I am saying Adios for a week as I am readying myself to Journey to the US, the purpose of such a journey is to learn more about my chosen feild. I really do love what I am working in and I hope I can learn many more things to enable me to contribute to this industry some more....In the future I want my own business and I want to be able to work with people closely installing electricity for them in some remote location in the global village so some more people have access to more education :)
Thursday, December 30, 2004
Tsunami Tragedy
It seems the true scale of such a disaster is now unfolding. Families torn apart, children gone forever, subsistence fishermens means of supporting themselves gone. Millions of peoples lives have been affected. It is ok for the tourists, they can leave. But for the people left behind they have to rebuild from the beginning....
It takes a disaster of such scale for the world to co-operate and being generous with relief programs. THis shows true human spirit and character. However why do people have to wait until a thing such as this has to happen. I guess in general we are short sighted, selfish and á jolt to the compassionate places in our hearts needs to take place for us to be somnewhat compassionate.
Some images stay with you, seeing the expression of pure grief on a man's face as he held his dead baby in his arms and crying...I will not forget this image for a long time...
I can count myself lucky to have escape such, terror, tragedy in my short existance being raised in somewhat lucky Australia, educated and now living and working as a proffessional in Germany as part of the global village. I don't think I could ever imagine the hurt and pain that someone who has been effected goes through because I have never experienced this myself. I think that people in this new world should always think about others and place themselves in the other persons shoes and have some kind of empathy if anything is going to improve. Yet agian history repeats due to greed stubborness and envy...have we as a developed human race really come anywhere or is it just a helpless cycle?
I hurt for those people who are confused, worried, shocked and devistated right now, I wish I could be there to hug them and comfort them.
Floorwalker
It takes a disaster of such scale for the world to co-operate and being generous with relief programs. THis shows true human spirit and character. However why do people have to wait until a thing such as this has to happen. I guess in general we are short sighted, selfish and á jolt to the compassionate places in our hearts needs to take place for us to be somnewhat compassionate.
Some images stay with you, seeing the expression of pure grief on a man's face as he held his dead baby in his arms and crying...I will not forget this image for a long time...
I can count myself lucky to have escape such, terror, tragedy in my short existance being raised in somewhat lucky Australia, educated and now living and working as a proffessional in Germany as part of the global village. I don't think I could ever imagine the hurt and pain that someone who has been effected goes through because I have never experienced this myself. I think that people in this new world should always think about others and place themselves in the other persons shoes and have some kind of empathy if anything is going to improve. Yet agian history repeats due to greed stubborness and envy...have we as a developed human race really come anywhere or is it just a helpless cycle?
I hurt for those people who are confused, worried, shocked and devistated right now, I wish I could be there to hug them and comfort them.
Floorwalker
Comment About the Tsunami
Well I feel deeply sorry for the hunderds of thousands of peoples lives this has destroyed. Every month I donate some of my salary to CCF, I hope some money can go to help the people that have been affected.
Another note, maaaan I wish I was there to SURF it!!! Seriously, I would try! I reakon its so worth dieing doing something extreme and far out! Hopefully some day I wish to go heliskiing down some glacier in the french alps or something and jump out of the helicopter at the top like on the MILO add!
In the past I have tried to do some extreme things, like I went snow shoeing in 2002 becuase that yeah I had a knee reconstruction and was not able to ski so I decided to try snow shoeing. Thats cool when you run really fast towards a cliff, plant your poles (ski poles) and then do a front flip, usually you land on your feet and keep running.
Another note, maaaan I wish I was there to SURF it!!! Seriously, I would try! I reakon its so worth dieing doing something extreme and far out! Hopefully some day I wish to go heliskiing down some glacier in the french alps or something and jump out of the helicopter at the top like on the MILO add!
In the past I have tried to do some extreme things, like I went snow shoeing in 2002 becuase that yeah I had a knee reconstruction and was not able to ski so I decided to try snow shoeing. Thats cool when you run really fast towards a cliff, plant your poles (ski poles) and then do a front flip, usually you land on your feet and keep running.
Voting Results for Holiday Possibilities in 2005
1. Climb Mt Blanc
Currently 3 Votes, most people seem enthusiastic about this one
2. Inventing New Sport and Getting Arrested
Currently 1 vote, a comment about my attempt to get arrested last time I was in China.
3. Buy a cheap Car and Drive from India to Germany whichever way possible. (Winning)
4 votes, this seems the most dangerous, far out and challenging. So so far I choose this one unless anyone else has more suggestions.
4. Surf a Tsunami..
yeah this woulf be great if I was able to predict them and I think a lot of fellow adventure seekers would have the same idea.
Currently 3 Votes, most people seem enthusiastic about this one
2. Inventing New Sport and Getting Arrested
Currently 1 vote, a comment about my attempt to get arrested last time I was in China.
3. Buy a cheap Car and Drive from India to Germany whichever way possible. (Winning)
4 votes, this seems the most dangerous, far out and challenging. So so far I choose this one unless anyone else has more suggestions.
4. Surf a Tsunami..
yeah this woulf be great if I was able to predict them and I think a lot of fellow adventure seekers would have the same idea.
Friday, December 24, 2004
Floorwalkers List of Holiday Possibilities in 2005
1. Climb Mt Blanc (June/July 2005)
Comment: Once met a crazy Frenchman who told me he climbed it accidently, so I figured it can’t be too hard.
2. Try to get arrested in Japan/ Korea,
Still dreaming this one up, maybe by promoting a new sport that I invented, Urban Golf. Go to a large city and hit golf balls around.
3. Fly to India, buy a cheap car then try to drive back to Germany whichever way possible...
by following road signs. This may take 1 week. The other week I can spend in Australia.
Please send me your suggestions for my next adventure or vote for one above?
Comment: Once met a crazy Frenchman who told me he climbed it accidently, so I figured it can’t be too hard.
2. Try to get arrested in Japan/ Korea,
Still dreaming this one up, maybe by promoting a new sport that I invented, Urban Golf. Go to a large city and hit golf balls around.
3. Fly to India, buy a cheap car then try to drive back to Germany whichever way possible...
by following road signs. This may take 1 week. The other week I can spend in Australia.
Please send me your suggestions for my next adventure or vote for one above?
Friday, December 17, 2004
Researchers use pentacene to develop next-generation solar power
I had an idea about this in 2002 after thinking, man wouldn't it be cool for us to have solar powered clothing for our mp3 players and wearable computers and so on.
Tech Developing Efficient Organic Solar Cell
Atlanta (December 13, 2004) — As the price of energy continues to rise, businesses are looking to renewable energy for cheaper sources of power. Making electricity from the most plentiful of these sources - the sun -can be expensive due to the high price of producing traditional silicon-based solar cells. Enter organic solar cells. Made from cheaper materials, their flexibility and feather-weight construction promise to open up new markets for solar energy, potentially powering everything from Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) tags to iPods and laptop computers. Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a new approach to creating lightweight organic solar cells. By using pentacene, researchers have been able to convert sunlight to electricity with high efficiency. The research appears in the November 29, 2004 issue of the journal Applied Physics Letters.
Professor Bernard Kippelen and research scientists Benoit Domercq and Seunghyup Yoo show off their organic solar cell in front of an array of silicon solar cells on the roof of Tech’s Campus Recreation Center.300 dpi JPG = 1.24 MB
“We’ve demonstrated that using a crystalline organic film, pentacene, is a promising new approach to developing organic solar cells,” said Bernard Kippelen, professor in the Center for Organic Photonics and Electronics and the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Georgia Tech. “In our paper, we show that we’ve been able to convert solar energy into electricity with 2.7 percent efficiency. Since then, we’ve been able to demonstrate power conversion efficiencies of 3.4 percent and believe that we should reach 5 percent in the near future.” What makes pentacene such a good material for organic solar cells, Kippelen explained, is that, unlike many of the other materials being studied for use in these cells, it’s a crystal. The crystal structure of atoms joined together in a regular pattern makes it easier for electricity to move through it than some other organic materials, which are more amorphous. The research group, made up of Kippelen and research scientists Seunghyup Yoo and Benoit Domercq, used pentacene and C60, a form of carbon more popularly known as “buckyballs,” in the cells. Previous attempts by other groups using pentacene in solar cells combined the material with metals, rather than an organic molecule like C60. “The metal-pentacene cells had very low efficiencies,” said Kippelen. “We decided we would pair out pentacene with an organic molecule because such a combination could generate larger currents.”
