Back from China

Its a different blog title because it doesn't happen very often, unlike many of the other blog titles I've been using since this thing started.

So today's post is something about my trip to China, and something about how I think China works, or more accurately, how it sort of works. You'll see what I mean.

I'm not really sure how to start. But I think Alex had it right when he described the country as 'half-baked'. Everything seems to have a bit of Not Quite Right (NQR) quality about it. One large factor is definately their English translations. While I understand that English is clearly a foreign language in China, they would have at least had some native English speaker to proofread their publications before sending them out to the printer, especially when their intention is to entertain Western guests. For one, their spacing is a bit NQR; they don't put spaces in between words, and for another, they seem to have trouble with grammar. I'd write out the examples, but a photo would do it more justice, so you'll just have to wait.

But then, some might ask that if everything is a bit half baked, how do they keep recording such phenomenal economic growth? Well... I think its because they have so much to catch up on. They have the ability to make things that reaches the same standard of quality that you'd expect from a Western product, but they just don't have the right psyche. Actually, its quite similar to Australia. They seem to have the idea that a slap-dash job will do most of the time. Its reflected in the way their rooftop signs are always held up by ugly iron bars that seem to come straight from the time where that NYMEX sign was built in Richmond, Melbourne. Its also reflected in the way they make roads. Theres bumps everywhere... even on brand new roads... and the expressways. That is, bumpy enough to almost lose your stomach when the bus goes over it.

So even though they are building and making things at record speeds, the things they're building aren't that great. It doesn't really matter what kind stuff you build, it seems that if you have enough of them, it doesn't really matter at all. So all they do is build heaps of everything, including giant factories and other random stuff.

Anyway, theres part one, I've only got 5 mins of net left... so we'll leave the rest for another day.

Another day

Today we (or at least some of us) went to Ocean Park, which is one of the theme parks here in Hong Kong. It was quite enjoyable, though we didn't exactly go on that many rides. Apparently all you're supposed to do is go on rides, but we only went on about three, if you don't include the cable car that goes from one half of the park to the other.

Its quite strange really, one half of the park has stuff, and the cable car takes you over a couple of mountains to where the other half of the park has been built. So there isn't really all that much in between, besides hills and err... native fauna.

Anyway, we saw lots of ocean creatures, as you might expect, and we also saw the couple of giant pandas they have there. Don't really know how pandas are related to the ocean, but then it is a tourist attraction, so I guess it doesn't really matter. Theres a video of one of them doing a poo, which I may post on you-tube when we get back. Other notable animals would include jellyfish and giant sting rays.

The other big highlight was Alex's first ride on a roller coaster. In his words, it was "everything I expected". That includes the screaming and blasphemous "OMG" that inevitably comes out during such adventures. If I could have had a video of the event, it would have been enough leverage to get Alex to do anything... well... almost.

Hong Kong

Finally I have the motivation to post. Its been quite a while and a lot has happened, but I've only really posted this time because I'm actually in a different country, and will be for the next month or so.

I'd upload pictures if I could, but unfortunately theres no memory card reader on these PCs, so its a little hard to, but there will be at least one going up when I get back.

We only came up on Monday night, so only been here a couple of days or so. Its been good so far. We have a decent hotel room, and everything is really cheap (though not necesarily good for you). We went around the habour and stuff, saw all these big fat buildings you don't really see in Melbourne, and then walked around some more (and that was just the first day). The second day involved a lot of walking and stuff as well, some shopping, and err... lots of eating.

Did I mention we've been eating? Oh yes...

Anyway, thats it from me so far. Hopefully lots of updates later in the ttip!