Something in the air

I can normally tell how good or bad the air quality is by wether I need to stop for a break half way up the hill.

I walk, not run by the way.

I first noticed the effect of air pollution on my lungs when I was in Hong Kong for Chinese New Year in 2008. I was staying on Lamma Island on the top of the hill. It would be a struggle to walk up from the harbour every night, until the Chinese New Year Holiday.

For four days industry on mainland China stopped and the air became suddenly clearer. For four days I could walk home from the harbour in one go without having to stop, days three and four of the holiday and for two days after that while industry restarted.