Flying on Southern China Airlines
Melbourne, Australia
Ghaungzhou, China
Los Angelese, USA
Distance:
Total Distance:
I hate long flights. I got dehydrated, don't sleep, am left cramped up, and generally feel smelly.
I also didn't realise how long it'd be flying for- beneficial ignorance. The times for flight 1 were 11:30am-6:10pm. But those are Victorian time and Hong Kong time respectively. So rather than around 6 hours it was an 8 hour flight.
Thankfully I'm getting more experienced at these flights. The main problem for me is dehydration- I'll sleep later. Thus I need water and potassium. There are now a few good potassium rich fluids one can buy at airports to take occasionally on the plane. However one can also use tomato juice- 1 glass is about 400mg, the same as a banana or a portion of sweet potato. (They're great for most hang overs).
I bought a bottle of the "super flight drink" (not real name) to try out. I was amazed to find, though, that SCA serve free drinks and tomato juice is on offer. In the end I had one of my best long haul flights and I put it down to guzzling their tomato juice. Thanks SCA!
I'd been warned before hand that SCA is cheap and not good. Hating long haul there's not much that can decrease my enjoyment. I actually really enjoyed SCA!
Check in was... Interesting. Everyone else had a suitcase, large cardboard box, plus two pieces of carry on luggage. What are you all carrying?!? Well at least one guy was packing medication- he was over weight, opened up, and showed off half a suitcase of various "PHARMACIST ONLY" medication. Must be stuff you can't get in China.
On the plane I had plenty of leg room, not a vast number of films but enough, regular drinks and meals, and a wide range of peoe from the population of Southern China.
Once in China I had a 3 hour stop over. I walked around the stores looking at all of the knock offs and items that would be illegal anywhere else, as well as items I'll never be able to afford. The airport has a small art museum of traditional Chinese art works. The was a not-Starbucks, and a pizza place, yet it was the noodle bar down by my gate that I decided to have dinner at. I just about managed to have my order understood, then felt quite smug when they brought my noodles with chopsticks and I didn't have to ask for a fork. I'm not well practiced, but I can manage with chopsticks. And I did it in China! Whilst drinking Coke-kind of ruins the image.
My next flight was from 9:30pm-7:40pm. Time travel! Around 2 hours back in time! If only.
Several hours later I made it to US immigration. This took some time. As a British citizen we have a visa-less treaty with the US. ESTA is an online form I signed that will let me in without a face-to-face chat next time. However first time I had to line up with the rest of the world (China) to talk to an officer. Long wait in a queue (well over an hour) before a 2 minute chat.
Finally I was in the USA!
A transfer shuttle bus took me around LA to West Hollywood. It was 11pm when I finally got into my new dorm room. Whilst sleeping would have been smart, I wanted tea.
On the way to the kitchen I met two Australians and a Brazilian. Over tea and random chat we decided to play pool. The Australians had been here a few days and would soon by leaving to go to San Fransisco.
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