From Beijing to Jinan: Planes, Trains and Crazy Van Drivers

We arrived in Beijing last night, er…last night for us anyway.  It would have been morning in the US, since we are twelve hours ahead here in China.  My brain doesn’t really even know what time it is.  Or what day it is.

Our guide, Cindy Lee, met us at the airport and took us to the Trader’s Hotel.  It was very nice, but you’ll have to take my word for it, because I was too tired to take a picture of it.  I tossed myself onto the concrete slab they call beds here and slept all night.

Morning came early and brought with it the rush of trying to get our stuff back out the door to catch the train to Jinan.  Just as we were about to leave the room, there was a knock and jiggling of the handle.  A red-eyed, slurring British man was trying to get in because he thought this was his room.  We assured him that it wasn’t.  I think I would have noticed if we’d had another roommate last night.

The breakfast buffet at the Trader's Hotel, Beijing.

We ate a quick breakfast of cereal and a pastry in the hotel before heading to the train station with Cindy Lee.  The train station is a gigantic place, one of three in Beijing, and the newest.  It reminded me of an airport with its soaring ceilings and flashing marquees.  These trains are the fastest in all of China, and the nicest--with dining cars and televisions, bathrooms and reclining seats.

I enjoyed seeing the countryside of China between Beijing and Jinan.  Miles of cultivated land zipped past us, every inch seemed to be farmed with corn, cotton, and a patchwork of crops dotted with short trees.  We passed decrepit gatherings of buildings that seemed to be homes, some of them with solar panels on the roof, some of them with drying corn lined up across the roof.  Then more crops.  Then people picking cotton by hand.  Then more city buildings, power lines, and trash piles.

In Jinan, we climbed into the back of a small van, driven by a man who was extremely fond of his horn.  As we careened at break-neck speed through the streets I had to continually stifle the gasps of fear that wanted to escape my mouth.  There were several moments I was sure we were about to end some poor pedestrian’s life.  Our driver didn’t seem interested in such trivial things as traffic lanes and small children.  He drove wherever he wanted.

We arrived at the Silver Plaza Quancheng Hotel.  Alive.  I momentarily thought about jumping out of the van and hugging the pillars.  Instead, we checked in quickly because in just an hour, little Tate would be joining us in our room.

Stay tuned for……..Meeting Tate.