The first 24 hours ...
Woo hoo ... we're in China! We've been here for about 3 days now but here's my experience within the first 24 hours in China. Man oh man... were we in for a treat. Getting in wasn't too bad. It could have been worse. We were luckier than the guy who was left behind by the bus driver because he didn't feel like waiting! No questions asked at the crossing, it was smooth sailing. Then the fun started ...- People, cars, buses, bikes, motorcycles, vans, trucks, EVERYTHING ... everywhere. We thought we've seen bad in Rome, Malaysia and Ian in Mexico, but this beats it all. It is total chaos！There are people walking across highways，standing/sitting/squatting on the medians，vehicles driving the wrong way，people getting onto motorcycles in the middle of the road ... holy crap.
- Then there are the scooters and bikes; whole families on them! Mothers hanging onto babies with no pant bottoms in the back of a scooter while dad is driving. No helmets of course. And these little vehicles are used to trasnport everything and anything from trees to mattresses. Very impressive. Oh yes, and then there are these motorcycle taxis you can hire. Interesting ...
- Tiled exteriors on buildlings for easy cleaning. Imagine the work it would take to lay all those tiles!
- Cigarette packets for sale in candy vending machines.
- Saluting security guards for condo buildings.
- And the best one of all ... chicken feet on the go. I like chicken feet and all but this is pushing it. Yummm...
posted by Jenni @ 1:29 AM
3 Comments:
OMG, China flashback... one of the things that stuck out in my head that took some getting used to was intersections!
Normal North American scenario: when you get a green light, cars that are going straight go straight through. Right-turners usually can go too, but yield to pedestrians crossing the same way. Left-turners wait until there is no oncoming traffic or pedestrians crossing (some still have a problem digesting all this, but it usually works out) and then go. Seems to be a reasonable system.
Normal Chinese scenario: whoever gets into the intersection first wins the right of way!! Left-turners can get into the intersection first and block oncoming traffic, so they get to go first. Right-turners get blocked by the throng of cyclists/mopeds, but somehow snake their way through the crowd. I think you get the raw end of the deal if you go straight -- straight-goers try to zoom in a show of force but end up slamming on the brakes because the opposing-left turners totally block them. Actually, pedestrians get the raw end of the deal -- no one cares about them -- not even other pedestrians (think: elbows up).
Although it seems foreign, magically it works. In the couple months I spent there I saw tons of disabled cars due to poor maintenance, but no accidents! How do they avoid hitting each other?!
Unfortunately, Dongguan has not been so lucky. We saw 3 accidents on the way home one day and an 18 wheeler tipped on its side on the highway. The potholes on the highways here are terrible.. it's somewhat amusing to watch our driver swerve throuh 3 lanes to avoid the potholes. I think we're sticking to trains a little more from now on :)
mmmm.... Chicken feet to go... I wish they had that here. Although, it doesn't look so appealing in an air tight bag.
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