Asia Trip Diary - 1993
Beijing, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Bangkok, Thailand, Hong Kong
Sept 26 – Oct 9, 1993
Sunday, Sept 26, 1993
Betsy and Winnie Chan picked us up at 5:45 a.m. this morning and took us to Houston Intercontinental Airport. Before leaving, Betsy discretely handed me a small package of Kleenex, knowing it would come in handy in public restrooms. At the time, I didn’t understand just how valuable and thoughtful this little gift would turn out to be! We took off for Chicago (O’Hare Airport) at 7:51 a.m. After a 2-hour layover, we were off on our long flight to Tokyo (approximately 13 hours). After a 3-hour layover there, we left for Beijing, China and arrived around 10 p.m. local time. After we finally got through customs and collected our luggage, we met our driver who took us to our hotel for our first night in China – China World Hotel in Beijing. Ronnie estimated from the time we left home yesterday morning until we arrived at the hotel in Beijing was nearly 30 hours. Travel time (including the 2 layovers) was around 28 hours! Needless to say, we were tired when we arrived.
By the way, after the experience of getting our luggage, Ronnie and Steve Malisewski said they now know where the term “Chinese fire drill” comes from – total chaos!
Tuesday, Sept. 28, 1993
We’ve spent the day here at the hotel. We had lunch at the conference – it was, you guessed it – Chinese food! I met an American who is with Compaq in Singapore. It was neat to find out he is a Christian (knows the Kruegers). He said perhaps his wife can do some shopping with me in Singapore this weekend. Perhaps we will even visit their Baptist church this Sunday?
This afternoon I heard Ronnie’s speech. He spoke through a translator to around 1,000 people. I thought he did a great job!
We made arrangements to go with another Compaq employee to the Great Wall of China tomorrow. That seems to be the recommended thing to do if there is limited time. I am afraid we will not be dressed warm enough.
Tonight was definitely a different dining experience. I’ve had Chinese food in Chinese restaurant (U.S.) but this was a Chinese restaurant in China!! We were invited out by the Chinese Hong Kong personnel to celebrate the opening of Compaq Beijing. So it was Ronnie, me, another guy from Compaq Houston and an American from Compaq Hong Kong, plus about a dozen or more Chinese Compaq people. First off, we got in a cab and accidentally went to the International Hotel rather than the International Building so we had about a 15minute walk to where we were really going. It was interesting though to walk along the street and see so many Chinese on their bikes. Some even try to carry you in rickshaw-type bicycles (called tri-shaws) and can be very persistent in trying to get you to ride! Anyway, we finally reached our restaurant called “Windows on the World”. Needless to say, there was no silverware on the table, so I was glad that I have been practicing with my chopsticks when we eat with the Chans. Anyway, a menu was handed to me (which I was puzzled by since no one else had one). I later figured out that she was being polite to see if I would pick something out that we would eat. Since I didn’t know what we were doing, I didn’t try to order anything. However, I mentioned to Ronnie that he might like to try some of the frog fat broth or sea slugs! After they had threatened us with snake soup and duck tongues (I didn’t even know that ducks had tongues?!) they ordered for all of us. I have learned that there is NO part of any animal that the Chinese don’t eat. On the menu there was a section called “live seafood”. Notice I didn’t say “fresh” I said “live!”
Anyway, we had fried milk (which is better than it sounds), some kind fo duck, Chinese noodles, prawns (shrimp), fish in lemon sauce, something they call chicken – but definitely was not chicken), hot and spicy soup, some kind of squiddy-looking stuff and maybe one or two other items. I tried all but about 2 of the dishes.
The Chinese have a game they play called karaoke. It’s where they get their speakers to sing a line or two of any song. They didn’t do it with the speakers yesterday but did with Compaq president and other speakers the day before. They love it. However, I’m sure Ronnie is glad he didn’t have to do it. J
Wednesday, Sept. 28. 1993
We were up early this morning (I woke up at 3 a.m. body time). I think we are not really adjusted yet! We need to get ready and pack before breakfast. Our driver for the day will pick us up at 8 a.m. and we will try to take all luggage so we can go on to the airport from the Great Wall. Then we have a 6-hour flight to Singapore to look forward to. L
Later – What a day, what a day! I am writing from the airport in Beijing as we sit here waiting on a flight to Bangkok! We were scheduled to go to Singapore today but when we arrived at the airport, although we had tickets, we failed to confirm them so we couldn’t get on. Come to find out, some people who were confirmed didn’t even get on! So, after learning there was not another flight to Singapore the rest of the week, we enacted Plan B: go to Bangkok, Thailand, then to Singapore. Only problem with that is we have no hotel reservation there and will probably arrive there after midnight and have to be back by 7:30 am. to fly out. So it looks like we may be spending the night at the Bangkok airport! On top of all of this, Ronnie was to give the keynote speech in the morning in Singapore and he won’t even be there!
