New Van

Finally got our new van. Traded in the old 11-passenger for a new7-passenger. The old one would only hold 5 people as the seats were soclose together that we had to sit with our legs up on the seats. The newone is really that a brand new one and would actually hold 6. On the wayback from getting our Chinese Health Inspection and were sitting at a stoplight. Heard what sounded like a rock hitting the car, then Pucca screamedand we all ducked. She had been looking back when the back glass had simplyshattered. Luckily, it was a safety glass. Looks like it might not havebeen formed just exactly right, but they pushed it in place and the glueheld it until the stress got to be too much. Maybe its first few days inChinese traffic were just too much for it. I know it was for me. See the photo on the blog site.

Store Names

Since I've been here, I've seen several store names that strike me as a bit funny or unusual * Feel - a young woman's clothing shop * Mo Feel - another young woman's clothing shop * 100% Feel - yet another young woman's clothing shop and they wonder why young men are like they are! * Ma Belle - Nope, not a phone store, but a jewelry shop * Suzhou medical InstruMent Company - at least they spelled it right * Eclone - sells "genuine" name brand clothing * Syrup Barbeque - a restaurant * Wild Edible Real Mushroom - a restaurant * Niki - a sports wear & athletic shoe store with a logo that looks like a double-curved checkmark * Isa Laundry - You have to pay first so keep your tickie or you get no laundry * Whale - a clothing shop But my favorite is * Three Gun Cozy & Elastic Underwear

Japanese Dinner Trial

Well, tonight was the weirdest dinner we've had to date. Things started out pretty normal when, on the way home, I suggested Japanese for the ethnic food of the day. Everyone agreed and it was decided we'd try one over near where our apartments will be. We got cleaned up, caught a cab and managed to get him to drive right to the restaurant. Looked nice from the outside and sign said "Japanese Restaurant". We were met by smiling young ladies who led us across rock entry way on stepping stones to our table. The brought us our menus and it went downhill from there. They were all in Chinese with Japanese subtitles with nothing in English available. Not to be denied, we looked at the pictures and started to pick out what we wanted. I think we got the most gesture/pointing challenged waitress in all of China! We're trying to get pork ordered as when Pucca eats beef, she has bad dreams about her grandfather (don't ask, just order pork or chicken when you share). I had my Point & Grunt book with all the pictures that has worked in all parts of the world and pointed to the pig and then at one of the dishes. Insert blank stare here. Pucca pushed up her nose and made pig noises (pig noises in Thai are a little different than it English) but still no recognition. We'll try to make this easier, point at the pig, point at the menu, point at the pig point at the menu. We still couldn't get what we wanted across to her. I finally got up and took her over to another table where people were eating, pointed at what they were having and then went back to our table and pointed there. Pointed at their table, pointed at our table, pointed at their table, pointed at out table. Her eyes finally light up and she brought us a pot of tea. Back we go to their table, pointed at each one of the dishes and the grill that they were cooking it on, then pointed back at our table. Ah, this time she got it. Sure enough they brought out the sashimi dish and then removed the cover from the grill in the middle of the table. Things were looking up until they took the grill out and replaced it with a stand. Next comes a pot with some stock and couple of scrawny onion rings in it. Sets the pot on the stand on the grill and lights a fire under it. Now, I may not speak Chinese, but I know the difference between the sizzling meat that was on the grill at the table next to us and a pot of stock. We definitely did not have a grill. So we kind of looked around and decided maybe this was the soup dish. We started to dish some out and she got a horrified look on her face. Guess it wasn't the soup. Then she brought out some thin slices of what appeared to be beef. Back out with Point & Grunt. Point to the meat, point to the cow in the book, point to the meat, point to the cow in the book. Finally she starts to nod. PROGRESS!!! Then I point to the pig and back to plate that the meat was on. Back to blank looks. OK we'll go with the beef & Pucca can pick around it. Into the stock with the beef, but it really didn't look like twelve, 3" X 8" paper thin slices of beef was going to feed four adults, even was one is a 90-pound Thai girl. Then came out a bowl of veggies, mushrooms and tofu, so we dumped this into the pot and it looked better for not walking away starving. We ask for Cokes, saying very plainly C O C A C O L A. She got that one. Off she sprints to bring a Coke. When she gets back we told her "ir Coca Cola" and "ie Coca Cola jhen-yhee" (which is suppose to mean two Coca Cola's and one Coca Cola Diet according to the English speaking Chinese waitress at the Drunken Chef where we had Thanksgiving dinner last night). Apparently we didn't had exactly the right inflection on one of the syllables, because she didn't have a clue. I pointed to the red can, then the white table cloth then back to the red can. This trick has worked in at least three other restaurants, but not here. Finally, Brian called John, who is a Chinese national that works for GE with us at the plant and ask him to talk to the waitress to get pork and rice. When handed the phone to the waitress, she just stood looking like some standing there with a rat in her hand. Finally I took the phone, told John to start talking and then held it up to here ear. They converse for a short while and then she hands the phone to the waiter and he talks for a while. A short time later we get a plate of thinly sliced pork and Pucca is now a happy camper. We had just about finished our soup and realized that we had not gotten the rice that John ordered for us. Out came the P&G book again, and I point to the bowl of rice. SHE GOT IT!!! Back to the kitchen and out comes a second plate of pork. She didn't get it. Pucca has had her first two Chinese lessons and tried to say rice in Chinese, along with point at the bowl of rice in the book. At last we got our rice. Rice for desert. Cool rice for desert. Oh well, at least we didn't have to go to bed hungry.

