Karen Irene Thal - Arriving in Beijing

We left Columbia on the 18th and arrived a day later in Beijing.  The flight itself was unremarkable with the exception perhaps of its length - 12 hours from Chicago - and barring the final descent.  High winds prevented us landing and we circled the airport with the plane rocking from side to side, lurching first up and then dropping down in an improptu roller coaster ride that lasted about an hour.  Normally I enjoy roller coaster rides but lack of sleep and a strong desire to be on terra firma (this was our third flight since departing) made the experience fall short of amusing.   I also normally have a strong stomach for this sort of thing but the man two rows back and directly behind was apparently my exact opposite in this respect.  With the turbulence, he began unburdening himself of the contents of his stomach in a low, heaving, gurgling sound that continued until after touch down.  I have never been more eager to embrace a foreign city in my life.

Beijing airport finally! The interior, possibly refurbished in time for the 2010 Olympics - at least a number of upgrades and new construction both in the airport and the city itself had apparently been made in preparation - had a very slick and sophisticated feel about it.