Shanghai skyline (Photo: M. Griffiths)
VOTE FOR ME!! One of my stories - 'Tell Him He's Dreaming' - just got 5th place in the New Zealand Writers College short story competition.
As a result the story is in the running for the "People's choice award" and some money!!
You can read the top 5 stories and vote here:
http://www.nzwriterscollege.co.nz/2014+NZ+Writers+College+Short+Story+Competition.html
The judges comments are interesting. Getting all five judges to agree on any of the stories seems nearly impossible!
Enjoy the stories and please vote for me!!!!
Matthew
Read My Crazy China Trip - Day 1, Beijing here.
Read My Crazy China Trip - Day 2, The Great Wall here.
Read My Crazy China Trip - Day 3, The Forbidden City here.
Read My Crazy China Trip - Day 4-5, Xi'an and the Terracotta Warriors here.
Read My Crazy China Trip - Day 6, Lost and Found, here.
Read My Crazy China Trip - Day 7-8, Xi'an to Guilin, here.
Read My Crazy China Trip - Day 9-10, Lijiang River and Yangshuo, here.
Read My Crazy China Trip - Day 11-12, Longsheng to Shanghai, here.
Read My Crazy China Trip - Day 13, Shanghai sights here.
My Trip to China
(Day 13)
Shanghai Sights
Today
I went sightseeing around Shanghai. I went to Pudong across the river to see
all the big buildings. There is one that looks like a pink onion kebab and another
that looks like a giant bottle opener. My mates will be impressed with that. I
went to the top of the bottle opener. I knew Shanghai was big, from there it
looked even bigger. But the people
looked very small.
After that I did some window shopping.
I still couldn’t decide what to get my sister. As I wandered around I had a
very strange feeling in my stomach. I wondered if I as ill but actually, after
I thought about it for a while, I decided I was just dying for some fish and chips.
I found a western style bar and had some. It was expensive and the chips were a
bit skimpy but man it was yummy.
In the afternoon I walked along the riverside
bund to take some more pictures. While I was looking at the view and old man
came up and started talking to me. He was a retired teacher and he knew a lot
about the old buildings and history of Shanghai. We chatted for a while and
then he suggested we sit down on one of the benches placed along the bund.
We talked some more and then he pulled a
folder out of his bag. In it were some little water colour paintings of local
buildings. He said he had painted them. He asked me if I wanted to buy some.
Only 25 yuan he said. He said he needed money because his pension was not very
big.
I looked at the paintings and
thought that his English was much better than his painting. I told him I had
lots of pictures in my camera. He was a bit disappointed. I asked him if there
were any markets around where I could buy gifts. He said yes. I offered him 20
yuan to take me there and tell about the old buildings on the way. He agreed. I
bought a few cheap souveniers for my parents and took some more photos and then
he went back to the bund to find more people to talk to.
After some dinner I went back to the bund and
set up my tripod to take some night photos. I took lots of photos of the
buildings and lights. It looked great.
While I was there I saw an older man and a
young woman looking at the view and taking photos. They came over and asked me
to help them with their camera. I took a photo of them but the flash didn’t
work. I told them I thought the flash was broken.
The man asked me if I could take some photos
of them and send them to him later. I said ok. I set up my tripod and took some
photos of them together and of the woman by herself. She was tall, slim and pretty
and about my age. I started to get that feeling in my chest again except the
man was her uncle so I thought I’d better be on my best behaviour.
He asked me what I was doing for the
evening. I said I wanted to buy a special present for my sister because I was
going back home tomorrow. He offered to help me. We walked up the big main street
looking at the shops. When we got to a jewellery shop he asked me if this might
be good for my sister. I said maybe and we went in. The uncle gave his niece
some money and told her to go and do something while we shopped.
There was lots of very shiny gold and silver
there. I almost needed my sunglasses. There were some nice necklaces and
bracelets. I was looking at them when the sales lady came over. She pointed to
one and said ‘This is a phoenix.’ It was a gold pendant on a chain. She got it
out and showed it to me. It looked beautiful. And expensive.
The sales lady told me all about it. ‘The Chinese phoenix is the head of all birds. It is an immortal bird whose
rare appearances signify the peace and prosperity. It never gets old or dies,
it symbolizes the constant striving spirit.’
That sounded very impressive and perfect for
my sister. Maybe she won’t have to get a tattoo now. The uncle helped me
bargain the price down and I bought it.
The niece came back with a package.
The uncle suggested we go to McDonalds for a cup of tea. I decided they were
safe to go with and said ok.
We went to McDonalds and drank some tea and
talked. The uncle lived in New Jersey and had come back to help his mother move
house and see his niece who was visiting Shanghai. He used to work on ships.
They were very nice. I did have a funny
feeling I was being watched though, but then lots of people stare at foreigners
in China. I didn’t realise I looked strange until I came here.
I took some more photos of them and he gave
me his address so I could send him the photos after I got home.
Before they left they gave me a fancy
Chinese teapot to say thankyou for helping them take photos. The niece had
bought it when she went out earlier. I was a little embarrassed by it all. When
I opened the package I saw that the tea pot was very small. The uncle said that
was the special Chinese style. He said they use very small cups too. That makes
sense.
I was sad when they left. It was good to make
some new friends.
Day
15, Last day
This
morning the traffic woke me up. It gave me another headache. I didn’t mind
though because it was time for me to go to the airport. I had a great time but
I was looking forward to going home and seeing my sister.
I took the underground to the airport. When I
got to the end and went to check in I discovered I was at the wrong airport.
