Friday 23 January 2009

Return

it seems pertinent 4142km to Manchester, 6.06 miles high, with an outside temperature of -54˚c to resolve the past 3 months in the way i've become accustomed. Except, now it seems more apt to describe things that have happened in anecdotal form, rather than describe personal perceptions about entire countries and my summary of their 'collective behaviour'. In 11 weeks in China i recall:
using the green line to Lougang Road subway station then transferring to the Maglev station en route for the airport. The world's first operational Magnetic levitation train growled and rumbled effortlessly into the station, the way only giant machines do. 8 minutes later, travelling 300kph we arrived. of course this would have been most impressive except starting the journey it took two minutes for the doors to open, then a further 6 minutes by a deserted platform for the doors to close. the train travelled 130kph slower than top speed as it does every morning and evening "for safety reasons"
the whole experience reminded me of being in the big cat room at the Beijing zoo.
speaking from outside of England: in england there is greener grass. the regular in flight meal leaving England was terrible, on the return the same meal was excellent.
jumped off the plane onto to the train, "hello ladies is this your first time in Manchester? It is, ah you're both French. Oh me i've been in China 3 months, doin a bit a this bitta that. How about you two, you've come from Switzerland and you're both nurses, oh right... here's my blog address and compass so you wont get lost. welcome to england, welcome indeed.