Day 1 - The dreaded flights - Day 1

Well we made it. I was reminded at the end of the 14hr journey that I am over air travel. Swollen feet, waking sleep and a thick head. Well some would say I have a permanently thick head but let's say thicker than usual. Cathay Pacific was great and the food was generous and tasty. Tasty is a relative term for pre-cooked heated food.
We arrived at Beijing airport on time. The terminal is truly massive, great big expansive halls with lots of glass, aluminum and granite tiles. We hopped on a monorail to the baggage claim area. Mum thought our bags would take a while to reach us due to the distance from the airport, but mums bag beat us and mine had already done a lap. It's an impressive airport.
A young guy greeted us after we escaped a bag search at customs and he ushered us out to a treat of a car journey from the airport. I can only describe it as all of those crazy taxi journeys from foreign airports we have all taken but on steroids. Lots of big brand new cars jostling for position with cyclists, pedestrians and little ancient motorized motor bikes. This is a brilliant place to do a 12 steps program in road rage, where a well used horn becomes an indicator signal. The tall apartment buildings stretch further than the eyes can see and the newly paved roads are swamped by massive billboards, some 10 stories high. What a giant of a city.
We made it to the hotel without injury and the receptionist was very patient as I tried to communicate in Queenslander. You know, speaking slowly and loudly hoping I am understood by the person who knows more English than I know chinese. Well our room is great and the English CCTV news station fills a gap as we psych up to go out for dinner. It's quite refreshing to see badminton in the sports highlights. This is definitely not Kansas Toto.
Ben & Mum
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Location:Brisbane to Beijing may 25 2011