I’m going to try and write this without it sounding like a tribute to Abba’s “Thankyou for the music”, although of course please feel free to hum along as you read. In the past, I’ve been to weddings where the bride, groom, or perhaps one of the guests has performed a song, but nothing quite … Continue reading
What should occur at an annual company annual dinner? In the UK: a reasonably formal dinner, or perhaps a party arranged by a specialised events company, replete with their own entertainment. In China: the staff have to make their own entertainment. And so, ignoring any random karaoke appearances or backing vocals for miscellaneous bands over … Continue reading
Exactly how much of a change in temperature does 60 degrees feel like? From around 35 degrees in Bangkok less than two weeks’ ago to colder than -25 this weekend in Harbin. As a species, we humans are pretty adaptable. Around 500km from the Russian border, north west of Beijing, Harbin is … Continue reading
There’s a point at which my natural aversion to trusting anyone who approaches us whilst on holiday may well border on paranoia. But in Bangkok, was it really just a co-incidence we happened to be intercepted by a guy with “Tourist Police” on his t-shirt who flagged down a passing tuk-tuk and “persuaded” him to … Continue reading
With the international schools closed, the expat family compounds abandoned and businesses reverting to Chinese rule, Shanghai has shed most of its foreigners for Christmas. Migrating east or west, the laowai retreat en masse from whence they came, in most cases with an empty suitcase or two to fill up on Marmite, Angel Delight and … Continue reading
To be fair, all birthday invitations were sent out with a disclaimer: “This could be the best/worst night of your lives”. I’m hoping in reality it wasn’t that black and white, but I’m certainly leaning towards the former. So on Friday night, 2 days in advance of my actual birthday, I and 25 other people … Continue reading
ShanghaiSims 