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I am to start my Post-Graduate Diploma in Magazine Journalism at Cardiff University in 5 days, I returned from China two weeks ago and I am looking forward, wide-eyed to a bright future. I got a house last week, will learn shorthand this weekend, organised my room and my belongings this week and hopefully will solve world poverty in the next couple of weeks (provided I have time).
I had the outline of an idea for a feature while I was in China so I thought I would put it on here and see if there is any reaction from the millions of subscribers I have pouring over my words every minute! more likely one person will see it and they will happen to be a budding journalist, realise its genius and proceed to steal it from me and gather themself a top job in the business. I won't mind though, they will have to live with themselves forever and I will have something to blame every failure which ever befalls me on.
The idea: While in Shanghai, rushing back and forth between 'the office', my flat, restaurants, bars and cake shops I was constantly having my life threatened. Not by Chinese gang-land thugs or desperate down-on-their-lucks looking to take money from a foreigner; but by drivers. The drivers of two-wheeled vehicles no less. I developed a special relationship with these folk as, not having mastered the art of two-wheel transport myself, the bitterness extends further from me than from most. I would contest that if, when on arriving at the edge of any road you are bombarded by a sea of dual-wheeled wonders; motorised; electric; and pedal-powered, anyone would have at least a semblance of terror descend upon them.
The initial terror however, gave way to intrigue and furthermore awe. Awe at the versatility afforded by two wheels and a tiny rear-rack. The Shanghainese, far more than anyone else I have encountered manage to make use of the space available to them, with skyscrapers climbing up in gaps between buildings that I would struggle to squeeze through, and I know I'm no skinnyman but I'm getting there! This mentality of making use of every available inch of space to create something or store something or paint something or crash something has been taken on by these bi-wheeled wonders. I was astounded by what they managed to carry on their bikes: I saw men and women, young and old carrying up to four gas canisters, six office-size water bottles, twelve if they were empty, two drums full of cooking fat (where the bike seemed to be being consumed by the filth seeping out and around the drums). They carried wardrobes, desks, massive decorative banners, dogs, fish in bags, up to three extra people, massive crates of rubbish, sacks of plastic bottles, piles of newspapers and pizza delivery. David Cameron could do with taking a look at the Chinese mentality to bike-riding before his next stunt, he might then carry the car on the back of his bike rather than have it follow him, now that would really make a point.
I might even learn to ride myself, then I can see what I can manage on the back of my bicycle; a small bag maybe, or two conveniently positioned extra wheels which while looking suspiciously like stabilisers really aren't ok...OK!
I am to start my Post-Graduate Diploma in Magazine Journalism at Cardiff University in 5 days, I returned from China two weeks ago and I am looking forward, wide-eyed to a bright future. I got a house last week, will learn shorthand this weekend, organised my room and my belongings this week and hopefully will solve world poverty in the next couple of weeks (provided I have time).
I had the outline of an idea for a feature while I was in China so I thought I would put it on here and see if there is any reaction from the millions of subscribers I have pouring over my words every minute! more likely one person will see it and they will happen to be a budding journalist, realise its genius and proceed to steal it from me and gather themself a top job in the business. I won't mind though, they will have to live with themselves forever and I will have something to blame every failure which ever befalls me on.
The idea: While in Shanghai, rushing back and forth between 'the office', my flat, restaurants, bars and cake shops I was constantly having my life threatened. Not by Chinese gang-land thugs or desperate down-on-their-lucks looking to take money from a foreigner; but by drivers. The drivers of two-wheeled vehicles no less. I developed a special relationship with these folk as, not having mastered the art of two-wheel transport myself, the bitterness extends further from me than from most. I would contest that if, when on arriving at the edge of any road you are bombarded by a sea of dual-wheeled wonders; motorised; electric; and pedal-powered, anyone would have at least a semblance of terror descend upon them.
The initial terror however, gave way to intrigue and furthermore awe. Awe at the versatility afforded by two wheels and a tiny rear-rack. The Shanghainese, far more than anyone else I have encountered manage to make use of the space available to them, with skyscrapers climbing up in gaps between buildings that I would struggle to squeeze through, and I know I'm no skinnyman but I'm getting there! This mentality of making use of every available inch of space to create something or store something or paint something or crash something has been taken on by these bi-wheeled wonders. I was astounded by what they managed to carry on their bikes: I saw men and women, young and old carrying up to four gas canisters, six office-size water bottles, twelve if they were empty, two drums full of cooking fat (where the bike seemed to be being consumed by the filth seeping out and around the drums). They carried wardrobes, desks, massive decorative banners, dogs, fish in bags, up to three extra people, massive crates of rubbish, sacks of plastic bottles, piles of newspapers and pizza delivery. David Cameron could do with taking a look at the Chinese mentality to bike-riding before his next stunt, he might then carry the car on the back of his bike rather than have it follow him, now that would really make a point.
I might even learn to ride myself, then I can see what I can manage on the back of my bicycle; a small bag maybe, or two conveniently positioned extra wheels which while looking suspiciously like stabilisers really aren't ok...OK!
posted by Hot Sweats at 3:15 PM
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