Birthday travels25 Sep 2010
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| Awoke today to the sound of beeping messages on Jane's phone. It is her birthday, and grand final day in Melbourne. After a breakfast with a stunning array of items, including thousand year eggs, congee, steamed veggies, pastries, a sad looking cheese platter (and more) some ventured out for some shopping in Shizhuazhuang. The pollution in this industrial medium sized city typifies the problems facing modernizing China. The air was so thick with dust from coal fired power and other heavy industry waste, that one could taste it and the eyes smart when in it. While there are plans in place to replace coal fired power stations, the rush towards prosperity means that the challenges of keeping pace with power needs and the need to protect the environment are huge issues for China. That said, the ability of local governments to make decisions about environmental laws without being held back by the curse of democracy (and the short term thinking that goes with the political cycle) has led to some visionary environmental programs popping up in China. There are a range of wind and solar projects underway across the country, and all new housing projects must include a solar panels on roofs. As we left the hotel to have lunch and then bus back to Beijing to catch an overnight train to Nanjing, Margaret (Lan's mum) misjudged a step and fell heavily and sprained her ankle quite badly. After assessing the injury, it was decided that we split up for the trip to Nanjing, with four of us catching the train to Nanjing as planned, and the other three accompanying Margaret on a flight to Nanjing tonight to reduce the travel time and stress on Margaret. On the bus, Jane received quarterly updates on the game from Fran, with the result eliciting some consternation. All went smoothly with the airport drop for the flyers, complete with a wheelchair for Margaret, which was a relief for her. The bus then took the four train travellers to the vast new South Beijing railway station. Lan and Jane had travelled by train in China in the 80s, and after the drama of the day and the long bus trip, we were not looking forward to an overnight train trip with potentially hard sleeping beds and the ubiquitous squat toilet. How wrong we were. We were presented with the most modern, nay futuristic train that we have ever seen. It was white, sleek, clean and much more impressive than even the TGV, the French prototype it was based on. However, the Chinese version has taken the model several steps further. We were amazed by everything about the experience, from the white linen to the sit toilets to the friendly and efficient hostess who ensured our comfort throughout the journey. The four berth cabin even had individual flat screen TV for each person, complete with headphones and a reading light. We were met in Nanjing at 5.30 am for the beginning of the next chapter of the adventure. It is interesting to note that after working as a joint venture with European engineers to build the first fleet of these trains, China is now the biggest exporter of these trains to the rest of the world. |
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