Putuoshan is an island, which naturally enough, we had to reach by ferry. First step, though, was to get the bus out to the Shanghai port, where we could meet the boat to take us out to the island. Early one Sunday morning, Heidi and I stood at the bus garage as a succession of buses pulled up and filled with local tourists. After waiting our turn, eventually we were off.

Before leaving, I had had slight concerns over the quality of the ferry, given that one of the ways to get to Putuoshan from Shanghai was via a twelve-hour overnight boat trip. However, at the port the boat looked reasonably respectable and, more importantly, reasonably fast; we boarded and took our seats. The trip itself lasted a manageable two and a half hours, and the only point of note was that the boat authorities played some DVD entertainment for all of the passengers; in particular, they showed the original series of Mr Bean. I am not quite sure what inspired them to choose this, but it seemed to work, as all of the Shanghainese sitting around me were in fits of laughter as Rowan Atkinson demonstrated how to take his trousers off whilst wearing his swimming trunks on the outside, and how to drive his car with his feet whilst sitting in the back seat. I watched a bit, and then I returned to trying to complete the last level on Angry Birds.