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This week's home-school outing was to Kunming's Space Museum. It was quite a trip across the city (1½ hours via the underground) but the remoteness meant we ended up having the whole place to ourselves! The early exhibits were a bit dull - black & white photos and patriotic displays of military missiles, etc. But later there was a room full of VR simulators and, whilst we were supposed to pay extra money to use each one, the museum staff were charmed by JD - their only real customer - and let us use them all for free!  Another home-school outing yesterday. I tasked JD with planning a round trip across Kunming using at least 3 types of public transport...
After some mapping and transport investigations, we left the house at 9am. A 20-minute walk to the subway station and we travelled to the Horticultural Exposition Park vie two subway lines. An hour's walk to the far end of the park led to a cable car which took us to the Golden Temple. After a picnic lunch we headed down the other side of the mountain, including an alpine slide ride, in order to catch a bus home. 5½ hours total travel time, and we never got lost - well done JD!
Halfway up, it decided to rain - the first rain we've seen in Kunming for 2-3 months. We learned later it has been artificially seeded. Fortunately we had brought umbrellas. After a vegetarian lunch at MiaoGao Temple, at the top of the mountain, we headed back down and home via a welcome ice-cream! 
The "Flying Tigers" were formally known as the "American Volunteer Group", who flew fighter and cargo planes in WWII in Myanmar and China to try and fend off Japanese advances. They are still remembered fondly for supplying food and supplies to war-torn Kunming and its Museum has a permanent exhibition in their memory. 
So I sketched a picture [above right] while JD made a 3D train [below left] out of card and glue. He was also in charge of planning our journey there and back by underground train. So, a pleasing mix of academic, art and life lessons!
JD went on his annual school outing last week - along with half the school (2000+ students). The trip started and ended with a 90 minute journey by coach, with various kids throwing up. The location was just some place housing a handful of animals (pigs, some llamas and a camel) with very little to see and do. The weather was cold and wet.  There was some sort of presentation, but most of the 2000 kids couldn't see or hear anything. It seems that none of the teachers had visited the site in advance and the hosts had been caught unawares by the number of visitors. Kids were unable to do the various craft activities, squeezed 15 to a table. And JD's class had been told not to bring raincoats, so the outdoor activities were mostly cancelled.
JD was so excited beforehand, but returned very disappointed. The one redeeming factor for him was the promise that there would be no homework that day - until three papers came through later in the evening to be completed by the next day! More broken promises. This is the third outing in three years that has been something of a disaster. You'd think the teachers would learn...
We spent yesterday with our friends at a park in the south of Kunming. Although there were a lot of families (being May Day holiday) it was a large enough place not to feel overly crowded and we pitched our tents, and ate our picnic, by a large lake.
 JD's Kindergarten do have an annoying habit of sending out homework with very tight deadlines (...almost as if they don't plan their lessons in advance!?)
So last Sunday morning we got a text saying that all students had to visit a "Memorial to student martyrs" in ShiDa University and provide photographic evidence you were there. So JiaJia, JD and I jumped on my e-bike for what we hoped would be a quick "in-photo-out" visit. But we hadn't bargained on the trainee volunteer guides lying in wait. And then, when five other students from JD's class turned up, the whole visit turned into a massive game of chase! Still, homework done (until the next one)!
JD really enjoyed digging holes with his classmates, putting in the tree and watering it afterwards. Then there were snacks for the kids followed by some fun runaround games with little prizes. And thankfully the rain held off until the drive home.  |
 AuthorPaul Hider started this blog to share his rather odd life living in China for over 20 years. Since returning to the UK in 2024, the blog now records his more "normal" lifestyle! Past blog entries
May 2025
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