We made it Shanghai, but getting here was a nightmare. We flew out of Beijing Nanyuan airport, which seems to be a small airport for domestic flights. Our taxi ride to the airport made us a little late because we got stuck in a random traffic jam (because of a long distance bus station, I think). When we walked into the airport, I knew we were in trouble.
The airport check-in area was a total mob scene. There was a horde of people clambering around the counter and then a bunch of long lines where you were supposed to check bags. We have been surprised to find so much English in Beijing, but not so at Nanyuan Airport. We got in line to check bags and found ourselves in an old-style jostling and line cutting Chinese melee. We have too many bags and they are heavy to boot, so that also made it not fun.
Then we moved on to the metal detection station. We figured out that we needed to dump our water, so that took a minute. Then we got busted because we had a bottle of whiskey AND the infamous American flag zippo lighter in our carry on. Unfortunately, these were both gifts for the same person. They confiscated the lighter, even though it didn’t have any lighter fluid in it.
Mr. A decided to try to go back to check our carry-on so we could at least salvage the liquor. Mr. A ran back to the crazy bag-checking line, but they said the bags for our flight were already loaded. Then he had to go back through security and dump the liquor. (It was expensive Johnny Walker gold and we bought it at duty free. It didn’t ever occur to me that it would be a problem on our domestic flights. Between the lighter and the liquor, it was over $100 we threw away. Not to mention now we have to buy a different bottle of liquor. *sigh*) .
In the meantime, the girls and I were herded onto the plane without Mr. A. I was a little panicky because the plane was very full and I didn’t know exactly what we would do if he didn’t get on in time. Fortunately, he managed to get on as the very last person before it took off.
Adding to all this stress is the fact that the girls decided to act like total maniacs all morning too. Probably because they were tired and feeding off our stress, but it didn’t help at all.
In the end, we made to our next apartment hotel in one piece, but this morning was one of those travel days that are just HARD.
Wow, security in China is as crazy as in the States. It’s a shame you had to get rid of the liquor and the lighter.
How much you want to bet some Shang Hai security officials will be having a Johnny Walker party tonight? 
Oh God. I’ve thrown a lot of money down the toilet at the start of this trip, but never literally. Or semi-literally, to be literal about it. Argh.
What is it about stress and the kid-frenzy it creates? Double argh.
Here’s hoping the next leg of the journey is calmer. Looking forward to more from Shanghai.
Wow, you stressed me just reading it! Glad to hear you are in Shanghai, here is to a better trip today.
Sorry about the gifts, it is such a struggle just coming up with them for them just to be gone! Good luck on this leg!
[...] guys who tell you the wrong information so they can force you to pay extra for their bus, manage the nightmare chaos at the small airport for your intercountry flight, try to buy train tickets during Chinese Spring [...]