Shenzhen to Hangzhou – IJM Photography

New Year’s Day

I am glad to report that today was a lot more successful than the day before. New Year, New Me? Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. After a good night’s sleep, I was feeling almost human and Corentin explained last night’s quid pro quo. Phones without batteries, people calling me and I must have been on “do not disturb mode.’ The girls asked why I hadn’t called them too, as they would have said where they were. Look, it’s fine. It doesn’t matter, except it did matter, but there was nothing I could do about it. Can’t change the past, it’s too late, can’t change the future, it hasn’t happened yet, so live in the present moment. Probably a better idea to try and make the best of the day as humanly possible.

Today’s trip by bus, leaving at midday, was a welcome change. The next town was only 40 miles away, which made the journey feel entirely manageable—and, more importantly, it gave me the time I needed to move my little booty and try and find something for Kilian. He had asked me for cooking chopsticks and I thought I would bring back some nicer model like the ones we had been using in restaurants during the trip. Corentin told me about his visit to the market just down the road, and gave me directions that even I could follow. With my suitcase packed I was off camera in hand, and with a sense of renewed confidence.

On the way I crossed paths with Anne, one of the percussionists who wanted to go and get some Chinese bowls like the ones we had been using in the restaurants but knew exactly what she was after. So off we both went to the market. I’m going to use a phrase that I used on Foshan. A “joyeux bordel!” The market was on the ground floor of a building that rose about as high as our expectations. So pretty high. As you will see in the photos there was stuff everywhere and each shop looked as if it morphed into the next one. If you had ever wanted to start a restaurant business, they could cater for every single one of your needs. They had stoves, kitchen tools, woks of all shapes and sizes, cookers designed specifically for woks. All kinds of crockery to put said food into and serve it to your guests. I could hardly believe my eyes. You could buy sound systems, display cabinets, even those electric Mahjong tables that we saw in Shenzhen. It was extraordinary, and it was full of people buying and selling. Everyone back home always decries the made in China, but over 1billion people be wrong? I was very impressed by the whole thing, and seeing things that we I thought of my son straight away who, like me, is a bit of a foodie and who loves cooking. All we really need is somebody who loves doing the washing up afterwards and we’d be onto a winner…

We both managed to find what we were looking for so all in all today was turning out much better than the previous night’s fiasco. This success and eventual pleasing my son just put me in a positive mood for the day. I got back to the hotel room to pick up my case and instrument and stow away my latest additions to the family cooking utensils. And it was sunny ,and it was a relief to feel something fresh, something clear. What more could you ask for? It felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

The change in mood from the night before was undeniable—subtle but meaningful. After a rough start, today was a quiet triumph. Finding the market, picking out those perfect cooking chopsticks for Kilian, and stepping into the sunshine felt like small victories, but they added up to something more significant. It wasn’t a grand transformation, but it was enough to shift my outlook for the day.

New Year, new me? Maybe. But I’m taking things one step at a time. For now, I’ll settle for the fact that, for once, things felt a little more bearable. And in a world that so often feels overwhelming, that, in itself, is enough. Sometimes it’s the smallest wins—the unexpected moments of clarity—that make the biggest difference.

As the bus carried us to the next town, I didn’t know what the rest of the day would bring. But, for once, there was a quiet sense of relief—small steps that didn’t feel like setbacks. It wasn’t a grand victory, but for today, it was enough. Sometimes, it’s the smallest wins that make all the difference.

New Year’s Eve

That last night in Shenzhen was going to be a short one. We had to be in the lobby at 6:30 a.m. the next morning, and I still had laundry to do. I managed it—though without an iron, my shirts weren’t as sharp as I’d have liked. Luckily, I wasn’t the only last-minute person; a few colleagues joined me. Doing laundry can feel tedious at the best of times, let alone on an unfamiliar machine with instructions in Chinese. Google Lens to the rescue! Thankfully, the dryers used pictograms instead of script. By 1:30 a.m., the task was done and dusted.

Feeling proud of my late-night accomplishment, I returned to my room to pack my suitcase, leaving only the electronics and CPAP machine for the morning. With just a few hours of sleep, I was up and ready to go, looking presentable enough to head to the lobby.
The lift opened to a procession of bleary-eyed colleagues—some visibly worn out, others trying to fake energy, and a few annoyingly chirpy. You can guess which category I fit into. We boarded the bus to the Shenzhen airport, where the process of travel began.

At the airport entrance, we went through the initial security check. I couldn’t help but wonder about its effectiveness—if someone wanted to cause harm, the entrance seemed as vulnerable as anywhere else. Still, the process felt routine, and the crowd was patient. We checked in, dropped off our luggage, and received new labels for the domestic flight to Hangzhou. Knowing we’d miss breakfast, our organisers provided us with brown paper bags containing a banana, a small brioche, and a yoghurt drink. Not the most substantial meal, but sometimes “enough” is enough. There is a joke about that: “Why is just one egg for breakfast sufficient for a Frenchman? Because one egg is un oeuf…”

Leaving Shenzhen was tinged with sadness. I’d enjoyed my time there—the bustling city, the open and welcoming atmosphere, and the superb weather all left a good impression. I also appreciated just having a weekend off to myself to reflect on this China experience. We were at the halfway point in our tour, and it felt like we were slowly moving back towards our more mundane existence back home—a bit like the Sunday night blues. I regretted not being able to visit Hong Kong across the bay, as leaving the mainland would have invalidated my work visa. Despite that, Shenzhen felt like a place I’d love to revisit—a city that put me at ease.

