Living without water in the kitchen was fraught, yes. There was water in the adjacent bathroom (including hot water for the shower if I remembered to turn on the heater 20 minutes before needing it.) Of course, that raised hygiene issues.
I was living on delivery for the last year, but that was more to do with my back than anything else.
I'd describe the kitchen (and the whole apartment) as middle to upper middle class.
I have seen some worse kitchens than my waterless example. Some places don't even have anything we'd recognise as a kitchen. I saw one young couple cooking every day on their balcony in the rain.
Also, I posted before this picture of an old woman cooking her lunch over a bucket of burning firewood in a sort of outhouse in the countryside.
I do love the new place so far, especially the kitchen and will love it more when I get all these boxes unpacked.
Apartment hunting wasn't so bad. First, I had an excellent property agent who actually listened to my requirements and didn't waste my time or energy viewing inappropriate choices. This was the second place I saw on the same day,
minutes apart as she had arranged for my convenience.
Also we have an excellent Uber-like ride hire service here to take me to the sites and back. (Actual Uber got kicked out of China for some alleged unethical practices.)
