Lost in Transition

Without doubt the most sublime way to overcome the jetlag and culture-shock of a ten thousand kilometer journey is to be utterly pampered by a loved one ... Massages, fantastic meals, a warm bed, a flat-screen tv, and metro passes. Dad layed it on thick playing the uber-host and it was lovely.

As a result, a full week into our trip and the whole six-month-epic-journey thing still hadn't "hit us". Shanghai felt more like an extremely extravagent all-inclusive rather than the start of some backpacking jaunt through Asia. Not complaining.

We did the usual tourist circuit of Shanghai during the day, and then dined with dad at some of Shanghai's yummiest restaurants. Lynn also braved the early morning street vendor breakfast-crepes and riceballs which were surprisingly delectable and not at all contentious with our digestive systems.

Point in fact, every single meal we've had here with maybe only one or two exceptions has been superb ... a total reversal since Dez's last trip to China where the food was icky-poo.

As far as we can tell, China is on a real upswing since the early 90's with recycling and no-smoking areas impressing us the most. Other advances in urban China include the ability to queue for tickets, less hoarking in train cars, and at least a 25-40% reduction in old-lady-shoving-you-aside. Staring (and we're talking a full on slacked jawed knuckle dragging stare) is still perfectly okay despite the fact that they don't like it when you stare back. It's not cultural if they're hypocrites about it. Apparently Lynn and I are something of an oddity as a white girl-yellow boy couple, but come to think of it, we're not a popular duo in Van either.

Anyway, bottom line is, our first week has been ridicu-fun. We (hopefully) will have attached pics with this our first blog entry ever. Internet is sketch here and our understanding of this blog program even sketchier.

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