What could you live without?

Internet, water, or electricity???

That's something I've been contemplating a lot lately.  Our internet has been pretty good but there are occasional mornings we wake up with nothing. 

Luckily the electricity hasn't gone off at my apartment yet.  One night we were having dinner and a movie with a Xi'an Expat group when the electricity went out.  Roger Rabbit was not meant to be that night.  It turned out to be really fun having dinner by candelight.

The water has gone off a few times for about 3-5 hours.    Last night we lost water but assumed it would be back on this morning - it wasn't.  After making some phone calls we found out the water could be out for 3 days!  There are rolling water outages for the upcoming Horticultural Expo.  Seems they're trying to set a good example to the rest of China and the world while saving water for the millions of people that will be invading Xi'an in the next 6 months.  Having no water changes a lot of things about every day life.  Not only do you have to plan more for showers but you have to plan for going to the bathroom.  Since going to the bathroom is pretty much out of our control it makes having no water a real big inconvenience.   But just like with anything else you cope and figure out solutions.  AND say a seriously big prayer that you don't get sick.

You just never know what will happen in this country.  One thing's forsure - I'll never take anything for granted again.