Night before the departing, my life is just miserable. Have to get everything settled down, cleaning up at home, head to bed around 2 o'clock, and have to get up at 4 am to catch up 8:40 am's plane.
Fortunately I don't oversleep, actually it's hard fall into sleep all night.
Get up right on time after I set up alarm clock both on my mobile and clock radio in case. It's summer time in Melbourne, still very dark outside. Lucky the temperature in the early morning is about 13 degree. My destination Shanghai in China is about minus 1 degree right now so I put on all the Winter's clothing on.
Catch first shift tram No.1 to Melbourne city, waiting in the transfer station for 20 minutes and switch to another tram No.96 to the Southern Cross station. Skybus shuttle bus services 30 minutes per shift. It only takes 20 minutes to Melbourne Airport, arrived around 6 am, 天边已泛鱼肚白.
Aimless roaming in the not full airport hall, browsing perfume and wine list on the shelves under the high security guarded shopping assistants. Finally, check in. When the plane takes off to the sky, it's already near 9:30, almost one hour behind the schedule. China Eastern Airline's reputation damned again, poor services and always not on time.
After two hours flying, plane lands in the Sydney Airport. And I find out this plane shared route code with other four Qantas and other China Eastern Airlines eventually. So this plane carry people from Shanghai to Sydney, who transmit in Melbourne, people from Melbourne to Sydney to other routes, and people like me from Melbourne to Sydney to Shanghai.
Although without checking out luggage in Sydney Airport, situation are getting worse and into chaos. Boarding gate changed temporarily, so a lot people don't realise until the last minute. When I pass check point, and find my seat has already been taken by another passenger, I can't believe my ears when I am told my ticket is NOT valid. So have to wait for another 15 minutes to allocate seat.
Oh my god, I don't know when my poor planned trip will end, I already start beginning curse myself. However, after I find my seat at the back half the plane, I just can't wipe the smile from my face. I remember I booked economy class. My seat is one step away the Emergency Exit door, although I have no plan to be first one jump off the plane, the legs room for this row seats are just blessed. I can stench my body like I'm sleeping on the sky bed. I don't think you can be better off even if you are in business class lounge.
Hallelujah!!!
I have to again mention China Eastern Airline service, food are not delicious, I suspect the airline hired some "cheap" chefs who have no idea how to cook Chinese food. It is "insulting" to "decent" people who appreciate great food in life. And there are something worse, 3 infants, around one year old with their parents, crying on the other side of aisle. Their parents try best to quite them. But I reckon I'll be the person hardly to put into sleeping than the kids. Also teenagers on their school holidays to China, the first time trip to China I reckon, sit in the next row. They are playing their Nitendo's consoles, noising with dirty words. Three of them are ABC (Australia Born Chinese), or bananas you call them. I say to myself, "Oh my God, what I have done deserve this?"
But I have to say only thing I'm pleased this trip is that impressed with a patient young stewardess. A typical 上海 looking girl, with beautiful, fetching smile. She is very gentle and kind to the kids, chatting nicely with kids' parents. When the plane takes off and lands down. She is sitting on her seat opposite to me... What a lucky bastard I'm. Unforgetably, I just too shy to ask taking a photo with her :-) It seems I have no choice but to marry a Chinese girl.
When I walk out the custom from Pu Dong International Airport, I know what's the meaning to an International Airport. Although it's already 8 pm, very dark outside, I still can fell how huge and awesome Pu Dong Airport is. Comparing to Pu Dong, Sydney Airport is like a small kid.
Ricky (Qian) Hua is waiting for me, he leads me to the parking lot. I'm shocked seeing so many Volkswagen Passat, Golf, Polo and Audi A4, A6 parking there. Am I in Germany I ask. Average Chinese salary are about one sixth to Aussie, but they drive the "luxury" cars most Aussies can't afford. And these German desigend, made in China cars are too common here. I know during the last five years, Car Industry in China are flying. But it's only four years since my last time here, I remember at that time people still drive VW Santana 2000, which are kind of cars have extinct several years ago in Germany, 奥拓, maybe a few Buicks. However, looks like International Auto Exhibition on air on Shanghai streets now.
So 澳洲农民指出，“不要生在福中不知福”。要知道，挣的多，交税交的更多的澳洲人民至今还生活在水深火热之中。
More 令人郁闷的是, because so many International Car giant set up manufacturers here, they can reduce the cost of building cars drastically. After I know that Volkswagen and Audi cars are about two third or half price to the same model cars in Australia, I'm thinking to buy a car and row back to Australian coast.
迎宾大道 from Pu Dong Airport to the City just awesome. It's high standard, green covered Boulevard. Ricky turns on his home-made GPS system, a integrated mini-PC running Windows XP, with GPS navigator system, telling where you are, where you should go, with error margin only 5 meters. Meanwhile, Chinese Pop Songs played from this mini-PC. I can also play DVD if I don't mind causing traffic stockpile.
Mind you, you can't find braver drivers wherelse but in China. Chinese drivers are naturally born against all kind rules, if they won't be caught by the polices. Maybe they live enough with the communist party, or maybe there are too many people. I bet that Schumi (Michael Schumacher) will be stunned if he see the way Chinese Drivers drive, crossing the traffic line, drive in the opposite way, speeding through road cross...
入住 Ricky Qian's 137 square meters 的豪宅
