In a very unusual way I had to Check-in with only an A4 copy in my hand, as confirmation of my booking. But everything went smooth. Still being half asleep, I forgot to ask for a window seat, a shame as I love seeing our planet from above. Anyway, having faith that everything will go from now on the way it should be, I boarded and found myself in the very last row. Matús, a 40-year young man, into IT-Business (Huawei) became my travel companion for the next 11 hours. There was a nice exchange of information about which App would be helpful once arriving in Shenzhen, life in Spain, food… what one wants for life. Very interesting and entertaining. I watched two films, managed to get some sleep and was still exhausted when we landed perfectly on time at 4.30 a.m. in China.
And there I was! Only 11 hours away from what had been my “home” for the last 7 years – totally NOT ready to start a new long day right away again, due to time difference! And that in a country where English feels like Latin in Europa. A language that only comes alive by using a translator-App or on some signs in public areas. I did expect travelling to be different from 21 years ago… but must admit that it stroke me! The young girl at the costumers information desk was friendly and kind. But was she of any help? I find that hard to answer. On my question WHERE to buy a ticket for the Subway and what time the first one would run, she couldn´t really give me an answer. I had to go down and would find something, according to the translator. The time for the first train she gave me, turned out not to be accurate either. I could have asked to App myself to come to the same conclusion! Fortunately I passed later on an information panel with timetable… .It made me feel sad. That those young people totally depend on an App to get and give information. My guess would be, that working on a daily base at an international airport should give you at least some personal experiences too… . Welcome, lady-of-an-older-generation to this new world!
Luckily I had downloaded an eSim card valuable for both China and Hongkong, so even my Whatsapp and Facebook worked. More important even seemed the Alipay App. Without this App, I wouldn´t have been able to get a ticket for the subway at all! About an hour later I arrived at my first “home” on this journey. A 31-floor stored building where I was invited by a very generous woman from couchsurfing. I knew already that she would´t be around, which made it a quite exceptional situation. Her wonderful tiny, cosy home, was reflecting a travelling soul with great artistic skills. As being still extremely tired from the last couple of weeks and now adding the flight I got my sleeping bag out and made myself comfortable on the bed. Leaving the somewhat soft air matrass earlier that morning in Vienna I now find myself on almost the other side of the world on a rigid wooden structure with a thin layer on top. Better for my back even! With the thought that when life gets harder, the mattresses do too… I quickly fall asleep like a baby.
