Tom |
An irregular blog.
The previous post is Enroute to Guangzhou (May 25).
The next post is Hong Kong (May 27).
I also have a photo gallery that I'm not sure what to do with.
Comics:
Achewood,
Day By Day,
Gunnerkrigg Court,
I CAN HAS CHEEZBURGER,
Not From Concentrate,
Penny Arcade,
Strongbad's Email,
Sunday Morning Breakfast Cereal,
The Perry Bible Fellowship,
Xkcd,
Music:
Blentwell,
DI.fm,
Soma.fm,
Tokion FM,
Spacing Guild:
Craig, Dave, Eric, Evan, Josh, Katie, Matt, Nick, Phil, Tony, Yin,
Blogs:
Asymmetrical Information,
Baby Bunia Chronicles,
Boysbriefs,
Church of the Masses,
CQG,
Eidos,
Eve Tushnet,
Free Exchange,
Giveawayboy,
Glitter For Brains,
Heretical Ideas,
Εν αÏ?χη ην ο Λογος,
James Lileks,
Jimbo.Info,
Joe. My. God.,
John Heard,
Ling the Merciless,
Little Yellow Different,
Merrilee's Overseas Travels 2010,
Sed Contra,
Sinobling,
The John Larroquette Project,
The Neutral Corner,
This Blog Sits at the,
Thomas P.M. Barnett,
Waiter Rant,
Ze Frank,
Hikers:
Bigfoot (that's me!)
Magaroni
Stanimal
Walk On
feeds: ,
Life on the train is good for my health — sleeping, eating, sitting, eating, and more sleeping is all I do, apart from the occasional conversation and lying down for a spell. My journal is now up to date and I’ve started on an itinerary for the next entry: Beijing through central China as fast as possible West towards the desert. If I can move quickly enough, I may swing back East at the end. Then I return to Hong Kong by hook or by crook where I will need to buy another visa.
...
The sun has set. I fixed-up (read “added hot water to”) a sichuan-beef flavored noodle cup with a small vacuum-sealed Harbin sausage for desert. No, wait — I had a chocolate covered soft cookie thing for desert, and I’ve saving a package or Ritz creme-sandwich crackers for later.
...
Trying to record some thoughts.
Getting around the country is easy and cheap. The rail system goes everywhere, and if there is no train, there is a bus, or a mini-bus, or a taxi, or a motorbike, or a pedicab. There’s even planes if you’re willing to pay the premium (a cross-country flight probably costs more than a median middle-class month’s salary). Anyhow, after all that travel, you are probably within walking distance of your destination. On the train, hard sleepers are comfortable, though you share close quarters with families and business travelers. Bring noodle-cup meals, packaged meats, fruits, nuts, and maybe even some chicken feet or cookies. Bring your small washrag, a pair of slippers, and a small glass or metal thermos for tea. Depending on the train, you may get piped music or television showing ads, chinese comedy, and various dubbed foreign films.
In town, the buses may be packed tight, so keep your hand on your wallet. If you can’t read Chinese, spend the time to recognize your destination, and a map and compass are handy. If you can see out a window, you’ll get a view into the traffic, but you will get a better view from the front seat of a taxi — try not to get ripped off — or on foot. In America, proper driving is bounded by written and unwritten rules; break them and risk road rage. In America, road rage is yellow, gesturing, and the horn. In China, there aren’t many rules to break, and road rage is uncommon. If you want to cross double yellow lines to pass during a lull in the oncoming traffic, or turn left from the right-most lane, stop to pick up passengers, orpull through pedestrian swarms, honk. Life as a pedestrian is similarly carefree. To cross the road, it’s simple. First, step out into traffic. Second, work your way — Frogger style — to the far side of the road. You’ll only be hit if your kung-fu is weak.
The state filters the internet, censors movies, limits travel and controls reproductive rights. On a personal level the Chinese people seem less up-tight and self-conscious and more individualist and innocent (from my perspective as laowai). If you want to talk on your phone, set up a late-night fried-noodle kitchen outside the clubs, set your prices for each customer, or drive across traffic, you can. ...hmm. That list doesn’t convey the feel of China I want to remember — the laid-back hustle, the innocent naivety, the casual lack of privacy. I’m not sure which images to use.
China is also dirty. I came previously from Tokyo, so the contrast struck me. You’ll find loose trash, construction debris, and dirt endemic (outside well-kept destinations). The buses and train gets dirty. But the people strive very hard to either clean up or maintain scrupulous personal habits. The lay down paper to sit on or else the squat. No-one goes barefoot. The eat everything with chopsticks and almost nothing with fingers (and only after washing). My middle-class American habits leave me feeling filthy.
People are friendly (both friendly — eager to help — and friendly — eager to over-charge), the country is easy to move around, and the best food is on the street. These are some of my impressions of the Eastern seaboard.
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