Xiaoyu borrowed her brother's electric motorbike so we could be free to explore Nanning. I have to confess that the first time I rode pillion with her, it was kind of freaky. Firstly, I wasn't expecting a late might ride home on a scooter. Secondly, no-one wears helmets and they even tend to skimp on headlights, this to conserve power.

The days we rode around Nanning were exhilarating. The traffic danced around us and collisions which seemed inevitable never materialised. It was always the case that someone at the last minute gave way to someone else. We were frequently in a melee of buses, cars, motorbikes and bicycles and somehow it always came together. I could never figure out how.

Xiaoyu cut a somewhat cool figure on her bike and I took the liberty of snapping a few shots when she wasn't watching. Here are a couple. Isn't she cute?