Last night in Beijing

Weather: mild, sunny and gorgeous
Temp: 17 - 25
Ladies in Lavender: another Spring delight- Irises have popped up all over the garden.

Moving is not for sissies. Moving in China, speaking only broken Mandarin, takes balls of steel. Being in the middle of it I can safely say it's one of those "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" experiences. But like Gloria Gaynor says: I will survive! (sing along now)

The movers came today. They picked up 289kgs of stuff. That may sound like a lot, but it's couple of boxes, 2 bikes and a dressmaker's dummy. I wished Frikkie hadn't bothered shlepping all our books to Shanghai on the plane - at huge expense. Anyway, it's done. The apartment is close to being as we found it. The couch is a bit worse for wear - thanks to Sam, but we're loosing our deposit so I don't feel too bad about it.

The cats had to go for their pre-flight inspection today. What a mission. I asked about 10 taxis before I found one that a) had a clue where the place was and b) was willing to take the cats. Eventually I found somebody, but the cats had to go in the boot. Yes, shock, horror. They survived though and seem none the worse for the experience.

It's my last night in Beijing as a resident. Boo-hoo. I said goodbye to all my friends this week - Elkarien, Bob, Jo, Jetta, Liora... Boo-hoo-hoo. But I'm hugely looking forward to Shanghai - it's almost like moving to Cape Town from Joburg, but with no snooty Cape Townians to ruin it and a little more Chinese of course. But less Chinese than Beijing - if that makes sense. And with expensive wine. So saddle up maties, let the Shanghai adventure begin.