Wulumuqi Lu

There's a mouthful of a road name. It took me some time to get it right (and I'm not even sure if I am right still, but the taxi drivers get me) "woo loo moo chi lu" for those of you who are wondering. I love walking down this street. there are lots of little everyday shops and life bustles in the street. the traders are all really friendly. It's a little corner of chinese life, and it always makes me smile.

A quick cuppa

Today we are mostly drinking 'Hong Cha' this is translated as 'red tea' and is as close to the familiar 'black tea' as you are going to find in a Chinese tea shop. In fact if you go in and ask for black tea, they will smile knowingly and say that you must mean 'hong cha'.

Since our recent supply of PG tips has run out on us, we are resigned to drinking Hong cha. I actually really like it, as it reminds me of Earl Grey, it has a properly flowery flavour, and we drink it with milk, although I'm sure this act would make any self respecting Chinaman shudder. Mr V is taking some time to acclimatise to the new tea, for precisely the same reason that I am so taken by it. it's not rough enough for him. what a philistine.

This tea we bought in Carrefour, from the tea seller. It was 4.50 RBM per 50g.

the big descision

Once again I am found guilty of being a bit slow on the updates. Well as of today I have decided - who cares? The sky hasn't fallen in - and, as Mr V. would say "no children have died".

This however is not 'the big decision'. Mr V and I have decided after much consideration that we will be returning to the UK. This might sound crazy to all you people presently residing there amidst economic recession, and rising unemployment (more on that later) BUT - we have given this place a shot - and frankly, on this occasion, it ain't cutting it for us.
here are the big reasons for coming back:

1. We can't find any work here.
2. All or 'stuff' is in storage in the UK.
3. we are missing things like:
- getting in the car and driving somewhere
- going out on the bikes for a ride
- green places
- friends and family
- pub lunches
- my sewing machine (that one is just for me you understand.)
- Sky TV (I put that in for Mr V. since he is a telly addict.)

there are lots of other little things but you get the gist. I admit I am slightly afraid I have romanticized 'back home' perhaps due to watching too many episodes of 'Lewis' and 'Midsommer Murders'. I'll just have to deal with that when the tabloid reality kicks in.

The more we prepare for our departure, the more I think of small experiences or places that I know I will miss here. Things I want to try and fit in before we leave. Not to mention all the different food I want to get 'one last taste' of before I have to resign myself to 'chicken and cashew nuts' from a british Cantonese takeaway. I have have become a chinese food snob, no doubt about that.
More soon (well, maybe not that soon, but whenever I get round to it)