you again. I still love our little island (Waiheke in New Zealand) – I’m always telling people how stunning, unique and wonderful it is. Not just the place, the people too:)
Mad Cow – Thanks for visiting. I had a fab and fun time but it really made me think a lot. And I like thinking, exploring cultural differences and having my prejudices overturned so I wanted to share that too. We had a laugh though didn’t we? Loud moos to you in Aussie blogger central, Melbourne:)
Yeah, Leicester is probably about as dead centre as you can get. Knew it had to be the Midlands somewhere, though.
Looking forward to hearing more about your insights… and enjoying the new look Hot Spot.
Congratulations to you Annabel – what a fantastic trip for you (love the slideshow)! My blog is about my slightly crazy yet-lovable Italian family — now I am wondering may find it and invite me to chat about my quirky NJ family.
WELL DONE and kudos to you!
xo
~ Lee
p.s. right now I happen to craving a coca cola!
Lee – Love your blog description, thanks for sharing it with us and sorry about the cravings!
Thanks so much Annabel!
p.s. I just realized we have a coca cola connection – if you have a moment, plz see post about my mom’s amazing health secrets! http://www.madnessmomandme.com/2010/03/moms-amazing-health-secrets-finally-revealed/
I loved the video. Fascinating about the Chinese guy’s blog about America – do you know how to find it? Would love to attempt to read something like that with translation of course. Glad you had a good time
CR was fab – we did the horseback tour to the big waterfall, highlight of the trip.
Connie – He did write a book about it in English – I’ll find out the title. The blog is: http://blog.sina.cn/funv Mostly in Chinese! Glad the Costa Rica trip was fun. How could it not be?! Will love it and miss it always.
Hi Annabel,
Wow – what an amazing trip my dear!!! So many things to see… What would you say was your highlight on the trip?
PS: kudos to Coca Cola for putting it together and also for constantly listening to your feedback. From my own experience, it’s actually not that frequent to see global companies properly listen to what customers and key opinion leaders have to say… so definitely worth a nice mention.
Annabelle! thank you for the tour… we don’t get to see that side of China anywhere, unfortunately. Nice to hear your voice too. A good one!
Myriam – Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment for us. The highlight? Good question:) I loved meeting all the bloggers from different countries, the big guy from Kenya and the Mexican dancing was fun. I’m mad about travel and can’t get enough of cultural differences. People fascinate me so it’s great to meet people from different places with different perspectives on life and see what makes them tick:)
Coca-Cola are great. It’s amazing to see the corporate accounts manager from Coca-Cola South Pacific or the digital marketing manager from the HQ in Atlanta really listening to me and taking notes:) They did treat us like royalty and we had fabulous food too including Godiva’s belguim chocolates. In Shanghai…. who’d have thought it:)
Stafford – It adds a new persective on someone doesn’t it? Actually hearing them speak as opposed to just reading what they have to say. Glad you liked it.
Great story Annabel – looks like a fun trip. I saw a different Shanghai to the one I imagined. Thanks!
Luv
Jan
Jan – Great to see you here again. It’s great to have your expectations overturned isn’t it?:)
What an amazing trip! I bet you never expected something like that when you started your blog. That has to be affirmation that you’re on the right path. And it was a well-deserved award. Your blog is amazing. I’m relatively new to the site but can’t wait to read more!
Annabel,
I can’t see the video.
It’s perhaps uploaded Youtube and China blocks YouTube, So…
Anyway, I ‘m glad that you had very nice trip in Shanghai.
Marly – Being invited was beyond the realm of my imagination:) I started my blog to find a literary agent but have ended up making many other amazing discoveries.
Helen – So sorry, I know you can see my blog in China but that many big social media sites are blocked. Do you have any idea how I can help you see the video? Yes, China was amazing, fascinating and much more interesting than I ever expected. What a fabulous opportunity:) PS. I’m emailing this to you but am not sure if it will get to you. I hope so but if not we can talk here:)
Hi Annabelle, very interesting. The legal height for buildings in Noosa is 6 metres. Unless you have plenty of money for the council. Although that was the old Noosa Council, now that it’s Sunshine Coast Regional Council highrise is a distinct possibility. I might build a rocket tower too, but have those crazy balls sitting at the bottom!
