China

One of my oldest friends and my father are both travelling (separately) in China at the moment. On Thursday I got emails from both of them, they offered oddly different perspectives -

One wrote from Guangzhou

“So far the people are [as] expected not so friendly... I had asked this guy if he could take a photo for me and his girlfriend yelled out really loudly "no". I was so surprised. But am used to it now as most people seemed hesitant. Not sure why.”

While the other wrote from Chengdu

“The Chinese really know about service and we have been treated with great courtesy and friendliness.”

I don't know if it is the different regions but I suspect it may be that the first is a forty-something Chinese New Zealand woman, visiting the region her family came from, while the second is a sixty-something Scottish New Zealand man.

I think the whole experience must be quite odd for my friend. Her emails have the same sense of being a stranger in a strange land her dispatches from South America and the USA had (she is quite the traveller) and yet it must be somewhat different being in her ancestral lands.

Anyway I have to say China is not really on my list of places I'd like to go. Maybe Hong Kong, but probably just on the way elsewhere. If I'm going to Asia, I'd go to Korea and/or Japan. Still me travelling for 'fun' is pretty unlikely. I found two trips to Australia in December/January more than stressful enough thank you.

Back from the grave again

Ok, another attempt to revive my blog starts today - what should I write about?

How about another notable returns from the grave - by which I mean Don Brash's political career.

I am not and will never be an ACT supporter. I am not and will never will be a National Party supporter. I am not an old white guy fearful of losing my (unearned) privileged place in society. So I am really not the target audience. But SERIOUSLY, Don Brash? He is the best hope of the right wing in New Zealand, it new exciting leader?

I guess this makes this one of my 'Things I'll never get' posts.

Be the Root!

I've been feeling pretty crap for the last few weeks but yesterday something good happened. I came across something really really funny that had me sniggering for hours. The original hilarity has died down, but it still makes me laugh and that is good.

So thank you Evergreen of Canada for your truly surreal campaign imagery.
You cheered me up and provided me with a new catchphrase I plan to use whenever possible.