First there were the orange Mobike then I started seeing the green ones, then the big yellow ones and soon afterwards, on Donghu Lu I saw some blue ones. What is happening here? It’s like the United nations of bicycle rental in Shanghai. I mean how many do we need here? I went to what… Read More »
Maybe I have been in Shanghai too long and have forgotten what it was like to be an exotic creature. Those years in Nanjing were spent as the object of curiosity, a strange and exotic fruit from foreign lands. People stared at me, they pushed their kids towards me telling them to speak English to… Read More »
There was a Chinese doctor installed in one of the small rooms at the office today and we were encouraged to have a go. I went, with no special problems to be fixed, but just to have a look. He immediately plugged me into an electronic version of acupuncture. It was two heated pads which… Read More »
I only went to Marks and Spencer for some socks now that winter is around the corner and I have packed away my flip flops and sandals. I wasn’t planning on buying any food but I saw a rack full of heavily discounted food and when I looked at it I couldn’t believe it was… Read More »
I eventually got around to registering myself on the Mobike app so that I could whizz along the streets like the other cool dudes on my orange wheels. I had to take a photo of my passport and then a selfie of me holding same passport and then pay a deposit using Wechat and then… Read More »
There was a talk going on at the office today about the benefits of coworking spaces. That basically means sharing an office with strangers. It’s become quite popular nowadays especially among creatives. I believe it helps by exposing people to other complimentary companies. I have certainly found some interesting and useful people in such places.… Read More »
The Center is a large and very expensive block of offices right in the heart of the French Concession and the home to multinational companies and embassies. Around The Center there is a lovely big space where you can see dancing aunties every evening and kids on skateboards and people playing badminton. All life goes… Read More »
I knew it was too good to be true. 27 days to get a visa!! Haha – never believe anything anyone here says. My agent – who I am becoming a little dissatisfied with – has submitted my paperwork twice in order to get a licence to emply people (specifically myself) but on each occasion… Read More »
I was expecting the heat when I returned to Shanghai from the UK but what I wasn’t expecting was the deluge which greeted me. The first ‘night’ I couldn’t wait any longer than 3pm to hit the sheets and woke up at what my phone told me was 7pm. The room, which I was expecting… Read More »
I have come to the attention of the police! I was cycling, as I always do, along Fuxing Lu towards Jaishan Lu when I was pulled over at the junction with Sha’anxi Nan Lu. The policeman pointed at the ‘No cycling’ sign and I apologised and got off my bike and started pushing it on… Read More »