The previous post is Beijing (May 19).
The next post is Dunhua (May 21).

Baihe (May 20) · May 24, 08:55 AM

Hung over — this is how my morning begins. It’s an early one, too — I fly out at 1040 to Yanji because the flight is cheaper than the train, and takes 2 hours (opposed to 24 hours via train). My bag is quickly, hastily, packed. I send one final email home, and then check out. I walk to the subway Qianmen metro station, and take the subway to the Beijing train station, and continue on foot to the International Hotel. I buy a 16 CNY ticket for the airport shuttle and walk off searching for dumplings to soothe my hungry stomach. I haven’t eaten yet because of the hangover, but I have drunk a liter of water, and now the hangover is gone.

I miss the 08:30 shuttle and a lady with a taxi — the person who told me I had time to eat — tells me I’m too late and she will be happy to take me to the airport for 80 CNY. I smell rat, but the hotel desk clerk confirms what she says. I see her again as I’m refunding my shuttle ticket, but walk away from her trying to get my attention to pick up a more official cab in front of the hotel. This is where the hotel clerk directed me, and I’m resentfully happy to not give the first lady my business. The taxi ride — including one toll — is 73 CNY, and I have an hour to spare at the gate waiting for departure.

In the middle of the two hour flight China Southern Airlines serves a hot lunch, and with help from a Yanji native, I plan out the end of my first month in China. They play prank videos after lunch. Passengers laugh quietly and sporadically. They especially enjoy the girl who shops by pulling groceries from other people’s carts. An episode of “Mr. Bean follows”.

The Yanji airport has one terminal. everyone spills out into the vast parking area, and bustles off on foot, into mini-buses, or taxis. I am left almost by myself. The closest cab offers to take me into into town for 40 CNY; he says his meter is broken. I get out when he won’t go below 20 CNY and move my backpack to the next cab. With the meter, the trip was 8 CNY, but the driver and a broken-English-speaking woman on his phone persistently offer hotel rooms and rides to Changbai Shan. I’m learning to be stubborn, and walk away, happy I’ve made it to the bus stop. After a snack — one fresh banana, a starchy tube sausage, and several sweet crispy hollow bisquits — I board a bus to Baihe. There’s a military officer in a uniform I don’t recognize sitting near me.

We’re all going to Baihe, and I think a couple people are going to continue to Changbai Shan, a remote high-altitude mountain lake. The sky is blue, and we are driving through terrific scenery. Green forests and small villages dot rolling hills; plowed fields fill the valley and terraced slopes. Oxen draw carts and plows. I’m excited.

* * *

  1. “Baihe, or A Tale of How Tom Successfully Avoided Getting Screwed on an Hourly Basis.” Those Pimsleur CDs are proving to be worth their weight in gold.

    — Katie    May 24, 11:01 AM    #

  2. tom—thought i should let you know i am following along… awesome pics, but you knew that

    — c^2    May 24, 04:53 PM    #

  3. Thanks! I’m trying to upload a few more now, before I get on the train south to Guangzhou (it’s 36 hours!)

    — Tom    May 24, 08:43 PM    #

  4. LOL. Great stories. Love the picture and keep us up to date!

    — Yin    May 25, 10:54 AM    #

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