Travel to China and Thailand
4 April 1999 - Beijing, People's Republic of China
Greetings from Beijing...
Usually when a funny event happens to me on the road I enjoy sharing it and when I look back on the almost 2 million miles I've flown over the years I can say, thankfully, that there have been very few moments that have caused me concern or anxiety about travelling... until today...
We were at the end of an uneventful 5 hour flight from Singapore to Beijing for meetings with the head of China's Tourism Department when we hit some wind sheer that had the Airbus rocking and rolling like I've never rocked and rolled before. At times it felt as if we were flying sideways instead of forward. We were on final approach and were only about 30 feet off the ground when the engines fired up and the jet struggled to regain altitude. My exact words were simply "Oh Shit!". The Chinese national sitting next to me had eyes as big as saucers and was as white as a ghost and said "you may say that again!".
Greetings from Beijing...
Usually when a funny event happens to me on the road I enjoy sharing it and when I look back on the almost 2 million miles I've flown over the years I can say, thankfully, that there have been very few moments that have caused me concern or anxiety about travelling... until today...
We were at the end of an uneventful 5 hour flight from Singapore to Beijing for meetings with the head of China's Tourism Department when we hit some wind sheer that had the Airbus rocking and rolling like I've never rocked and rolled before. At times it felt as if we were flying sideways instead of forward. We were on final approach and were only about 30 feet off the ground when the engines fired up and the jet struggled to regain altitude. My exact words were simply "Oh Shit!". The Chinese national sitting next to me had eyes as big as saucers and was as white as a ghost and said "you may say that again!".
I didn't know an Airbus could go vertical... but that is exactly what we did. Several minutes later (seemed like hours) the captain came on and explained that the wind sheer caused a "dangerous situation thus landing was aborted" he also then advised us that we had four more hours of fuel and would circle until the conditions improved. The good news is that we only circled for 20 minutes then went in to try it again. Long story short, we rocked and rolled and landed successfully (which is obvious by the fact that I am safely writing this from my hotel room).
Without trying to sound melodramatic... it is times like this that you have even more appreciation for family and friends so it seems timely to drop a note just to say hello! Hope this finds you well and definitely not in a similar situation!
Without trying to sound melodramatic... it is times like this that you have even more appreciation for family and friends so it seems timely to drop a note just to say hello! Hope this finds you well and definitely not in a similar situation!
23 September 1999 - Beijing, People's Republic of China
Ok several people have reminded me that I have fallen behind in my correspondence… I'm working on it… here is a bit of filler until I have time to sit down and write in more detail…
Just back from Beijing. Interesting, nerve racking, fun, depressing, exciting, annoying, unbelievable, tiring are just a few of the words that spring to mind after spending a week in China. Interesting, as China is so unique to the rest of the world. The thought processes, the power of government, the very rich and oh so many poor…
Nerve racking in that everyone has just learned to drive a car in the last few years. Traffic is absolute chaos with people doing u-turns on one way streets, left hand turns from right hand lanes, you name it…
Fun to be there and experience the sights, sounds and people. Dining in the Li Family Home. A two- table restaurant in a home on the outskirts of Beijing. Great wine, great food and fun seating in the same seat previously occupied by the likes of Henry Kissinger, Presidents of Iceland, Philippines & Argentina as well as business moguls from around the world. Very unique and high recommended!
Depressing is a good word to describe the dark rainless clouds and pollution that hangs over the city and the dry dust that covers every surface both inside and out…
Exciting to be in the city while it prepares for huge events to commemorate 50 years since the Cultural Revolution. Parades, lights, flags and a reported 50 million pots of flowers lining the streets…
Annoying to be dining with very high-ranking government officials who belch, pick their nose and pass wind during the entire meal…
Ok several people have reminded me that I have fallen behind in my correspondence… I'm working on it… here is a bit of filler until I have time to sit down and write in more detail…
Just back from Beijing. Interesting, nerve racking, fun, depressing, exciting, annoying, unbelievable, tiring are just a few of the words that spring to mind after spending a week in China. Interesting, as China is so unique to the rest of the world. The thought processes, the power of government, the very rich and oh so many poor…
Nerve racking in that everyone has just learned to drive a car in the last few years. Traffic is absolute chaos with people doing u-turns on one way streets, left hand turns from right hand lanes, you name it…
Fun to be there and experience the sights, sounds and people. Dining in the Li Family Home. A two- table restaurant in a home on the outskirts of Beijing. Great wine, great food and fun seating in the same seat previously occupied by the likes of Henry Kissinger, Presidents of Iceland, Philippines & Argentina as well as business moguls from around the world. Very unique and high recommended!
