Sunday we had decided to head over to the new place to clean it up and perhaps measure some things, to get an idea of what we might need to buy. After cleaning up the apartment, we headed up to the rooftop balcony. We had wanted to see how much space we will have for a barbecue, a vegetable garden and perhaps a sitting area. Once we got up there the wind picked up and slammed to door shut. Matthew had attempted to grab the door but was in no rush as he didn't think it would lock. He tried to open it to no avail, and I of course thought he was joking until I tried to open it myself. This metal door happens to lock itself and it also happens that no one has a key to this door (it doesn't lock from the inside, you can always turn the knob, it's just the outside part that doesn't turn). So, Matthew and I were locked outside on the roof, which is on the 5th floor of our townhouse.
So, we don't have a key for that door as there isn't one. I left my phone inside with my purse. Matthew had a phone, but it was useless as it only works with wi-fi; it doesn't work with a sim card, but the flashlight did come in handy. I waited on our balcony while Matthew went to investigate for a way down. I was hoping someone would come by the place as I knew most of our future roommates are moving in this week, and all the lights had been left on when we got there, so I had thought someone would be by. Boy was I wrong.
There are no firescapes anywhere on the building. Matthew found a doorway with a light on, but we were hestitant to enter as we had no idea where it lead. It most likely lead to the restaurant below and we didn't want to enter through the back kitchen door and not be able to explain ourselves (as we don't speak any Chinese and no one speaks much English around here, if any at all). Matthew had found an abandoned apartment, it is currently under construction. The problem? It did not connect to the ground floor. Yeah, that's right. We had seen the place from the outside and there is quite a jump from the main door to the ground, as they have dug up the yard, but it wouldn't be to dangerous. However, the inside of the house doesn't actually connect to that floor, so we would have had to jump from a floor up, which was going to be dangerous.
Instead, we stole a ladder from a neighbour. Yes that's right, we stole a ladder. We thought it would be long enough to reach the ground from the second floor balcony, problem was, we had no way of measuring it, so we just went for it. Next problem we ran into, it doesn't fit down the stairwell to the second floor. We had to pass it to each other from the outside of the third floor balcony to the second; it was quite a challenge. On top of that, it was now dark and there was an open business right in front of us while we were passing this ladder around. The ladder didn't work, it wasn't long enough after all. Matthew decided he was going to jump out onto the front street, which happens to be rather busy and had uneven ground. He started doing warm-ups and everything; he climbed onto the ledge and I think to myself that this is a horrible idea. So, I climb onto the balcony as well, haha; smart right? Next thing, the neighbour comes out for a smoke and he doesn't speak any English, and he starts panicking because two foreigners look like they want to kill themselves. His wife comes out and we try to ask if I can go through their house to get downstairs. The man goes outside thinking we can just exit through the front door, then he sees the problem, as do all the other neighbours who now think we are thieves. During this time Matthew is sneakily putting the ladder back, which happens to belong to the man who went outside. After about 4 hours of sneaking around rooftops and drawing everyone's attention, there is finally someone who speaks English and he explains the situation and we get down through the confused man's house (who we stole the ladder from) and out to ground.
We were both sweaty and full of dust and exhausted, it was quite the experience. However, I am not so sure I want to move there anymore. I am certain they thought we were up to no good. We even had to prove to them that we actually lived (or had a key) at one of the complexes. They followed us to our place, which was about a block down from where we ended up, and watched us as we opened the door. We haven't gone to the new place since then, and I am putting off the move for as long as possible. Unforunately we know that the neighbours won't forget our faces as we stand out, especially Matthew. I am quite happy to have a long holiday this week (5 days off) and I am leaving town, maybe I'll work on my tan so that I am not recognizeable to anyone by the time I get back.
Can you believe that no one ended up calling the cops? Lucky us.
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