JD had just a half day at school today (due to International Women's Day earlier in the week and the predominantly female staff at his school). So I picked him up midday and we spent the afternoon with two of his school friends, and the father of one of them. We started in a small University wood where the kids spent an hour digging with various tools and construction toys I'd brought along.
An old play area there had broken concrete slides from another era. The steps to the top had all disappeared and there were worrying-looking metal spikes sticking out through the stone, but we lifted the kids up to the top for a couple of slides, before having a go myself.
We then decided to drive to the larger forest where JD and I often go. We climbed the hill there and JD and I showed his friends the den we had made. Unfortunately, after an hour or so, a forest ranger approached us and, rather embarrassed, said we would have to leave as, during the dry season, people were only let in to visit the temple. Playing in the woods was apparently a fire hazard, despite torrential rain yesterday and none of us smoking or planning a bonfire. Stupid rule, but this is China and when your only job is guarding trees, it's what you do.
We then decided to drive to the larger forest where JD and I often go. We climbed the hill there and JD and I showed his friends the den we had made. Unfortunately, after an hour or so, a forest ranger approached us and, rather embarrassed, said we would have to leave as, during the dry season, people were only let in to visit the temple. Playing in the woods was apparently a fire hazard, despite torrential rain yesterday and none of us smoking or planning a bonfire. Stupid rule, but this is China and when your only job is guarding trees, it's what you do.
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So we headed off to the Yunnan University campus where we played chasing games with the boys followed by some drinks and snacks. It was a nice warm half-day and I feel we made the most of it.
