Arrival

8/11/06 – We were lucky in several ways. First of all, we managed to leave home and arrive at the SFO with all our luggage (too much – 10 bags in all, ranging from small carry-ons to an extra-large roller case), 2+ hours to spare before our flight. United flight number 857 to Shanghai departed on time. Not only was there no fog, but it was unseasonably hot (remember, this is August in San Francisco) and there we were, carrying jackets and sweatshirts that we didn’t need, that we should have had room to pack. The flight wasn’t nearly full – even the flight attendants were surprised, although Wednesdays are usually their light days on that flight. Arriving in Shanghai at 6:15 p.m. it was just getting dark and not as hot as it could have been. The guys with the car meeting us were astonished at the amount of luggage we had, but c’est la vie. We got to the good old Salvo Hotel, leaving most of our bags downstairs.

This morning we discovered that we had left just in time. Thank goodness we didn’t have to root through our carry-on bags and throw out our toothpaste and conditioner, as people leaving the next day were forced to do. We woke at 7:00 after sleeping well, due, no doubt to prior sleep deprivation, and found blue skies, a scattering of puffy white clouds, and the same view we had from our hotel window in April except no rain this time. We ascended to the Western Restaurant on the 31st floor, where we were seated next to a smoker by a window looking out on the same gorgeous blue sky – atypical for Shanghai at any time of year – with the Huangpu River glistening in the middle distance. The smoker didn’t stay long, and we stuffed ourselves at the breakfast buffet, not knowing when or where we’d eat lunch. The plan was to meet Silvia (not her Chinese name), the real estate assistant, at 10:30 (we suggested 9:00) to go to the apartment.

The remaining hurdles include the fact that Sonic has not yet arranged to pay our rent in RMB rather than dollars, something they readily accomplish for the conduct of business in Shanghai. Bill has been authorized to sign the rental contract but we need to get someone to read the Chines contract to make sure it is the same as the original. I guess we’re pioneers here. By the time we leave, everything will be illuminated.

I want to thank our clean-up crew: M’Ellen, who came first and got us started, which we really needed; Gail and Ellen, who obligingly cleaned, dumped, composted, recycled and took home leftovers; Janis, who loaned us her truck and agreed to keep our car for the duration; and especially Burr, whom we left with the last of the debris and the last of the leftovers, who disposed of our extra garbage, who has agreed to look after our car until Janis can pick it up, and who is going to rent out our house for us, goddess willing. Burr is going to get a REALLY good present.