Turns out there are two airports in Shanghai. Who knew? If there’s one thing I’ve learned coming to China is that there is a lot to
learn.
I had to go the other airport. Still I didn’t
mind. I had choice of going by bus or back into the city by underground and
then out to the other airport. I chose the underground. It was crowded and I
had to stand most of the way. Somebody fiddled with my backpack and pick-pocketed
me. It was ok though. He only stole the packet of condoms. They were no use
anyway. And my sister said not to bring them all home.
Shanghai mag-lev airport train (Photo: M. Griffiths)
From the city to the airport I got to go on
the mag-lev train. I’d heard about the super-fast train. It goes 240km/hr at
top spend. It was great. It felt like it was a plane flying low right over the
houses and farms underneath. That was more fun than some bus.
Getting there is
half the fun, that’s my motto. I’m sure Mao would agree. He went on that long
march after all.
Some people laugh
at all my mottos, but I reckon you can never have too many. They’re like those
little packets of tissue paper. You never know when one might need one.
The flight home was good. After two weeks it
was weird looking at people with long pale faces and blonde hair. It felt strange
using a knife and fork as well. I think I got culture shock.
Coming through customs I was a bit
nervous. Especially about all the times I fell in the river. Maybe the
fisheries people would want to fumigate me. Or maybe smoke me for later!
The lady at the x-ray machine gave
me funny look. What’s in that wooden box she asked. It looks like finger with
ring on it. I told her it was a gift from my sister’s neighbour’s uncle. ‘Probably
some pottery. The Chinese are very good at it you know.’ I said. Then I showed
her my little terracotta warriors. I said sorry for all the dust that fell off.
It was nice when the guy said behind the
counter “Welcome home.” It was great to be home. I’m looking forward a good
sleep on the sofa bed and some ordinary food. I think I’ve seen enough steamed
buns for a while. It’s funny how I didn’t put on any weight. It must have been
all that exercise I did.
I hope the editor likes my diary and photos. Boy Man I have some stories to tell.
[To
find out who the uncle and niece were and who was watching our hero in the
McDonalds see my story Love at First Flight here.]
[If you’re confused about the references to steamed buns read My Crazy China Trip Day 1]
As a result the story is in the running for the "People's choice award" and some money!!
You can read the top 5 stories and vote here:
http://www.nzwriterscollege.co.nz/2014+NZ+Writers+College+Short+Story+Competition.html
The judges comments are interesting. Getting all five judges to agree on any of the stories seems nearly impossible!
Enjoy the stories and please vote for me!!!!
Matthew
********
Read My Crazy China Trip - Day 1, Beijing here.
Read My Crazy China Trip - Day 3, The Forbidden City here.
Read My Crazy China Trip - Day 4-5, Xi'an and the Terracotta Warriors here.
Read My Crazy China Trip - Day 6, Lost and Found, here.
Read My Crazy China Trip - Day 7-8, Xi'an to Guilin, here.
Read My Crazy China Trip - Day 11-12, The Longsheng Terraces to Shanghai, here.
Read My Crazy China Trip - Day 13, Shanghai sights here.
New story next Week: Under development.
An idealistic foreigner hunts for an international development job in China but finds only frustration.
Tell me what you think. Constructive comments welcome.
If you like the story share with it with your friends.
If you like the story share with it with your friends.
********
MORE STORIES....
Love at First Flight - A foreign teacher arrives in China and falls in love with a local, but the path of true love is anything but smooth. (5 parts)
Trial by Fire - When a woman in Tibet self-immolates two witnesses face a dangerous dilemma. (4 parts)
Arrested Development - A development consultant in China finds life getting out of control. [Rated R] SHORTLISTED for the Lord Grimdark Award. See the list here.
Beijing Private Eyes - Drama, Romance, Karaoke, Kidnap! A foreign teacher in Beijing meets an attractive stranger and offers to help, then things get complicated. (A long story in 8 parts)
Tell him he's dreaming - An engineer has an environmental epiphany but things don't work out as planned. SHORTLISTED for the New Zealand Writers College Short Story competition. See the list here.
Entries in the post-industrial / peak oil short story competition:
My story 'Promised Land' has been selected for the forthcoming anthology "After Oil 2: The Years of Crisis". You can read the other entries here.
A previous set of stories was published in 2012 in a book entitled After Oil: SF Visions of a Post-Petroleum World, available from Amazon (Amazon) or in Australia from Fishpond (Fishpond).
Stories set in China:
Winds of Change – In 2022 a migrant worker struggles to realise his dreams and fulfil his family obligations.
Outside In – It's 2050, the country and economy have changed. A recycler studies for an exam to improve his prospects, and an indentured servant plans her escape.
Seeds of Time – (Sequel to Outside In). In 2055 rural China prospers again after a period of dramatic changes, then things are complicated by a strange visitor and a hidden object.
Stories set in Australia: A North Queensland Trilogy
Robots on Mars – 2025. A space-mad city boy adjusts to life in the country and tries to solve a mystery. (Note: no actual robots or Martians involved)
Promised Land – (Sequel to Robots on Mars). It’s 2050 and development threatens the rural district. Is it what they really need and if not, how can they stop it?
Heart of Glass - (Sequel to Promised Land). The year is 2099, high school graduates prepare to step into adulthood and the community prepares to celebrate the turn of a new century.
Tell me what you think. Constructive comments welcome.
If you like the story share with it with your friends.
Tell me what you think. Constructive comments welcome.
If you like the story share with it with your friends.
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