But despite all the disaster this afternoon, we thoroughly enjoyed our morning. Ronnie’s Compaq friend, Steve Malisewski and us hired a driver, Geng Wei to take us to see the Great Wall of China. That was interesting and the weather was perfect. However, I had my first bad bathroom experience there. (Ask if you want details). But before that we drove by Teneimen Square and the Forbidden City. It was totally fascinating. People are on every square inch. The little yellow taxis, buses and cars are all honking and jockeying for lanes and bicycles are everywhere. They are crossing between cars, etc. Many of them have 2 read wheels and carry loads of everything from people to furniture to coal to vegetables! It was so interesting to see them all out and many shopping at the open air markets besides the road. Unbelievable! I took quite a few pictures (regular and some panoramic from the wall) so I can’t wait to see if they turned out. We didn’t get to walk on foot any except to hop out an take a few pictures. Most were taken out the window of the taxi.
After leaving the Great Wall, the driver took us to a nice (by Chinese standards) restaurant – you guessed it – more Chinese food! Over here they serve it what we would call “family style”. There is a big rotating circle in the middle of the table and they put out probably a variety of 10 or so different foods. You rotate it and eat what you want. Today was a first – peanuts with chopsticks! All in all, the food was pretty good, with the exception of 2 or 3 items. Then we browsed through a market next door and left for the airport. I did manage to buy a battenburg lace tablecloth in one of the open air stalls outside the entrance to the wall for $15 – a bargain! **This is being typed years later and I would like to note that the first time it was washed, it shrunk in a million different directions and was unusable.) However when Ronnie wouldn’t buy the napkins, the lady hit him! **Another later notation is that when Marg read her postcard, she thought it said the lady bit him! J
Another really weird thing about the bathrooms here – besides the fact that they are urinals on the floor and smell like they have never been cleaned, ladies work in them. At the airport, the lady ushered me into a stall, then stood there with her foot under the door the entire time, turned on the water for me, and handled me toilet paper to try my hands off. I supposed she wanted a tip. The average worker in China makes $100 a month – sad! Anyway, definitely a day of lots of new and different experiences.
Ronnie’s “notes” on China
On the trip over, Ronnie visited with a U.S. State department diplomat who clued him in to a lot of stuff about China.
Upon landing, there were very few lights at night for a city of 11 million. We were dumped on the tarmac because United Airlines wouldn’t pay extortion fee to hook up to a gate. We were crammed into a bus – standing room crowded – up to a low lit area where we were ushered down dingy hallways to declare our health status. Airport facility in general – extremely primitive, dirty, unattractive, non-aesthetic to say the least. Had to fill out entry card twice since we used pencil. Baggage claim area – yucky! People packed, no order, total chaos. No such thing as courtesy, every man for himself!
Outside was the same, except people were in cars, lots of honking, blinking and pushing. The hotel was good, no problems. The whole airport ordeal to get out of China cannot be recorded. Ronnie will have to attempt to describe that experience! Ask him about using a telephone!
Thursday, September 29, 1993
We spent 10 hours in Bangkok last night. Fortunately, we were able to stay at the airport hotel. Ronnie asked for an executive suite, since he had no knowledge of the hotel. Fortunately again, it was fine. We caught our flight on Thai Airlines and are now headed for Singapore on a short (1½ hour) flight. Thai service on their airline is outstanding. The hostesses bow and wear long native dress. But the food – definitely off limits! I had 2 rolls and a diet Pepsi for dinner last night on the trip; Ronnie opted out. The dessert definitely looked like tadpole eggs in a jellied substance – gross! I didn’t taste it but the smell was enough to convince me. Like in American flights where you get the peanuts – well, their “snack” is a pretzel looking thing with a thing papery black wrapper on it. I made the mistake of trying one – ABSOLUTELY SICK!!! By anyone’s standards. The ingredients on the package were soy, sugar and seaweed. Don’t try it! I’m saving Ronnie’s package for Steve – he’ll eat anything. J
By the way, I was able to buy Carrie a Coke in China and one in Thailand.
Friday, September 30, 1993
Today Ronnie had to work most of the day. Rather than hang out at the hotel, I decided to take the city tour. We left at 9 a.m. and I was dropped off here at the hotel around 1:30 p.m. It was truly a fascinating experience! We started out with a visit to Little India. Singapore is made up of 78% of Chinese with large populations of Malays and Indians as well. The influence of all of these is very present. Little India is a portion of the city where the Indians live and shop. We walked around the block and saw many interesting things. Many were in their native dress. We walked through the open air store fronts where they sold their spices, red peppers, brightly colored silk saris (Indian women’s attire), etc. You can see them cooking and eating. Again, interesting to see but wouldn’t want to live there. Next we went to Chinatown, again a very ethnic area. We went into 2 temples, the oldest Chinese temple in the city, then into an Indian (hindu temple. I took pictures of people burning incense and praying – they have a “god” for everything. We also drove up to Mount Saber for a panoramic view of the city, visited the orchid section of the Botanic Gardens and in general got an education about the island.
This afternoon I went to a grocery store across from the hotel and bought some candy for souvenirs. Later, Ronnie, Steve and I took their underground train to Sim Lim Square to look at cameras. We all came to the conclusion that we can definitely do better in the U.S. than here at this point in time. We got on the train again and took ourselves to Hard Rock Café/Singapore for an enjoyable dinner and then back to the hotel. Tomorrow is Saturday and we hope to sleep in with breakfast in bed.
