When I took gymnastics classes as a kid, I always confused the coaches because the way of arranging my legs that felt natural to me was the left-handed way, but I'm right-handed. I do left-handed gymnastics, though. I can see better out of my right eye than out of my left, but my glasses mostly fix that.

Hil, which way counts as left and which as right for gymnastics? I remember from high school dance that I slid into a left-leg-forward split pretty easily without too much effort but never, even at my bendiest, managed both-legs-out or right-leg-forward, and I vaguely remember managing various yoga balances more easily on one side than the other, but which side "counts"? The bracing-you-up or the counterbalance side?

Doing a cartwheel or a handstand by starting with your left leg forward was left-handed.

Okay, huh. I'm definitely a mostly-leftie, except for which hand I use for writing and cooking and cutting things up with scissors. Human bodies are weird.

Hi everyone, I'm posting from Shanghai. We're in a 2-star hotel that nonetheless has excellent and apparently free internet connection. (And a second room for Ryan to sleep in, this is actually very comfortable, if a little cramped.)

We've caught up with Biyi's parents, so good to see them again. We then had dinner with said parents, and Biyi's big aunt plus family. She's a lovely woman - she knits, and has sent Ryan a steady supply of jumpers and other clothes. (She is also the one with the drama llama for a son, whom I have now also met. Friendly guy.) Biyi was very happy to see them - it's been five years since last she was in China (when we got married, in fact).

In sadder news, her little aunt's husband is in hospital. He has cancer, and it's spread. The outlook isn't good. We'll be going to the hospital tomorrow. (Ryan won't be going in, too distressing.)

Oh, speaking of Ryan - our little guy was such a trooper. We left for the airport yesterday a half hour after his normal bedtime. He chattered nonstop for the entire car trip about how we were going to China and we'd see Waigong and Waipo and we were going to fly on a big plane and he'd sleep on the plane between mummy and daddy and we were going to Hong Kong and then Shanghai and then Hangzhou and did I mention about the big plane and then we were at the airport. He stayed excited (and thoroughly alert) all the way to boarding (at 11:45 pm) before finally conking out once we'd had dinner and they turned the lights off.

We, on the other hand, didn't get much sleep, because two rows away there was a family with three kids, one of whom was emphatically not enthused about the flight experience, and howled near constantly for about three hours. And started up again periodically thereafter. I don't say this with any kind of bad feeling directed towards them; they did their best, and with kids that small, sometimes there's just nothing to be done. Still, end result - ye gods we were tired when we got into Hong Kong. (It caught up to Ryan too, he had a bit of a meltdown in the taxi from Shanghai airport).

We got an afternoon nap and feel human again, and it really is very pleasant to be here and be able to catch up with the in-laws (and show Ryan off). He's been pretty shy, and didn't want cuddles with the big aunt, but did blow them kisses when they left.

And now here I am in the hotel room at 10 pm, realising that - genius that I am - I left my computer's power cord at home. The in-laws have a computer (and internet connection), so once we move on to their place it may matter less, but I may yet wind up disappearing for a few days.

yay for a decent trip and seeing family billy tea!

Sounds like Ryan's a terrific traveller!

If BT sees this, I am curious -- big aunt and little aunt?

Is that like great-aunt vs. aunt, or older (in age) aunt vs younger aunt?

Hello, Shanghai!! Glad Ryan did well on the trip.

OMG, the pirate pub crawl was SO MUCH FUN. Pirates and sailors doing hip hop line dance in the middle of Bourbon Street, two live parrots, over fifty people in awesome pirate costumes, undead pirates, a little light flogging, tourists wanting to take pictures with us... I think I'm going to have to join the Krewe. People came from all over the States to join in.

Glad the trip went well, bt. Can you buy an extra computer charger?

Am I crazy for contemplating a move to Italy? Too soon to be making major life decisions, keeping in mind that any such move would take a while to pull off?