China

Well we stayed in Singapore for 1 month and have been sent to Tianjin, China for relief of another ops manager. We are supposed to be here about 2 weeks. We still have our apartment in Singapore. When we left Singapore on Thursday morning 18th of February 2009, it was about 80 degrees Farnienheit. When we arrived in Bejing at 15:00 that afternoon it was 34 degrees F. Talk about weather shock!!!! We had a couple of sweaters with us so Singapore being Singapore (expensive) we decided to wait to get here before purchasing any jackets. Let me tell you it was COLD and they had had their first snow of the year. About 10 minutes out of the plane, I started sneezing and I mean really sneezing like 20 times---as the stewardess was bringing me some tissues the PA was announcing that China reserves the right to deny admission to anyone that is sick ----- (Yikes I am thinking they are gonna put me on a plane back to Singapore) . I took some sinus meds and finally quit sneezing before we landed. As we left the airport (we had about 1 hour 45 min ride to Tianjin) began to get sleepy from the meds. I noticed that no traffic was on the road and felt comfortable enough to drift off -----I woke up about 30 mintues out of Tianjin and could not breath. Looking out I saw still no traffic but did see the roads were almost totally covered in snow as no one had been on them that day. All I could see was the paths of a few vehicles . Now I am worried about ice on the roads. Yikes I was not really comfortable again until we got to the hotel ---- Holiday Inn in TEDA -----earning more free nights ;)
The manager was a guy from Kansas of all places.
The hotel has three resturants ---one Brazilian, one Chinese and one continental. The first two nights we ate at the Brazilian one not bad and the third night we tried to Chinese ---well we will not try again until I can talk to Nancy(my Chinese friend in Ahmedabad) and see what to order!!!!! Saturday at lunch we ate at the Continental one and I told the waitress we wanted 1 order of spring rolls and a hamgurger each. Well the spring rolls came and we snacked on them and then out comes 1 hamburger ----she didn't understand each. So we have learned to say 2 hamburgers please. HAHAHAHA Last night we braved the non English speaking taxi and went out to a couple of places. Here you have a card that you give to the taxi driver and he will take you there. We originally had a magazine with an ad but have learned the card system so we are good to go. HA.
Today while Bill was at work I had the lady in the Club Lounge write the name of a supermarket for me to go do and also things I needed toothpaste, etc. I made it there and back with no problems ---- yeah me-----you all know how hard it is for me to not talk but when no one understands you --you just keep quiet. Well at least outloud anyway.
Cheers