Out and About

This seemed like a topical issue for today.  At the moment the ways I get around are by walking, tuk tuk, taxi and metro. Right hand traffic is the order of the land so I have to rethink trying to walk on the lefthand side!

Tuk tuk

Walking is hot work here because of the humidity.  I find that in general I walk a lot faster than everyone else and maybe that is why I arrive places flushed and with perspiration dripping down my back!  However, it seems that to get from A to B in the quickest fashion, walking quickly is the ticket.  However, I am finding that the Chinese people are very laid back and patient.  They expect things to take a long time, so I guess hurrying is not important to them.  When I can get away with it, I wear my running shoes, but going to and from school I usually wear my sandals.

Tuk tuks are all right for short distances and if you have a load of shopping.  Our compound does not let them in, so they have to let you off at the entrance and you walk from there.  It is not a great distance so it really doesn’t matter.  Most tuk tuks are electric, although I did see some traditional leg-powered bicycle versions in Beijing last year.  Those drivers must keep very fit!

Taxis are cheap and plentiful so I have used them frequently.  There are several sorts and you have to know the difference.  The surest is to take the metered taxis which are like taxis the world over - apart from the white sheeting they cover the seats with, which looks like fitted bed sheets.  Some of the taxis have a small TV screen behind the front passenger headrest for people in the backseat to watch.  Mostly it is advertising and in Chinese, so not very useful to me!  Then there are the illegal taxis.  You have to tell them where you are going and then negotiate a price for the trip.  To do this, you really have to know the metered cost or you will be taken for a ride (literally and figuratively!)  Finally, there are local taxis.  In our neck of the woods these are orange and I don’t exactly know the radius they stretch to.  

The metro has got to be the best value for money!  It is amazingly clean and efficient, particularly in rush hour when the roads can be very gridlocked.  (Of course the metro is packed like sardines at those times of the day, but that is another matter!)  The cheapest ride is 3 ¥ ( about NZ $ 0.60) and the most expensive - to the other side of the city - would be 8 ¥ (about NZ $1.75).  It’s a real bargain and if you miss one, there is usually another there within 3 minutes.

I have yet to tackle the buses, but I will do so at some stage to get to the metro station (which is sadly quite far away).

Entrance to my compound with guard

My compound is not gated, but has two guards on duty.  They also patrol around on bikes at all hours of the night and day.  I was told not to worry if I am walking alone and they follow me.  They are just making sure I arrive home safely.  Quite sweet.  They do get to know us as we wander past to work and back every day.  

There is a little old man and his wife who often bring a stool out and sit on the sidewalk with their baby grandson.  I stop and coo over him and so far could only say “hello” although after my Mandarin lesson yesterday I did attempt “good afternoon” which got me a huge grin.  

Oriental Pearl Tower at night

A friend and I were at Pudong the other evening and the area near the Oriental Pearl Tower (used for radio and TV transmission), the SWC Building (third highest int he world with 101 floors) and the Jin Mao Tower (an amazing building that has a central core you can view by leaning out over perspex and looking straight down) was all lit up.  Most of the shots were too dark, but you can see how beautiful and futuristic the Oriental Pearl Tower looks.  

In our local canals there are small fish and I have put this photo in to show you how they catch them.  There are two rods, I assume made of bamboo, with a net hooked between them.  The lower them into the water and wait until they think there are fish in there, then they pull them up.  They take them home in buckets tied to the side of their bicycles (although this man has his in a basket on the side of his bike).  I took this photo from my balcony.  

Man fishing in the canal

Well, that’s it for today.  It is raining so it has been a good day to write.

xx,

Shanghaisuz