Overseas Travel Tips

Here are some things to remember when you are going overseas: PASSPORTS & VISAS - Unless you are going to Canada or Mexico, you must have a passport. - Your passport must be valid for 6-months AFTER your exit date from the foreign country. - While many countries do not require a visa, there are those that do. If you do not have the proper visa you may not be allowed to enter the country. - Make sure you know how long you are allowed to stay in the countries you are visiting. Some have limits even though you are not required to have entry visas. The penalty for overstaying you visa can be jail time. - Make sure you have the correct visa. You cannot work or study on a tourist visa.Keep your passport on you at all times. If you use the type of holder that goes around your neck, keep it inside you shirt. - Keep a copy of you passport ID page in your carryon luggage and not in the same holder you keep your passport in. - Some hotels will ask for your passport. Do your best not to let them keep it. Try to get them to take the information and return it to you immediately. - If you are going to be in the country for an extended period of time, register with the US Embassy. - If you plan on driving, get an International Drivers License before you leave the States. They are available at AAA offices and are about $20 for non-members. - Carry some extra passport type photos with you. These come in handy when dealing with the local governments. CARRY-ONS - Your passport. Sounds like a no-brainer, but you luggage will be on the other side of immigrations. - Money and travelers checks. - Any prescription medicines that you need and they should keep it in the original prescription bottle. - Keys. If you drove to the airport, it would be nice to drive home and be able to get in the house. Occasionally your luggage takes a different route and may not arrive at the same time you do. - A change of clothes, or at least a change of underwear and socks. This will be a big help when your flight gets canceled and you are not able to retrieve you luggage or you luggage gets lost/delayed. - A copy of your itinerary. - Your camera, PDA's and computer. - Anything else that you would need should your luggage get lost. WATER - Never, ever drink the water out of the tap regardless of how expensive or nice of a hotel you are staying in. Good hotels provide bottled water in their rooms. - Don't use the tap water to wet or rinse your toothbrush. Use the bottled water. - When you get a drink, get it without ice. Put up with a not so cold Coke rather having than an intimate relationship with the commode. - Watch out for many juices as they are reconstituted and not always with bottled water. Fruit juices that they squeeze fresh are normally safe to drink. - Things that go fizz are generally much safer than things that don't. Sparkling water, sodas, beer, etc. - If you are in a third world country, even the bottled water may be tap water that they refill the bottles with. Stick with the fizzy stuff. - Washing your fruit before you eat is a good idea in the States, but not overseas. Only eat fruit that you can peal -- bananas, oranges, watermelon, etc. FOOD - Enjoy the local food, but take is easy to start with. Select items that are fully cooked, fried or boiled. If you are with a local, let them suggest foods. Don't be afraid to ask what it is that you are eating. - Don't try to find food like you eat back home because you aren't back home. You are in a foreign country. When you do find something familiar -- McDonalds, KFC, etc. don't expect it to be just like back home. While some things are pretty close to what you have back home, they adjust much of the menus for the local tastes. - Asian catsup is very sweet, so try it before you load up your burger & fries. - Try to avoid salads until you have become acclimated to the region. Remember that they wash the greens in tap water. - Try to find out about the local customs. In some places, you should clean your plate, or they think that you did not like it. In others if you clean your plate, they did not cook enough. - Never leave your chopsticks sticking in your bowl of rice. It is very bad insult. Just lay them on the table or rest them on the holder if provided. - If you hear belching & slurping, it is just people enjoying their food. Don't be offended, just accept it and move on. - Many Asian cultures chew with their mouths open. Again, just accept it and don't watch if it really bothers you. - Some of the special dishes