The day before yesterday: Arriving into Beijing 8/3
The flight to Beijing was packed. I guess Mom & Dad were lucky. The crowd was mixed. Students heading abroad, ABC families, The American tourist and the upper class. All the crayons in the box. As we were about to take off. Peter and I noticed that this stupid lady woudln't stay in ther damn seast. Why wouldn't she sit still? Well she kept fucking around with her carry on trying to make it fit. That's why God invented flight attendants.
"M'am you need to sit down" the F.A repeated
Minutes later on the PA
"Excuse me, Miss you're gonna have to sit down."
The lady still gets up again to fuck around. SIT THE FUCK DOWN
Then on the PA (in Mandarin) " Miss, could you SIT down?"
SF was waking up from the fog when take off began. Eddie Izzard was right. That fog just ZOOMS past! Seated next to my Aunt was Andrew (whose name we learned in Beijing) a post grad, native to Washington state, but studied at USC. What a cute Chinese guy..my my my. Aunt wouldn't stop yakking on w/Andrew, but hey it makes time go faster. I turned around and Aunt was just joking that they were talking shit about me.
Love you too.
Note: Hot turkey sandwich is the bomb. So is Toy Story 2 on me laptop+noise cancelling headphones.
Beijing International Airport: Hold it in
The moment we descended into Beijing international I was welcomed with a wave of humid air. The people in front of me exclaimed in Mandarin "WAHH!!! IT'S HOT!!"
Wasn't as bad from the haunting memories of the old 2001 Beijing airport. one word; GROSS.
Security checkpoints were rigid. They didn't want ANYONE with any cold/flu like symptoms crossing the border. We saw epoploe in the hazmat suits walking along looking like marshmallows. Heat sensors we crossed too.
As the United flight attendants were about to go through security checkpoint #1 one of them said, "Okay Ladies, Don't sneeze, don't cough, don't even sniffle. Just hold it in!!"
Luckilly we weren't shoved into quarantine. Customs was pleasant and they let me in. I felt sorry for the guys next to me in line #2. Peter thinks they're from Egypt. The officer was having trouble talking to me so he started bitching to his pal. "what kind of fucking horse language are they speaking??!"
Baggage Claim: LIKE A BOSS!
I did a victory dance as one by one we found our luggage in carousel 39. People were giving me Chinese evils and my from my giant physique probably thought I was a judo athelete or a lesbian. We started heading towards the exit where the crowds of Chinese people were awaiting their loved ones. HERE THEY COME!!
For a moment we couldn't spot my Uncle Ru, then from the distance a tall 17 yr old boy and a guy with a buzz cut were waving at us.
Exit to the outside: Humid inferno
Moment entering the exit tunnel was met with a blast of hot air
"AUGHHHHHH" Peter and I exclaimed. Aunt turned around and cracked up.
My Uncle Ru is still the same. Just exchanged his fine crop of hair for a buzz cut due to summe heat. He's still cool. Easy going, understanding and calm. He's a good Dad and doesn't stress like my mother. Oy. I felt so dead after sitting on the plane. When we found a palce to eat, my head felt heavy and I was resting my head on the table.
The first meal in Beijing was satisfying. Ma Po Szechuan tofu, Kung Pao Chicken, broccolini w/rice served in bowls the size of small tea cups. How about I just sip my rice instead?
