17 Nov 2019
Our group of 4 included one person with mobility issues, so we decided to do two private tours prior to boarding the cruise ship, Westerdam in Shanghai plus utilizing the same company for the airport transfer to our Bund hotel in downtown Shanghai. I was delighted that Tom Zhang agreed to take on all three of our requests, so we just enjoyed his services and just one company for all our needs, while in Shanghai.
We were picked up at the Shanghai airport by a delightful young man who was prompt ,had easy to find signage, informative and delivered us to our hotel. Exactly what we wanted to start our late night arrival to Shanghai.
The next day was spent with Tom Zhang (the owner) and our all day tour of Shanghai was done in a comfortable vehicle with a tailor made itinerary, keeping in mind mobility issues. Tom speaks very understandable English, is very kind, and a patience gentleman. The tour was well paced, interesting sights and included a delightful lunch where we could relax and learn about Shanghai in depth. We were also taken to a tea house, learned all about the ceremony which was fun. A small annoyance was the pressure by the tea shop personal to purchase items after the enjoyable presentation, but nothing to do with Tom. We enjoyed the tour immensely and all this pampering was less expensive than taking the cruise ship's tour.
On day three in Shanghai we visited Zhujianial Watertown with Tom on a half day tour. This was a difficult destination for a person with mobility challenges and to compound the problem it was the weekend and very crowded! Lots of uneven steps, bridges to go up and down plus many temples require stepping over an high entry way. We spent most of our time visiting the private home and gardens which was easier. The tour included a leisurely boat ride of the delightful water town and this was the best way to get around for our group, so we paid for the second leg of the boat tour to avoid the crowded areas. We did enjoy the trip and Tom pointed out some bazaar stores, services and goods for sale as we exited the crowded town for our pick-up. Be sure to see all the roasted insects in sticks! OMG!
We were due onboard the ship, so Tom agreed to transfer us from Zhujianiao Watertown to our cruise ship which was a considerable distance out of Shanghai. This was a perfect solution to departing our Bund hotel, touring for the half day and ending up onboard the cruise ship by 5pm. Excellent services at a very reasonable price and a definite savings over HAL's very expensive shore excursions!
If you are planning on visiting Shanghai or some of the other destinations that Tom Zhang services, I can recommend his services without hesitation! He was the best private guide we had throughout our time in Asia. Many thanks TOM!