The flexibility of organic solar cells will allow them to power a wide variety of products.300 dpi JPG = 1.04 MB
Once fully developed, organic solar cells could revolutionize the power industry. Their flexibility and minimal weight will allow them to be placed on almost anything from tents that would provide power to those inside, to clothing that would power personal electronic devices. The solar cells are still at least five years away from residential applications, said Kippelen. But he estimates that they’ll be ready to use in smaller devices, such as RFID tags, used by some retailers to control inventory, within two years. Kippelen and other professors at the Center for Organic Photonics and Electronics started LumoFlex, a spin-off company based at Georgia Tech, to capitalize on the commercial applications of the research. Tech founded the Center for Organic Photonics and Electronics in 2003, when Kippelen along with chemistry professors Seth Marder, Joe Perry and Jean-Luc Bredas came to Tech from the University of Arizona. The center teams up with the silicon-based research of the University Center for Excellence in Photovoltaics (UCEP) in Tech’s commitment to producing ground-breaking research and training in both organic and silicon solar cells. “The silicon and organic photovoltaic groups are working together at Georgia Tech to accelerate the development of cost-effective solar cells to solve the energy and environmental problems simultaneously and reduce our dependence on foreign oil,” said Ajeet Rohatgi, director of UCEP and regent’s professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. This year Tech began the Strategic Energy Initiative to carry out scientific and economic research and development on renewable energies like solar and wind power.
Tech Developing Efficient Organic Solar Cell
Atlanta (December 13, 2004) — As the price of energy continues to rise, businesses are looking to renewable energy for cheaper sources of power. Making electricity from the most plentiful of these sources - the sun -can be expensive due to the high price of producing traditional silicon-based solar cells. Enter organic solar cells. Made from cheaper materials, their flexibility and feather-weight construction promise to open up new markets for solar energy, potentially powering everything from Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) tags to iPods and laptop computers. Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a new approach to creating lightweight organic solar cells. By using pentacene, researchers have been able to convert sunlight to electricity with high efficiency. The research appears in the November 29, 2004 issue of the journal Applied Physics Letters.
Professor Bernard Kippelen and research scientists Benoit Domercq and Seunghyup Yoo show off their organic solar cell in front of an array of silicon solar cells on the roof of Tech’s Campus Recreation Center.300 dpi JPG = 1.24 MB
“We’ve demonstrated that using a crystalline organic film, pentacene, is a promising new approach to developing organic solar cells,” said Bernard Kippelen, professor in the Center for Organic Photonics and Electronics and the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Georgia Tech. “In our paper, we show that we’ve been able to convert solar energy into electricity with 2.7 percent efficiency. Since then, we’ve been able to demonstrate power conversion efficiencies of 3.4 percent and believe that we should reach 5 percent in the near future.” What makes pentacene such a good material for organic solar cells, Kippelen explained, is that, unlike many of the other materials being studied for use in these cells, it’s a crystal. The crystal structure of atoms joined together in a regular pattern makes it easier for electricity to move through it than some other organic materials, which are more amorphous. The research group, made up of Kippelen and research scientists Seunghyup Yoo and Benoit Domercq, used pentacene and C60, a form of carbon more popularly known as “buckyballs,” in the cells. Previous attempts by other groups using pentacene in solar cells combined the material with metals, rather than an organic molecule like C60. “The metal-pentacene cells had very low efficiencies,” said Kippelen. “We decided we would pair out pentacene with an organic molecule because such a combination could generate larger currents.”
The flexibility of organic solar cells will allow them to power a wide variety of products.300 dpi JPG = 1.04 MB
Once fully developed, organic solar cells could revolutionize the power industry. Their flexibility and minimal weight will allow them to be placed on almost anything from tents that would provide power to those inside, to clothing that would power personal electronic devices. The solar cells are still at least five years away from residential applications, said Kippelen. But he estimates that they’ll be ready to use in smaller devices, such as RFID tags, used by some retailers to control inventory, within two years. Kippelen and other professors at the Center for Organic Photonics and Electronics started LumoFlex, a spin-off company based at Georgia Tech, to capitalize on the commercial applications of the research. Tech founded the Center for Organic Photonics and Electronics in 2003, when Kippelen along with chemistry professors Seth Marder, Joe Perry and Jean-Luc Bredas came to Tech from the University of Arizona. The center teams up with the silicon-based research of the University Center for Excellence in Photovoltaics (UCEP) in Tech’s commitment to producing ground-breaking research and training in both organic and silicon solar cells. “The silicon and organic photovoltaic groups are working together at Georgia Tech to accelerate the development of cost-effective solar cells to solve the energy and environmental problems simultaneously and reduce our dependence on foreign oil,” said Ajeet Rohatgi, director of UCEP and regent’s professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. This year Tech began the Strategic Energy Initiative to carry out scientific and economic research and development on renewable energies like solar and wind power.
Thursday, December 16, 2004
Monkey's in the Furnace
Yesterday some funny things happened. Being only in Germany three months, my German is still a tad rusty and I think people really don't understand me when I chat to them.
I was at the Diffusion furnace when I asked the operator, "Die Ofen ist gut? Alle ist clau mit die Ofen?" However when I said this to the operator he looked at me and burst out laughing. At the moment I did not have a clue why but I thought it was cool and laughed as well. The guys there think that I am very funny and whenever I go there I shake there hands for 5 minutes smile and say something funny. They are probably thinking, man here comes the crazy Australian!
Later on I was explaining this to a friend and they aked me what I had said, well apparently "Ofen", the word for "furnace" is very similar to the word "Affe" meaning "Monkey". So apparently what I said to the guy was "Good day, how is the Monkey? Everthing is ok with the Monkey?"
I was at the Diffusion furnace when I asked the operator, "Die Ofen ist gut? Alle ist clau mit die Ofen?" However when I said this to the operator he looked at me and burst out laughing. At the moment I did not have a clue why but I thought it was cool and laughed as well. The guys there think that I am very funny and whenever I go there I shake there hands for 5 minutes smile and say something funny. They are probably thinking, man here comes the crazy Australian!
Later on I was explaining this to a friend and they aked me what I had said, well apparently "Ofen", the word for "furnace" is very similar to the word "Affe" meaning "Monkey". So apparently what I said to the guy was "Good day, how is the Monkey? Everthing is ok with the Monkey?"
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
At the moment I am really wanting to read this book, I can't find it anywhere, I found it on Amazon but I have lost my credit card pin number...
Anyway a quote to cheer anyone up...
"
Anything that happens, happens.Anything that, in happening, causes something else to happen, causes something else to happen.Anything that, in happening, causes itself to happen again, happens again It doesn't necessarily do it in chronological order, though.
" Douglas Adams
Anyway a quote to cheer anyone up...
"
Anything that happens, happens.Anything that, in happening, causes something else to happen, causes something else to happen.Anything that, in happening, causes itself to happen again, happens again It doesn't necessarily do it in chronological order, though.
" Douglas Adams
Monday, December 13, 2004
Clean Energy in China?
It seems to me that the Chinese Government supports renewable energies more than the Australian Government....I think that this shows more foresight on their behalf, even more than the U.S....I think that the next 30-50 years with be incredibly interesting in the balance shift between wealth, R &D and progress from U.S, Australia, and Europe to places like China and India....
"
In China, the government provides low-interest loans (i,e.6%) and tax incentives for New and Renewable Energy (NRE) projects. The projects also get local autonomy in the special economic zone if they cost less than 50 million RMB. Some of these incentives are presently supporting wind turbine manufacturing and market development in china. The government has also prioritized the development of small hydropower (SHP) through regulation and improvement of a series of policies in SHP development. The main thrust of the government in this direction is to encourage local population under the scheme of 'self-reliance' , 'self-construction', 'self-management' and 'self-consumption'.
