Inside Profile

ON THE ROAD

With Profile, there's always the prospect of travel to exotic, exciting locations, a fact that holds true for our consultants as well. Kim Dunsmore gives us a lowdown of what she encountered on her very first trip to China.

Why were you on this trip?

Profile decided to send me on a six-week trip. First, it was Dubai for a week visiting clients and candidates and attending the AICR (Amicale Internationale des Sous-Directeurs et Chefs de Réception des Grands Hôtels) Presidium, followed by five weeks in Shanghai in order to get to grips with our relatively new office out there and to help train the team on the various intricacies of our database. Winnie Chiu, who heads up our Shanghai division and who very kindly put me up for the duration of my stay, also arranged for us to take a nine-day trip to Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Macau. This trip was a great opportunity for me to experience a new culture, and meet a number of contacts whom I had hitherto only known by name.

Where had you travelled to before?

I've been lucky enough to travel on business quite a bit over the years that I've worked at Profile. I'd been to Dubai previously, as well as Malaga, Monaco, Paris and my hometown of Edinburgh, however, this was my first time in the Far East so I definitely looked on it as a huge adventure!

What did you pack for the trip?

Packing was a real issue! I think I packed and unpacked about 20 times, and then ended up probably not taking enough stuff. I had to incorporate a week in Dubai (in 35-degree heat) with clothes for client and candidate meetings, a gala dinner, a desert safari, time by the pool, and brunch at a very exclusive golf club, along with work and leisurewear for the five weeks in Shanghai. Not easy! I was told I'd be able to pick up a lot of clothes in China so to leave plenty of room in my suitcase, and I'm glad I did since my principal pastime outside of work was shopping.

What was the journey out to China like?

It was fairly easy given that the trip was split in half with my week in Dubai. But en route to Shanghai, the woman I sat next to insisted on clambering over me every time she wanted to get out of her seat instead of waiting for me to undo my seatbelt and stand up. And when the plane was coming in to land, one of the gents across the aisle took his seatbelt off and stood up to get his case out of the overhead locker before we'd even touched down. The cabin crew were screaming at him to sit down. I was actually quite curious to see what would have happened if he hadn't (is that wicked?).

What was it like at the airport and at immigration?

Pudong airport is very new so it was lovely, although I flew in late at night and flew out very early in the morning so didn't really have much time to explore! I sailed through immigration with little more than a wave through, although some guys in front of me were taken away for a grilling by security.

What were you expecting once you got there?

I didn't really know what to expect of Shanghai. Having never been to Asia before, I didn't really have anything to benchmark it against. I thought it would be busy, and it was, but not as much as I thought. I had images of being pushed along in a sea of people and of generally being swamped, but it was nothing like that. And I didn't really expect it to be as modern as it was.

Did you organise your itinerary?

My itinerary was very much my own, although of course Winnie organised for me to meet one or two of her contacts and friends whilst I was there. I was responsible for co-ordinating all of my own appointments during my Hong Kong and Macau trip and managed to meet quite a few of my own candidates and clients as well as a number of Profile's chef contacts.

What were your first impressions of Shanghai?

When I arrived in the city it was one o'clock in the morning, amid pelting rain and heavy mist, so my first impression was that it was a bit of a ghost town. It took a while to acclimatise during the first week as I really only had the chance to experience the walk from Winnie's apartment to the office. Pudong is not really a great reflection on the rest of the city as it's so new and industralised. The traffic is horrendous and even the pavements are not safe as there are motorbikes coming at you from all directions! The first Saturday, however, I hit Puxi with Kristin Chong, one of my Shanghai colleagues, and it was love at first sight! We had a champagne brunch at M on the Bund, did some serious shopping, and went for an afternoon drink in the gorgeous French Concession. The first Saturday was definitely the day I fell in love with Shanghai.

What were your meetings like?

Really useful. It's always lovely to be able to put a face to a name. I especially enjoyed seeing a number of the spas in Hong Kong where Profile and I had been successful in introducing the Spa Managers. It's great to be able to talk knowledgeably about somewhere and to have actually been there is a huge bonus. Obviously the meetings which involved spa treatments, such as Mandarin Oriental Macau, were extra-specially enjoyable!

What did you do in your free time?

Shop! And Drink! And eat lots of amazing food! We also had a Shanghai office karaoke night which was possibly the funniest experience of my entire life.

Any favourite tourist places?

My favourite tourist place, if it qualifies as such, was the fabric market in Puxi. The building comprises floor after floor of incredible fabric where you can be measured and can have anything you like custom made within a matter of days. And it is incredibly cheap! I think I went back there about four times. I was also lucky enough to have some spectacular meals, the best of which without a doubt was at Jade on 36 at the top of Shangri La Pudong, courtesy of the Chef de Cuisine Paul Pairet. It was unbelievable, by far the best meal I have ever had. Seven courses of the most exquisite avant garde cooking, with a view to die for. Definitely the experience of a lifetime! The worst for me was probably the seafood restaurant we went to with a group of Winnie's friends in a fishing village outside Hong Kong. It was a pick and mix of seafood which, for most people, I'm sure would have been amazing. Unfortunately, I don't like seafood! I had some rice and a few cans of beer.

What was it like getting around?

Getting around Shanghai was tricky because none of the cab drivers spoke English. It was a case of Winnie writing down directions and my praying they knew where they were going. And if you like thrills and want to enjoy a near death experience, get into a Shanghai cab. It is terrifying! They weave in and out in front of each other at a ridiculous speed. I was on my way to an appointment one day and my cab collided with a bus. Luckily we weren't going very fast, but both drivers got out and were about to start a fist-fight in the middle of the road. That was not fun! The subway in Shanghai is fine if you know where you're going and is remarkably cheap and clean. And you can get a signal on your mobile down there which never ceased to amaze me!

Did you notice any unusual customs?

The complete inability to form a queue was one of them. No one waits, and in shops you literally had to use your elbows or risk waiting an hour to pay for anything.

How quickly did you feel at home?

Very quickly. Winnie's apartment was lovely and of course she was with me most of the time and did all of my thinking for me! Also, I was at work five days a week which is basically the same as being at work in London except in a different office. There are a limited number of expats there at the moment and having blonde hair meant I definitely stood out so I had to get used to being stared at. I had parents coming up to me with their kids asking to have their photos taken with me on a couple of occasions, which I found hilarious! I never felt threatened or in danger though - it really was very safe.

What did you see as the differences between Shanghai-Hong Kong- Macau, if any?

There are huge differences between all three. Hong Kong is by far the most established city. Expats are the norm, it's full of British shops and everyone speaks English. Macau is like Dubai, with cranes everywhere, very much a city on the rise. The hotels are big and ostentatious but don't take themselves too seriously; it's more about the gambling than anything else. Shanghai is just incredible, and by far my favourite of the three. You simply cannot comprehend how big it is. It's busy and noisy, but just the most amazing place, a city with ambition. It wants to be recognised as one of the biggest and best cities in the world and they're definitely on their way to achieving that. With EXPO coming to town in 2010, there is construction going on everywhere and the architecture of the new buildings is phenomenal. However, it has definitely retained its character and you still have to dodge the rag and bone men riding down the pavement with their carts, ringing their bells, and spitting right in front of you! It's a great mixture of old and new.

How did you feel coming back to London?

I was happy to come back in terms of seeing everyone at work again and going home to see the family, but was absolutely gutted to leave Shanghai. I can't wait to get back!