that they serve in your honor may not be something that you really want to eat. Some Asian cultures eat things that westerners would not. This may include dog, cat, rat and many sea creatures. Be polite enough to try a little portion of it. It will go a long way with most people and you may be surprised about some things. - If you want to eat off of the street vendors, you can get some pretty tasty items. Just be very careful of what you select. The corn-on-the-cob is very good as are some of the fried breads and meat on a stick. Make sure that it is fully cooked. TOILETS - There are many different types of toilets and a large number of them do not have any place to sit. - Stalls without doors are common and even some with stalls. But when you've got to go, you've got to go. - In Asian countries the toilets look like a small urinal laying flat on the floor. In Europe, some are square blocks with footpads that position you over a small round hole. Hint: Step off of the pads before flushing. - If you are in the restroom and see a trashcan full of toilet paper next to the toilet, this usually means that the system cannot handle flushing toilet paper down the toilet. This is where the used toilet paper is placed. - Carry a small package of Kleenex tissue in your pocket whenever you are out. Many toilets are kind of short on toilet paper. - The large public toilets like the ones in the markets or housing areas should be avoided except in an emergency. Just trust me on this one. MEDICAL & HYGIENE - Hygiene is not the same as in the States. - If you are going to require shots or will be in country for an extended period of time, get a prescription for syringes from your doctor and bring them with you. - A lot of medicines, both prescription and over the counter type are easily obtainable. Look for western brands if you can. Much of the local medicine is just that, produced locally and not under much government control. Check the expiration dates. - Have a good supply of Imodium and Pepto Bismol tablets, and keep some with you when you go out. - Feminine products can be difficult to find, especially tampons. - Deodorant can usually be found at the airports, better hotels and in the largest grocery stores, but not in you normal grocery or drugstore. - Look for brand names that you are familiar with, then read the ingredients. SAFETY - The biggest thing here is to just not be stupid. - Don't flash lots of cash around in public. - Don't go off of the main areas. - If you are supposed to be picked up at the airport by a driver, make sure that there is someway that you can verify that the driver that says he is there to pick you up really is. - The most dangerous thing about Asia is the driving. Everyone has the right-of-way and takes it. People walk, ride, pull out in front of traffic without ever looking. Traffic signals are regularly ignored. Bikes and scooters are the worst offenders at intersections. Watch out for them on the sidewalk, too. ELECTRICITY & PHONES - Only the USA, Canada and part of Japan are 110-volts, 60-cycles. The rest of the world is 220-volts, 50-cycles. You must carry a converter in order to use your USA appliances overseas. - Check out the Internet to find out what type of plug configuration the country you are visiting has so you can make sure you have the correct adapter. Some countries have multiple types. Just because it looks like a standard outlet does not mean that it is 110-volts. - Many of the chargers & power supplies for you cameras, PDA's, computers, etc. are dual voltage -- 100/240-volts, 50/60-cycle. Double check what yours is. - Your extension cords and surge protectors are not designed for 220-volts -- leave them at home. - GFI's like you find in most US bathrooms and kitchens are not common overseas - Carry an adapter that changes your three-prong plug to two prongs. - US mobile phones do not work overseas. If you do have one of the GSM phones in the, you may be able to set it up to work when you are overseas. If you are visiting more than one country, find out if you phone can be set up for that. Also you may only be able to call back to the US and the country you set the phone up for. Make sure you are aware of the costs of making and receiving calls as it can be expensive Let people that call just to chat that you are going to be away and not to call until you return. If you have to have a phone, you can sometimes rent one at the airport or from the car rental agency. - Making phone calls, even local ones overseas, usually requires