Three state agencies, the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), the State Development and Planning Commission (SDPC), and the State Economic and Trade Commission (SETC) have jointly set up a 'Program on New and Renewable Energy Development in China (1996-2010)'. The major targets of this program include 13.4 million hectares of fuel wood plantation,4 billion cubic meters of biogas supply to 12.35 million households ,117GWh electricity from small hydro ,4.67 mtce of solar energy,1000-1100MW of wind power capacity and 50 MW of tidal power capacity. The same three organizations have also launched a photovoltaic program, which is known as the 'sunlight Program??. The program, which will run up to 2010 is expected to upgrade country's manufacturing capacity of polycrystalline and other advanced silicon technologies; to establish large scale PV and PV/hybrid village power demonstration systems, home-PV projects for remote areas; and to initiate grid-connected PV projects. Other notable programs include the 'Brightness Program' and the 'Ride the Wind Program??. The first has been instituted by the SDPC through the bilateral and multilateral assistance aiming to install several solar and wind power systems in the northwest part of China .The second (also know as Chengfeng Program) is a bilateral co-operation program, which has already installed a total of 110 MW wind turbines in the various parts of the country by the end of 1998. Besides these programs, a GEF/World Bank renewable energy development program is also in the pipeline. This program will support the installation of 200MW of wind farms by IPPs; installation of 200,000 PV solar home system by private firms and strengthening of institutional capacity, business skills and project management in the field of renewable energy in china. "
"
In China, the government provides low-interest loans (i,e.6%) and tax incentives for New and Renewable Energy (NRE) projects. The projects also get local autonomy in the special economic zone if they cost less than 50 million RMB. Some of these incentives are presently supporting wind turbine manufacturing and market development in china. The government has also prioritized the development of small hydropower (SHP) through regulation and improvement of a series of policies in SHP development. The main thrust of the government in this direction is to encourage local population under the scheme of 'self-reliance' , 'self-construction', 'self-management' and 'self-consumption'.
Three state agencies, the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), the State Development and Planning Commission (SDPC), and the State Economic and Trade Commission (SETC) have jointly set up a 'Program on New and Renewable Energy Development in China (1996-2010)'. The major targets of this program include 13.4 million hectares of fuel wood plantation,4 billion cubic meters of biogas supply to 12.35 million households ,117GWh electricity from small hydro ,4.67 mtce of solar energy,1000-1100MW of wind power capacity and 50 MW of tidal power capacity. The same three organizations have also launched a photovoltaic program, which is known as the 'sunlight Program??. The program, which will run up to 2010 is expected to upgrade country's manufacturing capacity of polycrystalline and other advanced silicon technologies; to establish large scale PV and PV/hybrid village power demonstration systems, home-PV projects for remote areas; and to initiate grid-connected PV projects. Other notable programs include the 'Brightness Program' and the 'Ride the Wind Program??. The first has been instituted by the SDPC through the bilateral and multilateral assistance aiming to install several solar and wind power systems in the northwest part of China .The second (also know as Chengfeng Program) is a bilateral co-operation program, which has already installed a total of 110 MW wind turbines in the various parts of the country by the end of 1998. Besides these programs, a GEF/World Bank renewable energy development program is also in the pipeline. This program will support the installation of 200MW of wind farms by IPPs; installation of 200,000 PV solar home system by private firms and strengthening of institutional capacity, business skills and project management in the field of renewable energy in china. "
Friday, December 10, 2004
Dream
I better write this down before I forget:
I woke up this morning after one hell of a hilarious dream, I don't dream all that often, however when it happens, wooooo, they are really funny and detailed!
I was helping out my Dad who owned a brand new convienience store in US in a large city somewhere. It was spacious, organised and clean. It had everything for a convienience store. It was a bit like a Seven-11 or something. Well lit with Flourescent lights and Candies placed around the counter. Anyway after work I came down and helped out packing the cheezels on the shelf. A man walked in and apparently I knew him, but this bit is getting a little vague. I chatted with him for a bit and then the main event of the dream happened. I remembered looking down at my feet and noticing I was wearing some bown leather boat shoes, the dressy type that you wear. THese were my favouite and most comfortable shoes and I wore them all the time.
Anyways suddenly a lot of people walked into our store at once, I mean a lot, like hundreds, I mean it was a big store but man seriously you could not move and it was terribly busy. They were with a school from Scotland, however for some reason they spoke with Australian Accents and my father and myself being Australians living in America could communicate perfectly.
Anyways I was packing the shelf and I noticed one particular girl was wearing shoes that looked remarkably like my own, then I realised the same scratch in the same position of my left shoe. Wait a minute she is wearing my shoes!! They were some black skater shoes with a white sole and Vans written in white writing down the sides and on the tongue. They were slightly worn, approximately 100km on there odometer.
I quietly went up to her and asked, 'Hey dudess! Why are you wearing my shoes? They are mine, can I have them back now? Hey look I will swap you with mine.' She kept walking looking a little frightened but trying to completely ignore me and hiding her emotion. Man I got annoyed, there she was walking around in my shoes! My shoes!I let her walk off. I will deal with her later, after I have packed the Cheezels. Anyway later on, after 5 minutes, the teacher or headmistress came and talked to me. She said ‘Are you bothering my students? I said ‘ No, they are my shoes that one of your has stolen from me!’ ‘How can that be possible?!’ she retorted. ‘I dun know but they are my Vans, I am sure of it! They have the same wearing marks and I bet you if you let me wear them I will prove it to you, they will fit my feat perfectly.’ >Dream ends. >…..
I think that the detail in this dream was quite remarkable, usually I get dreams that are vague and I can’t remember but this one, abnormal. Maybee it has something to do with the fact what happened to me the night before. I went to Teiko’s and ate some ice cream, looked at her pictures and showed her mine and chatted by the fire. Eventually we made out and it was lovely and Romantic. When she walked to the Bus stop with me, it was freezing cold so I had to hug her tightly to keep her warm. She was wearing one of those Eskimo Jackets and I think she enjoyed being held by someone. I know I did!
I woke up this morning after one hell of a hilarious dream, I don't dream all that often, however when it happens, wooooo, they are really funny and detailed!
I was helping out my Dad who owned a brand new convienience store in US in a large city somewhere. It was spacious, organised and clean. It had everything for a convienience store. It was a bit like a Seven-11 or something. Well lit with Flourescent lights and Candies placed around the counter. Anyway after work I came down and helped out packing the cheezels on the shelf. A man walked in and apparently I knew him, but this bit is getting a little vague. I chatted with him for a bit and then the main event of the dream happened. I remembered looking down at my feet and noticing I was wearing some bown leather boat shoes, the dressy type that you wear. THese were my favouite and most comfortable shoes and I wore them all the time.
Anyways suddenly a lot of people walked into our store at once, I mean a lot, like hundreds, I mean it was a big store but man seriously you could not move and it was terribly busy. They were with a school from Scotland, however for some reason they spoke with Australian Accents and my father and myself being Australians living in America could communicate perfectly.
Anyways I was packing the shelf and I noticed one particular girl was wearing shoes that looked remarkably like my own, then I realised the same scratch in the same position of my left shoe. Wait a minute she is wearing my shoes!! They were some black skater shoes with a white sole and Vans written in white writing down the sides and on the tongue. They were slightly worn, approximately 100km on there odometer.
I quietly went up to her and asked, 'Hey dudess! Why are you wearing my shoes? They are mine, can I have them back now? Hey look I will swap you with mine.' She kept walking looking a little frightened but trying to completely ignore me and hiding her emotion. Man I got annoyed, there she was walking around in my shoes! My shoes!I let her walk off. I will deal with her later, after I have packed the Cheezels. Anyway later on, after 5 minutes, the teacher or headmistress came and talked to me. She said ‘Are you bothering my students? I said ‘ No, they are my shoes that one of your has stolen from me!’ ‘How can that be possible?!’ she retorted. ‘I dun know but they are my Vans, I am sure of it! They have the same wearing marks and I bet you if you let me wear them I will prove it to you, they will fit my feat perfectly.’ >Dream ends. >…..
I think that the detail in this dream was quite remarkable, usually I get dreams that are vague and I can’t remember but this one, abnormal. Maybee it has something to do with the fact what happened to me the night before. I went to Teiko’s and ate some ice cream, looked at her pictures and showed her mine and chatted by the fire. Eventually we made out and it was lovely and Romantic. When she walked to the Bus stop with me, it was freezing cold so I had to hug her tightly to keep her warm. She was wearing one of those Eskimo Jackets and I think she enjoyed being held by someone. I know I did!
