Wednesday, May 23, 2012

That'll be me...


Well, I hope not!

Just a punning reminiscence of this poignantly appropriate song, of course. [I wish I'd drawn this. I think I could have done it better.]

Luckily, I've never been much bothered by travel sickness, even when I was a child... even in boats. Air travel I really rather enjoy.

And I should be airborne by about now. And gratefully leaving behind irredeemably daft China and its current foreigner-bashing mania.


6 comments:

Gilman Grundy said...

Dude, you posted the wrong link.

Good luck with the MS job application - I'm guessing a compliance role?

Gilman Grundy said...

Oh, and thank you for avoiding the wave of sentimentality that overcomes most expats (myself included) on leaving the country. Good luck with whatever you end up doing - in China or whereever.

JES said...

The suspense is killing at least one of your readers.

Hope you have a resoundingly successful stay elsewhere (however you want to define "success," and however long you're away -- a few days or for good). Please do provide an update every now and then!

John said...

Now you can read my pre-emptive comment again although I think I gathered from what you've said in the last few weeks that you're returning to China after a month or so, am I correct? I know you have plans after that but this break is to sit-out the month of culling that's going on, right?

Anyway, about travel sickness- I don't especially like plane travel but I think it's all in the mind. What I mean is that for me it's not the turbulence so much but rather the feeling of claustrophobia from being so tightly packed in economy and not being able to go outside for some (lack of) air. Sometimes the air-con can also be a problem but I can't stand air conditioning in a car either, don't really know why; the idea of rolling up the windows in Summer I find ludicrous and irksome. So, if I can convince myself that I'm comfortable then chances are I'll have a relaxed flight. Sleeping really helps the time pass too but that's a whole other kettle of fish now isn't it.

John said...

That's actually what I at first-glance recognised the picture to be- me leaning forward asleep in my chair, mouth relaxed wide open, drooling on my lap... Very embarrassing!

Froog said...

Thanks for pointing out my boo-boo, FOARP. I was so brainfogged the last few days in China. Corrected now: John Denver singing that leaving song with Mama Cass.

Sentimentality may follow later, but for now I am ecstatic with relief to be out of there.

JES, this is the first of what could be quite frequent updates. I brought my computer with me this time - ostensibly in order to work, but I don't have much on at the moment, so... there might be quite a lot of blogging. Particularly if the weather turns rainy.

John, I have a return flight provisionally booked three months from now, but the only thing I have to go back for is a '10 years in China' anniversary party with my best friend (we discovered that by some strange coincidence we arrived in Beijing on the same day). Much as I'd like to be with him and my other mates for that occasion, I would prefer to find some better work and a better place to live during this exploratory summer off.

The Microsoft job page I inadvertently linked to in this post came about as a result of an approach to me by one of their HR people just a few days ago. Unfortunately, it was in regard to a position in Beijing. Fate taunting me again by presenting the prospect of a decently paid job when I'm only a few days from departure! Not much of a 'prospect', though: the online applications form was dysfunctional, the help staff were no help, and the recruiter who originally invited me to apply has failed to respond to any follow-up e-mails. I'm not bothered.