So it’s goodbye Beijing. It’s been an interesting 6 months. Can’t say I loved it but can’t say I hated it either. I feel I haven’t really lived it to its full potential but it’s hard when my life is kind of static at the moment with no job and no direction. The one great thing that came out of my time there was that I picked up snowboarding again. I know I won’t be able to snowboard much anymore but I’m trying for a proper trip at least once a year. No more weekend shredding sessions 
Shanghai has been a little easier to settle in to or maybe it’s because I’ve become more accustomed to living in China and speaking in my shoddy mandarin. People here seem to understand me better. I reckon they’re just more used to having foreigners around. Whatever it is, it makes my life a lot easier.
Another plus point is that it’s quite nice to walk around in certain areas (like where I live). That could be a reason why I feel more comfortable. It’s not the big expansive city that is Beijing – not that there’s anything wrong with that. But walking puts to my mind Melbourne. The air is not exactly as fresh but walking leads you to pass old colonial/french era buildings and I prefer that to skyscrapers.
And check this out. Would this be a giant scratching post for a lot of cats or a scratching post for a giant cat?
I’m sure there’s a very logical explanation for these rope wrapped trees on the streets of Shanghai but I’d rather go with thinking it’s a giant scratching post for any cat who happens to need something to scratch while out walking about. And yes, I resisted the urge to go right up to it to give it a try.