If you've read the South Africa section you know that my claustrophic self Very Greatly Dislikes long distance airline travel. 6-7 hours is my max and these 13+ hour flights are definitely anxiety inducing for me. But that is the only way to get to the other side of the world. I won't bore you with a blow by blow this time. Obviously we did survive. The flight wasn't horrible - just very long.
Brief synopsis: Reno to LAX (1.5 hrs); after a few hours at LAX we board the 1 a.m. non-stop red-eye to Beijing - 13+ hrs non-stop; 3 hrs in Beijing Airport & then 2 hrs to Seoul.
We arrived in Beijing at 6 am (their time) and not many shops were open at the airport. We rounded the corner to find the gate for our connecting flight & the clouds parted & the angels started to sing & there it was ... Starbucks. If you know us, we always try to eat local when we travel. But at 6 a.m., after leaving home 18 hrs previously, it was a beautiful sight!
Beijing airport is new (built for the '08 Olympics) & modern & very nice & clean.
So far - the worst service we saw at an airport - ground staff at LAX - very rude.
Best airport service: Incheon Seoul Int'l. But more on that later.
Brief synopsis: Reno to LAX (1.5 hrs); after a few hours at LAX we board the 1 a.m. non-stop red-eye to Beijing - 13+ hrs non-stop; 3 hrs in Beijing Airport & then 2 hrs to Seoul.
We arrived in Beijing at 6 am (their time) and not many shops were open at the airport. We rounded the corner to find the gate for our connecting flight & the clouds parted & the angels started to sing & there it was ... Starbucks. If you know us, we always try to eat local when we travel. But at 6 a.m., after leaving home 18 hrs previously, it was a beautiful sight!
Beijing airport is new (built for the '08 Olympics) & modern & very nice & clean.
So far - the worst service we saw at an airport - ground staff at LAX - very rude.
Best airport service: Incheon Seoul Int'l. But more on that later.
