flying from china to taiwan
A not-so-direct flight from Xiamen to Taipei–presumably to avoid the military airspace over the Taiwanese strait. What was making headlines in the Chinese news when we left: …and in Taiwanese news, when we arrived:
baby elephants!
just some cute shots from the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (a.k.a. the elephant orphanage)…
yang wawa
we’ve just come back from several weeks of holiday in Hong Kong, China (Shenzhen and Xiamen), and Taipei–and wow, was baby S ever popular! especially in China, where girls (and the occasional guy) on the street would often come up and ask to take a photo with him: (same thing with waitresses in restaurants, shop attendants, etc.) (not everyone was … Read More
this is how we roll
someone has unkindly placed me on my stomach. this is how I get out of it. STEP 1: Make sure all my surroundings are clear. STEP 2: Start the momentum going by swinging my enormously heavy head to one side, while simultaneously pushing off with the opposite foot. STEP 3: Follow through with my arm. STEP 4: Wait for the … Read More
uhuru park
One Sunday we took a walk in Uhuru park, the large park just west of city centre. I wanted to visit because I knew from there you could see the Nairobi skyline (so what if it’s dominated by a giant Johnny Walker ad??): “Uhuru” means freedom in swahili, and the park is actually the place where the first Kenyan flag was raised … Read More
public notice
While looking for apartments in Nairobi, it was quite useful to check out the various bulletin boards at shopping centres in our neighbourhood. It’s interesting what kind of ads turn up: Nice try with the (clearly photocopied) UNICEF letterhead–though I do like the “Mr&Mrs Anne.” But even better are these “public notices” that are frequently published in the newspaper. Must … Read More
an apartment in nairobi
We’ve finally signed the lease to our new apartment! We’re living in the Kilimani area of Nairobi–basically where all the NGOs are based. The apartment is furnished and as such a bit overpriced, but what clinched it for us was the large lawn in the back–the only complex we saw that had a green space at all, unfortunately. And in … Read More
now for nairobi
7 pieces of luggage, 1 stroller, 1 car seat and 5 carry-on pieces later — and we’re in Nairobi. we’re here until the end of 2014 for G’s work, while also taking advantage of parental leave (which in Norway is a shared m/paternal leave of 49 weeks at 100% pay or 59 weeks at 80% pay). we’re camped at a serviced … Read More
Norwegian queue culture
I think this ad, by the public transportation authority of Oslo (ruter), is hilarious–and passive-aggressive. It says: “THANKS for showing a queueing culture…”. And yet if you’ve ever been on a bus or train in Norway you would know that Norwegians don’t queue, they mob (while jabbing with their elbows, or at least that’s how it feels to me). Same … Read More
the oslo cronut
oh, did I fail to mention that I’ve tasted the cronut here in Oslo? Quite tasty, and didn’t cost me $100 on the black market. (Surprisingly, at 29 kroner it’s about the same price as in New York–and not any more expensive than other pastries here.) You can get them at Maschmanns, an ultra fancy (read: awesome) food market in … Read More