Beijing (pt 2). This time at night.

I came in with a “let’s do it better” mentality, and was met with a different set of challenges. The ATM deal, I’d learned from that, and so I had some cash with me, as I was coming back to Asia after being in the States. But Beijing round 2 would be a different story, because this time my layover was 13 hours overnight.

Ok I know my tone is dramatic. But I’m going to keep up with it. So, I got to the now familiar PEK airport in Beijing, got my transit visa, and passed through security no problem. I exchange my cash quickly and hop on the metro to my hostel. I asked a lot of people a lot of questions along the way. I got to say, having been home for a week with family and in my comfort zone, I’d already taken a step back from my quick thinking, Asia-oriented mindset. It was like back to back, rapid culture shock to go home and then right back to China, in the same city I’d struggled in before. In a way, it was a sped-up repetition of my Bangkok experience, where I returned to a city and bettered my relationship with that destination.

I get off the metro and it’s dark and I struggle a little to find my hostel…

I walk a little too far and then I reach out for help from some police men nearby. They don’t really speak english but they help me find someone that does, and then another person that did, and another, and we asked people for clarification as we walked straight and hooked left at the turn I’d missed 200 meters before. The officers were so kind (and had some free time?) that they walked me almost to the door. So I made it to my place. And as soon as I arrived I met my friend Michael, who was already waiting in the lobby. We met in Malaysia and he’s studying in Beijing. I checked in and put my stuff away and we went out for drinks.

So we straight up hopped around the block. Found a fancy bar and got funky cocktails, then a chill cheap beer bar, and a snazzy overpriced Mexican joint (we sat down and didn’t order at), and topped it off with a live bluesy jazz band followed by a surprise pole dancing performance.

The next morning I had to get the airport early, so I went to check out of my hostel at 6am, just as another girl was checking out with her suitcase. She was getting to the airport by taxi, but it hadn’t come yet so I was going to join to split the cost. Then the taxi didn’t come. Then there were no taxis on the street that would take us. So after lingering on the sidewalk for a while we ditched it decided to go with the metro. So suddenly I found myself in this jam, luckily accompanied by this Taiwanese girl (who is so dope, she was in Beijing alone to go to a concert of one of her favorite artists. And she’s in fashion school). And I realized how these somewhat stressful situations can be way more manageable with good company. So we stay calm and giggled a bit and we got to the airport with enough time. Thanks to the PEK’s efficiency, yet again I made it to my terminal with time for a morning coffee, and then was the last one on my the plane for Sapporo, Japan.