Guess Who Am I

Sometimes it is a bit challenging to get online, especially when travelling. We have spare unlocked iPhones with us but we were missing some Chinese SIM cards. China Unicom was natural choice because they are having a 3G WCDMA network and also they will be iPhone operator so settings will be already in the phone.

We visited big China Unicom office where they were happy to sell a subscription but wanted a guarantee. Unfortunately the ATM outside of this office for some reason didn’t like our cards so we skipped the contract as it was lunch time anyway. After the lunch we visited the local HQ for China Unicom and learned that they are out of SIM cards. They told us to come back next day (Sunday).

The next morning they were still out of SIM cards but estimated that shipment would arrive on afternoon. In the afternoon they got two 3G SIM cards! And we got one of those.

And I think I figured out why it was a little bit difficult process, 3G isn’t yet launched (Yahoo news article about this) so no winder they were running out of SIM cards and also process was a bit unknown for them.

But, in the end, it works well and I am back online. 谢谢大姐。

We went to have Chinese foot massage yesterday evening. It is amazing how much they will learn about you through your feet. I learned that my lifestyle isn’t proper, I would need exercise for my shoulders and drink more water daily. That is for the start.

I was able to guess that, the difficult part would be to do something about it. It is always easier to find out what is wrong than fix it.

Beijing is still more or less the same as in May when I was here last time. One difference is the upcoming National Day, which has changed city a bit. In Chang’an Avenue there is a police patrol, a SWAT patrol, an army patrol or combination of those all in every corner. Our hotel has also increased their security level by having both metal detector and X-Ray machines for incoming visitors. This is nothing new, similar was already happening during the Olympics and lately I have got used to that in my recent trip in Jakarta.

Weather is hot, for me at least. Others don’t exactly share my opinion but shouldn’t it be that during your Summer vacation it is hot? So this certainly feels like good Summer vacation weather.

Well, we arrived to Beijing. All the luggage with us, no delays and no technical problems. Pretty boring and for most of the people preferred way of flying. Yeah, it was like that for Fangfang but not for me. I learned a new skills – do you know how to get your breakfast before everyone else and how to get some attention from half of the crew? Well … you faint. Apparently it isn’t that good idea to have very light breakfast, lunch and then only airline dinner. I guess I should start listening Fangfang who always reminds me about eating regurarly and enough. But, I got my breakfast before anyone else.

And Air China sent a plane with Olympic colors. The picture isn’t the best one as it is difficult to see the plane from the side.

Here we are travelling to China once again.