Oct 11, 2007

Beijing 2008

Have I ever left home on a trip without feeling like I'd forgotten something?

Sleeping bag, vitamins, lotion...thank God they're all thing I can temporarily live without.

Beijing airport has to be THE most user-unfriendly airport I've ever been to. Our initial excitement at setting foot in China for the first time soon gave way to panic and distress when we started to feel the effects of lack of sleep and our search for a likely place to nap came to no avail. Everywhere we went there were throngs of people headed in the opposite direction. Everyone we spoke to either didn't speak English or spoke it with an accent which rendered their English competency pretty much useless to us. Despite the lack of proper seating and hoards of people milling about, no one ventured to simply camp out on the floor. We had a drink at a cafe where, instead of chairs, there were sofas strewn with illegally-comfy throw pillows. While it was tempting to simply crash there, we continued our search of a good-sleep place. We found sprinkles of painted metal benches where Kak Nani tried to sleep on but ended up cramping her arms to keep from sliding off. By then we were in a lousy mood and our heads were swimming with everything Chinese. We decided to leave the international terminal and head out to the open waters. Our 10-hour transit was down to six when we finally found seats where we can properly rest our bottoms. By then it didn't matter that we were nodding left, right, front and back because our eyelids were adamant on staying closed. It didn't matter to me that every time I opened my eyes there was a different row of strangers (all Chinese, of course) staring at me with open curiosity. I simply stared back until my eyes shut themselves once again.

The remaining two ours of our transit I spent reading and snacking, Esyaque went off with his camera and Kak Nani continued sleeping (as usual). Our spirits picked up once again when check-in for Air Canada opened and we were finally welcomed into the more comfortable zones of international departure. Despite further hassles of being body-searched another half-a-dozen times and the prospects of a 13-hour flight, I was practically skipping into the cabin. I might be couped up in the same piece of flying metal for a long period of time but at least the reclining seats are mine,I don't have to keep a hawk-eye on my carry-ons and everything is explained in a language I can comprehend.


I must sound terribly snobbish at the moment but I really can't see how I could have enjoyed that 10-hour turmoil. China reported to have amped their hospitality to make the country tourist-friendly in preparation for the 2008 Olympics. Well, they've got a few more months to go and all I can say is fellas, good luck.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

louis vuitton outlet, christian louboutin outlet, ugg boots, jordan shoes, tiffany jewelry, longchamp outlet, chanel handbags, michael kors, nike free, louis vuitton, longchamp, oakley sunglasses, cheap oakley sunglasses, air max, nike air max, polo ralph lauren outlet, burberry, kate spade outlet, tiffany and co, louboutin outlet, uggs on sale, ray ban sunglasses, prada handbags, sac longchamp, nike outlet, gucci outlet, louis vuitton, nike roshe run, longchamp pas cher, ugg boots, louis vuitton, polo ralph lauren outlet, ray ban sunglasses, nike free, ray ban sunglasses, oakley sunglasses, oakley sunglasses, tory burch outlet, nike air max, replica watches, louis vuitton outlet, ralph lauren pas cher, louboutin shoes, louboutin pas cher, oakley sunglasses, longchamp outlet, louboutin, air jordan pas cher, prada outlet, replica watches

Unknown said...

new balance pas cher, vans pas cher, ralph lauren uk, burberry outlet online, coach outlet, kate spade handbags, lacoste pas cher, michael kors outlet, nike air max, burberry, oakley pas cher, hogan, nike free run uk, michael kors outlet, replica handbags, true religion jeans, michael kors, true religion jeans, hollister, converse pas cher, michael kors outlet, nike air max, timberland, mulberry, air force, ray ban pas cher, michael kors, michael kors outlet, hollister pas cher, ugg boots, sac guess, true religion outlet, nike blazer, true religion jeans, ugg boots, michael kors outlet, north face, michael kors, coach outlet, north face, nike roshe, lululemon, abercrombie and fitch, vanessa bruno, ray ban uk, coach purses, hermes, tn pas cher, michael kors, nike air max

Unknown said...

valentino shoes, babyliss, p90x workout, ferragamo shoes, reebok shoes, nike roshe, nike trainers, bottega veneta, new balance, ray ban, vans, nike air max, nfl jerseys, baseball bats, chi flat iron, louboutin, lululemon, oakley, herve leger, north face outlet, nike huarache, ralph lauren, abercrombie and fitch, asics running shoes, nike air max, beats by dre, jimmy choo shoes, converse outlet, soccer shoes, celine handbags, soccer jerseys, giuseppe zanotti, hollister, mcm handbags, vans shoes, timberland boots, gucci, insanity workout, wedding dresses, longchamp, hollister, north face outlet, hollister, birkin bag, instyler, mac cosmetics, converse, ghd, iphone cases, mont blanc