FIREWORKS

I had expected a fireworks extravaganza along the river. During my 12 hour flight from London I had feverishly imagined an explosion of light and sound rippling along the shoreline slowly climaxing to a crescendo of fireworks shaped like a small Pekinese in honour of the Year of the Dog.

Reality

Shanghai crackled like Baghdad in May. As I raced by in my taxi through Shanghai’s empty streets, locals crept furtively amongst the shadows of the unlit streets like insurgents carefully placing their crackers on the road before slipping back into the safety of darkness to watch their handiwork.

The moral of the story is if you want good luck blow some shit up in Shanghai and if you want to see a spectacular fireworks display go to Sydney.