I was unable to log in in Beijing last week. May be the hotel wanted to limit internet usage, which was free there.
Finally I got a chance to come back to Beijing this year. 11 months have passed since the last time I was here. I miss Beijing as I had a fine time when I lived here in the last 3 years of the last century. Joy was “made” in Beijing anyway. I have mixed experience in my last trip. I met the worst client I ever have but also a rejuvenated Christian who was once-a-nasty-person.
And Beijing is getting set for the Olympic Game next year. They really mean business.
The first experience you have for any place would be the airport. They are still catching up with the upgrading of the airport. In the context of customer service, however, they are close. This is something innovative. There is a panel of buttons in front of the immigration officer. If you have been waiting for too long or are not happy with the service they provide, you can press the unhappy button. (Of course they also provide a happy button.) It really speeds up the process. It only took me 5 seconds to go through border control. I asked my Australian co-trainer and he had the similar experience. And you can see smiley faces and hear “thank-you” from the immigration/custom officers. Taxi drivers are more friendly and helpful than before, I must say. Even they know that you are tourist, they are not trying to cheat you.
However, pollution is a huge problem. This is the week right after National Day Holiday. It should be a clear-blue-sky as factories stop operating for a week. When I was 30 minutes from landing Beijing, I could see the polluted air above the city. This is a consistent observation, unfortunately. An Australian who lives in Beijing put it in a serious context. She is an English teacher who travels frequently to other cities as well. In all directions, she can spot the pollution when she is one hour away from Beijing. They open the 5th Metro line on the last Sunday. But people believe that it won’t help much. I believe the Chinese government will use drastic approach next year. They really need to.
And Beijing is getting set for the Olympic Game next year. They really mean business.
The first experience you have for any place would be the airport. They are still catching up with the upgrading of the airport. In the context of customer service, however, they are close. This is something innovative. There is a panel of buttons in front of the immigration officer. If you have been waiting for too long or are not happy with the service they provide, you can press the unhappy button. (Of course they also provide a happy button.) It really speeds up the process. It only took me 5 seconds to go through border control. I asked my Australian co-trainer and he had the similar experience. And you can see smiley faces and hear “thank-you” from the immigration/custom officers. Taxi drivers are more friendly and helpful than before, I must say. Even they know that you are tourist, they are not trying to cheat you.
However, pollution is a huge problem. This is the week right after National Day Holiday. It should be a clear-blue-sky as factories stop operating for a week. When I was 30 minutes from landing Beijing, I could see the polluted air above the city. This is a consistent observation, unfortunately. An Australian who lives in Beijing put it in a serious context. She is an English teacher who travels frequently to other cities as well. In all directions, she can spot the pollution when she is one hour away from Beijing. They open the 5th Metro line on the last Sunday. But people believe that it won’t help much. I believe the Chinese government will use drastic approach next year. They really need to.
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