China!

[the.fee.fairy]

I'm in China guys! Its really exciting (well...it will be in a few days).

I'm in quarantine until tonight - i got here Monday and we were quarantined for 5 days i case we had swine flu, but none of us has had a temperature, so we're all ok.

I've got a wicked case of Urticaria though- one of the more impressive attacks i've had since it first occured. Nearly finished my antihistamines, which is a bit worrying...

So...need some help:

1. How do you kill a cockroach? There are a couple here the size of my thumb! I killed one (very bravely...) but then someone said that you shouldn't squash them because they lay eggs on death?
there's a smaller one living in the living room that i'm going to hunt down and spray. There doesn't seem to be such a thing as environmental health, so there isn't a man coming to rid the apartment of them...

2. Other than antihistamines, what can i take for this stupid urticaria? I have some homeopathis remedies: Bryonia, Hep R Sulph and Arnica. One's for bruising, one's for infection and one's for colds...i know the Arnica is for bruising/headaches/pain, but i can't remember which of the other ones is for which.

3. How do you cook cakes without an oven? We have a microwave (doesn't work at the moment) and a gas hob (also not working at the moment).

I think that's it for now...

Won't be around much i don't think, it depends on the internet connection - it drops regularly!

[Green Aura]

Hi Fee
Glad you got there alright.

As for the urticaria - what about chinese medicine - fantastic, and may well get rid of it permanently rather than just mask the symptoms.

You can cook cakes and bread in a microwave - I've got a couple of recipes and will post them when I find them - I've tried bread, a it strange but not unpleasant.

How are you eating now, if your cooking facilities don't work?

[mrsflibble]

i have a cake recipe when your microwave is working.
1/2 mug flour (SR if you can, add 1 flat tsp baking powder if you can't, if you can only get rice flour then add a little extra fat)
1/2 mug marge, butter, lard, cooking oil or any other fat. plus a little more for greasing
1/2 mug sugar
1 egg

cream fat and sugar until fluffy and lighter in colour. add beaten egg bit by bit, followed each time by a sprinkle of flour until all mixed in.

pour into a greased bowl. you can put jam in the bottom if wished. top with a greased plate and microwave for 2 mins on high. check. keep microwaving on medium for 1 min at a time until it springs back on being pressed lightly.

it's yummy, not crunchy, but good for a sweet hit when you need it.

[red]

have a great time !

[Millymollymandy]

Hi Fee - didn't realise you'd already left!

Can you get hold of any cockroach spray because although it takes the buggers some time to die and isn't very Ish, it's a lot better than cleaning up the mess when you splat them with a broom or similar hard implement - don't tread on them - euch - unless you want to spend your time cleaning the soles of your shoes. Never heard that about eggs before - think that's an old wives tale. My dad used to just stomp on them with his bare feet or wallop them with his fist if they were on the table but having lived in a country where they are normal all his life he didn't have a phobia about them like I do!

Just wait till you meet the two thumb size flying ones (thankfully I never have!!!).

Anyway this is the main reason I don't live anywhere hot as I can't cope with them - thought Sydney was wonderful until I discovered that the pavements overran with them after dark - it is horrendously gruesome and there is always one in the kitchen sink - another tip - don't leave dirty washing up in the sink as it attracts them.

[Milims]

Ooohh - how exciting! I didn't realise you were there already too! I hope the itches clear up soon - that can't be very pleasant - mind you nor are the cockroaches!
As for cake in the microwave - I just made the usual 4oz marge, 4oz sugar, 4 oz flour and 2 eggs type and that worked well - but it dries out quickly so you have to eat it all! What ever you do DON'T make a cake with a high sugar content in a plastic bowl in the microwave - I did that and the bowl melted and molten plastic and runny cake mix oozed all over the place!
Have lots of fun and keep us posted!

[Mullein]

Hi - sounds like a fabulous adventure you're embarking on - have fun!

For the urticaria - nettles nettles and more nettles (Urtica dioica or urens) drink up to 3 cups of tea a day. You should be able to get dried nettle tea from a Chinese Herbalist - don't know about general availability in China though. As Green aura said - why not see if you can get a proper TCM consultation - that would be an experience! Language might be a problem but I think because they work very constitutionally (tongue and pulse and general tissue states etc) it shouldn't be a total barrier...

Can't help with the cockroaches I'm afraid...

Enjoy your trip

[the.fee.fairy]

My english person here wanted to take me to the hospital, but i declined the offer!