a phone card. They can be purchased many places, but you may have to find out how to use them since the instructions will most likely not be in English. TAXIS - Taxis are the best way to get around. Some places are cheap; others cost an arm & a leg. From Narita Airport to downtown Tokyo is well over 100 US dollars. If possible, find out the cost from someone who knows or check with the airport information booth. - Have the concierge write down where you want to go, and take a card with the name of you hotel with so you can get back. Sometimes there are taxi books with favorite destinations in English and the local language. - Seatbelts will be found only in the front seat and you are only allowed to have 4 passengers to a cab. SHOPPING - The most fun part of a visiting and the most frustrating part of living in a foreign country. - Bargaining is alive and well. Don't be afraid to try. The worst that can happen is you walk away with out buying or you pay their price. - Buying brand names at prices that seem to good to be true, may be. There are a lot of knockoffs and look-a-likes around and not much control over trademarks or copyrights. Check the quality before you buy. You cannot by a Rolex for $15 no matter what the guy on the street selling them says. - There are lots of bargains to be found, but if you are planning on buying cameras or other electronics, know what they cost in the states. Also be aware that there are several different formats for televisions, VCRs and DVDs. What you buy overseas may not work in the States. Even if the player plays NTSC, it may be setup for a different region and won't work with you DVDs back home. - Be aware that there may be import duty due on certain items when you get back to the States. You are only allowed to bring back so much duty free. ODDS & ENDS - When you are out in among the public in Asia, you will find yourself bumped and jostled about. They don't really mean anything by it; it is just their culture. If someone steps on your foot, it was obviously not done on purpose, so probably won't hear an apology. - Many Asian cultures do not do lines or queues well. They just cluster around and push forward until they get there. - Asian personal space is a lot smaller than westerners. It can seem like they are right in your face. Get used to it. - It smells different. You hometown probably smells funky to them. - Don't get caught up in the style of government that they have. It is the people that make up the country and most of them are friendly and open. - Religions are different from one part of the world to another. If you have a problem with their beliefs, it is best to keep it to yourself. They probably believe that you religion is as wrong as you do theirs. Remember, almost all religions preach peace and proper behavior. - Try to learn at least how to say Hello, Good-bye, Please & Thank you in their language. It goes a long ways. - In some cultures the way they address you is based upon you age and/or position in regards to theirs, and they only way they can find out how old you are is to ask. - Business cards are very important to Asians. If offered their business card, accept it with both hands and look at it, don't just stuff it in your pocket immediately. If you are at a conference, place their card on the table in front of you that matches the way that they are seated. This way you can correctly address them by name. DO NOT put their business card in your billfold. Put them in your shirt/jacket pocket or in your brief case when the meeting is done. Similarly, you should have you business cards in someplace besides you back pocket. Best kept near the heart and not the butt. - In Asian business meetings, the leader of your group goes in first, and would normally be seated opposite of his equal at the table. - Be careful with hand jesters. When you want some to come to you, put you hand out with the palm DOWN and move you fingers. The "OK" hand sign that many Americans use means something very different/rude in some places. The thumbs-up sign is safer. The same as making a fist with you thumb sticking out between you index and middle finger. It means much the same at an erect middle finger does. - Two young women walking down the street holding hands are not lesbians, they are just friends. - Two men walking with their arms around each other are not gay, they are just friends or one is holding the other one up. What ever you do, take the time to see and enjoy the different things that the world has to offer.

