Rough Edge » Shanghai

Schoolboy errors flashing lights and policemen

admin — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 15:24:40 +0000

DON’T leave a gas canister in your rucsac when you check in for a flight. All the check in counters in the row let out a piercing alarm and red lights flashed on all the scanning machines as I tried to check in at Kunming airport to fly to Shanghai. Resolving the situation was very friendly and not difficult, except there was a lot of paperwork the clerk had to fill in, oh and the police had to come to put their stamp on it too, which took a while. Eventually though I was checked in and all clear.
However.
DO remember to take your penknife out of your hand luggage and put it in your check in luggage before you try and pass through security. Imagine the surprise on the face of the check in clerk when I returned 10 minutes later with the smallest bag I had with me containing just my penknife. “Knife?” She asked. “Hmm” I nodded. No alarms and no lights this time (thankfully). Just a smile and a shrug.

The best surprise however was on arrival in Shanghai. Having picked my humungous rucsac (sans gas) off the belt, I honestly thought the small bag may not have survived the competition, surrounded by daunting bigger bags and muscular suitcases… but minutes later there it was heading towards me on the belt, my penknife returned to me! (The picture of the policemen is not very revealing, but I didn’t want to cause any trouble and so took it with my phone, as they were walking away. (Kunming to Shanghai 24 July)

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China 09

Kunming kool

admin — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:52:21 +0000

Kunming is a really chilled place, nobody seems to be in a hurry. There’s no traveling today, but tomorrow is when I leave Yunnan for the trip home, via Shanghai and ultimately HK again. Just everywhere there are great sights and sounds. Here are some pictures from the Green Lake area. This is a city to visit again and this is where I have received so much help from people, I am incredibly grateful. (Resting a day in Kunming 23 July)

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China09

When you wish you didn’t have a lighter

admin — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 16:46:04 +0000

One hot traveller. One extremely full rucsac. One steel mesh security cover. One eagle eyed security guard. One lighter at the very bottom of the bag with the jetboil stove. Twenty stressful minutes. Top tip Don’t travel with a lighter through an airport in China. (Shanghai airport nearly missing Kunming flight 26 June)

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China 09