Depressing is a good word to describe the dark rainless clouds and pollution that hangs over the city and the dry dust that covers every surface both inside and out…
Exciting to be in the city while it prepares for huge events to commemorate 50 years since the Cultural Revolution. Parades, lights, flags and a reported 50 million pots of flowers lining the streets…
Annoying to be dining with very high-ranking government officials who belch, pick their nose and pass wind during the entire meal…
Unbelievable best describes the history, Forbidden City, Great Wall (seeing the world while standing on the Great Wall is hard to matchanywhere in the world…) and the fact that between Beijing and Shanghai (the two largest cities in China) there are only 30 million people in both cities… Where are the other 1.17 billion people hiding?
Tiring to work through translators all day and have what should a 30-minute meeting take 2-3 hours… Tiring also describes leaving through Beijing Int’l Airport. Jostling through crowds only to stand in line after line…
Fabulous place to visit! Highly recommend everyone experience it! However, even with my strong love of Asia, living there would be a greater challenge than I might be prepared to take on.
Tiring to work through translators all day and have what should a 30-minute meeting take 2-3 hours… Tiring also describes leaving through Beijing Int’l Airport. Jostling through crowds only to stand in line after line…
Fabulous place to visit! Highly recommend everyone experience it! However, even with my strong love of Asia, living there would be a greater challenge than I might be prepared to take on.
A couple of weeks ago I was leaving Kuala Lumpur and when boarding the plan I looked out the window to see the pilot (of the flight I’m getting on) hanging out the window of the cockpit pouring Coco-Cola on the windshield. There were several expatriates in the area watching this happen, I think someone very discreetly hollered out “WHAT THE HELL IS HE DOING?” Which started lots of speculation… as many of us were running to the ticket counter to change flights a young US Air Force pilot started to tell us Coke is used all the time by pilots… cuts the grease off the windshield… Guess I'll be switching to 7-Up…
Next week, a first for Gerri, I and Dave & Doreen Clifton. Phnom Penh, Cambodia for a long weekend. One of those places none of us have ever been to so it will be fun to explore it together… I’m sure there will some stories to tell.
Hope this finds you well.
Next week, a first for Gerri, I and Dave & Doreen Clifton. Phnom Penh, Cambodia for a long weekend. One of those places none of us have ever been to so it will be fun to explore it together… I’m sure there will some stories to tell.
Hope this finds you well.
4 July 1999 - Bangkok, Thailand
I arrived Bangkok early this morning for meetings with clients but the conversation with the driver between the airport and the first meeting was more worth reporting…
Upon entering the car: “Sawasdee krup” (it means welcome in Thai). “Sprechen ze deutsch?” (I get this a lot. I wasn’t even wearing the short shorts with black socks and sandals… How can they tell my roots? I don’t look German, do I?
I arrived Bangkok early this morning for meetings with clients but the conversation with the driver between the airport and the first meeting was more worth reporting…
Upon entering the car: “Sawasdee krup” (it means welcome in Thai). “Sprechen ze deutsch?” (I get this a lot. I wasn’t even wearing the short shorts with black socks and sandals… How can they tell my roots? I don’t look German, do I?
“Nein, American” But saying that I hope I don’t have to listen to comments about Clinton’s “Cigar obsession” for the 1,000th time… Americans get this a lot in Asia these days….
“Clinton wife next president. You vote yes?” Queries the driver.
“She is only thinking about running for the Senate right now, I don’t see her running for president for a few years” I say with confidence.
“Clinton wife next president. You vote yes?” Queries the driver.
“She is only thinking about running for the Senate right now, I don’t see her running for president for a few years” I say with confidence.
“Merican crazy people. Senate today, president tomorrow. Like Thailand, government change very fast!” There is not too much one can argue with this statement….
“We Thai like Mericans!” Says the driver.
“Yes, Americans like Thais too. Thais are very friendly people.” I say with a smile into the rear-view mirror..
“No, Thai like Mericans, Thai LIKE Mericans, not let ‘some beaches’ British take over like colony.” The driver says.
“Huh” I say completely thrown by the conversation at this point.
“Merry 4 July, you celebrate no British colony, no?”
“Oh, yes, thank you….” Finally getting where the conversation is going…
And it was that conversation that reminded me to say happy 4th to all of you! Hope it finds you well.
“We Thai like Mericans!” Says the driver.
“Yes, Americans like Thais too. Thais are very friendly people.” I say with a smile into the rear-view mirror..
“No, Thai like Mericans, Thai LIKE Mericans, not let ‘some beaches’ British take over like colony.” The driver says.
“Huh” I say completely thrown by the conversation at this point.
“Merry 4 July, you celebrate no British colony, no?”
“Oh, yes, thank you….” Finally getting where the conversation is going…
And it was that conversation that reminded me to say happy 4th to all of you! Hope it finds you well.
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