Meeting Mao

After neglecting the blog for almost a month, I realized that I had never finished telling the story of our return trip from Hong Kong. It was a pretty epic journey, definitely a classic addition to our family lore. Many of you have already heard the story, but for those who have not, here's the rundown:

Thursday, 9 August, 6 AM: Arrive at Dragonair counter to check in for 8:05 AM flight to Beijing. Realize that United gave us itineraries yesterday, not confirmed tickets. This is a problem, as Dragonair agents won't let us on the plane without either a China visa or a proper onward ticket. Have the following conversation with Dragonair agents several times:

AGENT: Do you have an e-ticket or a paper ticket?
JOEL/ME: We have this (show printed itinerary from United). United rebooked us through Beijing, but we are going on to Washington. This is what they gave us when they rebooked us. (etc. etc.)
AGENT: (types on computer, furrows brow and frowns--this step also includes occasional calls to superiors and/or dashes to some other counter we can't see)
AGENT: Do you have an e-ticket or a paper ticket?
(etc. until finally...)
ME: (*stroke of genius!*) Can you call United to get the information?
AGENT: We can't call them until they arrive at the counter for the day at 7 AM. Why don't you come back then?

We do just that while continuing to milk our bump benefits for all they're worth at the airport hotel's buffet breakfast. (Although we are a little anxious about checking in, clearing security, customs and immigration an hour before our flight!)

7 AM: Return to Dragonair counter. Jump the line to continue our negotiations with airline agents. Agent Eddie (the morning's hero) finally gets relevant information from United after more phone calls and dashes to United counter.

7:20(?) AM: Get boarding passes. Agents volunteer to check our baggage through to our destinations. Joel's is bound for Manchester, England, and mine is bound for Chicago. They are supposed to go to Manchester, NH, and RDU respectively. Point this out to agents, who gamely reprint baggage tags. Inspect tags (correct this time) and relinquish bags.

7:40 AM: Eddie suggests that "you can go now". With 25 minutes to clear security, customs and immigration, decide that this is good advice. Thankfully, Hong Kong's airport is well-organized, so we make it through with no running required!

8:05 AM-11 AM: Breathe sighs of relief and fly to Beijing. Eat dim sum for breakfast on the plane.

11 AM-12:30 PM: Land and clear various layers of bureaucracy at Beijing airport. Realize that we might actually be able to do something with our 7-hour layover after being sent through the diplomatic passport line with our onward tickets and having our passports stamped. End up in arrivals hall to choruses of "ma'am, taxi?" Hmm...can we really go into town?

1 PM-2 PM: Decide that no one's going to stop us from exploring, so acquire a few yuan and buy bus tickets to Tiananmen Square. We are going to meet Mao! Take lots of pictures of advertisements featuring Jackie Chan and Yao Ming on the way.

2 PM-3 PM: Masselinks take Beijing! We have no idea where we are or what anything is, but that doesn't stop us. We know we saw Mao a few blocks back somewhere...




















We don't know why bayonet guys are guarding this building. After receiving the OK to take pictures, we figure we'll do them Asian style.




















The man himself!
















We dodge hordes of Chinese tourists carrying all manner of cameras (a few persistent hawkers too!). Marvel at how quiet Beijing is after Manila--a theme of all post-Manila visits to urban areas.

3 PM-4 PM: Return to airport via bus, clear customs and immigration (no sweat!).

4 PM: Realize that endless line snaking around the terminal is for our DC flight. Hooray...

6:30 PM: Board DC flight, along with what seem like way too many people and way too much luggage. Pray a lot while watching plane fill up. Have totally confusing conversation with seatmates in an attempt to swap seats, but end up with aisle seats across from each other--SWEET!

6:30 PM-8:30 PM: Wait on runway for tailwind to die down so we can take off without being swept off the runway. Pray a lot more.

8:30 PM: Takeoff! Watch movies, listen to music, read, eat, and drift in and out of consciousness for the next 13 hours or so.

9:30 PM (DC time): Arrive in DC and clear customs. Nearly everyone misses their connecting flights. Say abrupt goodbye when Joel realizes that he might make his and dashes off. Pick up luggage, rebooked ticket, hotel and meal vouchers and wonder whether the airline has turned any profit at all on this trip!

Thursday night: I take my first hot shower since Matthew's house and sleep in DC (at least for a few hours!). Joel's plane sits on the runway until the wee hours of the morning, but eventually takes off.

Friday, 10 August, 7 AM: Kick myself for missing 6:30 shuttle for an 8:30 flight.

7:30 AM: Realize that hordes of people visible from the other end of the terminal are also ALL checking in on United. Kick myself again.

8:25 AM: Arrive at gate, somehow checked in and through security. Argue with gate agent who says I'm booked on standby. Gate agent gives me last boarding pass. Upon boarding, realize that my seat is occupied, and watch another standby passenger be removed from the plane when someone arrives to take his seat. Sit in only unoccupied seat and keep my mouth shut until door is closed.

8:30 AM: On my way! Chuckle at how silly a 45-minute flight feels after yesterday's marathon journey.

10 AM: Arrive at RDU. Marvel that luggage has somehow arrived with me.

PHEW! What a fun, memorable adventure...if totally exhausting. I think I am all set on overseas travel, at least for a few months! ;)