Wednesday, December 08, 2004
Floorwalker is Ready for the US
Yesterday they were booking flights for our technology departments trip to Florida. There are ten going and booking the flights was quite a sophisticated procedure. Anyway making my story less boring and easier to read, I managed to receive the only flight that had business class booked. Obviously it was a mistake, but when they tried to cancel the business class booking, they couldn’t! So unfortunately I am stuck with a business class flight from Amsterdam to Orlando, well you do get lucky sometimes :)
Friday, December 03, 2004
Benefits of Solar Power
The use of PV energy is a very important socially acceptable method of producing sustainable clean energy and increasing the use and up-take of this technology requires coordinated support and attention. PV arrays can be built ranging from a few milli-watts up to a multi-megawatt range. PV modules can be part of a consumer product, mounted on roofs of houses, integrated in a building skin or disseminated as large power stations on the ground. Due to system modularity, it is easy to serve energy needs in dispersed and isolated communities making PV power a very desirable, flexible and valuable source of energy. Solar energy is a decisive renewable energy source. Solar energy will help secure genuine levels of protection for the environment. Every kWh of generated solar power prevents the release of around 0.7kg of harmful CO2 into the environment. It is expected that the demand for installed PV power will grow exponentially within two decades, illustrating the need to ensure supply of feedstock material which is capable of meeting: increasing demand, the cost of material does not limit PV as a sustainable energy option and that quality and technology align with the sectors expectations.....
Thats why I am a Solar Engineer :)
Thats why I am a Solar Engineer :)
Friday, November 26, 2004
A Story that explains my time in China
I was recently having a look through the depths of my computer and found this email. I really does explain my time that I spent in China. So many new friends and new experiences…I also managed to make it into the Chinese Newspapers with an article entitled ‘Luke Floorwalker’!! hehehehe
¶«·½Ô籨 ê°Ãù ß--------------@etang.com> wrote:
Luke Johnson£¬ÄúºÃ£¡(hello!)
¡¡¡¡hello,im glad to receive ur mail & read ur thought of china & ur experience in china. "luke floorwalker"has been printed in our oriental morning post last friday & i'll send the piece of news to ur mail this afternoon,coz i haven't go to my office. my english is poor,so maybe u could let ur chinese friends help u read that chinese article. i think u've many friends in china,what's more,u've a friend in shanghai!! it's me,haha:)
welcome u come shanghai again! wish u have a good time in china everyday! good luck!
= = = = 2004-01-03 17:34:00 ÄúÔÚÀ´ÐÅÖÐдµÀ£º= = = =
Hello Everyone,
This is the first of my emails regarding funny things in china.
If you like, you can read it.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
China is a place that helps you understand the world. Ok i went to this YHA in Shanghai and talked to Hiroshi and Takishaki, they were round jolly Japanese fellows, they drank Chinese beer and told me about the AK-47s they were firing in Cambodia 4 years ago, they couldn't hold them straight so the chickens they were trying to shoot flew off, 10USD. They were very entertaining, apparently a rocket lancher is only 200USD to shoot a cow.
They told me about what they called the 'hand bombs' (hand grenades). Hiroshi did the action and threw an imaginary 'hand bomb' , he seemed very excited.He said, "mmm a little dangerous me think"
This pair of jolly japanese fellows I found out later, had been to 35 countries. They got lost on a camel in Morrocco, with lots of water!, it was yummy water said Hiroshi.
Everywhere I walk a little dude jumps out and says Rolex, Mont Blanc Pen, DVD, today a little dude wanted to shine my shoes (they are runners) I agreed cause they looked a tad shabby, then he instantly pulled a chair out and shined them, then he wanted 50 RMB,ahhhh, rip off, I gave him 20 and ran like the wind. He yelled something, I smiled and said New Zealand in chinese.
I ran up the Oriental Pearl Tower twice and talked to CCTV and Oriental Post, halfway up whilst qualifying, I really needed a W.C cause I had drank too much chinese gatorade, and asked a little fellow who looked official and who had popped out of nowhere
"WHERE IS W.C!??" I pointed to the nether regions
'ahhhh W.C' he said
"NOOOOO" and pointed up!
There was only one way to go, up! To the finish! Ahhhh, I ran like the wind to find this sky W.C and managed to have a little lady give me a ticket all in chinese when I came to the end, it said 12 on it in arabic numerals, only later did I find out that was the finish and I had qualifed for the big run. I guess it was a great run just for the fun as all the chinese dudes running with me were helping each other and I helped them, one notable fellow was very polite and wasn't feeling too well himself, I said, don't worry superman! Too the top, lets do it! He smiled and said, Superman and we sprinted up the next flight.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Until Next time
May the Floor be with you always
Luke Floorwalker
Yahoo! Personals- New people, new possibilities. FREE for a limited time!
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡ÖÂÀñ£¡
Oriental Moning Post Maggie Zang
2004-01-04
¶«·½Ô籨 ê°Ãù ß--------------@etang.com> wrote:
Luke Johnson£¬ÄúºÃ£¡(hello!)
¡¡¡¡hello,im glad to receive ur mail & read ur thought of china & ur experience in china. "luke floorwalker"has been printed in our oriental morning post last friday & i'll send the piece of news to ur mail this afternoon,coz i haven't go to my office. my english is poor,so maybe u could let ur chinese friends help u read that chinese article. i think u've many friends in china,what's more,u've a friend in shanghai!! it's me,haha:)
welcome u come shanghai again! wish u have a good time in china everyday! good luck!
= = = = 2004-01-03 17:34:00 ÄúÔÚÀ´ÐÅÖÐдµÀ£º= = = =
Hello Everyone,
This is the first of my emails regarding funny things in china.
If you like, you can read it.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
China is a place that helps you understand the world. Ok i went to this YHA in Shanghai and talked to Hiroshi and Takishaki, they were round jolly Japanese fellows, they drank Chinese beer and told me about the AK-47s they were firing in Cambodia 4 years ago, they couldn't hold them straight so the chickens they were trying to shoot flew off, 10USD. They were very entertaining, apparently a rocket lancher is only 200USD to shoot a cow.
They told me about what they called the 'hand bombs' (hand grenades). Hiroshi did the action and threw an imaginary 'hand bomb' , he seemed very excited.He said, "mmm a little dangerous me think"
This pair of jolly japanese fellows I found out later, had been to 35 countries. They got lost on a camel in Morrocco, with lots of water!, it was yummy water said Hiroshi.
Everywhere I walk a little dude jumps out and says Rolex, Mont Blanc Pen, DVD, today a little dude wanted to shine my shoes (they are runners) I agreed cause they looked a tad shabby, then he instantly pulled a chair out and shined them, then he wanted 50 RMB,ahhhh, rip off, I gave him 20 and ran like the wind. He yelled something, I smiled and said New Zealand in chinese.
I ran up the Oriental Pearl Tower twice and talked to CCTV and Oriental Post, halfway up whilst qualifying, I really needed a W.C cause I had drank too much chinese gatorade, and asked a little fellow who looked official and who had popped out of nowhere
"WHERE IS W.C!??" I pointed to the nether regions
'ahhhh W.C' he said
"NOOOOO" and pointed up!
There was only one way to go, up! To the finish! Ahhhh, I ran like the wind to find this sky W.C and managed to have a little lady give me a ticket all in chinese when I came to the end, it said 12 on it in arabic numerals, only later did I find out that was the finish and I had qualifed for the big run. I guess it was a great run just for the fun as all the chinese dudes running with me were helping each other and I helped them, one notable fellow was very polite and wasn't feeling too well himself, I said, don't worry superman! Too the top, lets do it! He smiled and said, Superman and we sprinted up the next flight.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Until Next time
May the Floor be with you always
Luke Floorwalker
Yahoo! Personals- New people, new possibilities. FREE for a limited time!
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡ÖÂÀñ£¡
Oriental Moning Post Maggie Zang
2004-01-04
Thursday, November 25, 2004
Episode 0: Luke Floorwalkers Adventure to Japan (Tamagochi, vending machine and Hello Kitty Land)
July 31st 2004
Well dudes, starting a whirlwind tour of tomagochi and vending machine land, naturally before any overseas travel, I was very excited. Sometimes I can get overly excited and forget many things but luckily on this occation it did not happen. Ah well, it only happened once when I lost a camera.This is a story about my first impressions of places and of people becuase when one enters a new place for a first time their impressions are added to a new space in that persons brain where more physical memory has become available, now they can chuck out any garbarge that was having a holiday in that place before like a new puppy stretched out on your parents queen bed.I remember i needed to clean my shoes becuase one must always clean their shoes before any multi-continent journey. However i could not find any shoe cleaning material, therefore i used a shirt to give them a whipe over.Bording any trans continental flight is exciting. As I lined up to catch JAL from Sydney to Toyko, i remembered a theory of mine. People are very excited to catch a plane and line up much earlier than needed. They are like little puppy dogs. And then when they get on the plane their seat is assigned and they have to sit there for some long time anyway, so what is the point of being so eager. Then when people get off planes it is like a mad rush anyway. I call it mad plane theory.So there i was waiting for the remainder of people to get onto the flight. We took off above the oceans across the Pacific over Guam where i noticed some turbulance and then to the finish , Narita Airport. We flew over 196 hole golf courses and small pockets of densely vegetated forests, rolling hills and separated satellite settlements. Japan is a very clean place with lots of modern cars and people. They seemed to have evolved to a culture with endless talent for finding new and interesting ways to dress themselves.I checked into my modern hotel suite after visting the talking lifts and vending machines. In the hotel lobby I noticed a multitude of young Japanese dudes really trying to dress like surfer dudes. They were wearing board shorts sixty sizes to big, thongs and either frizzy long hair or trucker hats turned sideways. I think I noticed them on their way to a BBQ in the hotel courtyard. A Japanese style outdoor BBQ. I was attracted to the laughter and smell of beef. I went and had a look, it was a pleasant sight with large groups of Japanese dining outdoor in the garden with the background sounds of cicadas and frizzling BBQ sounds. A picture of my friendly vending machines, after chatting with them a little I decided to try a multitude of cool and refreshing Kirin drinks.
