Exit planet dust: Thank God for Shenzhen, The Buzz announced after alighting from the plane in Bao'an International Airport last week. Summer vacation, albeit an abbreviated one, had been spent in Shandong Province, and while the flying time might be only two-and-a-half hours, the two places are worlds apart. Jinan, the capital of Shandong was nightmarish: no sunshine, no blue sky, and only dust during the five days that The Buzz was there. Whatever happened to a province once described in textbooks as "a lovely coastal place on the Yellow Sea"

Ah, The Buzz remembered while breathing the fresh, invigorating air of Shenzhen. Those textbooks were probably written in the 1950s, when it still was a "lovely coastal place." But a warning to any potential tourists with Shandong on their mind: if Qingdao, Jinan or Weifang - the so-called "country of Chinese kites" - are next on your travel list, you are strongly advised to carry plenty of dark clothing. Do not wear a white shirt, even if you plan to stay indoors most of the time. Your shirt will become dark in a matter of hours.

Get over it: How long would you wait for the love of your life? The Shenzhen Evening News yesterday carried the story of an unnamed man who had been waiting in front of the staff quarters of Nantou Middle School in Nanshan District for two weeks. The man, in his forties, stood in front of the building with flowers in his hand; when asked he said he was waiting for a woman surnamed Peng. He had apparently come to thank her for her help.

Long-time residents of the area finally realized that this was the same man who had been standing in the same place three years ago. At that time the man carried, in addition to the flowers, a ring; he had come to propose to the very same Peng. However, she stood him up.

This time, he was finally taken away by a friend, who revealed that our besotted protagonist is married with two children, with the eldest being 17. What happened to Peng is still unclear, however. Ideas on a postcard please.

Editor: Yan