on to TEDA

3/28/05 Monday - Met my ride at the hotel. Took mini bus from Beijing to TEDA. 5 guys plus driver and about 6 huge transformers (I found out later they weighed 65 kg or over 140 lbs.). They laughed after I got in because I balanced the weight of the transformers. Apparently they were riding lopsided before they picked me up. I had my own seat and needed all of the room. The two hour trip was interesting. Aside from being smashed in the seat, it wasn't bad at all. They were doing major construction on the highway and for most of the trip, only one side of the highway was open. We were headed east but riding on the westbound side for a good part of the trip. In the states they would have one lane open in each direction. Not sure where the traffic was rerouted. Apparently the trip is 3-4 hours when the highway is closed. I really hope they reverse the traffic on the way back or else I'll be miserable. On the way I noticed a few things. First of all the air is atrocious in Beijing. I guess I first noticed that at the hotel. Much worse than in Shanghai. I guess the amount of industry close to the city center contributes. Also, the dry air and the surrounding desert to the northwest also contributes. They had better clean up this place by the 2008 Olympics. I also noticed the area around the roadways is filthy. There is trash everywhere along the road. In places there was trash right up to the crops and farm animals. I did see a sheep herder with about 20 sheep on a path in one big pack. That was pretty neat. I wondered if there was a pecking order to who gets the view and who has to sniff butts. Anyway, there were piles of trash, lose trash and just general crap everywhere.