After bidding farewell to these adorable people, who I miss already ...
We've flown, bussed, and walked so far for so long that I've lost all sense of time, but this always happens to me during international flights, don't try and explain it. Many have gone before you and failed - my brain just can't comprehend it.
leg 1: Sydney to Chongqing: after a very pleasant flight which included lots of food, little sleep and one movie; we journeyed through baggage claim, customs, and around the corner, literally, to recheck/weigh our bags (to which we had not added anything), moved to the next counter - in the same room had to show our credentials and load our bags, went through security IN THE SAME ROOM produce credentials blah blah before we went into a waiting room.
In this room the same people who were in the last room asked us straight-faced to see our credentials again before they boarded the bus with us to go to another terminal where, you guessed it, we had to show them our credentials.
So you might be surprised when I tell you that what followed was the bizarre bit, so bizarre I am convinced we were the entertainment for the day for airport staff . In terminal two a select few of us were personally escorted to the first class lounge (nice right?!)
This luscious space we shared with just four others feeling very posh, and so here is the bizarre bit ...
We were collected and escorted to the boarding gate for the next flight.
Had out boarding pass check just like normal.
Walk down the ramp, just like normal but ... no plane.
A bus.
In which we were then driven back the exact same way we came 2 hours earlier (I am sure of it!) We all went back up the stairs to another gate.
Boarding pass check.
Walk down the ramp.
Tadah! the plane!
Maybe it was the lack of sleep, this all seemed very odd. I'm sure this is the way it went, I'm sticking to this story.
leg 2: Chongqing to Beijing: Asleep for the next two hours.
We breezed through baggage claim and customs (pays to travel through these places at 2:30 am) and were met at the arrivals gate for hotel transfer. Relaxing for Mike not to have the usual pick up the hire car/negotiate out of the airport/remember to stay on the right side of the road routine, especially as our 1½ car lengths apart does not apply here.
We're in the Renaissance hotel right in the centre of Beijing. Renae and Becca & all my booky friends, how's THIS for decorating in style. Yes they are real books (well at least the ones I could reach) and yes I have put my order in for this décor at home.
I wanted to eat dinner and go straight to bed but Mike vetoed that plan on the grounds that it was 11am. wait, ... what? I counted up the hours and by my reckoning it should have been about 8pm on Monday night.
I still have no idea what day it is but it's pretty exciting to be in a city you've never seen before so we went for a walk in the grey, cold wendyweather - not snowing but I'm hopeful ;)
I want that lobby to be my lounge room. The fact that it went AROUND THE CORNER still astounds me. And the Wendyweather? Perfect. It knows you. China is welcoming you :)
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