Drink Up! Enjoy refreshing time. Well I certainly had a go at this.. In my spaceship room it was an excellent room. Quite small but comforatble. As soon as I turned on the televison i was overwhelmed by the Japanese love for game shows where the objective of the game show was entirely questionable. I noticed one fellow had to run 100km through rivers along roads and forests, at one point he was running with a picture of his wife and family on his tee shirt and he looked like he was in agony, at 12km he was consulted by a doctor and for some strange reason they showed an x-ray of his upper thy, carefully and meticulusly examining this while he waited nearby.
I had a go of the traditional dressing gown in the room, it was great. I felt like Ninja or Samuri.After my exploits through the cupboards of my room and the interesting television programs i managed to go on another adventure throughout the jungles outside the hotel to a shopping mall via the USA because I was very hungry by this moment.I ran out of the front of the hotel clasping my Kirin refreshing time drink, I picked a direction and ran in that way. Into total darkness. At this moment in time I did not care where I was running, it was a wonderful feeling, running into the darkness in another country, an unfamiliar place. I soon came across a sign. It said USA, this way. Wait a minute I am in Japan, not the USA? This sign intreged me. So I followed it and after some 5 minte of running i came across another. A full moon rose out of the darkness leading me. It was a barmy, warm and pleasant smelling evening as jogged through the bushes near Narita Airport. Out of the midsts popped up a mini mart. Wow I exclaimed as I rushed into the mini mart.
Inside this mini mart were all sorts of wierd and wonderful treats. I spent about 1 hour in this shop looking at almost everything. Most things were different to an Australian store or an American store. Hello Kitty, Tamagotchi, every little plastic dangly thing one could imagine. There were a few things that I could not work out at all, little these battery powered slots for your mobile phone SIM card. Like for your keyring? I seriously do not have any idea what these were used for.I took some pictures of the SAKE on the shelf because the dude in front of me took some pictures of it, puzzled was I by his intentions, but it was ok as I waved at him and laughed. He gave me a funny look and laughed. Well that was some cool cultural exchange as I was just interested in his intetions of photographing the SAKE on the shelf with his digital camera.
Well dudes, starting a whirlwind tour of tomagochi and vending machine land, naturally before any overseas travel, I was very excited. Sometimes I can get overly excited and forget many things but luckily on this occation it did not happen. Ah well, it only happened once when I lost a camera.This is a story about my first impressions of places and of people becuase when one enters a new place for a first time their impressions are added to a new space in that persons brain where more physical memory has become available, now they can chuck out any garbarge that was having a holiday in that place before like a new puppy stretched out on your parents queen bed.I remember i needed to clean my shoes becuase one must always clean their shoes before any multi-continent journey. However i could not find any shoe cleaning material, therefore i used a shirt to give them a whipe over.Bording any trans continental flight is exciting. As I lined up to catch JAL from Sydney to Toyko, i remembered a theory of mine. People are very excited to catch a plane and line up much earlier than needed. They are like little puppy dogs. And then when they get on the plane their seat is assigned and they have to sit there for some long time anyway, so what is the point of being so eager. Then when people get off planes it is like a mad rush anyway. I call it mad plane theory.So there i was waiting for the remainder of people to get onto the flight. We took off above the oceans across the Pacific over Guam where i noticed some turbulance and then to the finish , Narita Airport. We flew over 196 hole golf courses and small pockets of densely vegetated forests, rolling hills and separated satellite settlements. Japan is a very clean place with lots of modern cars and people. They seemed to have evolved to a culture with endless talent for finding new and interesting ways to dress themselves.I checked into my modern hotel suite after visting the talking lifts and vending machines. In the hotel lobby I noticed a multitude of young Japanese dudes really trying to dress like surfer dudes. They were wearing board shorts sixty sizes to big, thongs and either frizzy long hair or trucker hats turned sideways. I think I noticed them on their way to a BBQ in the hotel courtyard. A Japanese style outdoor BBQ. I was attracted to the laughter and smell of beef. I went and had a look, it was a pleasant sight with large groups of Japanese dining outdoor in the garden with the background sounds of cicadas and frizzling BBQ sounds. A picture of my friendly vending machines, after chatting with them a little I decided to try a multitude of cool and refreshing Kirin drinks.
Drink Up! Enjoy refreshing time. Well I certainly had a go at this.. In my spaceship room it was an excellent room. Quite small but comforatble. As soon as I turned on the televison i was overwhelmed by the Japanese love for game shows where the objective of the game show was entirely questionable. I noticed one fellow had to run 100km through rivers along roads and forests, at one point he was running with a picture of his wife and family on his tee shirt and he looked like he was in agony, at 12km he was consulted by a doctor and for some strange reason they showed an x-ray of his upper thy, carefully and meticulusly examining this while he waited nearby.
I had a go of the traditional dressing gown in the room, it was great. I felt like Ninja or Samuri.After my exploits through the cupboards of my room and the interesting television programs i managed to go on another adventure throughout the jungles outside the hotel to a shopping mall via the USA because I was very hungry by this moment.I ran out of the front of the hotel clasping my Kirin refreshing time drink, I picked a direction and ran in that way. Into total darkness. At this moment in time I did not care where I was running, it was a wonderful feeling, running into the darkness in another country, an unfamiliar place. I soon came across a sign. It said USA, this way. Wait a minute I am in Japan, not the USA? This sign intreged me. So I followed it and after some 5 minte of running i came across another. A full moon rose out of the darkness leading me. It was a barmy, warm and pleasant smelling evening as jogged through the bushes near Narita Airport. Out of the midsts popped up a mini mart. Wow I exclaimed as I rushed into the mini mart.
Inside this mini mart were all sorts of wierd and wonderful treats. I spent about 1 hour in this shop looking at almost everything. Most things were different to an Australian store or an American store. Hello Kitty, Tamagotchi, every little plastic dangly thing one could imagine. There were a few things that I could not work out at all, little these battery powered slots for your mobile phone SIM card. Like for your keyring? I seriously do not have any idea what these were used for.I took some pictures of the SAKE on the shelf because the dude in front of me took some pictures of it, puzzled was I by his intentions, but it was ok as I waved at him and laughed. He gave me a funny look and laughed. Well that was some cool cultural exchange as I was just interested in his intetions of photographing the SAKE on the shelf with his digital camera.
Life In Germany for an Aussie
Well peoples,
If you do not know already I have recently moved countries again. This time I managed to find my way to the 'farterland'. Well thats what they call it here.
In general moving countries is quite an eventful experience. Before I left Australia and all my friends, relatives, history and home, I felt a touch of excitement coupled with a drop of Sadness. Hey man, i felt sad, but on the other side of the coin I felt excited and really I think I would have it no other way. It is a chance, a chance to gain some valuable experience overseas. Stretching my boundaries to the absolute maximum. Something in my head told me that it might be a little hard when I first arrive in Germany because I did not speak any german, I had no accomodation sorted out and I was new in a job. But it made me feel like its another new adventure, something to be treasured and enjoyed even if times were to get tough.
Now I have managed to survive here 2.5 months and I am settling in. The first few weeks were wierd as I lived in a hostel and went to work. I lived there a grand total of three weeks while I was looking for accomodation. Man it was hard to find, I remember ringing many people and they could not speak english so I was basically stuffed. But no worries, I decided to try a new approach, the Luke approach and just chill out and have fun. Well that led top making some new friends in the hostel that were in the same position as me and we searched together to find an appartment. Eventually it worked out and we found this maaad appartment.
