When China Called: Xi'an Part 3
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| Emperor Qin Shi Huang Statue at Museum of the Terracotta Warriors, Xi’an, Photo Credit: Mohamed Hakim |
Looking around the room, it was virtually the opposite of what I had during a trip to Baltimore, Maryland, USA: there is no iron, at the hotel, here but there is a safe! I am not sure if I should I feel safer, or less safe to be honest. Now, one thing I really have to get accustomed to is spotting fire masks at hotel rooms in China. They are not common in the States and may come across as distasteful to westerners, or foreigners in general, like me. Fire masks are usually located in a closet or
near a closet.
The honeymoon phase was starting to show. Everything around me felt like a new experience, or a new nostalgic experience. Take the remote for example. After getting used to them point in any direction remotes, whether at hotels in
the west or at home, I needed a refresher on how to use an old
school infrared remote control.
With the lay of the land no longer at large, it was time for the ever-dreaded unpacking. While my backpack had the room, some things had to be tucked away in my check-in bag per air travel regulations. which meant I had to pack too, my backpack I mean, and it sure took me some time.
Consider packing for your occasional necessities
That note has a personal story behind it. Just trust me. I very much regret not bringing a medication with me. In my defense: yes, it’s been collecting dust, thus it's been left behind.
The following morning, I was fortunate to have access to, the magic sustenance referred to as, coffee. That continued to be the case throughout my trip. Coffee and sleeping pills aided me a lot in getting used to the time change. Waking up in the morning felt like just another day, as if I did not spend hours in confined spaces to get to this side of earth.
Some did warn me, the jet lag is worse once back home (2013 Decoding China, Christensen, p. 241); I’m un-pleased to inform you, I agree. It took me upwards of a week to get back to my regular schedule. I was sleeping at all the right times but not sleeping nearly as long as I needed to.
Before we head on to the activities of day one, I'd like to say: during my trip, I took many photos, except for occasions that prevented me from doing so. I intend on making as many as I could available for your reference. I can’t say I’m a great photographer, but my camera, Canon G9 X Mark II, I chose after much deliberation. At the time of my purchase, November of 2017, it was, subjectively, the best, I'd say, technically capable compact I could fit into my budget. It probably still is ok. Of course, if you are a photographer, you’d be carrying your gear with you, a thing you are used to. For me however, I like to travel light. Full disclaimer, some smaller collection of my photos I took with my cell phone.
To be continued...
