back home

So I'm back home. There are plenty of stories to tell, plenty of photos to show. However, my head is pretty mushy and jet lagged. Photos need Photoshopping before I can show them (as my camera broke and all pics are a funny colour).

Until I get it all sorted, I will tell you about my trip back to Sweden. It was a strange one:

I got into a taxi at the hotel. Airport, terminal 3, I told him and also made sure he turned on the meter (lots of taxidrivers try and rip off westernes in Beijing). As we drove off he said something in Chinese which I kind of understood as something along the lines of "When does your flight take off?"

I pointed at my watch, said "one o'clock" and showed the number one by putting one finger up in the air. He nodded, turned his Chinese hip hop up on his stereo and drove for a bit.

As we got on the highway there was a traffic jam from hell. Cars didn't move at all. So my taxi driver decided to drive on the side of the road instead of on it. As we got passed the worst of the traffic jam he got back into the road and drove 160 km/hour inbetween the cars in the different lanes.

I sat back and tried not to think, breath or nothing. No seatbelt. No way of controlling the situation. He turned the music up full blast, handed me a cigarette and got one himself as he continued driving like a lunatic, laughing his head off. I realized he must've thought I'd said "My flight is in one hour" instead of "at one o´clock."

At the airport he turned his ignition off before I had a chance to see the taxametre. "200 yuan" he said. I knew the trip would cost no more than 100. I shook my head. He laughed. "Taxi fast. Fun! 200 yuan" he laughed. I gave him 150 yuan and left.

At the check in desk I asked for a window seat. The girl smiled and said of course. Could she also please put me next to a Chinese? I asked. (window seat = easier to sleep when you can lean your head against the window. Next to a chinese = bigger chance not having to talk to the one next to you the whole trip).

She did better than that. I had both window AND aisle to myself. I slept like a baby across my seats all the way home.