My First Impressions for 2011

Chinese people like to do strange things in a line.

My initial thoughts at Guangzhou airport were:

1) Why is everyone speaking so loudly on their mobile phones?
2) Why are people standing so close to me? Why is he breathing down my shirt?
3) And, how is it that the guy behind me a minute ago is now in front of me!? I didn't even blink.

On a Chinese airline from Guangzhou to Beijing, when it's time for hot towels for the early morning clean, the male flight attendants hand out these towels very quickly saying: "jie zhe. jie zhe. jie zhe." which means take it, take it, take it. This was in strong contrast to the *smile - "sir, your towel" *smile. But, I like it.

Apparently, I don't look like such a non-mainlander (this could only be good in the short term). A mainlander approached me at Beijing airport to ask me (the Da Ge) for advice for which bus to take. I gave him a strong mainlander response which was a non-emotional and seemingly uncaring: "bu zhi dao", which left him puzzled as he walked away.

Chinese internet cafes require either a Chinese ID card or a Passport. I suppose it's because then the government can monitor what everyone is using the internet for, anywhere, anytime. When I presented my Passport, the lady thought my name was 'Melbourne', but received scolding by the Boss who said if she couldn't even scold her for that, she would've 'bai huo le' (lived for nothing).

1Yuan bus rides are the best. They're like city bus tours, which I can take for 1Yuan, to a random destination, from where I take another bus, and hopefully then can still find the way home.

Having some technological issues with the phone camera, so hope to show some photos to you soon. Also looking for interesting things to put here while I browse the streets.