I have a new toy to help fill the void of being a bachelor for the next month. I bought a canoe ! My new colleague, Paul (red headed non-Chinese guy above), agreed to purchase a canoe from REI in Cary, North Carolina and pack it along in his sea shipment to Suzhou. It arrived on Friday and I arranged pick-up and delivery with a local service.
Now, having a canoe transported from Paul's apartment to my house is no simple challenge for a westerner in China. Luckily, we have a wizard in our office named Raymond who has more guanxi (connections) in his little finger than the rest of have combined. He assured me that he would take care of it.
While there was no doubt that Raymond would come through for me, there was much speculation among my car pool partners about what mode of transport would be sent. Stanley thought a three wheeled electric cart would show up and Jon expected two Chinese guys on bicycles could handle it no problem. Bill suggested that one of those guys would probably have an electric bicycle to pull the boat and the other rider.
Well nothing so unusual showed up. Just your typical derelict blue truck with a world-class horn. And, of course, four guys crowded in the cab. They quickly loaded the canoe and accessories and followed my driver and I to the house at Jin Shui Wan. The canoe was discharged in the back yard and awaits its maiden voyage.
Many thanks to Paul for adding "canoe purchase" to his long to-do list whilst preparing to move to China. I expect to be paddling on Jinji Lake this weekend.
Now, having a canoe transported from Paul's apartment to my house is no simple challenge for a westerner in China. Luckily, we have a wizard in our office named Raymond who has more guanxi (connections) in his little finger than the rest of have combined. He assured me that he would take care of it.
While there was no doubt that Raymond would come through for me, there was much speculation among my car pool partners about what mode of transport would be sent. Stanley thought a three wheeled electric cart would show up and Jon expected two Chinese guys on bicycles could handle it no problem. Bill suggested that one of those guys would probably have an electric bicycle to pull the boat and the other rider.
Well nothing so unusual showed up. Just your typical derelict blue truck with a world-class horn. And, of course, four guys crowded in the cab. They quickly loaded the canoe and accessories and followed my driver and I to the house at Jin Shui Wan. The canoe was discharged in the back yard and awaits its maiden voyage.
Many thanks to Paul for adding "canoe purchase" to his long to-do list whilst preparing to move to China. I expect to be paddling on Jinji Lake this weekend.
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