Back online

I must have passed some test because we are back online with blogger. Hopefully it will stick around. Moving to Suzhou on Monday has been both exciting, disconcerting and at times perplexing, but I can already see that this will be a place that I will really enjoy and no doubt miss someday. I'm finding my language skills very hit and miss... numerous times I've tried to say things and have people just stare back at me blankly... and talking about stares... as a westerner we are constantly stared at. It's quite frustrating at times. Sometimes some people just stand right next to you and look at you. No doubt trying to hear some English, or who knows? It must be kind of like what it feels to be a celebrity.

Many things are unusual or strange in this place, like the driving. Firstly - I have to let you know of my credentials to comment on bad driving. I've taken cabs in many cities around the world including so called 'dodgy' areas in Asia, and I was in an accident in a cab in Madrid once, so it is with all honesty that I say that the drivers here in China are extremely scary at times, and one cabbie (our first) driving from Shanghai, was undoubtedly the scariest and worst driver I have ever seen. Usually I like to console myself with the thought that they do in fact no what's going on and that although things work differently here, that we'll arrive to our destination safely. But the taxi accident in Madrid has already disproved that theory. The other day - our second in Suzhou I saw three different accidents in one day - I didn't actually see them happen, but I saw the after effects and all the yelling and arguing. They all looked minor, but it's no surprise really that this happens....

People drive down the wrong sides of streets, turn right or left when they have a red light, run lights, and are constantly making 2 lanes into 3, 3 lanes into 4 and so on.... I'm sh*t scarred most of the time.... but I think, getting used to it... And that whole theory for pedestrians of just taking a leap of faith and walking out in front of traffic when you have a green light is definitely flawed. I've seen pedestrians inches away from being plastered about the place... There's a hierarchy - 1) cars and other vehicles.... 2) bikes and 3) people.... you have to remember your place.

Oh, and there's no seatbelts in taxis.... just one in the front passenger seat, which the driver always goes at great lengths to try to explain that you don't need it. Usually you can't actually physically connect them anyway. So it's a bit of a step back in time to the 1960s or 70s or whenever we last didn't have seatbelts....

The image that accompanies this post is one of the views from our place.