What's a man gonna F**Qingdao!?

[Cyclefrance]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

I wonder if the earthquake left him a destination?

Luckily the training centre isn't in a mud hut. Not nice to hear of anyone dying though especially a 4-year-old boy. I suppose that it's good that the casualties were so few, but better had there been none.

Seems this trip is causing enough ripples even before it's properly started. Guess I'd better give you plenty of warning when I decide to come to the States - they'll clearly need to declare a state of emergency when I do.

[xoxoxoBruce]

No problem, cf, bring it on anytime. Sounds like your luck is changing, have fun.

[Cyclefrance]

Hey! Dubai!

...and that's what I call a Duty Free Shopping Mall!

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[Cyclefrance]

Just a couple of hours here - and, guess what? I'm in the Emirates Lounge!

Not sure if I should take a photo - I mean, it's just another Emirates Lounge and no sign of any dogs either - maybe a photo only if requested (you have one hour too do so before I set off to board the Beijing plane).

Not a bad flight here. You know how you sit there in the departure lounge thinking 'I wonder if I'll get some nice young attractive woman in the next seat, that'd be nice...' (that's after you've recovered from the paranoia of worrying if you'll actually have a flight!), but then you end up with some wheezing sweating slob with a bad case of halitosis. Sure you do.

We-ll, I got the lady this time around! No kidding. And quite a stunner too!Aaah, memories of youthfull days gone by. An Emirates lady flying back to Dubai for her next assignment - quite chatty as well, even though she was the one who ended up with the old fart next door (i.e me!). Helped the time go by either side of movies (watched 'The Fastest Indian' - not to be missed if you have the chance to catch it - probably on DVD by now - it didn't make our cinemas - followed by 'Wild Hogs' - passable - in the 'making time go by' sense but not one I'd make the effort to go out of my way to see otherwise).

Dubai is certainly humming - the airport is a good indication of how active the place is considering it's 01.30 local time and the place is packed!

Stopping this entry now as I need a drink!

[Cyclefrance]

Made it to Qingdao - only after being too late for Beijing-Qingdao flight, by 3 minutes!

I forgot that, despite having queued for hours to get a Chinese Visa at their London Embasssy, and filled in two foms that were handed out on the plane, I still had to coolect another Entry Visa form that I filled in and handed to the immigration guy. So, having queued 15 minutes to get in front of him, he sent me off to find the said Entry Visa form (found tucked away around a corner in the immigration hall). Language barrier rendered my 'why not place them at the head of each immigration queue?' suggestion unacknowledged. Still I've grabbed a supply of both Entry and Exit Visa blank forms so I don't make the mistake again (unless of course they redesign the thing before I visit again!).

Beijing airport (as picture shows) wasn't that inspiring - I know they have those nice new self-check-in machines, but they never worked for my bookings. Qingdao is another matter - will get some pics over the next two days to prove the point (camera flash just bounced of the taxi window when I tried on the trip from airport to hotel - so unless you want a nice example of rear window heating elements silhouetted against a reflection of the light from the flash.... oh, what the hell, I'll include it anyway). Road from airport to hotel (4 lanes each way toll highway) was devoid completely of any other traffic - guess that sums up the wealth of the average Chinese individual, not wanting (being able?) to pay to use the road.

Heading for bed now - early start - need to check the course facilities and documentation that the Chinese end had to prepare - given the cock-ups last time....

Trip (excluding unnecessary loitering in Emirates Lounge on Saturday) has taken over 27 hours (left home 11.00 on Sunday morning and arrived hotel 21.30 Chinese/14.30 British time today) - not too bad, then....

[Sundae]

Do you feel better for having us keep you company?
Am enjoying the trip so far.

Are you going to call your wife if you get locked out of your hotel room?!

[xoxoxoBruce]

Oooow Sundae, you're evil. I like the way you think. That would be a great gag, but it might cost him later.

Cf, that's not the only terminal in Beijing, is it?

[Perry Winkle]

Holy crap. Beijing airport looks exactly like Ruzyne (Prague, CZ) airport.

Thanks for the play-by-play Cf. Good stuff.

[Cyclefrance]

Hotel room is very entertaining, thanks to thin walls - woken at around half-one this morning by noise of lady in adjoining room clearly enjoying herself with her partner - 'Harry meets Sally' in audio - extended version! Key under close guard!

[Undertoad]

And you with no mp3s to share of it. For shame.

[Cyclefrance]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

And you with no mp3s to share of it. For shame.

Guaranteed nightly repeats, I understand - just like having cable TV!

[Cyclefrance]

... or Home 'Box' Office!!

[Cyclefrance]

Network connections have been about as reliable as last Saturday’s Emirates Flight – so much so that I have not been able to connect in either Qingdao or Beijing airports, and I am now struggling to maintain access while in Dubai (Emirates Lounge, naturally), While waiting for the gate to open for my last leg back home to London (which hopefully will be on time)

What of China? Well two thing stick out more than anything as being prevalent – the first being real estate construction, and the second being pollution. In fact, I’d put pollution well ahead of the game (the photos that follow will provide adequate supporting evidence for that viewpoint). And if they go on the way they are (considering that China is in the early stages of growth, then this is most certainly a given) then IMO pollution is going to be a substantial obstacle – for the adverse effect it will have on the population’s health alone!

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[Cyclefrance]

And a couple more to bring home the point (photos taken from inside of taxi on way back to airport):

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[Cyclefrance]

And as if this wasn't bad enough, the flight into Beijing really showed how chronic it really was - it was impossible to see the ground or runway until virtually on top of it, and even though it was only 7.00 pm (which in the UK would mean a good two hours still of daylight at that time of early evening), the place was gloomy and lights were already on in both buildings and on vehilcles on the roads. The shot I took at 7.15 pm of Beijing airport (below) portrays the scene accurately: