Water

Things we take for granted at home are not so in China. Water is probably the biggest thing we take for granted even though we are suffering from the worst drought.

At home we turn on the tap and have a choice of hot or cold water. Some of us drink the tap water. In China if you were to drink the water you would be extremely ill. So too would the Chinese.

In China it is unusual for hot water to come from a tap. The Chinese get their hot water from a central supply and use large thermos flasks to carry it. In their homes they would use this water to fill their wash bowls and that would be their bath.

We do live in luxury in comparison to their lives. We have hot and cold running water, shower cubicles, hot water system, 'western style' toilet and reverse cycle AC.