Its clearing up slowly but surely, i think i got really dehydrated, and my body went into a kind of shock phase.

Went out this evening! We had dumplings and bought sweeties. The worst thing about the quarantine is that we didn't have any food or drink other than water in the house. We had meals delivered at lunch and dinner, but the meals really aren't that appetising. I've been asking a guy called Sawyer, who is a chiese student to get us nice food and bring it back!

I've heard from J which has put a bit of downer on the whole thing. He keeps saying sorry. I'm not sure whether he realised i was serious when i said that i was going to China for a long time when we split up...I've told him a few home truths (in a nice way), but it doesn't help my heartstrings any...

[MuddyWitch]

Can't add owt practical that hasn't already been said.

Just wanted to say, have fun, but don't forget the piccies.

MW

[the.fee.fairy]

check the blogs - also check gmantravels.blogspot.com as well, he posts more than me, and has pictures...

The dumplings had pork in them, so my IBS has been playing up a bit this morning, but the urticaria is going away at last! I can get my arms out in public again, and put my rings back on, which is good!

Haven't been sleeping too well, the bed is really really hard, its the equivalent of a wooden block with a thin mattress on top! Haven't got any pillows, thankfully, i brought a travel pillow with me, so i've been sleeping on that and a couple of jumpers. Going to the supermarket later with Sawyer, soi've put milk, sugar, a kettle and pillows at the top of the list.

The cockroaches seem o have got the hint! I killed a large one in the bathroom a few days ago, and Lilly killed its brother, and then yesterday, she killed its little brother, so i think they've got the idea that this flat means violent death. They keep walking into the boys' flat and keeling over...we're a bit worried...they can survive a nuke, but not the boys' flat!

China's hot! and humid. Going for a short walk is tiring...we went to play ping pon last night and were shattered after one game!

[Mr and Mrs luvpie]

Glad to hear the roaches are getting the right idea, although I would be interested to find out if anything can survive in a boys room (apart from mould!)

Enjoy your shopping trip, I'd love to go to somewhere so completely different to here, so will be reading blogs with a sense of jealousy!!

Sarahx

[george]

Glad to hear that you are safely in China. Once you settle in I am sure you will have a great time.

You should be able to buy something to kill cockroaches at your local supermarket or general store. Just look for something that has a picture of a cockroach on the front. You can get them everywhere in Korea and Japan. You should also buy some dehumidifiers which are little plastic boxes with something that abosrbs water in them. You need to put them in your cupboards or everything you own will go mouldy. You just replace them when they fill up with water.

You can make some cakes in the microwave (just google microwave cakes and have a go). Here we can also buy ready made cake mix that you cook in the microwave. Also if you have a rice cooker you are supposed to be able to back cakes and cook other things that you would usually cook in an oven. We keep meaning to try a cake in the rice cooker but haven't got around to it yet.

Can't help with the urticaria but both here and in Japan, going to the pharmacy and showing them what the problem is is quite a good way to get some cream or stuff that you need.

Watch out for dehydration. Because of the humidity you will need to drink a lot more water and liquids than you ever did back home.

Good luck with settling in.

George

[Thomzo]

Enjoy your shopping trip, I'd love to go to somewhere so completely different to here, so will be reading blogs with a sense of jealousy!!

Sarahx

I was really disappointed with Beijing as it wasn't as different as I was hoping. Sure there are areas away from the tourist run that are more different but it was far more commercial than I expected.

Anyway, good for you, Fee. Glad you arrived safely. The best tip with the cockroaches is to be absolutely scrupulously clean. Don't leave any food out, keep it all in airtight containers or the fridge and keep the surfaces clean. Clean up any dropped food from the floor and clean it regularly.

See if you can find out where they are coming in. They often come in through the sink wastes so keep the plug in. Block up any small holes in the walls. I've also heard that you shouldn't squash them as they have eggs inside which will still hatch. Throw them out of the window instead.

Have a great time and I can recommend traditional chinese medicine as well.

Zoe

[Gert]

Hoorah ! What a fantastic adventure. Keep us posted

[poet]

....
Can't help with the urticaria but both here and in Japan, going to the pharmacy and showing them what the problem is is quite a good way to get some cream or stuff that you need.
....

was thinking the same as you! Unless you're in the middle of nowhere that is. Surely they have anithistamines in China? You could do a sort of charades at the chemist