Cheers,
Adam.
Adam – Thanks for the update and for taking the time to enlighten me and make me laugh. I really hope it doesn’t go highrise, it’s a huge part of what makes Noosa unique but if it does go that way I will nominate you to be in charge of town planning and make Noosa the new Shanghai:) Plenty of lasers and flashing lights please… but I might have to move to the outback then… it’s fun for a while but I prefer looking at the trees and stars! I bet the people in Shanghai would love to see more of those things too…
Very interesting new appearance for your blog. Freshly back from China, one definitely can understand the Asian influences in the theme design (Is that right?).
The narrated slideshow of your China trip was great !! Thanks for doing all that work to share with your readers. Many things to learn from your contact with the present day Chinese culture.
One of your quotes has piqued my thoughts, “Chinese people are particularly interested in America.” Ironic considering that they actually manufacture a lot of our stuff — and we owe their country a lot of money. One guy inside China has a major readership blog based on his experiences living in American — for only one and a half years?
Apparently, I’m sitting on a gold mine of potential blog posts in China. I was born in California, have always lived here, and I’m no longer a young person — many years worth of potential material. Whada u think? My email works. Hook me up (professionally) with one of those Chinese bloggers you met
??
Hi QwkDrw – No, can’t see the Asian connection, I used a graphic designer in Auckland! It’s definitely interesting and hopefully will be a place you look forward to visiting. You and me think alike, I was keen to show the Chinese what life’s like in Australia too but they can’t get all websites (I think they can get mine though) and getting email into China is hard too. Still, in theory I think you’re right, you just need a good translator and some wacky stories to tell which will get them thinking:)
This is wonderful!!
Your trip looks incredible. Thanks for sharing. And I’m truly sorry if you get this a lot from us uncouth Americans, but your accent is AMAZING. I mean, I know everyone has an accent, but if you heard me talking I’m sure I’d sound just about as boring to you as I do to myself. But, not to be creepy, I could probably listen to you talking all day.
Hi Kate, that’s funny, I think I missed my vocation with a radio show in the States. I absolutely want to make some more videos and maybe even podcasts and certainly hope you never tire of my voice… but it you do just say the word and I can stick to writing:)
Still more American uncouthiness here. Forgot to say before (thank you to Kate for the reminder), you do speak with an awesome (posh?) accent.
And its not as if Americans don’t know that an Ozzie will pick out a Yank accent in less than nine words — sometimes a lot less
!!
Lol, in England where I was born and raised some would call my accent posh, others think it common. Of course for me it’s just right. So no Aussie accent at all… Yes, the American accent is quite distinctive. I like that, I’m starting to be able to guess areas of the States people are from too:)
Annabel,
Thanks for sharing. I loved the slide show. Did anything really surprise you about the Chinese culture? Shanghai seemed less crowded than I had imagined.
Annabel, Very enjoyable and interesting, you lucky girl! Nice idea. Isaac sat and watched it with me, pointing to the group shots and saying “Party!”
Thanks you for sharing… the orient is on my list too.
x
Thank you for taking me on such a wonderful tour. I’m sure it was a great experience for you andd others who were with you. I congratulate Coca Cola for their initiative, not just becausse they recognized social media, but because they helped you share the culture of China with all your readers – and they in turn maybe passing it along to more. You not only blog well, you take really good photographs as well. Cheers!
Wow that is awesome place. I hope i can go there too and hope that Coca Cola will invite me too.
Thank you very much for sharing – it was fun for me (being from Denmark) to see The Little Mermaid (she lives in Denmark but are on a 1 year long visit.)
This is a very inspiring piece. I wish I could have someone like you on my blogging network to inspire others. I love blogging and love to see others getting involved. It is information, education and fun.
Hi Annable,
I love your blog. The tone is so positive and very natural.
The Chinese are an amazing race of people, and with 1/5th of the planet being Chinese it’s a massive audience.
Vince
I’m going to shanghai myself spring next year. After looking at your slideshow (found it by google) i can’t wait to go!