Turning 43

I recently turned 43, old enough that I had to double check my age when my son asked. This year was the second time I’ve been able to spend my birthday in Beijing. This time though, I was careful not to over-eat, at least not excessively.

After a couple of days of rain, the sun came out and we were gifted a glorious spring day. At 24ºC there isn’t a better time to be visiting Beijing.

We spent the day wandering the “old” hutongs in the centre of the city. They aren’t old any more. Both Alicia and I struggled to recognise many of the streets; her with memories of early childhood and me with my memories of my first trip to Beijing 18 years ago.

We stopped off for coffee and snacks in a small teahouse. We had the place to ourselves. The boys entertained each other while Alicia and I managed to enjoy a few moments of complete peace. I still think my Mandarin is terrible but somehow I feel comfortable now. Short conversations that turn an otherwise transactional visit to a cafe now feel normal. It helps that both boys push me to be less reserved when it comes to language. We’ve all shared many laughs at our mistakes.

My birthday could have ended here and I’d have been content but we stumbled across an indie music store and Oscar and I spent longer than we realised browsing records. Given a couple of pairs of headphones and we could have spent the rest of the day here. The temptation to pick up a couple of records of bands we knew was strong, but we ended up leaving with two CDs and a record of local artists. Better than that, we came away with recommendations for listening to music in China, and explanation for the disappearance of my son’s favourite album and the knowledge that his second favourite artist is touring in China next month. It’s a shame we won’t be here.

The day ended back home with the traditional bowl (or two) of long noodles to signify a long life. I’ve never enjoyed celebrating birthdays but have come to accept that sometimes they are a good excuse to spend time with others. As I turn 43, I couldn’t have wished for a better day out.

From the pages of my journal, a quick doodle. There is a lot we could be worrying about but I’m incredibly fortunate to have been able to rattle off more than a few things that have made me happy recently. Here’s to 43.