into the white: Half the world away

In 1997 when I was in Hong Kong for my granddads funeral princess Diana died. In 2001 I was in Stuttgart when the planes hit the World Trade Centre. In 2004 I was in Holland when the Tsunami hit Asia. I always seem to be away from home when big news stories occur. But in 2005 I was in London when the bombing went off. In fact, I was halfway across London by the time it happened. I’d missed the Russell Square/Kings Cross underground bomb by about half an hour. Far from being far away, I was very close. Saying that, I was in London when the Sichuan earthquake happened.

The day I got to Beijing on Sept 16th, The Lehman Brothers went into Bankruptcy. We know what proceeded this, and we know what is following.

Nearly everyone on the planet is affected by the financial system. I have relatively little connection to it. But I do freelance and thus it may affect the amount of work available next year, although I plan to spend half the year in Beijing, which is less affected. I am unsure. Making money in the UK and bringing it to China makes financial sense. Money is worth about 4 times less though that should change rapidly as their currency is undervalued. You can get a beer for 20p from the supermarket yet pay £4.50 at a 5 star hotel.

Anyway.

Here in the world of Tai Po, Hong Kong, it keeps on chugging…