Now all I need is a bed, I thought, yeah i will try to be minimalistic and sleep on the floor and have no furniture. Yeah that will be cool. So for the last 2 months I have slept on the floor chilling out. Eventually I think that I better find myself a bed, but after a few more months I reakon cause someone told me that sleeping on the floor is good for your back?
Man I can't work out how I can upload my pictures for free to my blog, I have so many cool pics. If anyone reads this can they suggest where I can upload my pictures? I tried that Hello thing but it does not seem to work.
If you do not know already I have recently moved countries again. This time I managed to find my way to the 'farterland'. Well thats what they call it here.
In general moving countries is quite an eventful experience. Before I left Australia and all my friends, relatives, history and home, I felt a touch of excitement coupled with a drop of Sadness. Hey man, i felt sad, but on the other side of the coin I felt excited and really I think I would have it no other way. It is a chance, a chance to gain some valuable experience overseas. Stretching my boundaries to the absolute maximum. Something in my head told me that it might be a little hard when I first arrive in Germany because I did not speak any german, I had no accomodation sorted out and I was new in a job. But it made me feel like its another new adventure, something to be treasured and enjoyed even if times were to get tough.
Now I have managed to survive here 2.5 months and I am settling in. The first few weeks were wierd as I lived in a hostel and went to work. I lived there a grand total of three weeks while I was looking for accomodation. Man it was hard to find, I remember ringing many people and they could not speak english so I was basically stuffed. But no worries, I decided to try a new approach, the Luke approach and just chill out and have fun. Well that led top making some new friends in the hostel that were in the same position as me and we searched together to find an appartment. Eventually it worked out and we found this maaad appartment.
Now all I need is a bed, I thought, yeah i will try to be minimalistic and sleep on the floor and have no furniture. Yeah that will be cool. So for the last 2 months I have slept on the floor chilling out. Eventually I think that I better find myself a bed, but after a few more months I reakon cause someone told me that sleeping on the floor is good for your back?
Man I can't work out how I can upload my pictures for free to my blog, I have so many cool pics. If anyone reads this can they suggest where I can upload my pictures? I tried that Hello thing but it does not seem to work.
Wednesday, November 17, 2004
A friends Blog
Here is a link to one of my friends blogs, now this dude is an individual as I remember once he started singing all of a sudden in a resturant, he is a talented photographer and a great person.
bohan.blogspot.com
bohan.blogspot.com
Tuesday, November 16, 2004
The Arctican Rennaissance
Dreams
"We are all arcticans by night
inside us is the power
the power to inspire
to beliveto love
and to desire
Some hearts are cold
These hearts sleep alone
Some bleed with warmth
These hearts are the angels
Sometimes my heart
Still dreams of you
You feel me too
Let the rennaissance take you
Take you across the savannahs of your desire
Floating above the reality you once loved
Escaping
we are all arcticans by night
inside us is the power
the power to inspire
to beliveto love and to desire
Wake and you will be new
Your clouds will clear and
it will be seen
What you truely believe
this is you
renewed"
"We are all arcticans by night
inside us is the power
the power to inspire
to beliveto love
and to desire
Some hearts are cold
These hearts sleep alone
Some bleed with warmth
These hearts are the angels
Sometimes my heart
Still dreams of you
You feel me too
Let the rennaissance take you
Take you across the savannahs of your desire
Floating above the reality you once loved
Escaping
we are all arcticans by night
inside us is the power
the power to inspire
to beliveto love and to desire
Wake and you will be new
Your clouds will clear and
it will be seen
What you truely believe
this is you
renewed"
Monday, November 15, 2004
Eternal Summer Evenings
A Poem I wrote last september
Mellow Moonlight
Sparkling Starlight
In a mesmerising trance,
Dance amongst the whispering leaves,
Eyes drowning in the timeless ocean.
Light, indulge in the magnificence
Of your adventure
Fracture in every direction
Injecting hope into my barren eyes
Trees, Glide through the summer heat
Gently with the slightest whisper
Watch as clouds slip through the sky
And teasingly reveal the heavens.
Heavens metamorphose as my
Imagination gazes through your
Infinite brilliance turbulent without
Time
Sparkling eyes, smile never to fade
Your glowing aura
Ears, listen to the infinite sounds
Of the rhythmic percussion,
Envelope my senses
Senses, become enchanted
As our captivated hearts unite
Enveloped and entangled as one
Together lets
Dream
This summer evening lasts eternity…
Luke Johnson-Sept 03
Mellow Moonlight
Sparkling Starlight
In a mesmerising trance,
Dance amongst the whispering leaves,
Eyes drowning in the timeless ocean.
Light, indulge in the magnificence
Of your adventure
Fracture in every direction
Injecting hope into my barren eyes
Trees, Glide through the summer heat
Gently with the slightest whisper
Watch as clouds slip through the sky
And teasingly reveal the heavens.
Heavens metamorphose as my
Imagination gazes through your
Infinite brilliance turbulent without
Time
Sparkling eyes, smile never to fade
Your glowing aura
Ears, listen to the infinite sounds
Of the rhythmic percussion,
Envelope my senses
Senses, become enchanted
As our captivated hearts unite
Enveloped and entangled as one
Together lets
Dream
This summer evening lasts eternity…
Luke Johnson-Sept 03
Wednesday, November 10, 2004
46 Past 10
Its 46 past 10
This weekend I am planning a trip to Frankfurt. If any funnies happen like last weekend then the trip will be great. Last weekend Dresden was the destination. The things that were included in this trip were being chased by a museam attendant, seeing many flying people paintings and being bitterly cold.
Well now its 48 past 10 and I better go and write my experiment out in German
This weekend I am planning a trip to Frankfurt. If any funnies happen like last weekend then the trip will be great. Last weekend Dresden was the destination. The things that were included in this trip were being chased by a museam attendant, seeing many flying people paintings and being bitterly cold.
Well now its 48 past 10 and I better go and write my experiment out in German
Friday, October 29, 2004
I have many adventures to share
It is 6pm, i am in a small underground internet cafe in the former East Germany. Last weekend I went and claimed my own piece of the Berlin Wall. I kicked it and kicked it. A funny American told me to stop kicking the wall!
This year I have travelled to 6 countries and been through many cities. I wish to share some experiences via photos I will upload. Some notable places include Khao San Road in Bangkok, A vending machine experience in Tokyo, the LGM's in Leipzig and a marathon run up to the very top of the Oriental Pearl Tower on the 1st of January in Shanghai.
Met many funny peoples have I, and had many laughs. I like to laugh most of the time and one of lifes simple, yet greatest enjoyments is making other people laugh....
This year I have travelled to 6 countries and been through many cities. I wish to share some experiences via photos I will upload. Some notable places include Khao San Road in Bangkok, A vending machine experience in Tokyo, the LGM's in Leipzig and a marathon run up to the very top of the Oriental Pearl Tower on the 1st of January in Shanghai.
Met many funny peoples have I, and had many laughs. I like to laugh most of the time and one of lifes simple, yet greatest enjoyments is making other people laugh....
Friday, October 22, 2004
Sunday, January 25, 2004
Adventures of Luke Floorwalker in China Part Two, -Toilets, Ladies and Little Green Men (LGMs)
Chinese Toilets Instruction Manual (Luke Floorwalker)
This is a little long so read it if you like at your own speed if you want….
Firstly let me just say one thing, China is like a planet. I am just learning the surface topology and the very beginnings of a match inside a matchbox sitting in a draw in another planet….
Well upon entering china we found that toilets here are very different.
The first toilet I experienced in China was at a highway stopping point and I remember it vividly. I walked in and the troughs were low but vast. They stretched as far as the eye could see. I went woooooooooow, like Neo says in the matrix.
The next toilet that was encountered on this toilet adventure was at my apartment. I managed to figure out how to sit on the low seat. I broke it! Oh well. I felt really bad. The next week the toilet seat was magically replaced by our little land lady.
Instruction manual:
1. The flushing system is a complex one; it has many more variables than in Australia. You have to carefully give the flushing device more power or less. Sometimes you can give too much water and this will flood the whole bathroom. Once after a few drinks a friend of mine managed to flood a whole hotel lobby with this later method.
2. BYOTP sometimes- I have been personally caught out in a few situations and regretted the fact that one had to BYOTP
3. There are many styles of toilets- pits, holes, weird looking trough systems with taps and cloths hanging everywhere
4. A lot of water runs in many directions- just a little squirt on the tap and the water fly’s everywhere in many directions, it rains toilet water upwards
5. Privacy is an option- At a KFC I walked into the male bathroom and realized as I was just about to go to the trough that there was a direct line of sight between the troughs and the outside world, about 5 Chinese women were using the shared hand basin and looking around the corner. It was a terrible fright and I decided to use the cubicles.
