We made it to Nanjing. After a canceled flight and many delays we made it a day late, but we made it. We ended up getting in on Monday instead of Sunday as planned, so we were racing around trying to get things done as soon as we stepped on Chinese soil. We got sim cards so we now both have Chinese cell phone numbers. We had to go to the bank and go check on the progress of our house. Oh and we had to go to Metro. That is a grocery store that has some western food items, and you have to get a membership card, like Costco but with no fee. And we wanted to do it while our Realtor Nathan was with us, so he could fill out the form. Even thought it is a store that caters to western tastes, they do have have English speaking employees.
Michael had to leave less than 24 hours after we got here on his first business trip. So I have been chilling in Nanjing on my own. I thought I would veg out for a day or two before venturing out. But since we do not have our slingbox set up yet, which will give us American cable, specifically Chicago cable. The slingbox is at my brother's house who lives in Chicago, so we will be streaming his cable to us in China. Technology these days, I tell ya. So with only 5 english channels I was not able to veg out as well as I thought. If I would have had my old favorites, food network, bravo and tlc I probably could have holed up in my room for a while longer. But I was bored after about half a day, so I decided to jump on the subway and see the city. On Tues I took the subway back to the city center where I had already been when we came on our looksee. I went to the same shopping centers and under ground shopping maze that I was already familiar with.
But today I decided to just see where the subway took me. I got on and then just decided to get off somewhere and walk around. I found a cool nature area with a mini waterfall...that was nice but the water was a little stinky.
I also came across an eight floor mall. I just walked around. Shopping at American style malls in China will not be something we do. They are extremely expensive because the tax on goods in a mall like that is 50%. That is what our realtor told us. And there are so many street vendors and places where you can bargain in China and get a great deal. I loved getting good bargains in the States and I still love getting a good deal in China!
So things are going good so far. I will be glad to have Michael back tomorrow. I am fine being alone during the day, but I am not one of those people who can go and eat by myself in a restaurant so I have just been ordering in every night. It will be nice to have him back, so we can have dinner together. And we are supposed to move into our place on Saturday and the first things we will do is go to the grocery store so we can eat at home!
Michael had to leave less than 24 hours after we got here on his first business trip. So I have been chilling in Nanjing on my own. I thought I would veg out for a day or two before venturing out. But since we do not have our slingbox set up yet, which will give us American cable, specifically Chicago cable. The slingbox is at my brother's house who lives in Chicago, so we will be streaming his cable to us in China. Technology these days, I tell ya. So with only 5 english channels I was not able to veg out as well as I thought. If I would have had my old favorites, food network, bravo and tlc I probably could have holed up in my room for a while longer. But I was bored after about half a day, so I decided to jump on the subway and see the city. On Tues I took the subway back to the city center where I had already been when we came on our looksee. I went to the same shopping centers and under ground shopping maze that I was already familiar with.
But today I decided to just see where the subway took me. I got on and then just decided to get off somewhere and walk around. I found a cool nature area with a mini waterfall...that was nice but the water was a little stinky.
I also came across an eight floor mall. I just walked around. Shopping at American style malls in China will not be something we do. They are extremely expensive because the tax on goods in a mall like that is 50%. That is what our realtor told us. And there are so many street vendors and places where you can bargain in China and get a great deal. I loved getting good bargains in the States and I still love getting a good deal in China!
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| the mall I came across...it had 8 floors! |
Kim, you're so brave, just getting off the subway wherever! And you find a waterfall and an eight story mall.... Not bad! I am glad Michael will be back, or is back by now. Ad that will get in your place so soon! Please let us know as soon as yu can where we can send packages and anything you're missing here. Oh, and where to find you on Skype!
ReplyDeleteYou are not one of those people that can go out to eat by yourself?? Oh man, we must work on this. I bet you won't go to the movies either? I made myself do this a couple years ago and it was GREAT. Take a book or a laptop with you to the restaurant. Don't just sit there with nothing. Then you're food comes, but you're this person who is obviously enjoying her independence and you're getting great food and it's so great. Great, great, great. I love the mall so much Kim!! How gorgeous is that!! Miss you. So happy you're a blogger.
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