Predictably I missed by train at Hakata. I thought the number 16 printed on my ticket was the platform. Not wanting to wait for the next train for which my ticket was valid I hopped on a bullet train bound for Osaka. To avoid unwanted attention from ticket inspectors I quickly sat down in the… Read More »
It was over 200 on the air quality index as I turned my back on Shanghai this morning. A short flight later and I am taking a huge intake of breath into my pollution choked lungs. It feels good, very good. Having been warned that nobody would be able to speak English here I quickly… Read More »
It had been a long time since I went out with my camera for the day and seeing as I had a rare weekend off I dusted my big SLR camera, wrapped up warm and headed out the door. It wasn’t long before I returned home having not taken the correct lens – an annoying… Read More »
It’s nice to be able to leave the classroom and go into the local park for a change. The students love it too and so we decided that the park should be the location for our filming. Each class was divided into four teams and was given a product to advertise. They spent two lessons… Read More »
don’t get me wrong, I like Chinese food but I couldn’t live on it permanently. In Nanjing it was easier because the local food was much better than in Shanghai. There is a limit to the amount of fried rice and noodle soup I can eat so sometimes I like to have a blow-out and… Read More »
I was surprised to stumble upon this church on my bicycle journey through the French Concession. The first thing I noticed about it was that it was illuminated as were the trees around it and it looked very beautiful. I parked my bike and thought I’d take a look inside – not having been inside… Read More »
A thought occurred to me when I was walking along Fuxing Lu today. I looked up and saw this dirty giant yellow truck with two hatches from which two men were peering. What is this truck? I couldn’t work it out. Why are their men inside looking out of the hatches. Nobody else seemed concerned… Read More »
This man and his fascinating contraption has been hanging around Nanchang Lu for a few weeks. When I first saw him I couldn’t work out what was happening. There was clearly something in the black cast iron oven being turned quickly over the fire but it wasn’t popcorn. Then after a few minutes he got… Read More »
They make my life hell those Post Office employees. They opened all my nicely packaged presents I was sending home for Christmas and rejected 2 bluetooth speakers and a penknife. I managed to throw the penknife back into the box when he wasn’t looking but really I think these people are too keen to say… Read More »
“Don’t be sad. Aunty Gwen has died” came the message on WeChat from my sister. Actually I wasn’t that sad because as we say in cricketing countries “She had a good innings”. Next week would have been her 104th birthday. She had outlived all her friends, her sister and even my brother, her great nephew.My… Read More »