Hong Thai - Part 2: Shanghai

Once we passed through Customs in Shanghai's Hongqiao International Airport, our tour group was collected around our informal tour guide, nicknamed "Ming." Since we were on a Hong Thai "Independent Tour," Ming reminded us that she was merely a tour facilitator, not a tour guide. (In fact, she did this several times throughout the trip.) With her direction, the group of approximately 25 boarded the bus, and, as we began hour 1-hour drive to our hotel, our friendly, funny tour guide began to give us a quick, unofficial introduction to Shanghai.

Most importantly, Ming gave us an emergency contact number for Shanghai: her cell phone. It was not, as she explained, for questions like, "what's good to eat" or "where can I find so-and-so?" Instead, she was giving us her cell phone number so that we could get help with medical or "other" issues requiring more expertise than the concierge at our 5-star hotel could (would?) provide.

The next day, she also facilitated a day trip to Suzhou, once upon a time called "[the] Oriental Venice." Famous for its silk productions since the Song Dynasty (960-1279), Suzhou is equally reknown for its remarkable classical gardens. Being indisposed by the local food on this day, one friend and I did not make the trip to Suzhou. However, two friends returned from there with various silk blankets and handkerchiefs, as well as a great review of a silk factory where visitors could try their hands at the silk-making process. But I digress...back to Ming, our non-tour guide...

What truly endeared Ming to me was that, upon learning from our friends that we were ill, she placed a call to us, her sick tour members, to inquire if we required a visit to a hospital or any other alternate accommodations. She took the trouble to place the courtesy call, but, even more importantly, she took the time to express her concern and offer her assistance. If I had a favorable impression of Hong Thai's professional services before arriving in Shanghai, Ming, our "tour facilitator," made me that much more likely to keep Hong Thai in mind for my next trip.