3:30 PM: Packed and ready to go (I’m bringing one duffel bag inside a bigger suitcase, one small carry-on, and a bookbag. Too much?)
6:30 PM: Shower and Eat Dinner
8:30 PM: Leave for the Airport
10:00 PM: Group Meeting
1:45 AM: Fly Time
I still don’t quite understand why we have to be at the airport 3 hours prior to departure, but that’s what we were told to do, and we do as we’re told – especially when it comes to international flights in the midst of the Swine Flu global panic. This should definitely prove to be one interesting flight and arrival. China’s airports are already doing more extensive checking to make sure that all passengers entering the country are fever-free. Otherwise, Quarantine! My worry-some parents have already made me pack extra precautionary supplies, i.e. a prescription of Tamiflu and masks. I guess better safe than sorry, regardless of how paranoid of life that sounds to be carrying everything you ever need to ward off a cold. I just feel like the more I worry about catching cold only makes me more susceptible to actually getting one. You’re just going to start developing cold symptoms that are not really there because you’re mind is telling you that you’re going to get sick.
Regardless of what’s happening, I’m still so excited to know that in less than 12 hours, I will be on a plane to Shanghai, and in less 48 hours, I will be in Beijing. This has got to be my first international flight since I was five years old. I know… what a time to start, what will hopefully become, traveling adventures over the course of a lifetime.
I guess that’s it for now. I just wanted to hop on the blog and bid you all farewell before I fly and I will talk to you all in China, and see you when I come back! All this talk about China and Beijing reminds me of a Chinese song I was listening to during the summer olympics titled “Welcome to Beijing.” Many, many well known Chinese artists and actors/actresses participated in the making of this song and the music video. Although it’s only in Mandarin, the youtube video has English translations (I can’t vouch for the validity of the translations though).
By: Anna on May 27, 2009 at 9:41 pm
Have a good trip. I hope you have a lot of fun and take lots of pictures. ^^ Flying is fun, and airports are fun too since there is soo much there. 😀
By: Gleb on May 27, 2009 at 9:08 pm
Have a good trip. As for getting to the airport early, that is the standard procedure for all international flights.