Off to Beijing after a gruelling taxi-ride through Bangkok downtown. A minor travel hiccup at the airport. Thai Air did not have us booked on the flight in their computer despite us holding a prepaid ticket which the system also showed. Luckily, all seemed resolved after a visit to customer service and some firm discussion suggesting that the agent do something about it! Their original proposal was to give us the vacant seats on the plane and have us worry about the problem of other flights when we get to the next destination. I don’t think so! Eventually they were persuaded to call the Air Canada ticket office in Bangkok and confirm our future flights. Or at least so they say so.
We will be switching back to hostel/guesthouse style of accommodation from our 4-star track that we’ve been on. We’re hoping for the best at Red Lantern Inn in a hutong style neighbourhood that we fear will only be found in museums in the future!
And well it should! It is not easy to travel here – especially on a budget. Just to recount our experiences in 24 hours:
· Although there is quality Internet, no social network sites are available (including blogger) as according to other guests, they are blocked as terrorist tools and instruments of propaganda, since social uprising in the northwest began.
· Incompetence at every turn starting with the airport immigration (5 minutes per person to confirm visas), continuing into the cab (complete disarray in the scramble for cabs as the people queued for taxis in an orderly fashion but the cars arrived 3 or 4 deep in multiple directions with people diving to grab them and even with the hotel’s address, our driver had to make a dozen calls) and then to the hotel where after check-in, there was a 5-minute walk to the room, outside in the rain! I won’t even get into the lack of quality at the “hotel” with the nicest of things being described as well worn. And the mosquitoes!
· Traffic jams on every street, 24/7
Also, there is no sun in Beijing. If it exists, it resides behind a layer of dust, pollution and smog that can only be described as asthma-waiting to happen. I think I recall seeing NASA images of distant planets that had a cleaner atmosphere. And at one instant, it started raining. One cannot see clouds, the smog is that dense.
The staff of the hotel must think we were crazy as we spent the evening soliciting guests and staff help in finding more suitable accommodation. Our back-up was to be the new Fairmont hotel, but as is common in China, construction delays have delayed the opening by more than a year. So, 2 other hotels popped to the top of the mix: 3-star Capital Hotel and the 4-star Holiday Inn. One with fantastic location near Forbidden City and the other with English-speaking staff. Hmm.
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