By now you likely figured out that my posts are infrequent this week, and for good reason: The temporary housing location, as comfortable as it was, got packed up and I moved into my new apartment at The Summit in Xinghai Square!
For those following along at home, The Summit is the corner apartment on the 28th floor with the great view from the bedroom and a not too shabby one from the living room. It sports a seriously large kitchen for an apartment in China, has two bathrooms both with showers and one with a separate tub, and it has a second bedroom for guests to come and visit. (Hint, hint!) Work will be a 45-50 minute trip in each direction either by a single bus route or via subway with one or two connections.
Since my household goods have yet to be released from the customs authorities (ugggh) I had to go out yesterday and buy new sheets, pillows, and glasses to drink from, so off to Auchan I went!
Auchan can only be described as the elephantitis inflicted love child of a Costco, IKEA, and Super WalMart. This place seemingly has everything from groceries to travel equipment to bedding items to wines to sports equipment, electronics, books, children toys … It just goes on and on. And it is a ZOO! On my next trip to Auchan when I have more time and hopefully an adult beverage inconspicuously hidden in a thermos, I will have to take video. Customers everywhere, workers loudly boasting about the wares they’re peddling, and employees on rollerblades zooming by — yes, the place is that big!
So off to the bedding aisles (plural) I went and success was had. Pillows, sheets, and a new duvet cover went into my cart. And then a bottle of wine, quickly followed by wine glasses. Then garbage bags. Then two sacks of salty nuts. Then a roll of tape. Then … Oh boy, fortunately I stopped myself as I only had two hands to carry it all with me!
Once back at my place I attempted to make my bed for the first time with two regular bedsheets as Auchan was all out of fitted ones. (I’d look it up on YouTube but you know, that part of the internet is banned here in China…) And with that accomplishment successfully performed it was time for dinner. I convinced my friend Abby to join me for dinner after she got off work (she’s an English teacher and works weekends). We went to El Luchador which is a pretty good nearby Mexican restaurant that has this really weird monthly special called Cinco de Drinko. Every fifth of the month all their drinks are half priced from midnight to midnight! Oh boy, those margaritas were delicious!
After a good night in Xinghai Square I had to finish moving out of the old place. And then begin the arduous process of unpacking and organizing everything. It shouldn’t be too difficult, though, as most of my belongings in the world are sitting in a warehouse at the Port of Shanghai, likely in a non-climate controlled room soaking up all the humidity and moisture they can. The damage report will be fun to fill out!