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Winter hadn't quite been shaken off when we left Lanzhou to go on our holiday with the family, but when we returned it was definitely gone. We’re back to our daily routine and it’s hard to remember how cold it was. The weather now is hot, dry and dusty. Actually its not that hot compared to home (30-34 degrees isn’t really a heatwave for us), but given we get about on foot a lot it feels hot. The roadworks below us generate a lot of dust too, of the very fine variety which rises in clouds as we walk through it, so the feet are always filthy. The locals nearby spray water everywhere to stop the dust clouds, but this then turns it into mud which we then walk into the apartment on our shoes and sandals. The warmer weather also takes the smell of the drains and rubbish in the street to a new level.
The summer is the wet time of year here, so we’ve been having a bit of rain. We often have a brief thunderstorm in the late afternoon – frequently preceded by a dust storm. The rain is minimal and the moisture doesn’t stay around long, but we’re told there will be lots more rain in a month or two. Dust storms we’re not used to. The fine dust gets in the eyes if we’re outside and finds its way into the apartment even when the windows are closed.
With the warmer weather of course the layers are off and the winter clothing has been packed away for good. One of the challenging things about winter was the need to add layers before going outside. Short of generally getting about the apartment in the thermals, that meant getting undressed, adding an extra underneath layer, then getting dressed again every time we went anywhere. Then, obviously, doing the reverse when returning home to the central heating again.
Anyway, always one to prefer being too hot to too cold, I’m enjoying the change, especially getting into the sandals and bare feet around the apartment. I’m also enjoying the special deliveries courtesy of Anna. I’m now appreciating drinking decaf coffee (sorry Jane, don’t know what happened to your parcel) without the dregs of milk powder and sweetener, cooking with tongs (sure beats cooking with a fork in each hand), panadol, butter menthols, perfume and assorted toiletries I inherited incidentally.
Water, water
We’ve also had some fun with the waterworks lately. A few weeks ago we heard rumours from two different sources that the water might be going off for a day due to maintenance – so we all duly filled our washing machines. Nothing happened. Then we went away to Dunhuang for a weekend (more on that later) and while we were away the water actually did go off for two days – good timing we thought. Then last Thursday we were told the water would be off in our building while they replaced the pipes. The water supply has generally been good here, so we were a bit surprised that they would be doing that, but not wanting to take any risks I filled the washing machine again. After two days without water the university sent the foreign teachers to a hotel downtown for two nights. Very nice, but we wondered why it couldn’t have waited a couple of weeks when most of the foreign teachers would have finished up or gone away for the summer break.
Counting Down
We’re now into countdown mode here. Owen having finished his teaching has exams on this week and is finding it very difficult to say the goodbyes. Having not worked, I haven’t made the close ties he has. It brings it home that I’ve had a less engaged year and that’s a bit sad, but at least it makes the leaving easier. I’ve enjoyed our time here and I will still miss the place and the shops and markets I visit regularly. I’ll have to tell the ladies in the supermarket when I’m going. A couple of them often give me tastes when I’m trying to find breads and nibbles that aren’t sweet – a bit of a challenge here. They write messages (in characters) for me to take away and "study". Most of the foreign teachers are moving on now. We’ve become quite a little community in the apartment block – a great feeling which we’ll miss.
We officially finish up here on the 15th July, but could be wrapped up sooner. If so we will do a little travelling on the way home. We had thought we’d have a month to head north and west before heading for home, but it now looks like we’ll be going straight home for a few weeks then off for another AVI assignment at a university in Vietnam. We’re becoming serial AVIs.
- comments
Zig Looking forward to seeing you back in Perth - if only for a short while!
avenel It'll be great to catch up