New Photos

Check out the new photos by clicking the link on the right. There are some in the main gallery and in "Other China Photos."

Friday-Saturday in Suzhou

Well, my second full week in China has passed and the weekend is here Only seventy-six more to go! Time to look inward and reflect upon the events that have transpired. Sheer terror comes to mind! Our driver is an idiot!On the way home Thursday, he missed the first turn out of the plant, then would not turn around to go back. Instead, we spent the next one and one-half hours seeing parts of Suzhou and the surrounding area. I hate to pass that harsh a judgment after only three days, but when three Americans have to tell him how to get to the hotel after he got lost, idiot seems the fit. The van that we have is an eleven passenger, but we can only get three in it. One in the front seat, one in the second seat, which, because with only 10-inches between the seat and the wheel well/engine compartment, you have to sit sideways. The same in the back where there is about 8-inches between the third seat and the second, again you have to sit sideways with your legs stretched out on the seats. The fact that there are no seat belts doesn't really help our confidence level. We've taken to calling him Rong Ray Roscoe. Even Friday, his third day, he missed two turns on the way to work, and argued with us all the way home as to when to turn and when to go straight. He drives very slow when there is no traffic and speeds up when the road gets crowded. Monday we are supposed to get our 6-passenger van and if is comes equipped with the same driver, we will have a talk with the transport company!The search for apartments was going pretty good. Found three in the same complex, so we told them that we would take them. Talked with the owners and the agreed move in date was to be about December 1. Friday evening, the real estate agent, Sharon, called and said that one of the owners decided that they would rent to someone else that could move in earlier. Pucca (my gas turbine TA Brian's half Thai/Chinese wife who doesn't speak a word of Chinese) was really upset. We thought that if we got her some Thai food that would help. I talked to the concierge and he ask around and they came up with what he said was a small place nearby, close enough to walk. We had him right down the name and address of the place and the had them call a cab to take us there. After a couple of false stops he pointed to a small place. We piled out of the cab and then we couldn't decided which of the small places across the street he was pointing to. We had three choices, so I picked the middle one, when in and showed them my piece of paper. Her face lit up and started nodding, so I figured we had blundered into the right place. Got our menus and much to our surprise, they were in Chinese and English. Things were looking up. Got to looking and sure enough, there it was, right there on menu, on the second page of the menu, in the second column of the second page of the menu, at the bottom of the second column of the second page of the menu, in fact it was the last item on the bottom of the second column of the second page of the menu, was Thai noodle soup. That was it. One dish out of the whole menu. The rest of the menu was your basic Chinese food along with several curry dishes. With all of us being the adventuresome kind, not to mention we were already setting down, we plowed ahead and ordered. We were rewarded with tasty meals of curried chicken and curried beef served with sticky white rice and an order of shrimp fried rice. They only had Pepsi, but they were cold and did not need ice, so Pepsi it was. On the walk back to the hotel, we passed by more restaurants that you can believe. Seems that 4 out of 5 businesses in that area are restaurants, and most seemed to have quite a few people inside. Saturday, it was time for Jerry & I to go look at furniture. Sharon --that's right, our real estate agent -- picked us up to help us look at furniture. She says that it is part of her normal job. Can't see ReMax or Century 21 taking the time to help you pick out furniture. Anyway, Jerry's landlord had already selected some furnishings and wanted Jerry to look at it to see is he approved before he paid for it. We went to a store downtown where he looked at the dining table set, study furniture and the master bedroom & guest bedroom sets. Jerry told her that it looked fine to him, so we loaded up in the car to go to the International Furniture District where we would meet my landlord. When they say furniture district they mean furniture DISTRICT. There had to be a mile of furniture stores on both sides of the road. The buildings were two stories tall and had three rows of stores running the length of each. Each of the stores seemed to be a separate business, but there is a lot duplication. We walked up and town through two of the buildings looking at several different things. The landlord did not have bad taste, so I told Sharon that since he was going to own the furniture and I was just going to use it, that I felt that he should pick the furniture and if I did not like something I would tell him. He seemed to like that idea, so when it came to the living room furniture he went with my selection. The two colored blockish furniture he was looking at really isn't our style. The rest of the furniture reminds me of IKEA /Danish modern type of furniture. The flooring in the apartment is dark so the light furniture should help brighten it up. [Mona, if Sally's living room set looks just like yours, remember, I