At work a similar situation happened at the end of the day when I was going to the ‘trough’ and the bus that takes most of the employee’s home from work waits right out the front of the toilets with the window wide open in front of the toilets.
John and I thought that it would be an adventure to go and stay at a YHA in Shanghai around the Chinese New Year Spring Festival time period.
It was maaaaaaaaaad! The Chinese Firework Operators sometimes have no concept of safety. It’s cool. Outside the front of our Hotel they let off seriously big fireworks in the middle of the street. VW Santana Taxis and other cars happily drove past trying to avoid explosions sometimes only cm away from their fuel tanks.
The atmosphere of YHA’s anywhere is excellent for young travelers, lots of young people and travelers. However it was very hard to find a bed. When trying to book the place on Chinese New Years Eve (Maybee we should have thought about it earlier) the rude dude on the phone just told me that they were full and hung up.
I talked to Bei Bei and she said, no don’t worry and made a few calls. Her friend used to work here and still knows the people. After her friend helped us, we asked for a ladies name behind the desk. This was the secret code and then she was really helpful and we had two beds. The place was full.
I am really going to miss Bei Bei. She is really one of the happiest yet mature people I have ever met. She has helped us so much in this country and her family has welcomed us like we were part of it. She has been the universal translator and we would have been so lost without her at work and in the Chinese real world if she had not been there. She is a really good friend now who I will keep updated about my adventures.
I told her to go on adventures with Dan around China and just sometimes chill out. It makes you feel better.
We met these funny American teachers and Engineers who were in Shanghai just for the Chinese New Year celebration. They had flown in from Korea. They had been working there for the last 11 months. They love it. They said that “it is sweet; however we still hardly speak the language.”
The civil engineer is a funny dude. He told me about Korean toilets.
Paraphrasing his story…
Once I went to a tent, it was a big one of the canvas sort. Inside was this cool construction. A Toilet.
At one end was a pit. At the other end was there is an elevated construction and piping system, troughs. It was leaky. You peed in one end and it all flowed to the pit at the other end. It worked on gravity. It was wood. And it was a square spiraling system, on a hill.
I went in and peed and realized mine is mixing up with all the other dudes pee and running off to the pit. Everything goes to the pit. It was maaaaaaaaaad.
The next day on the toilet instruction manual tour:
The next day in Shanghai, John and the funny Korean army dudes walked around shanghai. Now Korean army dudes have seen many things and John tells me being in the Korean Army is good for the body but not good mentally. They told us all about the craziness of the Korean army and their experiences in it, getting beaten up, and beating dudes with iron bars. They told me, via John, my trusted good friend and universal Aussie Korean Chef and translator that they were getting ready to climb a mountain in Korea. I think John misses his homeland. I think John should go there and adventure by himself or maybe with a friend. We walked around went to the markets and ate some food,
We came to Hangzhou and the taxi driver dropped us off in the middle of nowhere. It was a tad cold, about -2 degrees and blowing a strong westerly gale that had flown on its own adventure through past millions of others on there own little adventures in Russia, Western China and to us. Therefore we looked around and found the way to our hostel via the maps that were in Chinese and the map given to us.
The Hostel is different, from the outside it looks like an excellent hotel and then when you go inside it still looks like an excellent hotel, it is clean and the sheets are nice and fresh. However there are some strange things about it. For instance, you never get your own key to your room and there is an awful lot of paper work just to check in. The toilets are only on certain floors and the showers are made for lepricorns.
Oh yeah speaking about things made for lepricorns, the beds in the hostel we stayed at last night were made for lepricorns, I sat down and nearly broke my bed, I ended up getting up a few times to readjust the settings past their default levels to maximum tension on the springs underneath the bed .
Yeah LGMS, (little green men) at the traffic lights are very different here. In other countries I think there are set country standards for LGMs telling you to cross the road.
Here Chinese are very creative. I have noticed that LGMs are in different positions in different cities. In Wuxi they have the Charlie Chapman Stance and in Hangzhou they are doing some weird type of break dance walking. It looks very entertaining, however I must remember to walk over the streets and pray to the road goddess and watch out. I cannot get distracted by the LGMs.
Let me see, Hangzhou, a small unpolluted beautiful city of approximately 10 million Yet a city of contrasts split by mountains.
I went voluntary Rock Climbing here without ropes with the Chinese dudes and a plastic bag and a digital camera. Let me see. My digital camera is now broken. My plastic bag is gone, it’s very holy. And the memories are magnificent. It was a real adventure with John, Kiet and Ly. We also went with some new Korean friends of ours. I think they thought I was a little crazy. Oh well. Kiet also kicked a water bottle off a cliff and I said, no worries I will get it.
After skiing down some mud and leaves. I got it! Wow. Went to chuck it to the top but kept falling over.
After this day Ly tells me, Luke for a moment there we thought we had lost you. For a moment when I slipped I came very close. The water bottle is now in oblivion somewhere. I don’t think I will do that again.
This is what I wrote about Hangzhou after my second day in the city…
Let me see,
Today was one of those days you can only experience a few times in a lifetime. Or maybe just once.
I was with my dear friends on an adventure, this time we were in Hangzhou, one of the most beautiful cities I have ever been to in the world. It must compare with Paris, Venice, Melbourne, Dublin and Sydney.
Mountains spring out of a lake; an icy wind blows maple leaves to catch. Everywhere people enjoy one of China’s jewels. This city is affluent. A beautiful city with a long history that attracts beautiful people. After visiting Shanghai and Wuxi; this city has a little more decorum for a city in China. If one smiles and is happy the response is wonderful in China, happy polite people. However in Hangzhou sometimes one could say that people are not as arrogant as Shanghai, if one were to generalize.
We were walking in the city near the west lake admiring the beauty. We were with our new Korean friends, John was the translator and we were free to see the city. It was icy cold. Layers of ice as thick as folded socks were abound around little corners, if your mind let you find them. ..
Not every now and then do you see a person in their country after knowing them from another country that is so special to you near the lovely fountain. I saw a fountain, it was like a snake, it jumped up and down and disappeared. Children played. I walked to it. I wanted a closer look to see how it works? It is a fountain that plays with the observer. Amazing.
A familiar voice echoed “Luke?” For an instant I thought it was Ly. I turned around… it was Grace.
On the way back from this city walking near trains makes me a different person that I do not like. In many places small children beg. I just have to say “No”, and keep walking. Bei Bei and her relatives have told me about the stories. Some of these people controlling these little ones are well off. So in essence giving to these children is feeding their greed, however this is a generalization. One really wishes to instantly see that individual’s story at that moment to see if they really need it, I have given them food before. They took it. I never give money, I just give food. Once I was eating a pizza. A lady asked me for money I gave her the rest of the pizza. She seemed dumbfounded and disappointed. I smiled and ran off like the wind.
Until next time. Goodbye China. I will be back many many times on many more adventures and business.On the train ride home, for some reason after learning the language a little, I noticed that people are very accommodating of others when they have to be. I fell into a dreamy like sleep in contorted position centimeters away from a middle aged relative looking after his little 4ish year old. We both moved so that the 4ish year old could stretch out. Children should be treasured and happy. I couldn’t communicate effectively with him however we knew the common goal was to sleep as comfortably as possible while accommodating the little one. Every moment I feel welcomed here, but at this precise moment I felt like I was a part of the culture for a moment, on this train that was powering through the cold winter winds and mists.
China is powering through the winter mists into its own light at tremendous pace…but where is this train going? Experience it if you get a chance. And if you want someone to hold your bag, I will really endeavor to find time and resources for a moment just for the adventure…
Now I must go for there are decisions to be made…
This is a little long so read it if you like at your own speed if you want….
Firstly let me just say one thing, China is like a planet. I am just learning the surface topology and the very beginnings of a match inside a matchbox sitting in a draw in another planet….
Well upon entering china we found that toilets here are very different.
The first toilet I experienced in China was at a highway stopping point and I remember it vividly. I walked in and the troughs were low but vast. They stretched as far as the eye could see. I went woooooooooow, like Neo says in the matrix.
The next toilet that was encountered on this toilet adventure was at my apartment. I managed to figure out how to sit on the low seat. I broke it! Oh well. I felt really bad. The next week the toilet seat was magically replaced by our little land lady.
