My Bags Are Packed

As much as I’ve enjoyed my experience in Beijing, I’ve been looking forward to tomorrow’s flight for quite some time. In a few days, I’ll reflect on my Olympic experience, but today’s focus has been on getting everything packed into what I hoped would be two checked bags and two oversized carry-ons. No such luck -- I started packing early this morning, and soon realized that there was no way to avoid paying the $100 fee for a third checked bag.

Luckily, I had allowed enough time for a visit to the Tianya market to pick up another bag. I withdrew 700 Yuan (about $100) from the ATM, and went back to the market I swore I’d never return to. After I scored a new suitcase for 140 Yuan, I began picking up even more souvenirs. 500 Yuan in impulse purchases filled half of my new suitcase before I left the market four hours later. I now have well over a hundred sets of decorative chopsticks, but at less than one Yuan each, they’re hard to resist -- time to make some new friends?

Comments

[Kevy]

I echo those sentiments, great blog and really enjoyed reading it in the leadup to my trip to Beijing - especially you're updates on the SLR restrictions, or non restrictions as it turned out to be.

On those restrictions, i replaced the EOS strap with a JORDAN 23 strap that without fail was mentioned each time i went through security - the Chinese love for basketball is huge, something we can only dream of in Australia.

Didn't get to the market you mentioned, but also had to buy a suitcase due to my visits to the Silk Market and the one at Sanlitun.

[peter h.]

great blog.I enjoyed the reading and photo's so so much!thanks again.