What's a man gonna F**Qingdao!?

[Cyclefrance]

In about five hours time I'll be leaving home for a repeat run of the course I held in China last year. New location this time - Qingdao - about half way between Shanghai and Beijing.

I'm following the same travel procedure as last year, but flying with Emirates instead of Qatar Air (no offers from them this time), and with laptop at the ready and camera with direct link to my pc I'm hoping to offer some realtime reporting during the trip.

First stop for an entry then will be Dubai at around 4.00 pm US time - so watch this space!

Anyone got any black bean sauce?

[Cyclefrance]

So far - not so good

Will it all end here?

I hope not - so far I've made it as far as the Emirates lounge at London Gatwick - those dreaded words 'technical fault - more news in another hour' being the only information available at the moment. I am assured that Emirates are working all out to ensure I reach my final destination - let's hope that's before 50 Chinese delegates arrive in Qingdao and take their seats on Tuesday morning (and I can't help remembering similar words being spoken by American Airlines at JFK a few years back after which pronouncement the situation descended into total chaos and confusion. I eventually flew home with Virgin, arriving some 14 hours later than planned and just in time to catch our Burman female kitty being dispatched to be sired by some lustfull male blue-point of the same breed. Funny how you remember these things).

So I sit here waiting for my fate to be decided. Strange to think that I only live 20 minutes drive away, and yet I am unable to move from this spot.

I expect you're wondering what it's like here - probably not, but if for some unaccountable reason you actually are, well, don't get too excited.... there you go... (see what I mean):

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[Cyclefrance]

Oh,dear - I shouldn't have said what I said in that last entry.

My original flight is now cancelled.

Good news? I'm on the 19.15 to Dubai (let's hope that doesn't have a fault!)

Bad news? That gets in at 05.00-ish on Sunday morning, but the only onward flight to Beijing is at 03.00 Monday morning. - I get to Beijing at 15.30 Monday and then, all going well, I get the connecting flight to Qingdao at 1645 (or a later one if I miss that one!) - bang goes the time I had allowed to be in Qingdao to be sure that everything was set up properly for Tuesday morning - now it will be a rush job early on Tuesday morning to do this.

Good news? I spend a day in Dubai at Emirates' expense and therefore might even have time to be able to take some interesting photos. Might not be so bad.... but,

Bad news? Turns out that the Chinese course organisers had mistakenly booked my onward flight from Beijing to Qingdao for the Monday instead of the Sunday, anyway - so God knows what would have happened if I had turned up on ten Sunday as planned. So,

Good news? at least there's a ticket and flight for me from Beijing to Qingdao when I arrive Monday in any event (there always was!!!).

And I thought this was going go be the boring bit of the trip!?!? (and that thread title is suddenly looking more appropraite than first intended as well!)

[HungLikeJesus]

Cyclefrance,
Is there a large black dog sitting in a chair, with his tongue hanging out, on the right side of that second picture?

Are you teaching, or riding, a course in China?

[Cyclefrance]

Originally Posted by HLJ

Cyclefrance,
Is there a large black dog sitting in a chair, with his tongue hanging out, on the right side of that second picture?

Are you teaching, or riding, a course in China?

Sorry to disappoint HLJ - not a dog (well, depending upon your taste in females) but a fellow delayed passenger - a bit of a trick of the old light that a rogue tongue has appeared (certainly no-one has claimed it as theirs)

Running/teaching the course BTW - might be a load of jibberish spoken (most say there is anyway) given the sleep to awake ratio that seems to be developping as a result of this debacle - it's somewhat moving too one-sidedly in the wrong direction at the moment... - I haven't helped the situation, you see - I thought I'd try to get myself closer to Chinese time before I left, so I've had a couple of nights' sleep starting at 9.00pm and waking at 4.00 am - that now looks, and feels, maybe to have been a misplaced strategy...).

[HungLikeJesus]

That's funny. When I look at that picture I see a black lab facing the camera - ears, eyes, nose, tongue.

Good luck on your travels.

[Cyclefrance]

You really need to conceal that canine fetish of yours, you know...

[Cyclefrance]

Taboo wish HLJ (the 'Good Luck' one you gave) - I am now back home.

False start trying to get on tonight's flight, so now I am confirned on tomorrow's flight that leaves at the time I should have left today (hope that makes sense). So I connect with the Beijing to Qingdao flight to arrive Qingdao Monday evening.

No day in Dubai, but at least a night in my own bed (albeit on Chinese hours! - now a necessity)

Now if they'd told me that I would be going on tomorrow's flight at 3.00pm today then I could have spent the afternoon at home instead of opposite that black dog!

[xoxoxoBruce]

That's not a black lab, anybody can clearly see that's a Newfie.
Hope your trip is smooth and pleasant from here on out.

[Pie]

I think it's your sig jinxing you.
Best speed onwards.

[Cyclefrance]

I'm up and awake (or more logically -awake and up)!

In about five hours time I'll be leaving home a second time in 24 hours for a repeat run of the course I held in China last year. New location this time - Qingdao - about half way between Shanghai and Beijing.

I'm following the same travel procedure as last year, but flying with Emirates instead of Qatar Air (no offers from them this time), and with laptop at the ready and camera with direct link to my pc I'm hoping to offer some realtime reporting during the trip.

First stop for an entry, then, will be Emirates London Gatwick Lounge at around 7.30 am US time - if I am lucky (think I'm due some) - then another report will follow when I reach Dubai at around 4.00pm US time - so watch this space again!

Anyone got any worry beads?

[Cyclefrance]

Emirates Lounge, London Gatwick Airport - 13.15 hrs UK time (08.15 US Eastern) - magic words on departures screen: 'proceed to Gate 51'

See ya's all in 8 hours or so!

[lizzymahoney]

Ceiling cat iz playin wiz hurr worree beedz.

(No picture. Use your imagination...)

I was going to write that ceiling cat was waiting with baited (sic) breath, but that would invite too many rude interpretations.

[HungLikeJesus]

Cyclefrance, maybe I should say "Break a leg."

[Cyclefrance]

Hey! Dubai!

...and that's what I call a Duty Free Shopping Mall!

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