I got a bit worried I was at the wrong terminal I couldn't find my flight listed! But then I realised those were the times for international departures. I used the ticket machine to check in and print my boarding pass as I didn't have any luggage to check in and that was lucky since the queue was horrendous!
Normally when I go through security I end up taking every bit of metal off as I hate setting off the detectors, but seeing this is China I was bound to get searched anyway, I didn't bother. So yeah, lucky it was a female officer searching me.
I underestimated how far the gate was and Terminal 2 of Pudong airport has a lot more shops. Gate 94 was waaaaay down the end! I went to the cafe upstairs for a bit bowl of udon noodles (yes at 7am!) I was starving!
Boarding was easy and not too long to wait. I chose the aisle seat and deliberately didn't belt up because I figured there was someone coming to sit in the middle seat (there was already a girl in the window seat). However, next thing I knew a groin was thrust in my face and this man actually climbed over me without even asking me to move, to sit in the middle seat! I am still astonished at how something so simple can be impossible to people.
There was no entertainment on flight and it was 3 hours to Chengdu. I fell asleep before we even took off. We were given drinks and then a breakfast, either a western style or eastern. The food wasn't too bad actually and came in this cute lunch box thing. Seats on Air China are rather cramped and a small plane since its a domestic flight.
Chengdu airport is quite old it seems and I came out looking for the taxi rank. I kept getting some hassle people offering me a taxi I ignored them and went to the rank. Whilst I was queuing and this man kept asking me where I was going and I kept telling him to leave me alone, I want to queue for a taxi. He waited for me when I got to the top of the queue and tried to persuade me to take his taxi! Then his friend joined in and when I tried to get into a taxi that was waiting and they talked to him and he told me to take their taxi. Their taxi looked a bit different to the other ones pulling up and it scared me this was a fake. The man then told me he would take me for 150rmb. I heard of this kind of thing so I got scared and left. They kept calling after me and I wanted to cry I was so scared and alone. When I looked at the security waving the taxis over into the rank they just stared at me and I was surprised nobody was doing anything about this!
So I managed to get a taxi which looked like all the others and the man was in a uniform so I felt a bit better. Then some weird person started putting his luggage into the boot! The driver had to get out and tell him he already had a passenger. Then he didn't believe and looked me right in the eye before he gave up. Already not a good impression out here!
The taxi driver seemed to have some problem and kept sneezing or something every few minutes.... The drivers here aren't as crazy as in Shanghai. The road "walls" on the motorway are designed Chinese style and a lot of the buildings here are still old style.
When we arrived at the hotel it only cost me 53rmb! Compared to what that other driver was going to charge that's insane! Taxi here is much cheaper than Shanghai and starts at 9rmb. I got to my hotel room which is at the Holiday Inn Express in Wuhou. It's not really worth the money I have to say but I wanted to go with a brand I knew and where there is free wifi etc.
After resting and trying to calm myself from the whole ordeal and finally hitting me I was alone out here, I got a taxi to Wuhou Temple. The taxi driver knew I was foreign (this scares me in case they then try to rip me off). And he kept turning his head to stare at me... It cost me 11rmb to get there and 60rmb entry fee to the temple which I think was rather steep!
The temple is very nice, it has lots of statues in memory of the different soldiers from the Three Kingdoms era. The shrine is for Zhuge Liang. There are lots of smaller gardens, pavilions, and even a small museum. Next to the temple is Jinli street which has lots and lots of stalls and shops selling souvenirs and handicrafts. I even saw a man making candy animals by blowing them like glass!
Afterwards I thought I'd walk a bit I thought I saw some malls around. I was hungry but couldn't find a mall! I ended up in a huge book shop like Borders and people sitting around on the floor, cross-legged and reading. I then kept walking and eventually found myself back at the hotel!
I stopped by the convenience store to buy some things and the lady gave me change it looked so different this money, I tried to ask her what this was but she looked at me like I was crazy that I didn't know what this money was. I was worried it was fake or something and I tried looking it up online but with no luck.
I ended up having dinner downstairs in the hotel but so many things on the menu they don't have! Very frustrating. I just had more noodles and need an early night. Tomorrow at 7.30am I have a driver come to pick me up to take me to the panda reserve! I'm really excited but wonder if I'll get teary, I seem to when I see pandas in real life, they are so beautiful.
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