China 09/17 – Nanjing

Day 8 – Oriental Heritage Wuhu?

China’s big boy train stations are vast, usually with a couple of entrance plazas at each end and consisting of multiple separate floors for arrivals and departures. Nanjing station does have lockers. In their infinite impracticality, they are located in the departure area. So on arrival this means re-entering the station through security passport and bag checks with a valid ticket for onward travel just to get to some storage.

Good thing we do have a valid ticket for onward travel then. Took another train to Wuhu from there, for some more Fantawild fun.
Then it all went horribly wrong.

The weather had been grey, but fine all morning. As soon as we got on the bus, it started raining. Game over before the day had even begun.
This bus actually drops you off inside the resort, there’s a novelty.
Wandered into guest services to get the lowdown.
It is now 09:00, park opening time. It’s a weekend and they’re open until 18:00.
They have already ruled out any possibilty of anything outdoors opening for the day, even if it stopped raining in half an hour and went back to 35°C of burning sunlight.
Well at least you’re honest, unlike Nagashima Spite Land.

I know the neighbouring Dreamland park had a few dark rides that were still new to me as well as some shows that looked interesting, so considered the possibility of just doing that instead.
After more conversation, turns out the Bubble Ballet was closed for renovation and the big show ‘Ashley’ was cancelled for lack of attendance. I shall bid you good day then.

I’m still pondering that chicken and egg scenario. No one turned up to these parks, absolutely no one. We got comical stares from a couple of staff that were hanging around outside that basically said ‘why the hell did you come here?’
Business just doesn’t happen, so they cut their losses.
So did they learn that people don’t bother first? Or did everyone get screwed over by visiting one day and then tell everyone else in the continent ‘never again’. It seems too new of an industry here to be so clear cut.
Locals must also have a sixth sense for weather. I’d been checking weather all week and found it wasnt very reliable information. Wuhan and Hefei were meant to be wrecked by thunderstorms all day on the days I was there but that turned out fine.

Back to Nanjing for more bag faff and malls.
Oh well, one more day in the area to give it another shot.

Day 9

Woke up the next morning and it was still a bit miserable outside. Original plan for this day was to dust off some minor Nanjing creds in the morning and then head to Suzhou in the afternoon. Of course another reasonable chance at the Wuhu woodie had taken priority over this.
Decided not to bust a gut with earliness or waste time with trains again so just made some phone calls at the point of opening.

Each of these cities are at least 100 miles away from each other, so this is how widespread the bit of rain that ruins daily life was.
“Hi Fantawild, what’s the score today?”
“No chance for the woodie.”

“Hi Nanjing mall park with the half indoor Vekoma motorbike, what’s the score today?”
“Whole park is closed for renovation.”

“Hi Suzhou giant wheel park, what’s the score today?”
“Unlikely, phone back at midday and we’ll know for sure.”
Hung around until the Suzhou train. Got to Suzhou.

Phoned again. Whole place closed today.
Tried and failed to appreciate the local scenery.
And that was that. Frustrating.

Up next: something to actually do.

Day 10