1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,325 My current residence - on the 13th floor. Lucky me ... 2 00:00:03,991 --> 00:00:07,316 Six o'clock in the morning, grey sky, temperature outside near 20°C. 3 00:00:07,982 --> 00:00:11,307 Slowly the city wakes up ... 4 00:00:11,973 --> 00:00:15,298 I move from the bedroom ... 5 00:00:15,964 --> 00:00:19,289 ... through the sitting room ... 6 00:00:19,955 --> 00:00:23,280 ... into the bathroom, shower and shave, get ready for work. 7 00:00:23,946 --> 00:00:27,271 But first I walk through the lobby ... 8 00:00:27,937 --> 00:00:31,262 ... up the stairs for breakfast. 9 00:00:31,928 --> 00:00:35,253 A short peek outside shows: weather has improved as expected ... 10 00:00:35,919 --> 00:00:39,244 ... it is warm, humid and cloudy ... 11 00:00:39,910 --> 00:00:43,235 ... for later today some rain is predicted. 12 00:00:43,901 --> 00:00:47,226 Ah, my taxi is arriving, off we go ... 13 00:00:47,892 --> 00:00:51,217 ... we pass some impressive buildings - banks, of course ... 14 00:00:51,883 --> 00:00:55,208 ... parks and crowded crossings ... 15 00:00:55,874 --> 00:00:59,200 ... and reach the crowded highway feeder road ... 16 00:00:59,865 --> 00:01:03,191 ... and finally to the highway itself. 17 00:01:03,856 --> 00:01:08,512 Passing a truck on the right - completely normal in China ... 18 00:01:09,177 --> 00:01:12,503 ... passing pretty houses (I don't show the other ones) ... 19 00:01:13,168 --> 00:01:16,494 ... rather modern busses (I don't show the other ones) ... 20 00:01:17,159 --> 00:01:20,485 ... until the next red light stops us. 21 00:01:21,150 --> 00:01:24,476 The omni-present cameras remind me where I am. 22 00:01:25,141 --> 00:01:28,467 Slowly a landmark appears in the distant haze ... 23 00:01:29,132 --> 00:01:32,458 ... marking our exit, we have to leave the highway. 24 00:01:33,123 --> 00:01:36,449 Through the gate into Nansha, the part of Zhangjiagang in which the workshop is located. 25 00:01:37,114 --> 00:01:40,440 Passing typical Chinese transport vehicles ... 26 00:01:41,105 --> 00:01:44,431 ... which are not seen in the west too often ... 27 00:01:45,096 --> 00:01:48,422 ... which I personally don't regret at all. 28 00:01:49,087 --> 00:01:53,743 Finally - home run ... 29 00:01:54,408 --> 00:01:57,734 ... the company. 30 00:01:58,400 --> 00:02:01,725 Good morning, colleagues - zaoshang hao - my workplace down front. 31 00:02:02,391 --> 00:02:07,047 Anna is ready for a workshop visit ... 32 00:02:07,712 --> 00:02:11,038 ... and there are plenty of workshops. 33 00:02:11,703 --> 00:02:15,029 Passing stacks of raw material ... 34 00:02:15,694 --> 00:02:19,020 ... which is cut precisely into pieces ... 35 00:02:19,685 --> 00:02:23,011 ... which again are processed by large machinery ... 36 00:02:23,676 --> 00:02:27,002 ... then transported into other parts of the workshop ... 37 00:02:27,667 --> 00:02:30,993 ... processed and re-formed again ... 38 00:02:31,658 --> 00:02:34,984 ... to finally be welded ... 39 00:02:35,649 --> 00:02:38,975 ... and machined ... 40 00:02:39,640 --> 00:02:42,966 ... by a lot of diligent hands. 41 00:02:43,631 --> 00:02:46,957 In the first step they create semi-finished ... 42 00:02:47,622 --> 00:02:50,948 ... and finally end products like this tank. 43 00:02:51,613 --> 00:02:54,939 While we were busy in the workshops, it started to drizzle ... 44 00:02:55,604 --> 00:03:00,260 ... but there is new material rolling in ... 45 00:03:00,925 --> 00:03:04,251 ... which has to be checked: we observe the incoming goods inspection ... 46 00:03:04,916 --> 00:03:08,242 ... while unloading continues ... 47 00:03:08,907 --> 00:03:12,233 ... until all material is stored inside the inspection area. 48 00:03:12,898 --> 00:03:16,224 Now we pick a few samples for tracing ... 49 00:03:16,889 --> 00:03:20,215 ... check for stamps and other material markings ... 50 00:03:20,880 --> 00:03:24,206 ... and note those for further inspections. 51 00:03:24,871 --> 00:03:29,528 While our colleagues continue to sort ... 52 00:03:30,193 --> 00:03:33,519 ... we move to another area with still more material ... 53 00:03:34,184 --> 00:03:37,510 ... which is cut and marked here according to the drawings and parts lists. 54 00:03:38,175 --> 00:03:41,501 There are a lot of small ... 55 00:03:42,166 --> 00:03:45,492 ... as well as large parts to be cut ... 56 00:03:46,157 --> 00:03:49,483 ... to build a duct almost 4,5 km long with an average diameter of 2 m. 57 00:03:50,148 --> 00:03:53,474 All parts have to be marked thoroughly ... 58 00:03:54,139 --> 00:03:57,465 ... in order to have the right part at hand during the fabrication process. 59 00:03:58,130 --> 00:04:01,456 Well, look at the time ... 60 00:04:02,121 --> 00:04:05,447 ... lunch is already served: my dinner including beverage and "silverware" 61 00:04:06,112 --> 00:04:10,768 While Anna is recovering from the morning ventures ... 62 00:04:11,433 --> 00:04:14,759 ... I do a little sightseeing: 63 00:04:15,424 --> 00:04:18,750 Streetsigns, some of them even readable for "foreign devils" ... 64 00:04:19,415 --> 00:04:22,741 ... a tire change on the roadside (AAA took too long getting here) ... 65 00:04:23,406 --> 00:04:28,062 ... a very good Chinese restaurant (believe me, I know!) ... 66 00:04:28,728 --> 00:04:32,053 ... the number one hotel: The Garden Hotel (was not bad, but far off the beaten track) ... 67 00:04:32,719 --> 00:04:36,044 ... and the famous Chinese electric scooters, storefront in the background. Regard the wiring! 68 00:04:36,710 --> 00:04:40,035 Around 5:30 in the afternoon, my driver takes me back to the hotel. 69 00:04:40,701 --> 00:04:44,026 In the meantime, the drizzle has turned into rain. 70 00:04:44,692 --> 00:04:48,017 That does not bother anybody, traffic moves as always. 71 00:04:48,683 --> 00:04:52,008 Again: trucks are best passed on the right side, and the use of lights is far overrated. 72 00:04:52,674 --> 00:04:56,000 I've made it! I'll wrap up the day with a short report and then "skype" home.