SINGAPORE GET READY...I'm COMING!

 

All packed and ready to go. I couldn't WAIT to leave China.  I was downstairs in the hotel lobby at 6.15am as my flight was leaving at 9.40 or thereabouts. I was skipping out of the hotel. I got into the back of the taxi and prepared myself for the hour long drive. True to form when I arrived at SHANGHAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT people stopped stared, took photos but I thought "so what...laters I'm leaving your socialist backward country and I am not coming back". Honestly I had had enough. I was happy to be going.  You know what they say; don't talk too soon.

9.40am came and we were in the departure gate. I was already pissed off because there was no Macdonalds. I thought I might be able to get a breakfast. As you guessed it I was travelling on China Eastern Airlines.  Then the woman behind the desk announced the plane was missing a part. Luckily there were other westerners and I stuck with Marie a feisty Hawaiian American and Mike an Irish guy.  We waited till midday. In between time two lucky Americans who only had hand luggage managed to get onto Singapore airlines flight. Pay the extra money and fly Singapore airlines.

At midday China Eastern announced that everyone waiting for the Singapore flight would be taken to a hotel to take a little rest. I did not want to go to any hotel or in actual fact leave the airport. The immigration officials cancelled our visas and welcomed us back into China. The two coaches they had waiting for us would have been declared "End of Life" and sold off for scrap in Europe. I had no choice but to board it. The driver obviously thought he was driving a car - we were flying!!

We drove away from the airport and the centre of Shanghai and were deposited at this "resort hotel" which made fawlty towers look appealing.  We all, 200 airline passengers got off the coach and the coaches took off. 

Yes we were stranded. 

We entered the hotel and the woman behind the desk started giving out room keys. Ok. Then someone said "I am on my own". 

The woman behind the desk said: 'Choose someone". 

The man asked her to repeat what she just said. 

She said he needed to choose someone as single passengers had to share a room. She didn't care if we didn't know each other just choose someone or pay for a single room. Well I was not paying for a single room. Granted there was ONE cute guy but still.  Anyway mayhem ensued,: screaming, shouting and then she announced we should 'go eat upstairs'. On the way up I started talking to Leni, she is from Singapore and speaks perfect English and good Manadarin. 

The food upstairs was terrible. I ate a meat I still cannot place. It was not pork, nor chicken, nor beef or lamb. I don't want to think what it could be but I was sooo hungry and Macdonalds was but a distant dream. This is when I caught dysentery - 8 kg lighter though by the time I left Sydney so every cloud has a silver lining!

Just as we were all despairing the grumpy woman from the front desk came upstairs and started shouting in Chinese. Leni said the coaches had returned and we could get our plane. It was now 3pm....I had been up since 5am and was ready more than ready to leave.  I skipped down the stairs.  We crossed paths with other people who had been there since the night before also on a delayed China Eastern flight from Shanghai to Singapore. The two coaches arrived. I am ashamed to say I pushed an old man out of the way to get on the first coach. I had to be sure to get on the coach.  We arrived at the airport again, had to go through the same bullshit immigration why are you leaving China routine. Back to the same departure lounge and away we go.  Again there was no safety demonstration but heck I didn't care I KNEW I was on my way to Singapore.  When I arrived in Singapore I could have kissed everyone...relief doesn't even cover it. If you are going to fly in Asia; Singapore airlines and then Dragon Air. If you can afford it Quantas business class - AMAZING! Very "sexy" pyjamas!

Mao- father of Communisim!