Category: China tours

Sunsets – Love them

August 23, 2017

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Sunsets – Don’t you love them

Tonight because my boss (Xiaoli – the wife) is away in China I have time to dwell on thoughts. Nothing in particular.

I had finished feeding the very numerous numbers of chooks and geese and wandering back to the house I couldn’t help but notice the very beautiful sunset.

Here in the far north of New Zealand we are spoilt with the fabulous sunsets we get to experience. This one was from our farm but from our beach accommodation overlooking Ninety Mile Beach they are even more startling as you watch the sun set over the ocean.

I never tire of them. Don’t often photograph them now as I have literally hundreds of sunset photographs but not 2 are ever the same. Just magnificent.

Saturday evening I fly off to China for a week. Mostly business but a family reunion with all Xiaoli’s family. They haven’t seen me for 5 years and Xiaoli 3 years.

Last time I went to China I weighed 120kg and had hair halfway down my back. You read right. When I retired from advertising agencies aged 54 I vowed to grow my hair long again. When I was about 24 I was offered an extremely senior position in an agency that was later to become Saatchi and Saatchi. Our Managing Director of the time put one condition on the offer, the hair must go short and I need wear suits. 3 piece suits would you believe.

I vowed that day that yes I would accept the job and the conditions that went with it but the day I got out of advertising I would grow the hair long once again. And I did. Halfway down my back plus for a while, a beard as well. Yes back to hippy days because I guess nobody could tell me not to. I didn’t enjoy the beard so that went but not the long hair.

So now my in laws will see me at about 85kg weight and extremely short hair. 2 major unexpected stomach operations. The later almost claiming my life. The hair when sick was falling out in clumps, and no, I did not have chemo. So told Xiaoli, shave it all off and every 3 weeks since I continue to shave it. If I cant have it long then better very short.

The weight loss, a very rare side effect of what they did but healthy I am except for ongoing side effects that may never go away.

So Xiaoli’s family by now possibly know the hair is short but not sure they know the 35kg weight loss.

So tonight I photographed the sunset because I guess I was reliving memories of the past and thinking about China. Xiaoli married me about 9 years ago, very overweight and yes the long hair. And I always remember the initial period when she would just watch in amazement at the sunsetting from our lounge window overlooking the Tasman Sea.

I have not yet witnessed a sunset in China. Guessing they are not often seen

http://www.peterandxiaoli.com

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The boss, Jen and the rice terraces

August 20, 2017

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The boss and friend Jen visited the rice terraces today outside Guilin. I should remember the name as I spent a day there a few years ago. But either I am growing old or its just getting late and memory is rusty.
Its great they are bot enjoying their well deserved holidays. Next Sunday I will be over there, but Nanning, not Guilin. Not sure I look forward to first an almost 5 hour drive to the airport. The waiting time from check in to boarding, then the 12.5 hour flight to Shanghai. An 8 hour stopover there and then then the internal flight duration unknown to Nanning. Going to be a very long day as the saying goes.
In the meantime today 2 units beds stripped and washing done. Tomorrow a day off from doing duties over at the beach accommodation, but Tuesday 6 guests arriving. So remake beds, clean the units etc etc.
Tomorrow, the day off from the beach so clean the poultry sheds. Collect the manure so can spread over the gardens at the farm and beach. Hopefully get the first planting of spring vegetables done.
Hens seem to have a holiday from laying today, or at least most of them. Possibly something to do with the difference in food routine I have versus the boss. She had briefed me but I decided I know better. Hopefully tomorrow they will all remember to lay again.
Back to the boss and Jen at the rice terraces today. These go back hundreds of years. I am sorry, I need refresh my history. But if ever visiting Guangxi Province an absolute must on the to do list.
The woman and their long hair is also to do with history. Must refresh the reasons why they have it like that.
Part of the reason Xiaoli does this whole trip this year with Jen as guinea pig is to collect more photographs so we can look at doing a tour to China for Kiwi’s. I just wish she had listened to me about how to take good photographs. Fortunately from past trips I do have many of the Guangxi region but when the two of them go further afield then they are in foriegn territory for me. I guess when I catch up with her Nanning next week I need spend a little of each of the 6 days training them on photography. As if I already didnt have a full agenda