I think that Peking sounds more romantic than Beijing. I noticed that the symbol for my flight tracker was PEK. Same as Indians: the native indians call themselves indians but we are supposed to say First Nations.
Peking stirs up in me images of the Boxer Rebellion and pig-tailed Chinese battling european forces with knifes and swords etc., very bloody and scary. Such was the stereotyped images when I was a youngster. It takes generations to change such prejudices
Now, our travel day: Up at 5:35, tea and coffee, on the computer to do a little real estate business and out to the workshop to adjust the lawnmower heights and a few such things that one normally does at 5:45 AM.
Then over to lot 11 to seed some bare spots with grass seed that I forgot about. Back for breakfast and a chat with Angela, trying to determine the source of a buzzer she heard at 3:15 AM last night. That threw me off schedule somewhat. I don't like buzzers, I don't like such indicators when leaving the house for some time.
Fellette and I quickly finished sorting out what travel-related papers to take or leave. Leaving one such piece at home can cause enormous problems. Got that sorted. Then I packed my camera and related bag, the pieces for which I have had laid out for a few days.
A shave and dress and ready to go, Fellette had the suitcases in the car and the engine going when I discovered that my wallet was missing. Needless to say divorce procedure alternatives briefly flashed through her mind, but not for long as I discovered it in my iPad case where I tucked it last night. I is bulging with Chinese and American one dollar bills in spite of me removing many cards not needed on the trip. Back to our schedule and we said goodbye to Angela and left only 10 minutes later than our scheduled 8:30 leaving.
The trip to the airport was swift, check in and security was nothing and we were sitting in the lounge by 10:00. Connected to the internet at 10:02 and all is right with the world.
You may have guessed by now that we booked business class. Fellette and I decided quite some time ago that on flights over five hours, if we cannot afford business class we should not be going. I remember trips to Africa with two 9 or 10 hour night flights back to back and me pacing the aisles like a caged lion. Fellette just curls up with a book or a movie and that is it. Sitting upright for 11 hours is not an option, for me at least.
I decided to do this one last communication from North America because I do not know when I may next connect. Also to say goodbye in case a North Korean MIG shoots us down. [Joke!]
Photo:
In the lounge
The view on a rainy day at YVR
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