Charles Things Looking Up

08/13/2002

Hello everyone

I received 15 emails of support today and I don't really have time to reply individually, sorry.

A friend flew in from Chengdu over the weekend and we had a fun time investigating the previously-mentioned 30kph signs on Sunday. It was very easy to get the villagers to state on videotape that the signs had only been there a few days. Might have a dishonest cop, but you can't make all the peasants dishonest all of the time. Also got more photographs of the approaches to the village and the accident site, including some of those dreaded tractors and even a cyclist who disappeared behind a tree that hid the cyclist I hit the previous Sunday.

My friend and I spent most of Monday either consulting a useless lawyer, visiting the boy in hospital, or at the police station. Mostly with the police, who sit around and smoke, chat, pick their noses and don't seem to do much work. However, we finally got them into gear by about 6pm, showed them all my photographs with suitable commentary, and (wonder of wonders) got my car back. The car had mysteriously poor brakes, despite being serviced by Lhasa Toyota 8 days before the accident. The police here have a special dynamometer device for checking brakes, especially in vehicles involved in accidents.

Things stand in abeyance at the moment. My university is going full speed, contacting various authorities in Tibet, trying to get me out. I have heard no more about the required 20,000 yuan (about $5000 Australian) but in any case the Bank of China tells me I cannot get money using my Visa Debit Card in Shigatse. That might be the next hurdle to be jumped... if the authorities persist with the demand.

The good news is that the boy is showing some signs of recovery and the doctors tell me that he has no fractures. The latter is a bit surprising really, considering how hard he hit the car.

Thanks again for your support. It has been great to read positive emails at a time when I am all alone far from anyone who has any interest in me. It is better now that I have a friend and rather vocal interpreter as a companion.

Regards

Charles Poynton _ _ ______________________________________________________ _ _

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