tourism promotes prosperity and wellbeing

Date: Fri, 2 Feb 2001
From: Ceels
Subject: tourism promotes prosperity and wellbeing

My god.

I just crossed two busy roads to get to the post office (this is where the internet is) and I don't know how long I am going to survive in this country if I have to keep crossing the roads. Even if I remember which way to look when I get to the curb, I am still convinced I am going to get swiped by something coming from the other direction (which is where my brain thinks the traffic is really coming from (which it would be if everyone drove on the left (which they don't (which is confusing me)))) and traffic turning the corner has right of way no matter what. And sometimes people don't stay on their own side of the road. And sometimes they ignore the traffic lights (as a general rule of thumb, it seems, the Chinese ignore the traffic lights unless there is a policeman on the corner watching)

Sorry, I didn't mean to tell you about the traffic. I meant to tell you about how I went to the Great Wall at Simatai yesterday and it blew my mind. I have nothing much to say about the Great Wall (there is nothing much to say) but I just wanted to note that I’ve been there.

Today we found the silk market, I shopped until my money ran out, and if they'd had a place to change travellers’ cheques, I’d have shopped until they ran out too. And if they'd had a place for credit cards... I don't even want to think about it. I have never been much one for shopping, but I have reformed, all I needed was bargaining. I love to bargain. I could shop all day if I was just allowed to bargain. I limited myself to things I’d need in China for the next six months (I really need a fake pashmina, I really do).

I can't believe I was ever horrified by the idea of not paying the price that someone was asking.

c