Touring Asia

This must have been one of the most spontaneous decisions of my life: Tonight a buddy I met here in Hong Kong asked me whether I’d like to go on a trip to Japan. Four days in Tokyo, flight from Hong Kong on a Northwest Airlines B747, a typical Japanese Capsule Inn and a guide who has spent five years living in the city really sounded great. Only negative aspect was the price tag…but after thinking about it and imagining the possibilities to get this package once more I just said yes. He came down to my room, we booked the flight and reserved the "hotel" and now I’m sitting here, trying to realize that I’ll be sitting on a plane to Japan in less than two weeks. I have this sudden craving to watch Lost in Translation…

But that’s not it: While the trip to Japan will be over on the 13th, the next flight leaves from Shenzen on the 14th and has its destination in Beijing. Hopefully anyways…because booking tickets in China seems to be far more complicated (but therefore cheaper) than in Japan. Actually we wanted to take a night train from Beijing to Xi’an as well but the railway company obviously wasn’t willing to take our money: Firstly the payment and booking process was unbelievably complicated – say bureaucracy – and secondly European credit cards appear not to be as common around the globe as one might think. But oh well, Beijing will be nice by itself. I just hope that we will finally get the flights booked tonight.