A Swim to Remember

This morning I received an email from my friend and fellow volunteer, Sam, describing a recent experience she had at the local swimming pool in Lanzhou (a city in central china) where she is living and working. It was just too good not to share, so with her permission, I have posted an extract from her email below.

Thought I would share this with you from my weekend adventure to the swimming pool in Lanzhou:

1. The lifeguards all smoke
2. Those cute little handholds on the edge of the pool are not cute little handholds, they are spittoons. I watch in horror at the person next to me swim a lap, stop, cough up a huge lurgy, then continue swimming.
3. Most adults cannot swim. Therefore the pool is full of adults waist deep in water wearing floaties.
4. Everyone wears a swimming cap. Most also use those nose plug thingies
5. I have to pass a special 'test' to swim in the deep section of the pool. This consists of a 25m paddle. The deep section is a separate pool and I receive a special token which I have to wear on my bathers. I presume it says something like 'Champion swimmer - can swim 25 meters'.
6. The water is soupy and grey. Even after I shower my skin feels like it is coated in an oily film.
7. There are no lanes marked. Anarchy rules

Ah... I love China!