Beijing, China

The usual annoynances in traveling in China, I got a taxi but I wasn't sure the driver knew exactly where I wanted to go, even though it was in Chinese on a map. I was going to where you catch the express bus to the airport which is near a hotel. I think he was trying to convince me to have him take me to the airport instead, which would be about 10-times more expensive then the bus. He dropped me off at the hotel name I had asked for, but it was part of the hotel that was on a back street, not the main road. I had to ask directions to find the main street and locate the bus to the airport. It all worked out.

The 2 1/2 hour flight to Beijing was pleasant, they served lunch, as they tend to feed you on third world airlines as opposed to USA airlines where you get almost no food. Beijing was pretty smogged in, which I hear it is a lot of the time. The only impression I had driving through Beijing was the immensity of some of the buildings and plazas. We went by Tienamen Square, which appeared to be enormous.

I'm staying at another cozy hostel called the Red Lantern House.