Beijing: Jetlag and Jollity! (part one)
Trip Start
Oct 27, 2007
1
4
9
Trip End
Nov 12, 2007
Beijing,
China
Sunday, October 28, 2007
During the flight, we received a number of forms that we have duly filled out. Unlike when entering the USA, the forms are not concerned with our terrorist leanings, but more with our health (do we have herpes, AIDS or a gammy leg?) and our finances (have we robbed a bank prior to travel and stuffed the money in our suitcase?). These forms will obviously need to be handed in at some point and an endless series of questions asked to corroborate our answers on the forms.
Once inside the terminal, my first impression is of how quiet it is. And by quiet, I mean silent. Iamgine Heathrow but with no one around. Beijing is quieter than that.
On our journey to baggage reclaim, we hand the first of our forms over - the health questionnaire. And that is it. We simply hand it over. The chap doesn't seem to be interested in whether my leg is oozing sticky yellow goo or not. He takes the form and waves us through. Oh well. I'm sure someone will be along to mop up the pus soon.
Next up - immigration. I hand my passport and the second form over to the chap in the booth. He looks at my passport, then at me, then at my passport, then at me.
Perhaps I should explain. My passport photo was taken eight years ago, when my hair was long and my face pale and thin. Since then, I have cut my hair short and put on a bit of weight. At first glance, I look nothing like the person staring out from the back page of my passport.
The gentleman seems to be satisfied that I am actually the same person and continues to look at my visa, entry form and whatever else he had to read. As I wait, I observe a series of buttons - smiley or frowny faces accompanied with the following descriptions:
very satisfied | satisfied | dissatisfied | very dissatisfied
I press the very satisfied button as I leave. The guy didn't say much, but that means he was rude. He was efficient, didn't keep me waiting and offered a little smile as I said good bye in my best Chinese. What more can you ask for?
During all this, the baggage handlers have retrieved everyone's luggage from the aeroplane, transported it to the conveyor belts and left it for us to fight over in the traditional manner.
Beijing airport is one of the easiest to get through in the world. We grab our bags and head straight through customs to the arrivals area where Xiaojing is waiting for us.
* * *
Xiaojing came to Edinburgh to study at Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh a few years ago, which is where Laura works. They met and have since become good friends. Laura looked after Xiaojing during her stay in Edinburgh and now Xiaojing has the opportunity to return the gesture.
I haven't kept up with my Chinese studies, so my knowledge of the language is not as good as it could have been. But this is OK as Xiaojing speak excellent English.
She has offered to escort us to our hotel, as well as giving us a tour of Tian'anmen Square later, before heading to her parents home for a traditional family meal. This sounds like a great first day, easing us into the way of things.
So, first stop: the hotel...