picked ours first!] There is a lot of what Jerry calls early Jetson's furniture in this country. You've seen it, the stuff that was deemed futuristic in the 1960's. Got all that done by 1PM so Jerry and I gathered up our laundry and headed out. Found the laundry we had seen the day before and found that the clerk spoke some English. We have our tickie and our laundry will be done Tuesday. And for about 1/3 the price of the what the hotel charges. Next stop was a photo shop where we finally managed to explain that we needed eight passport style photos. Up stairs we go to his studio -- a room with a chair and a piece of plywood painted blue. He set the plywood on the chair,set us on the chair and took our photos. Back down to the photo shop where one of the clerks downloaded the photos, cropped them, did a bit of touch up and after 10 minutes, we had our photos. Out the door, across the street(this can be a real trip) and decided that it felt like a KFC kind of afternoon. Went in and joined the group at the counter. For those of you who have never been in Asia, lines are not their strong point. Anyway, I got to the counter first, and seeing my big round white face (with the red nose) didn't phase the clerk a bit. She simply handed me a picture menu and I pointed to the #6 meal, a 4-piece crispy hot wing meal with fries and a large Pepsi. I tried to throw a kink into things by covering up the fries &drink under the picture of the barbecue sandwich, but she caught on right away. Got my meal and looked around for someplace to sit. Didn't see any. One of the young girls who was cleaning tables ask if I needed help. I said not help, just a table. She took us back to a table for four where a man and his small daughter were eating. She ask if we could share their table and he gestured to sit. Her English was much better than most of the translators we have at the plant, and she was also one of the few Chinese that seemed to smile all of the time. They are a people that are quick to laugh, but seem somber much of the time. Lunch finished, we hopped on the chicken bus (there are shuttles that run from one end of walking street to the other that have advertisements on them, so you can guess who the sponsor of our was) to try and find the post office. It was suppose to be right across the street from the Starbucks so we took the underpass, past all of underground shops and out the other side. Turned right so that we could head down so we'd be across from Starbucks. Didn't see it, so we kept going. We did see a wedding that either was 12 weddings or two weddings that had really elaborate brides maids dresses. Six couples got out of a mini-bus and went into the building and six couples came out of the building and into the mini-bus. Really didn't figure it all out. So I decided that it was about this time I drug out my handy-dandy point and grunt book. Showed a crossing guard the picture of a post office and he pointed back the way we came. Alright, so it was across the street and up a block & a half from Starbucks. At least we found it. Got Jerry's T&L package mailed so with everything we got accomplished, we're counting this day as a success. Walked back the hotel through the back ways with the little narrow streets with the small shops. Checked out a couple of stores,one that sold the little electric scooters that so many people ride here. The ones that look like a bicycle are about 1200-1800RMB or $150-$225; the ones that look like a Vespa run about 2600-3200RMB or $325-$400. Bicycles are in the $40-$60 range. Found a little shop that looked like it had some household stuff, so I grabbed good old P&G and went in. Four RMB (50¢)later walked out with my 10 coat hangers. Back to the hotel to start on this little epistle & watch a little TV. Actually get CNN and HBO in four second delay English. Kind of like watching a really badly dubbed movie. Back out for dinner and it was decided that the sign that said "Syrup Barbecue" simply begged to be checked out. Turned out the restaurant was in a hotel, which we didn't feel like going into. Walked down the street looking at the different choices for restaurants & menus trying to figur out what to eat. Then one of the many tourist buses on the little narrow street moved and there was a Korean restaurant. Decision made! Had kovikan, the thin beef cooked at the table with the little bowls of veggies,kimchee you stuff in lettuce leafs then stuff in your mouth. Kind of a Korean fajitas. Walking back to the hotel by a previously uncharted route,we ran into a place called Mahalo Hawaiian Ice. Decided that since we had never heard anything like that, so it too had to be tried. Turned out to be kind of a cross between an Italian Ice and ice cream in texture. I had chocolate, but the it had an different taste, almost like it was made with coconut milk. As much as I don't like coconut, it was actually pretty tasty. Walking a little farther, we saw where we are going to eat tomorrow night. A place called Amazon - Latin food. Hope that they have fried yucca. Who knows what we'll find next. I know it sounds like all we've done is eat, but that is the most interesting happening in my life these days. Living in a foreign country is kind of like that. You don't always get to play tourist. Much of your time is spent trying to find things that remind you of home, and food is great for that. Guess that after my hard and exhausting day, I'll get this sent and get rested for my next big adventure. In the photo album (link to the right) is a photo of a sign in one of the department stores here.

