Six hours later, I woke ready to start the day. I checked out of my room and first found an internet cafe.

One of my primary reasons for coming to China was to mail my passport to New Zealand for a visa. I checked my email and confirmed that the visa office had received my application, passport, and payment. I sent a little more detail about my itinerary, and their reply sounded positive.

After checking my email, I had breakfast around the corner and went exploring. Before long, I found what I had been looking for: the Master of the Nets Garden. The garden and its wider compound were stunning, with a rich history that offered a rare window into the past. I would highly recommend it to anyone visiting Suzhou.

After visiting the garden, I took a bus, stopped at another shopping area, ate lunch, and went to the bus depot. I bought tickets to Hangzhou and said goodbye to Suzhou.

Hangzhou felt quite different. In Suzhou, people had been persistent in offering hotels and taxis; in Hangzhou, the atmosphere seemed more relaxed. As in Suzhou, I did not know the exact route to my hostel. Two bus rides later, including some unexpected circling, I found it.

The surrounding area initially seemed disappointing, with several questionable bars nearby, but my impression changed as soon as I walked through the door. Travellers filled the lobby, watching a film together while the weather outside was bitterly cold. The hostel was clean and comfortable. I secured a double room for 100 yuan, about US$12, and went upstairs. The room was pleasantly compact, with two beds, a wardrobe, a table, a small armchair, and, most importantly, a heater.

After checking in, I went in search of food. With few nearby options, I visited a supermarket and bought bao and other simple items. Dinner for two cost 13 yuan, or about US$1.50. I returned to the hostel and joined the other travellers in the living room. I caught the end of a film, played Chinese checkers and some rummy, and enjoyed the first genuinely hot, high-pressure shower I had had in about a week. Clean and warm, I was ready for bed. The next day I would begin exploring the city described by the adage:

“In the sky there is heaven, on earth there is Hangzhou.”