kunming commutes

When we lived in minnesota, driving to work was rather uneventful for elissa and me. On our 10 minute commute we would typically see 15-20 cars as we leisurely rolled along. If it was a crazy, day we might have to slightly adjust our steering to avoid a stray garbage can that some 7th grader forgot to bring back to the garage. (gasp!) I am aware that city commuting is a little more intense than that, but Kunming commuting is in another category altogether. Sometimes we scooter riders just smile at each other after a close call as if to say, “aren’t you just glad we’re all still alive!” You have probably heard the saying that getting there is the adventure. In Kunming it’s definitely true.

How bad can it be? Well, do you drive on the wrong side of the road in a continuous game of chicken with 4-6 million potential opponents? Do you have to doubletake at kids peeing and pooping on the sidewalk? do you jump up curbs and slide down make-shift ramps on your way through construction zones? Do you dodge big loogies as they whiz past your face? Do you lose sight of the road for seconds at a time when busses spew out enough carbon to use up all of Al Gore’s credits with a single shift?...we do.

Enjoy some of our recent photos from Kunming commutes!

Changes

In the last week or so, our world has changed for the better in a few different ways. For one, we moved into our own apartment. (finally!) No more living in someone else’s space, looking around at random photos of families that aren’t ours or taking care of someone’s 10 cats. We have our own home in China - and it feels so great. The second thing that changed for us, is that we are now living much closer to the sounds, smells and sights of the city. Sometimes those are good, and sometimes rather obnoxious, but we love them all and welcome them into our daily routine. Finally, and most importantly, we are back on our feet - literally. We’re hitting the pavement rigorously every day...walking to get our groceries, walking to have a coffee, walking to catch the bus and walking to and from our 5th floor apartment. It feels so good to be back brushing shoulders with people all day, all the time. We are so in love with our neighborhood (Bei Chen) and all that makes it come to life. On our first visit to this city a few years ago, we stayed in this neighborhood with our friends, and wondered when our chance would come to make this place our home. The day is here, and we feel so blessed.