Eathrquake part 3

I didn't think there was going to be a part 3, but the Earth's crust is continuing to rumble underneath South West China. The day before yesterday, I was woken by an aftershock, but it wasn't too big, so I left it and went back to sleep. I was looking forward to a good sleep last night, but at about 11 in the evening my flatmate informs us that everyone's sleeping outside again, which meant a repeat of last Monday's evasive action.

Clutching a pillow, duvet, mat, bread, beer, passport and toilet paper, we head back to the same spot in the park. There was definitely more people than last time, 'people sea people mountain', as the Chinese saying goes. Anyone with a car seemed to be heading south, leaving the city. The pavements were full of people wandering round or sleeping, some even sleeping on the side of the road or using the kerb as a pillow. I admire the people who chose to sleep right outside the door of a multi-storey building. Some people seemed amused by everything, but I wasn't prepared to take any chances.

I gathered from some people crowded round a TV outside that a warning has been issued that yesterday and today, there should be a big aftershock, which is likely to affect Xi'an. Joining in the atmosphere, I went over to some friends to sit around on the pavement playing cards. There wasn't any panic, the chances of anything destructive here are small, but everyone was playing it safe, and making the most of it.

I did actually manage to get a couple of hours sleep, but when I woke up all the other Europeans who were in the park had left and gone home. Not too willing to go and sleep, I'm now in the internet bar, occupying the computer nearest the door - with only a three yard dash to the safety, I should be OK. I was pretty sure there was a shock just now actually, but it turned out to be someone zealously bashing away at the keyboard. At the moment, I'm alert to anything wobbly.

For the rest of today (currently 8am), I'm waiting for this shock to come and go so I can go back inside above the first floor. Sods law as soon as I go back to my flat, the tremor will come. Still, I'm better off than tens of thousands of people in Sichuan.