Instruction manual:
1. The flushing system is a complex one; it has many more variables than in Australia. You have to carefully give the flushing device more power or less. Sometimes you can give too much water and this will flood the whole bathroom. Once after a few drinks a friend of mine managed to flood a whole hotel lobby with this later method.
2. BYOTP sometimes- I have been personally caught out in a few situations and regretted the fact that one had to BYOTP
3. There are many styles of toilets- pits, holes, weird looking trough systems with taps and cloths hanging everywhere
4. A lot of water runs in many directions- just a little squirt on the tap and the water fly’s everywhere in many directions, it rains toilet water upwards
5. Privacy is an option- At a KFC I walked into the male bathroom and realized as I was just about to go to the trough that there was a direct line of sight between the troughs and the outside world, about 5 Chinese women were using the shared hand basin and looking around the corner. It was a terrible fright and I decided to use the cubicles.
At work a similar situation happened at the end of the day when I was going to the ‘trough’ and the bus that takes most of the employee’s home from work waits right out the front of the toilets with the window wide open in front of the toilets.
John and I thought that it would be an adventure to go and stay at a YHA in Shanghai around the Chinese New Year Spring Festival time period.
It was maaaaaaaaaad! The Chinese Firework Operators sometimes have no concept of safety. It’s cool. Outside the front of our Hotel they let off seriously big fireworks in the middle of the street. VW Santana Taxis and other cars happily drove past trying to avoid explosions sometimes only cm away from their fuel tanks.
The atmosphere of YHA’s anywhere is excellent for young travelers, lots of young people and travelers. However it was very hard to find a bed. When trying to book the place on Chinese New Years Eve (Maybee we should have thought about it earlier) the rude dude on the phone just told me that they were full and hung up.
I talked to Bei Bei and she said, no don’t worry and made a few calls. Her friend used to work here and still knows the people. After her friend helped us, we asked for a ladies name behind the desk. This was the secret code and then she was really helpful and we had two beds. The place was full.
I am really going to miss Bei Bei. She is really one of the happiest yet mature people I have ever met. She has helped us so much in this country and her family has welcomed us like we were part of it. She has been the universal translator and we would have been so lost without her at work and in the Chinese real world if she had not been there. She is a really good friend now who I will keep updated about my adventures.
I told her to go on adventures with Dan around China and just sometimes chill out. It makes you feel better.
We met these funny American teachers and Engineers who were in Shanghai just for the Chinese New Year celebration. They had flown in from Korea. They had been working there for the last 11 months. They love it. They said that “it is sweet; however we still hardly speak the language.”
The civil engineer is a funny dude. He told me about Korean toilets.
Paraphrasing his story…
Once I went to a tent, it was a big one of the canvas sort. Inside was this cool construction. A Toilet.
At one end was a pit. At the other end was there is an elevated construction and piping system, troughs. It was leaky. You peed in one end and it all flowed to the pit at the other end. It worked on gravity. It was wood. And it was a square spiraling system, on a hill.
I went in and peed and realized mine is mixing up with all the other dudes pee and running off to the pit. Everything goes to the pit. It was maaaaaaaaaad.
The next day on the toilet instruction manual tour:
The next day in Shanghai, John and the funny Korean army dudes walked around shanghai. Now Korean army dudes have seen many things and John tells me being in the Korean Army is good for the body but not good mentally. They told us all about the craziness of the Korean army and their experiences in it, getting beaten up, and beating dudes with iron bars. They told me, via John, my trusted good friend and universal Aussie Korean Chef and translator that they were getting ready to climb a mountain in Korea. I think John misses his homeland. I think John should go there and adventure by himself or maybe with a friend. We walked around went to the markets and ate some food,
We came to Hangzhou and the taxi driver dropped us off in the middle of nowhere. It was a tad cold, about -2 degrees and blowing a strong westerly gale that had flown on its own adventure through past millions of others on there own little adventures in Russia, Western China and to us. Therefore we looked around and found the way to our hostel via the maps that were in Chinese and the map given to us.
The Hostel is different, from the outside it looks like an excellent hotel and then when you go inside it still looks like an excellent hotel, it is clean and the sheets are nice and fresh. However there are some strange things about it. For instance, you never get your own key to your room and there is an awful lot of paper work just to check in. The toilets are only on certain floors and the showers are made for lepricorns.
Oh yeah speaking about things made for lepricorns, the beds in the hostel we stayed at last night were made for lepricorns, I sat down and nearly broke my bed, I ended up getting up a few times to readjust the settings past their default levels to maximum tension on the springs underneath the bed .
Yeah LGMS, (little green men) at the traffic lights are very different here. In other countries I think there are set country standards for LGMs telling you to cross the road.
Here Chinese are very creative. I have noticed that LGMs are in different positions in different cities. In Wuxi they have the Charlie Chapman Stance and in Hangzhou they are doing some weird type of break dance walking. It looks very entertaining, however I must remember to walk over the streets and pray to the road goddess and watch out. I cannot get distracted by the LGMs.
Let me see, Hangzhou, a small unpolluted beautiful city of approximately 10 million Yet a city of contrasts split by mountains.
I went voluntary Rock Climbing here without ropes with the Chinese dudes and a plastic bag and a digital camera. Let me see. My digital camera is now broken. My plastic bag is gone, it’s very holy. And the memories are magnificent. It was a real adventure with John, Kiet and Ly. We also went with some new Korean friends of ours. I think they thought I was a little crazy. Oh well. Kiet also kicked a water bottle off a cliff and I said, no worries I will get it.
After skiing down some mud and leaves. I got it! Wow. Went to chuck it to the top but kept falling over.
After this day Ly tells me, Luke for a moment there we thought we had lost you. For a moment when I slipped I came very close. The water bottle is now in oblivion somewhere. I don’t think I will do that again.
This is what I wrote about Hangzhou after my second day in the city…
Let me see,
Today was one of those days you can only experience a few times in a lifetime. Or maybe just once.
I was with my dear friends on an adventure, this time we were in Hangzhou, one of the most beautiful cities I have ever been to in the world. It must compare with Paris, Venice, Melbourne, Dublin and Sydney.
Mountains spring out of a lake; an icy wind blows maple leaves to catch. Everywhere people enjoy one of China’s jewels. This city is affluent. A beautiful city with a long history that attracts beautiful people. After visiting Shanghai and Wuxi; this city has a little more decorum for a city in China. If one smiles and is happy the response is wonderful in China, happy polite people. However in Hangzhou sometimes one could say that people are not as arrogant as Shanghai, if one were to generalize.
We were walking in the city near the west lake admiring the beauty. We were with our new Korean friends, John was the translator and we were free to see the city. It was icy cold. Layers of ice as thick as folded socks were abound around little corners, if your mind let you find them. ..
Not every now and then do you see a person in their country after knowing them from another country that is so special to you near the lovely fountain. I saw a fountain, it was like a snake, it jumped up and down and disappeared. Children played. I walked to it. I wanted a closer look to see how it works? It is a fountain that plays with the observer. Amazing.
A familiar voice echoed “Luke?” For an instant I thought it was Ly. I turned around… it was Grace.
On the way back from this city walking near trains makes me a different person that I do not like. In many places small children beg. I just have to say “No”, and keep walking. Bei Bei and her relatives have told me about the stories. Some of these people controlling these little ones are well off. So in essence giving to these children is feeding their greed, however this is a generalization. One really wishes to instantly see that individual’s story at that moment to see if they really need it, I have given them food before. They took it. I never give money, I just give food. Once I was eating a pizza. A lady asked me for money I gave her the rest of the pizza. She seemed dumbfounded and disappointed. I smiled and ran off like the wind.
Until next time. Goodbye China. I will be back many many times on many more adventures and business.On the train ride home, for some reason after learning the language a little, I noticed that people are very accommodating of others when they have to be. I fell into a dreamy like sleep in contorted position centimeters away from a middle aged relative looking after his little 4ish year old. We both moved so that the 4ish year old could stretch out. Children should be treasured and happy. I couldn’t communicate effectively with him however we knew the common goal was to sleep as comfortably as possible while accommodating the little one. Every moment I feel welcomed here, but at this precise moment I felt like I was a part of the culture for a moment, on this train that was powering through the cold winter winds and mists.
China is powering through the winter mists into its own light at tremendous pace…but where is this train going? Experience it if you get a chance. And if you want someone to hold your bag, I will really endeavor to find time and resources for a moment just for the adventure…
Now I must go for there are decisions to be made…
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