11 things we can't live without in Shanghai
We asked what makes your Shanghai life bearable – the thing you couldn’t imagine living in the city without. Here’s what you confessed to…
Mobile pay
'Cash rules everything around me' – Wu-Tang Clan, 1993. Not in Shanghai, Wu-Tang Clan, not in Shanghai...
Taobao
Want to buy an umbrella hat, a facekini or a giant inflatable shit? Taobao's got your back.
Air conditioning
Remember that week this summer when it was like 40+ degrees everyday? Well, you wouldn't remember it without your air conditioning unit – you'd be dead.
Cheap travel
Sharebikes, taxis, the metro: it's so cost efficient to travel around Shanghai – just a shame about those annoying Didi phonecalls, eh?
VPN
Obviously...
Bubble tea
We hear you and we love a zhenzhunaicha as much as the next Shanghai ren. Just remember to drink in moderation and go for a lower sugar option, unless you want your teeth to drop out...
All things WeChat
So much more than just a messenger/mobile sticker collection. Did you know you can donate to charity and book cinema tickets through the app? And don't even get us started on QR codes...
Food delivery
Waimai is life and life is waimai.
English street signs
An essential part of the cityscape for the kan bu dong-ers among us. Remember that rumour about the English signs being taken away back in August last year? It gives us chills just thinking about it...
Cheap massages
From the incredibly relaxing to the incredibly cheap: the massage scene in Shanghai puts other cities to shame. Not that we're rubbing it in...
The food
Send noods! Whether it's the regional cuisines of China, Shanghainese specialities, or something a bit more international, Shanghai has definitely got you covered – and gloriously so.
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