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.

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)

a new meaning of 'recycle'

From Miss P. says

In Europe, there is an obsessive pre-occupation with recycling services. One must have the correct box for the correct re-cycable items, and they must be put out for collection on the correct day. Woe betide any local council who asks their inhabitants to make the effort to DELIVER the said reusable items themselves - it simply is too much. There are school runs to perform, dates to make, volunteering to do, family to care for and that is before we have even done the shopping (to buy more things to re-cycle) or been to work - right?

The fundamental difference that I have noticed, is that people see these discarded 'residual' goods to be of no value to them. If a person receives no immediate reward for taking the bottles to the bank, then they find the task harder. In my current home country, there is a visible value in these items. Many people make a living (ok- at the lowest level, a survival) out of recycling. Some of the wealthiest people in the country have made it through the re-cycling industry.

Everyday I see people with sacks of plastic bottles and inconceivable loads of wood / paper / polystyrene on their trikes. Just as I step out of my front gate, there is an unofficial patch belonging to a local man, who is either off gleaning 'stuff' or hanging out, perhaps bargaining with a passing trader over the buying price for their haul of plastic bottles. I have several times found him 'dismantling' electrical goods with a hammer. The streets are constantly host to the sound of makeshift hand bells rung by the 'rag and bone' trike men who will happily enable you to dispose of almost anything - these folk can be found exploring communal rubbish bins, en masse, at night. There appears to be almost nothing they will not consider.

It's a classic picture - the overloaded bike/trike or moped in a developing country. but still, it fascinates us 'westerners'. To me it is just a constant reminder of the ingenuity of man, the lengths people will go to to achieve their living, and the privileged world I have been born into.

pick pocket

I saw a pick pocket the other day, round the corner from my home! shocker. he was actually running alongside a woman as she cycled along with her little bag over her shoulder. he was leaning over and trying to un-zip the bag as he ran along beside her. By the time i worked out what he was doing they were so far down the street i couldn't do anything, which begs the question, what does one do it this case? shout "stop! thief! and embark on a chase hopefully gaining the assistance of another member of the public?

In this country I'm not sure what i would do really, were I quick enough off the mark. I think I would say something, but I saw others better placed to help (ie, native speakers, also on bikes) who also noticed this event and who did nothing, just sort of watched to 'see what would happen' perhaps. Or maybe they were also so stunned that the victim and persuant were gone before they had a change to act. Who knows.

I have never had my bag picked (except that time in Brussels train station when they sole my sisters camera from my bag) but am certainly much more aware of it now.

down my street today

My street 001

I had a really nice walk home from the restaurant where i met friends for lunch. It is so nice to a have a couple of extra days off and just pootle about doing not very much. i have already watched 4 DVDs, although that's hardly surprising as I was suffering from a huge hangover on Thursday.

anyhow, I just wanted to show you how my street looks, now that the weather has improved, and the trees are coming out in the French Concession area. It's beautiful. I'm now waiting for the much talked of mosquitoes and roaches to appear, but as of yet (touch wood) I have not suffered from either. I have had a few mysterious bites, and yesterday I found a funny worm/silverfish thing in the dust under the bed (that'll teach me to be such a lazy cleaner) It's a good job I'm not too squeemish. I do however have a strong memory of reaching blindly into my washbag in Madagascar last year, and having a huge cockroach run up my arm as I disturbed him in his little hidy place ( my wash bag! ) I don't fancy a repeat of that this summer.

I definitely need to get a cleaner. this place is so DUSTY. it just gets everywhere.

The roof

They are building a roof on the old blocks next door to my apartment. They start at 6.30 am everyday, and work till sundown. It has been a bit quieter over this national holiday weekend, but i thought i would show you a picture anyhow.! The weather today is hot and hazy, around 24 degrees. it's wonderful, but a bit too hot for walking around or sitting in the sun ( unless you are very close to a pool!)

The IKEA Effect

YES - it appears that I have been rather lazy AGAIN! and not written anything. I have been busy, finding a flat, moving in, going to England for a week, and then just working like a crazy thing for my new job. I've also managed 2 trips to IKEA (yes - they have it here - and not surprisingly it is IDENTICAL to Europe - how boring.) It amuses me that people all flock to the store, apparently to just 'hang out' and sit on nice sofas for a chat, and take photos of nice bedroom set ups and portraits of their kids sitting in 'trendy' furniture.

last weekend, I blasted round the store in true native style, scattering my fellow shoppers as if it were a supermarket sweep. Having spent the last few years of my life surrounded by IKEA furniture and accessories, i am truly sick of the place and have made a pact with Mr V. to NEVER BUY ANOTHER PIECE OF FURNITURE THERE! This vow excludes kitchen accessories, cushions and bedding, all of which i was desperatly in need of and do not cast any shadows on my life. the fact that most rental appartments of any decency here are fully IKEA furnished, is an unavoidable hazzard. My hope is that I need never increase the pain by purchasing any more.

more soon,
x

extreme climates

The last three weeks have whizzed past in a whirlwind of packing, travelling, and generally having a rather exciting time. I think I shall write seperate pieces about it all, because it is rather diverse. In short, I've packed up my life, had a beautiful sunny and hot week in Thailand, Diving and relaxing, followed by an emotional farewell in Bangkok airport, and now here I am in my new home city under 2 inches of snow, freezing cold, and the whole country is in a pre-holiday frenzy as the CNY approaches and they are going to visit family.

I arrived Last Sunday, and am now installed in "Sun Shine International serviced appartments" as a temporary measure.My suitcases, however did not arrive. I'd sent them on from London,before I left, to avoid carrying them all the way to Thailand. So I have spent the first week wearing an interesting collection of 'beachwear' layered with as many teeshirts and tops to keep warm! Luckily my cases arrived on Friday to save the day.

What to name my new home? Well, I would use it's real name, but i don't need to, since anyone reading this actually knows where I am. The name of the city means "City By The Sea" so that is what I shall call it.

Snow is very unusual here, I think the last time it snowed like this was 20m years ago ( it gets longer every time i speak to someone about it...) and they are utterly ill-equipped for it. No grit, no clearing, nothing. the airport has shut down, the roads are a quagmire of freezing slush, and all the taxi's are hiding because they don't want to crash their cars. For a newcomer who speaks no language and has no clue where she is, it's all rather strange, not to mention dehabilitating. I am confined to a small area that I can walk within, being careful not to skid and fall over in the snow.

I am Tired from my first week in the Office here, getting to know my teams of colleagues, and just taking it all in. This morning I have found a global cafe and got myself online, which is quite a relief, as anyone who knows me will know that I do have something of a addiction to the Internet.

wet

It is really wet in London at the moment. This is the view I get as I walk to the office in the mornings. Utterly depressing, although I have to admit I am guilty of randomly breaking into a huge grin, because I know I am leaving soon, AND, even more exciting I'm going to Thailand next week to go diving and get some real sunshine YES!

For the moment I sit at my computer, feeling guilty because I have not written my blog for a bit, while Mr V watches a bank robber film on TV, and cooks fish pie. I just looked back at my blog and realised that I have recently over-used inverted commas, which is quite annoying to read. I shall try to avoid it in future. I have also realised that I tend to capitalise words that I think are important, and not those that actually warrant it. I'm sure you reading people don't mind. I've never won any medals for my grammar.

I met my friend HC from The Olympic City yesterday. We had some drinks in the pub and made plans to meet up once i'm settled in my new home. I'm really looking forward to it! Tonight I have to pack a suitcase to post to The City By The Sea. ( those caps are deliberate by the way)