Noodles on a train

If there really is such thing as hotter than hell, then we’ve arrived there. Chongqing is known as one of the four hottest spots in China, and not in a good way. We’re basically confined indoors during most of the day, and indoors is not so cool either since the dog (they’re breeding huskies, in a hot climate no less, poor things) chewed up the air conditioning cable and Jack’s aunt is waiting for her husband to return this weekend to fix it. I feel especially bad for his granny sleeping in these temperatures. We have an air-con unit in our room, for which I’m extremely grateful – I feel guilty about hogging it but then it wouldn’t be even used if we weren’t here. At least in early morning and evening we can go out to the playground just outside – this one even has a slide. Jack’s 15-year-old cousin is here too to provide them entertainment and they like him a lot.

The train ride over here went pretty well. Going soft sleeper was a very wise choice on Jack’s part. We still had to share the compartment, with a granny taking her grandson back home to raise (a Chinese habit I’ll never quite understand) and a guy who just got his graduate degree and is starting a job in Chongqing and who spent most of the time up in his top bunk. There are lots of interesting stories on trains. But fortunately thanks to having a door, we didn’t have to hear all of them. It was really nice to be able to shut the door and have some peace and quiet. This was especially true since right next door was a very chubby and hyper five-year-old girl who the boys found quite entertaining but who was at times a bit much for my patience level. The boys at least enjoyed the ride, sitting watching out the window while eating instant noodles. They slept somewhat decently too.

I haven’t had a decent sleep myself in quite some time and my tolerance is at a low level, but I’m trying hard to grin and bear it and know “this too shall pass”. Still it’s been kind of rough. The boys were coughing a bit before we left (probably thanks to Ming Ming) but got much worse when we got here – with the exhaustion, change of scenery and heat. Jack’s aunts bought them some Chinese cough medicine but just a sip or two and Isaac was throwing up. At least after that night he was mostly fine but Ethan has got worse and doesn’t sleep well. I’m sure he just wants to be back in his own house doing the things he’s used to doing. Still, I have to say they have shown themselves to be pretty resilient and I hope that despite their young age something of the moving around and cultural diversity they’re encountering will stick with them and make them somehow tougher and more adaptable.