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  • Day 9

    Waiting to fly to Hong Kong

    November 12, 2017 in China ⋅ ☀️ 7 °C

    So up at 6:30 this morning as Lily and Mr Li were collecting us at 7:30. A hasty breakfast and some fluffing about and we were ready to go. The roads were quiet and so we got to the airport in about 30 mins. It's a big new toll motorway out to the airport, yet more evidence of China's massive infrastructure investment.
    On the drive back Lily gave us some more details on Jingdi's mausoleum, 28 years to make the figurines and other artifacts for his tomb. They have only scratched the surface yet they think there are some 160 burial pits. They reckon it took 720,000 crafts people to build the tombs and all the artifacts.
    I think it should be as well known as the warriors but it isn't and it is a much less commercial enterprise... No random "experiences" and a raft of food stalls run from the backs of people's vans..... If we had has longer...!

    Lily brought us right through the airport and checked us in. There was security screening before we could even enter the airport. Then check - in which did not open until 1.5 hrs before departure! So we had to wait, which was on this occasion good because we had more time to chat with Lily. She, in common with lots of people here, commented on how young Dad looks...sadly no one says that to me.... They often assume that I am his wife!! We also compared notes on holiday allowances, the cost of things. Lily wanted to understand the difference between clothes and dress. Which is quite a subtle distinction when you try to explain it... Soon we were checked in and we said goodbye to Lily, she said we were polite and friendly and she would like to be our guide again if we return to Xi'an (I bet she says that to all the tourists! 😉). But we did have fun and we made her laugh.

    After checking in we went to immigration departure: passport, departure card (at least this time we were told) and visa / passport check. Then security... Very thorough... All the usuals on the scaning machine and through the gate to a good intimate pat down by security, then we had to remove our footwear which was sent through the machine whilst our feet were investigated, then I got called back for my kindle to be rechecked... And taken out of its case... And switched on... Then another trip round for my powerbank ... And repeated questions about batteries... And eventually we were released to the gate / departure area...a short wait there and they started boarding us. We were loaded and ready to go about 15 mins before departure time but we used all that and more taxiing to the runway... I was beginning to think that we were driving to HK.
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