One difference between Dubai and Shanghai: glitter and sparkles 15th March 2015 Shanghai I must say, it surely is a pleasant sensation to wake up on a Sunday morning with a fresh head. Not tentatively opening one’s eyes and gradually feeling the eyelashes to ascertain whether the makeup had been removed, I was indeed wearingContinue reading “Lady Danger! For all of 20 minutes…”
Author Archives: She went to Shanghai
Sunshine in fruit gums
One of the things that I have found really quite challenging in being so far away from home is the ever present guilt at not being there. It’s the little things like helping family with childcare or ‘knowing’, perhaps more apt, ‘thinking’ that you can make a difference if only you were there. Sometimes, however,Continue reading “Sunshine in fruit gums”
Disappointing
27th February I supposed it’s not a bad thing to be knocked back down to earth from time to time. When I was unsuccessful in an application this week, I was reminded of the time I stood, to my mind, straight, smart, attentive, answering the grueling questions delivered between stacked shelves of Anything Goes inContinue reading “Disappointing”
Temples & IceCream
Thursday 19th February As I lingered at the back of the temple, desperate not to do anything wrong or get in the way, the family set about preparing offerings to Buddha. Plastic red bowls were filled to the brim with fruit mainly although other offerings were also made – not sacrificial white dressed virgins, youContinue reading “Temples & IceCream”
Racing cars and making dumplings
Wednesday 18th Feb – still Chinese New Year and I’m still in Fenghua Breakfast was not reheated pork and cold prawns but sweet noodles. As I slurped my way through that small soup bowl of sugary sweet noodles, I couldn’t help but think that this was intrinsically wrong. Sweet…noodles…perhaps the prawns would have been a betterContinue reading “Racing cars and making dumplings”
Prawns & personality dissection before 8am
Wednesday 18th Feb When one has plenty of time to consider how they got themselves into a specific situation, such contemplation ultimately culminates in some sort of new conclusion regarding ones personality – for me it does, anyway. This morning, as I shivered, slightly dehydrated anxiously awaiting the household to stir, I decided that I take thingsContinue reading “Prawns & personality dissection before 8am”
Around the dinner table
Still Tuesday 17th February – Fenghua I am compelled to admit it, by the time the train arrived at the destination station I was really quite scared. Weirdly, and fitting for the frightened traveler, the station closed up as soon as we had all disembarked this, the last train. Everyone scuttled off in family cars;Continue reading “Around the dinner table”
At the train station
Tuesday 17th Feb Three cereal bars and a bag of celery is all I had time to grab as I left for the station – I’d ration it! All will be fine. On the way: mist and pollution. It occurred to me that the mist is a bit like a white sandstorm but creepier. WithContinue reading “At the train station”
Being decisive
Sunday 15th and Monday 16th Feb – Chinese New Year holidays To my dears at home, It occurred to me that I have not told you of some of the basic, ‘normal’ stuff that might help you picture my day-to-day life here. Perhaps such information will enable you to rationalise even visualise me in this world soContinue reading “Being decisive”
Guffaws, grunting and gut wrenching fear
14th February I lay, eyes closed, palms open and to the side of my body, ankles relaxed allowing the toe end of my feet to fall gently towards the floor. I enjoyed feeling my heart rate slow and my shoulders gradually sink into the yoga mat. ‘Aaaand breathe in through the nose; a long, deep breath;Continue reading “Guffaws, grunting and gut wrenching fear”
She went to Shanghai 