travelling day two

We made it!!  All the way to Wuhan.  The seven hour wait in the Shanghai airport was a long drag - we sampled lots of airport food and paid airport prices for a cup of tea just so we could sit in the comfy cafe chairs, and walked possibly seven kilometres around the terminal.  We arrived at midnight last night (2 am Brisbane time) and crashed.  Kerplunk.

We have adjusted well to the time difference - 2 hours behind Brisbane - it makes my sleeping in and nightowl like behaviour look legitimate.  The culture feels familiar - apart from the whole language barrier.  Crossing the roads is...let's call it 'adventerous'.

I can hear the autumn festival happening out the apartment window at the moment.  The girls had a ride on a merry go round in the apartment complex this afternoon.  There is a public holiday on Monday where we get to eat a 'mooncake'.

So today we:
- had a Chinese painting lesson in the morning - I discovered a love of calligraphy with a brush and ink and received my Chinese name AND learned the characters for it - Song Mai - apparently it means plumblossom and is a common name like Jane.  Annika loved doing the painting.

 - did some storytelling for a local English learning preschool - overacting crosses all language barriers as does a monster puppet

- participated in a tea ceremony - lovely!  I felt very welcomed and the tea was delicious.  Annika the cockatoo loved the sunflower seeds and Gab ate half a rockmelon.

- dumplings for dinner...yummm
- catching up with wonderful old friends

I am really proud of Gab and Annika as they have taken all the new things in their stride.  I was worried about Gab eating new food and being overwhelmed, but she has tried about ten new foods in the last two days.  Thank you to all those who have been praying for our children for travelling and settling - we notice and it is not in our strength.

I have commenced my language learning and have inflicted my terrible Chinese on several unsuspecting locals.  If I keep saying it maybe I will get it right!  I am sure I use an awful accent.

Stay tuned for more adventures travelling in Asia!

Chris' cultural tip: Don't assume a footpath is safe.
With busy cars, buses and trucks zooming past in a city of 10 million the road can be a dangerous place.  One handy thing is the traffic lights give a countdown timer so you know how long you have to try and get over the road before the lights change and you are in peril once again (although having a walking green light doesn't guarantee safe transit across the road, but it does keep the traffic hazards to a minimum).  With all that going on you could assume that the footpath is the safest place to be.  But you would be wrong.

There are these electric scooters that zoom around everywhere, but the road is only one place they can be found.  Footpaths are seen just as much as a valid thoroughfare for these vehicles.  And without a petrol motor they should be put in the "silent but deadly" category.  They can creep up on you as silently as a pushbike, but at greater speed and momentum.  So as you are attempting to make your way with a menagerie of small children in tow, the footpath can be a hazardous place you aren't counting on.  Don't assume a footpath is safe.