At the airport, we sleepily boarded a bus to our plane. The drive across the tarmac seemed to take forever, weaving through runways and passages. Finally, we boarded the aircraft. It was a Chinese domestic airline, and like with Air China, I couldn’t fault the service. I could, however, fault the passenger in front of me, who reclined their seat as far back as possible. Deciding to pick my battles wisely, I opted for the high road (and multiple trips to the loo, courtesy of the Sprite they kept plying me with).

The flight was short compared to the long-haul journeys to get to China, so I endured the discomfort with grace. At baggage reclaim, I silently prayed for my suitcase to appear—and eventually, it did.
We were herded onto our respective buses and driven to our hotel. You’re probably getting into the rhythm of touring now. Yes, that’s right! Dropped off at the hotel, then off to a restaurant for lunch. This time, the regional differences were evident—spicier dishes and more vegetables. Sitting with the girls and Catherine, I enjoyed the meal, even relishing the chicken feet.

A musician and his wife at a nearby table seemed less impressed. They talked about missing French cheese and looked at me oddly as I tucked into the local fare. I won’t repeat my thoughts at the time, but let’s say they weren’t complimentary.

Some impetuous, and adventurous souls decided to explore that afternoon before heading back to change for the evening’s rehearsal and concert. Corentin was one of them, and later told me about the sights he’d seen. I decided to rest instead and have a nice cup of the complimentary tea. I like rest and a nice cup of tea. I needed to rest and have a nice cup of tea.

We headed off to the venue on foot! Again, a wonderful welcome making us feel at home. Fruits ready for us as well as tea. Yummy. We had our New Year’s Eve concert, and the audience loved it. A very satisfactory evening, and definitely the high point of the evening. All we had to do now was to get back to the hotel, get changed, freshen up, and head off for our evening meal, and our New Year’s Eve party!

The concert had gone wonderfully, and there was a sense of satisfaction as I made my way back to the hotel. The evening had unfolded perfectly, and I was proud of the performance. But that satisfaction quickly slipped away as the night wore on.
I should have been looking forward to the evening ahead—a celebration, a New Year’s Eve party. But instead, frustration took over. I’d been told the restaurant was a short walk away, but somewhere along the way, things had changed, and my lack of direction—along with a memory that failed me—left me in a bind. It was one of those moments when everything felt wrong, and my patience had all but evaporated. The restaurant where we had had lunch was empty and the lights were off upstairs where I expected to eat.

The thought of the party, the noise, the forced cheerfulness, made my frustration grow. I didn’t want to join in, not when I was feeling so irritated and defeated. I was basically furious. The exhaustion from the long day only amplified my mood. My inner voice couldn’t have been clearer: “Fuck this for a game of soldiers.” I was done.

Instead of ringing in the New Year with everyone else, I did the one thing that felt right—I went to bed. I wasn’t in the mood for any celebrations. It wasn’t just about the confusion with the venue; it was the cumulative weight of the long day. As midnight approached, I just didn’t care.

I should have been looking forward to the evening ahead—a celebration, a New Year’s Eve party. But it wasn’t to be. Things just went from bad to worse. I’d been told the restaurant was a short walk away, but somewhere along the way, things had changed, and my lack of direction—along with a memory that failed me—left me up the proverbial creek without a paddle. It was one of those moments when everything felt wrong, and my patience had all but evaporated The restaurant where we had had lunch was empty and the lights were off upstairs where I expected to eat. I was basically furious at my own incompetence and ineptitude. My inner voice couldn’t have been clearer: “Fuck this for a game of soldiers.” I hated myself.

Instead of ringing in the New Year with everyone else, I did the one thing that felt right—I went to bed. I wasn’t in the mood for any celebrations. It wasn’t just about the confusion with the venue; it could well have been the cumulative effect of a very long day. As midnight approached, I just didn’t care.

Kate said she would call at midnight but instead I called her, hoping to find a moment of calm ad reassure her that all was well in the world. Speaking with her helped, but only because I had to make the effort to mask my frustration, not wanting to burden her with my mood. That effort, though, was enough to steady my emotions, if only slightly. That girl knows how to calm down her old man.

No sooner had I ended the call than there was a knock at the door. And just like that, my brief reprieve was shattered by Eléonore, Mathilde, and Titaua with a bottle in hand, ready to ring in the New Year. I opened the door, still in my boxer shorts, and offered a clipped “Happy New Year.” They probably didn’t expect it, but it was all I could muster. Sometimes, you just want to fall off the face of the earth.

Not the best of evenings, but considering what had happened, what did you expect? Can’t be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed every night.