We have a three day holiday for Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving), or 5.5 days if you count the weekend and friday night. I decided to goto China again for chuseok, since getting the China visa was such a hassle but for $25 extra you could get a double entry visa. This time I would spend a day in Beijing doing some extra stuff I didnt see on my first trip in 2010, and then a few days in Inner Mongolia Province in the north, bording the Country of Mongolia.

I took a friday night flight from Daegu airport to Jeju Island to connect to a Beijing flight, since the Daegu flight is in the afternoon . I didnt want to lose half of Saturday getting a 2pm flight from Busan as there is no Daegu flight the next day so took the stopover route. Unfortunately this will get me to Beijing past midnight.

Whenever I flew from Daegu airport I sat on the right so this time I sat on the left. Daegu airport is an army base so this time you see more of the compound which is actually a small town with lots of american vehicles driving. You also see army planes close up with people working on them, but no photography is allowed from the runway.

I was sitting in Business Class since Economy was sold out for the chuseok holiday. After take off we had a clear view of Daegu city with the evening lights coming on. Jeju was a quick 50 min flight after which I'd have over three hours to kill for my connecting Beijing flight. I went to a Chinese restaurant and had shrimp fried rice.

When the check in counters opened the shoving began as some people decided they could go in front of those of us that had been waiting (something that was going to be quite common during this trip) . Later I met some Canadians teaching in Jeju Island on the same flight.
 
I had the back row in the flight and the two seats were empty so I could try to get some sleep. The lady on the other side did the same as she was the only passenger in that row. Unfortunately she was blowing long loud farts the whole way so I turned all the overhead fans on max in my row.

At Beijing airport that evenings fiasco was about to begin. My hostel is by the end of the airport train downtown. Unfortunately the trains stop running at 11pm. I arrived after 1am. Surprisingly the airport shuttle buses were still running for 16Y ($2.40). I bought a ticket and stood in line which rapidly grew very long. I didnt know if I would make the first bus or how long the second bus would be.

After almost half an hour a bus finally showed up but was half full. People decided to go and stand by the door even though we had been standing in queue. The bus took about a dozen people then was full, shut the door, and left . By this time I was near the front of the queue. I could see the attendents record log and this bus had showed up after an hour from the previous one.

The guy behind me could speak some english. I asked when the next bus was, would it be another hour? He said there was no schedule and they just show up when they do. I wasnt going to stand for another hour till 2am hoping that I might get on past the people jumping the queue.

He said we could cash in our tickets and to try to get a taxi. After another queue for taxis the driver wanted 400Y ($60). I was shocked as the hostel said normal cost is 75Y and quite cheap ($12). Another driver wanted 300Y ($45) and another one 200Y ($30). Fed up I tried to go back to the buses.

By this time miraculously buses had showed up and cleared all the platforms. There was nobody left so my only option was to take a taxi. It was now almost 2am and there was no other mode of transport . I was pretty much the only person left now and they all know I'm a foreigner and this is the only way into town. 

I tried to find the guy that wanted 200Y. Now they were saying there is no flat rate and I have to use the meter. This was getting ridiculous. When 5 mins before they were giving me a flat rate, now they want to use a meter with who knows what final rate? For 300Y I could get an airport hotel. This was just getting really ridiculous and I wanted to go and sleep or my next day in Beijing would be ruined as I was only there for the one day. 

I showed the printout from the hostel that said 75Y and was arguing with a group of cab drivers pointing to the print out and showing it to them. I said I know its not 400Y, why now a metered fare when before they were quoting flat, and that they know I'm a foreigner thats why they are charging me more money. Then they claimed they dont know english when before they were happy to understand and quote me inflated prices .  

Then an officer told a driver to take me for 100Y while other drivers were finding this all amusing. I'd just been in Xinjiang in august so have an idea of what prices should be, even if they are higher in Beijing. Before I got in the cab I wrote down 100 and made sure he understood.

This is all so poorly organized. I dont know why the trains cant still run till after midnite when flights are still arriving and there is clearly a demand. Or they could have buses arriving every few minutes. This is one of the most populated cities in the most populated country, so why only one airport bus in one hour when the line is the length of a subway car?? This is the gateway to the next economic superpower, that hosted the 2008 Olympics, so it gives a very bad first image.

One thing I have learnt from before that was confirmed on this trip is that some people in China think foreigners are stupid and have lots of money . So they'll throw out a number for the heck of it and try their luck. You have to research your prices, be firm, dont be intimidated or take any crap. If you stand up to them, tell them you know the right price, and they know you are not a pushover you will get more realistic prices.

The cab ride wasnt too bad but by now a rain shower had moved in. The hostel was supposed to be off the highway exit where I wanted him to drop me off. Instead he kept driving around in circles in the area trying to find the hostel. I kept telling him to take me back to the bridge so I could get out and follow the hostel directions.

He was asking passers by, calling people, going in the wrong direction from the bridge, driving around in the rain. Then I remembered I had the hostels phone number on my reservation so told him to call that. Eventually we found the hostel which was locked. Luckily someone was sleeping in the lobby who let me in .

She told me because I was a late check in, it was now 3am, there was no room for me. This is always my fear with a late check in. I had emailed a lady at the hostel and told her I would be arriving after 1am so showed my printout. I did not need the nonsense of not having a bed after all the trouble of getting here from the airport.

She made a few phone calls since I had a printout of my reservation and a printout from a lady who I told was arriving late. They were going to give me a room in a nearby hostel for the same price, less the cost of the cab fare to get there. Then I had to make sure my credit card wasnt going to get charged as a no show, which they told me it wouldnt.

We got to the other hostel by 4.30am, again with staff sleeping in the lobby who I woke up. This was a lot more downmarket that what I had asked for but hopefully the bed would be ok. The room was an inside block so no windows or natural light. The bed was ok for one night and clean.

Some rooms had ensuites but mine did not. The public bathroom was a hole in the ground and shower stall beside. There was no toilet paper but luckily the doors were open in some of the checked out rooms with ensuites that were cleaned so I stole one from there.

I guess it was ok for one night. I managed to get a few hours sleep, the bed was comfy and room quiet enough. I hung my towel on the clothes peg to dry and didnt realize till later that evening I had forgot it and didnt have a towel for the rest of my trip now!.