CHINA

So finally the last of my three flights has ended & I get off the plane & walk across the tarmac into a small building. And something doesn't feel right.

The airport is small like Adelaide was before they extended. Smaller even. I was in Xian in 2007 & I remember the airport being large as Xian is a big city. Waiting for the luggage to come out I look around for the driver who is going to pick me up but I can't see anyone holding a sign with my name on it.

Suddenly everyone is gone, I have no luggage & I am pretty sure by now that I am not where I am supposed to be.

So to cut a long story sort (there's a lot more so you'll be glad I did) I get to the counter to tell them I have no luggage but they don't seem to speak English here. So I call Amanda at the foster home & tell her I think I am in the wrong place & have no luggage. Between laughing (as she pointed out what else can you do in this situation) she speaks to the airport staff who find out my luggage is still in Beijing & they arrange for it to go to Xian. I on the otherhand am in Xiangfan & Amanda is not even sure where that it. Which is just fantastic! Because if she doesn't know & she lives here then I could be in deep s#*t. This airport does not fly to Xian, I would have to go back to Beijing & then to Xian but not for 2 says.

Did I say this would be the short version?

Ok, I think I lied but it is definitely the short long version rather than the long long version.

So the answer seems to be the train as the only other option is to get driven & that will cost 2000 chinese dollars (about $500 Aussie). So I get the only car at the now deserted airport to drive me to the hotel Amanda has looked up on the internet.

And it is there that I meet my life saver. The assistant manager whose English name is Sky. His English is not too bad & once I explain my problem he gets me a room, hooks up the internet & goes down to the train station with me to buy the ticket. Something I could not have done by myself due to the languge barrier & not being that safe to go there in the middle of the night.

So my first job before I go to sleep? Email the travel agent to find out where on earth I am & why!!!!