The Weather

So, now for the most boring of all topics - the weather. Back in
Austria i was starting to feel a little cold, beginning of November
and all. Here i am way closer to the equatorial and the climate is a
little more tropical out of my perspective. Meaning that it's warmer
and a bit humid. I still run around with just a t-shirt. Outdoors. In
November. That is quite nice :-)
When i arrived here in the base i met three Brazilians. They're here
'on loan', i.e., just for a limited amount of time. Nice people. One
of them was about to go to a rig in the north of China. It's way
colder up there. He was not too happy about facing around zero degree
Celsius - really cold for him. So we talked about temperatures in our
home countries. He told me that even the 20 deg C were cold for him -
wow. I mean, i'm running around in a t-shirt in winter, that is warm
for me. Other background, other perspective.
All in all, about the weather: if you want to check what weather i
have right now and you don't find the reports for Shekou or Shenzhen,
just check for Hong Kong - it's the same. About 20 to 24 degree each
day since i got here. Some days a little less but then again a little
warmer. Almost too warm to physically work outside. Which, of course,
i had to do since i am a mechanic. Advanced mechanic maybe, but still.
Dull job. Definitely not what i studied for...hmmm.

So many little things and impressions that i can share with this blog.
I should blog more often not to loose them. Some more random lines:

One night we wanted to go to a Italian place near our house (i.e., in
Seaworld, the entertainment area around the ship). When we were in
front of it we lost our appetite for Italian food. Nobody eating in
there and the menu didn't look inviting. So we went for Korean food
next door. Can't recommend it. Reading the menu was the first time for
me that i saw dog food as an actual dish. Almost everything they had
was fried. We ordered one of the only things that were not listed as
fried food and a salad. Before they brought that they served us nine
little dishes with different vegetables. Nice. So, starters included.
Then they brought the salad. It was fried. Fried salad. And the main
dish turned out to be fried, too. Beef. But mainly fat, no meat. On
rice. As i've said, can't recommend it. Not planning to go there
again. Enough other choices.
I've tried another Italian place they have. Was nice. Some Penne and
Pizza. And an Irish pub. Nice atmosphere with a mixed crowd, expats
and Chinese. And a life band that seems to be part of the bar. At
least their name is painted on the wall where they play on the first
floor.

About Seaworld: I've learned that the boat there was a French
smuggler's boat that got caught. Now it has a hotel inside and several
bars. The night after the Korean food we tried the bar on top of the
boat. Löwenbräu. German name. They brew their own beer, comes in
three variations. It's niiice, i like...

Oh, and last weekend we've tried the shooting range behind the boat.
For about four Euros you get a golf club of your choice and fifty
balls. One of us could actually golf a bit and explained to us how to
hit. We were four. Was fun. Next day i had a muscle ache, of course.
Two months without sport =)

Something sweet about the local habits: it is really hard to tip them.
Anyways, everywhere you go there seem to be loads of people. So, also
loads of waitresses and waiters at each restaurant. Most of them don't
speak English. So you pay and they bring you the change. It might have
been nice and you would like to leave them a tip. So you try. To leave
some money on the table and go, just when they're not looking. No
matter how small the amount is, even if it's just three RMB, they will
come running after you. Because they think you forgot some money...
well, we tried. They're nice.

Right now i am for a week outside of Shekou, in Zhanjiang. One hour
flight from Shenzhen. On freshwater survival course. It's fun.

More will follow,

Cheers
CGA