** CHINESE EXPERIENCES **
** TRAVEL TO CHINA **
This is the 3 February 2002 Edition of
this page. It is being transcribed from my diary-like entries!
7 September 2001 - Friday
Having been packing for a week, finishing last night, I set an alarm 'buzzer', rather than the
radio, but got up much earlier than the time for which I'd set it, which was 5.10am.. [So not much is new there,
then!]
I set my Video recorder for today and tomorrow - using the info from my teletext enquiries. I leisurely
consumed my breakfast of "Cinnamon Grahams", then shaved and did miscellaneous minor tasks
around the house before my planned walk at 7.10 am to Malvern Link to catch the 412 Service (National
Express) to Heathrow.
Having arrived at Malvern Link exactly on time (7.55am), this coach was seen, earlier, going in the opposite
direction at Link Top. Now, it departed and went via Worcester, Cheltenham, Cirencester - bypassing Oxford
and arriving at Heathrow exactly on time at 11.15am..
Using the information and toiletting facilities (both in the Heathrow Coach Station and its cafe),
I then had to catch the HEATHROW EXPRESS (free connection) to Terminal FOUR where
my plane leaves from. Once there, finding out which lift went to which floor for which facility
raised a few conundrums. It meant that doing things in my 'natural sequence' necessitated
multiple repetitions between floors.
I, eventually, gravitated to the 'Catering' area where I wrote up my notes - and had a few
morsels of my own refreshments. It is still TOO EARLY (being only 12.10hrs) for 'checkin'
which, for my 16.30hrs flight, would be at 14.30hrs!! I'd already got comfortable in my
office/restaurant but 'departures' is UP a floor (where no space would be available for
writing!) In the restaurant/cafe/(office), several people were plugging-in their laptops!! Some
may have even BOUGHT refreshments. Who knows?? Up in 'departures' later, I found
that there were NO TOILETS (being on the floors above and below it!). So I came down to use
those on the catering level!
At 'Departures', later, I noted that the BEIJING flight 'checkin' was indicated with a "please
wait". As mentionned earlier, there were NO SEATS to wait on.When I told an attendant that
I didn't really want to LUG my cases down and UP again(!!) I was told that there are some
on THIS LEVEL at the far end!! (That's preferable!) I then continued to write a few scribbled
notes - in this long and excruciating WAIT.
Having got checked-in, I then passed through metal-detectors (for Gates 1-22) and found that
NO Gate has yet been assigned to my flight. I will have to WATCH the SCREENS. By 14.15hrs,
I had already visited the McDONALDS in that area, munching into a £1.99 Junior Cheeseburger
'Happy Meal' (getting myself awarded chips and a cuddly-toy, to go with it!) Following that meal,
there was still NO Gate-assignment. However, at about 15.30hrs, an assignment DID come on-screen
just one hour before take-off!! Once there, those 'guys & gals' weren't in a hurry to process us.
I showed my Group-Voucher again and the guy ticked my name (at Number 1) on his list. After that,
we went individually down the ramp to the 'centre of the Earth' (well, it seemed like it!) and WAITED
again. Eventually, however, I got into my seat (32H) by an aisle in my first-ever Boeing777. Not many were
expecting THAT craft, but my browse of the 'British Airways' website had given me that news weeks
ago! My booklet shows that a '747' takes more passengers but the RANGE of the 777 is superior at
7257 miles! (The 747-400 also goes quicker - at 575mph!)
Still, here we go Folks!! Along the take-off runway, we left a little later - and, enroute, water, orange etc
were constantly brought to remind us to drink more (or LESS, if you are an alcoholic!) which prevented
dehydration and was part of the 'exercise' to relieve stresses and get more exercise about this largish
plane! When lunch came, I chose the CHICKEN option (with sweet & sour sauce!) - and ate well
because breakfast would be a long wait!! (Mainly due to travelling to a TIME-ZONE very much different
from our starting position!) Breakfast would be about "half hour before landing" but when it arrived, I
avoided my normal inclination to eat & drink ALL the options provided by refusing coffee (unusual for me!),
and saying to the people in adjoining seats that it's "all a bit too RUSHED". This was the latest breakfast I'd
had for over 10years - and the most HURRIED and rushed meal for DECADES. It wasn't that we were
short of time, but just because they left it so LATE in starting that meal!!
With different tail-winds ALL the way along our route, the computers kept on revising their
estimates of the BEIJING arrival and landing times. That variation was by +/- 20mins as we went
along! That's not TOO bad with a 5200 mile journey!!
8 September 2001 - Saturday
The aircraft has a computer controlling its films, radio, maps, data presentations etc and each 'customer'
has individual access and selection of the required info from his/her own seat. Not bad these Boeing 777
aaircraft, are they? It's quite good with its 12 channels of TV, 10 radio channels plus MAPs (showing
current position) and data showing current speed, altitude, temperature, ETA in several languages! I tell
you - I couldn't understand the Chinese display's characters!! I found the maps and data so much more
interesting than the multiplicity of NAFF programs. I certainly wouldn't have watched or listened to
them back home - so I couldn't there!
So as we approached Bejing for our 9.30am touch-down, I get excited about ALL that I'm about
to see on this very-different trip.
EMail to:
Roy's Location.
Advance, first to the Beijing Chapter
or return to Roy's home page for full list
of books etc either finished or under preparation.
or return to The CHINA index page
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