After being woken at 6:30, then again at 7:30 by various commotions in the hallway, we went and had some breakfast, then caught the bus in the direction of the GPO. From a bus stop on Shuncheng Jiu, we asked directions, and a polite old man wearing a blue suit and white gloves escorts us along to the post office. There are six letters waiting for us, and we gather them up with relish.
Outside on the pavement, people are lined up selling stamps, coins, and Chinese memorabilia. I swap a New Zealand stamp and one kuai for a tinny badge of Chairman Mao. Further down the street, we find a cafe, and with Phil Collins playing in the background, read our mail. We spend most of the rest of the day back in our hotel room watching TV.
CurseOfTheTraveller 