Last post in Shanghai

Final day in Shanghai and I'm up late online as usual. Might as well do the same thing that I've been doing the whole time I've been here. Did the usual last minute things: got a haircut (so cheap - only 35yuan!), had a farewell yum cha lunch with family, my cousin helped out by buying me some computer-y things that my mum wanted, and finally did some packing. All my stuff fitting into a large backpack and a small suitcase, with my laptop, handbag and small backpack for carrying on. It feels strange to leave here, I'm just so used to life here and I can't imagine going back to Australia and not coming back here.

No more long walk down the wind tunnel of the alley that leads to my building, and then the trek round the other side and finally the lift to my floor (I should use the stairs but I'm lazy and the stairs are dark and creepy) and then making a bang to turn on the noise-activated lights before turning the key and creeping silently as possible into the apartment, trying not to wake anyone.

No more fun outings with my classmates and friends from many countries (but mostly Germany and Japan), which mostly seem to involve food and alcohol. Occasionally karaoke.

No more lazy afternoons with me sitting in my room watching DVDs/surfing the net with the occasional loud, bish-bashing sounds of mah jong tile washing, loud exclamations of "pang" or "sai dong" or whatever tile my grandfather is throwing down and brief conversations about the daily lives of my grandparent's fellow mah jong players playing in the background.

I'm sad to leave, but I have to go home. Strange to say that when this kind of somewhere in the past 4 months became home.