I'm Leaving, On a Jet Plane

Location: Beijing, China
Local Time: Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - 11:16am

I'm jetting outta here. Again. Seems I'm always leaving some place.

Jon and Marcelle are gone off to Hainan (I think), some island that is in China, but south of China. Apparently it's quite a vacation spot. As an ex-travel agent, Jon was invited along for a free ride for a couple of days, then they phoned him up on Saturday and asked him if he had any friends who wanted to go. Marcelle happened to be sitting beside him, so there you go.

Marianna was in class yesterday, but she's not here today. I hope she's feeling alright.

So, it is just Jorge and me in class today.

My plane ticket arrived at the school about an hour ago. I'm flying to Bangkok Friday night. I'll be feasting on phad thai and sticky rice with mango in no time at all.

China's kind of backwards. What's the deal with these paper tickets? Air Asia is super convenient if you are getting around south east Asia. Find an internet cafe, book a ticket, show up at the airport on time (and at the right terminal), and Bob's your uncle.

In China, nope. Phone a travel agent or something like that, talk to a person, get a ticket price, arrange for delivery. Now I have a paper ticket I have to carry around and protect for 4 days. Not a big deal but I've been carrying and protecting my other paper ticket for 8 months now. It's the ticket home. It has a distinctive smell. Electronic tickets never aquire a distinctive smell.

Another wierdness? I was quoted 2324 yuan for the ticket. The ticket arrived. It said 5000 yuan on the ticket. What the heck?

The guy says, nope, only 2324 yuan. Why does my ticket say it cost twice what I paid? I don't get it.

Maybe I'll get there and find out I only bought half the seat, and I'll be up close and personal with the person who bought the other half of the seat.