Off to Shanghai

I ran through my parade of alarms between 7:00 and 8:15. 8 in total, plus snoozes.

I got showered and dressed, and went downstairs for breakfast and to set up a fake check-out. I needed to leave all my stuff in Beijing, but I can't be in two places at once or the Chinese government gets upset... So I need to check out and still make sure my room is kept for me untouched.

Arrived at work before 10. I spent an hour working on my intinerary for the trips home (had no plans until yesterday for Abu Dhabi, Dubai, or Brussels). At least now I have a place to stay in Dubai, a ski ticket bought for the indoor ski resort in Dubai, and an idea of how to get from Abu Dhabi to Dubai and back.

I spent the rest of the day running between various projects. Jolin and Stephanie had me rewriting a Board Resolution, Joel was back from Hong Kong and wanted me to meet about our research project, Ian had a project to give me, Helen had me review an email or two, and Maureen and I met for our last English practice session (she's taking next week off).

I managed to leave at 5 and picked up a cab outside. We got stuck in a little traffic on the way to the hostel but nothing too bad. My cabby was able to skirt a lot of it by getting off the Third Ring Road. Got to the hostel 5:33. A tad behind schedule.

I got changed, got my laundry, packed my medications and chargers and such, got my passport and said goodbye to Alex for the next two days.

She walked me out to the street where I got a cab.

Arrived at the Dongzhimen Airport Express (东直门机场快轨) stop at 6. 30 minutes behind schedule.

Made it down to the ticket station, rushed through buying my ticket, got downstairs to the track and boarded the train by 6:08. The train was waiting and departed at 6:10. 1:50 to go before plane departure.

Arrived at Terminal 2 at 6:41. 7:02 I was through security - after they found two lighters on me - whoops. 0:58 to liftoff. Plenty of time. And so at 7:08 I was at Gate 23, playing the waiting game.

Boarding began at 7:20. I took my seat in seat 33D; an aisle, praise the lord.

We were a little slow taking off. We left the ground at 8:22.

I read my Genghis Khan book (which I STILL haven't finished) and listened to music for the flight. Only got through 30 pages.

We touched down at 10:02. Nice short flight. The airplane taxied for 10 minutes before we disembarked; in classic, crowded and pushy, but somehow orderly, Chinese style.

I felt comfortable as hell in HongQiao Airport, as it always feels good to find yourself in a "new" place that you are confident and knowledgable about - where you know that you're going to the Jing'An Temple on Line 2 a few stops down the line, and you know how to get to your hostel from there. But it was such a great feeling emerging at Jing'An after two years.

So much has happened in the last two years. I broke my body against a tree on a ski slope, wheeled around for a few months and limped for several more. I graduated high school. I started college. We've been through half an Olympic cycle and the Inner Sanctum is spread across the country for most of the year. But it's so comforting to know that here I am, on the opposite side of this ever shrinking - yet ever growing - world, and I feel at home. And so perfect that as I write this my iPhone has started playing "Homeward Bound" by Simon and Garfunkel. I love change, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy the familiar.

I emerged from the subway at Jing'An at 10:55pm. It was 89 degrees, which hit me like a ton of bricks after the wonderful week we've had in Beijing. But there was a breeze so the heat was bearable.

I took a purposeful wrong turn, left, out of the subway, and walked a few feet to Windows Too, my favorite bar when I was here. The prices have gone up a bit (5 yuan or so per item) but it's still the same old Windows Too. I picked up a Carlsburg and headed out. I'll get to that tomorrow.

I meandered past Jing'An Temple and north two blocks, and turned right on 新闸路 (XinZha Lu) to find my favorite Muslim noodle place. It was still there, open 24 hours, with 5 yuan noodles - and they still make them right in front of you. But, unlike two years ago, there were no 6 yuan dumplings. In fact, no dumplings at all.

I had a heavenly fantastic bowl of spicy beef noodles and a bottle of water for 6.5 yuan as my second meal of today, then walked up to the hostel.

Arrived at 11:40 to the hostel in the creepy alley. It was hot as hell but inviting, just like last time. Some things have changed. The drinks cooler is in the lobby proper and not behind the desk. There are newer chairs in the common area. There are newer computers. But the old hostel I remember is the same. The owner even remembers me!

I wandered through the hostel a bit more; same pool table, same ping pong table. Same blackboards with names and countries written on it. The half-Aussie half-American flag that Jason, Gemma, Lucy and I put up two years ago is long gone. But on the keystone above the blackboard arch - right at the top -the Chinese words 马威 are as bright as the day I wrote my Chinese name there two years ago. Amazing.

I found my room (room 115) and my bed (bed 7, though I took 8 - someone else already had 7... Which is good cuz 8 is a bottom bunk), and met one of my roommates, Robert, and his girlfriend, Sylvia - Germans.

The two of them promptly got into Robert's bed and started with the lovey-dovey small talk. I, being the only other one in the room, just awkwardly lay in my bed and fell asleep around 1:30.

It's good to be back. Tomorrow - Expo.