Around the world in just one day

A World Exposition brings people together, both figuratively and literally, and at the mammoth Shanghai Expo site, it is more literal than ever, as you have numerous chances to be in close proximity with many others, even if its just getting in one line to qualify for another line.

Don't even think of seeing the pavilions of the wealthier nations.

However, the queue for the provinces of China is reasonable. The problem is, once inside, some of the pavilions require more waiting. I thought I'd pop into the Zhejiang house and see how my hometown is doing. But the translucent bamboo-enclosed fixture had 100-plus visitors standing outside. The waiting time? Three hours.

Three hours could get me to the farthest corner of Zhejiang the real province.

The country used to queue for a bag of rice, a slice of meat or even a movie ticket. Now, we do the same for the extravaganza of wall-to-wall LED panels and projections, arguably the most ubiquitous feature of this event.

No, I'm not complaining. Just look at the numbers: The Expo is open for a mere six months. Only 70 million can get in. Throw in the foreign visitors, and that comes down to roughly 5 percent of China's population, or slightly less than that of the Yangtze River Delta.

Interestingly you cannot fail to notice the sudden visibility of lots of disabled people. You'd never have thought that an Expo would create a better platform for elevating the profile of China's wheelchair-bound than the Paralympics.

My father is paralyzed and uses a wheelchair. I once tried to talk him - in vain - to have a tour of Shanghai. Now I guess he can rent out his chair for a small profit. You see, some of those in wheelchairs, after getting priority service and jumping to the front of the line, magically rise up and leave the chair as moving storage for their hand luggage.

From my feet-blistering day at the park, I offer these tips: If you go in a group, make sure every member is talkative. You're going to have a chat fest. Bring a couple of parasols unless you want a really uneven tan. Bring a deck of cards if you want to chill out. Foldable chairs will make you look like a genius, albeit a grandmotherly one.

Charge your electronic gadgets. If you go alone, an electronic reader loaded with an encyclopedia is a smart idea - OK, perhaps not, I went through my complete collection of Jay Chou albums, which I preloaded on my MP3.

Be sure to get one of those Expo passports. They sell out fast. It is addictive to have it stamped at each pavilion. I started by laughing at those who stood in one more line and jostled for an imprint. But before I knew it, I got hooked. I deliberately chose the multi-nation joint pavilions to get as many commemorative stamps as possible. It quickly evolved into a ritual. I noticed people whose sole purpose was to get the funny visas. They didn't even bother to enter the pavilions or browse the exhibits.

I think Egypt understood people like us the most. They shut down their pavilion for renovation but still offered the stamping service. Now I can brag I have been to Egypt - ahem, the Egypt Pavilion - one of the 69 countries and provinces I symbolically conquered.

Well, in case anyone misunderstood me, let me sum up: the Expo has a lot to offer. Just wear a pair of comfortable shoes.

?