Driving

I've only been in Suzhou, China for about two weeks, but some of the driving rules are starting to become clear: * No one yields the right of way. It belongs to the and they aren't about to give it up. * If you want to change lanes, make sure you don't hit the car in front of you. The car beside you is of no consequence. * The yellow line in the middle of the road simply marks where the middle of the road is. It has nothing to do with which side you drive on. * A double yellow line more clearly marks where the middle of the road is. * If your honk your horn it generates an invisible protective shield that will protect your car. The horns on the oncoming traffic however, do not have the same feature. * The law of mass tonnage does not apply in their minds. In practice, pedestrians lose to bikes; bikes lose to mopeds; mopeds lose to scooters, scooters lose to motorcycles; motorcycles lose to cars; cars lose to trucks and everyone loses to buses. * There are no red octagonal signs in China. * If you need to pass the car in front of you, just do it. Oncoming traffic will move over for you. * If you need to pass the car in front of you that is passing the car in front of them, just do it. Oncoming traffic will move over more for two of you. * Just because every major road has one entire lane each direction designated as a bike/moped/scooter lane does not mean that all bikes/mopeds/scooters will use it. * Slow, 1-cylinder tuk-tuks should always avoid driving in the right hand lane. * Having a traffic signal that has a red left arrow does not prevent you from turning left. This especially applies to bikes/mopeds/scooters in the bike lane. * At any time, your three lanes, all with arrows pointing straight ahead, may become two lanes without warning in the middle of the block. * At any time, your two lanes, all with arrows pointing straight ahead, may become three lanes without warning in the middle of the block. * Traffic circles are one of the great mysteries of the orient to 99.95% of all drivers of any type of vehicle. * When your red count down timer gets to 04, you should start across the intersection. * When your green count down time gets to 00 and changes to red, you should continue crossing the intersection for four more seconds. * There is no such thing as "J"-walking. In fact people have just as much right to walk down the center of the lane as, say, a bus does. * Parking is where you get out of your car at. Blocking part of a lane is not an inconvenience to anyone. * Any vehicle that is capable of moving at any speed is allowed on the highway. * The number of seats in your vehicle should not limit the number of passengers.