Bob Rogers, founder of BRC Imagination Arts, gives his seven golden rules on how to best plan your trip at Shanghai Expo.
Rule 1: Do your homework
Read everything you can before going. Really study the maps. Know the pavilions. Arrive at the entrance nearest to the things you want to see. Have a plan. It will make a big difference. If you know what you want to see and where you are going, you are more likely to get there and have a good time.
Rule 2: Allow plenty of time
Expo 2010 is the largest attraction event in the history of the world. It will take many days to see it. Plan to spend from five to eight days or more seeing it. Buy a season pass.
Rule 3: Pace yourself
Expo 2010 is enormous. The distances are punishing. It is better to spend a day seeing a single area than to run back and forth all over the site. Come back another day to see a different zone. Shanghai's summer is famous for being hot and wet. Drink lots of water! The combination of high heat, sun and walking will cause you to dehydrate quickly. Don't forget your hat and sunscreen. And remember to wear the most comfortable shoes you own. It doesn't matter what they look like.
Rule 4: Get going in May
Sometimes the weather is not as nice in May, but at many Expos the crowds are smaller in May and in early June than at any other time. That means the lines are shorter, so you can see more. And beware the last two weeks. During every Expo, people delay their visits and then in early October they suddenly wake up and say, "Expo will close soon! I haven't seen it!" As a result, the last several weeks usually have the most crowded days of the entire Expo. So start going in May when the crowds are smaller.
