A terrific day for DressMonkey was highlighted by some lengthy trips, amazing noodles, fabric molesation and many more small miracles, all accomplished on less than 200 kuai. Here's how:

Dawn broke this morning at 5:00 am. The sun had risen and so had I, the first time my DressMonkey schedule forced me to do so. (which some of you friends reading this may note often occurs at very lengthy, irregular, but NEVER early hours) The destination I was bound for was 3 hours away by bus, and boasts one of the world's largest fabric markets. I was in for quite a day, and it didn't start out exactly as I had planned. Unbeknownst to everyone I talked to, the bus station where I was supposed to start my journey had actually closed down, and there I was at 6:15 in the morning, with no clue how I was going to get to the Mecca of fabric buyers. Luckily, I recalled in my procrastionation efforts at my previous job, an article on the shanghai railway station claiming to have just opened "the biggest long distance bus terminal in the world." As those of us who live here all know, Shanghai claims to have the world's biggest just about everything so this was no crazy new addition. (I know there is some dude here working on the world's biggest ball of twine, yet another reason to leave Nebraska). So I arrived at the bus station and paid 160 kuai for a round trip ticket, which unfortunately was about 100 kuai more than I thought it would cost (I left the house with exactly 200 kuai). Now, given that I had just dropped 30 kuai on the cab to the bus station, I had 10 kuai left on me (thats 1.20 USD for those not in the know, not a lot of money, even in Shanghai) for the REST OF THE DAY. In the words of the immortal Dr. Tobias Funke, "I had just blown my wad." I arrived at my destination, and I quickly found the bus to the behemoth of a fabric market, 2 kuai gone, 8 left and not an ATM machine in sight. I proceeded to walk around for 6 hours, and don't think I even covered 1/3 of the whole place. Very good leads found on exactly the fabric we're looking to offer, so in all due respects, today was an excellent day for the Monkey of Dress.

I made mention to a practice that I have quickly dubbed "fabric molestation" in my intro, and perhaps I should explain as anyone in the textile world or even anyone who has purchased raw textiles may already know what I'm writing about. Basically, those who are buying textile in bulk form are not concerned so much with how it looks, but more on how it feels, and rightfully so. Those who analyze fabric have a very strange way of touching fabric, and I'll be honest its borderline creepy. I brought several samples of what I wanted to duplicate with me, and every time I showed them, they didn't so much want to look at it, but wanted moreso almost actually stimulate themselves with the fabric. On more than one occasion, I saw a guy touching a fabric actually make the "O" face. And when they touched my precious samples, they didn't just touch, they rubbed it on their hands, arms, and even face sometimes. Some textile nerds are creepy, but I'm willing to tolerate a certain degree of fabric molestation, only if it gets me a good price.

My stomach started to growl and I realized that the Cap'n'Crunch I stuffed in my mouth on my way out the door wouldn't count for 2 meals so I meandered over to the local Xinjiang noodle place. Good thing I did, because I had the best fried noodles I've ever had in China, and it was all for 2 kuai. 6 kuai left, ATM's found, but they don't accept my card, and when they do, all I can choose from is "Deposit" or "Transfer." This doesn't make me feel less nervous about my lack of money at this stage. 3:30, a shitload of samples, a full stomach, and a new layer of filth on my sandals and its time for me to get on the bus back to the bus station to catch my ride to Shanghai. Bus ticket is 3 kuai back, I argue, but no avail. 3 kuai, 150 miles from home. After a long busride, I arrived at the Shanghai Bus Station, and still couldn't find a damn ATM. So I took the subway, where, unfortunately I was 1 kuai short of getting to my ideal subway station. I was tired, dirty, and sweaty and the last thing I needed to be was 1 kuai short, but I dealt with it and walked the extra 10 mins home from a different subway station. But after all that anguish, it proved to be a great day for DressMonkey, and a glorious day for the Frugal Traveler.