4 October

This morning I was up at the early hour of 0445 and I quickly packed my suitcase (to stay at the hotel in Beijing) and my pack (to travel with me to Xi’an). Then I had my shower and, as I came out at 0530, the telephone rang. I missed it the first time but got it the second – the receptionist was sure my car had arrived. As it wasn’t due until 0540, I wasn’t concerned and proceeded on, dressing and then separating the clothes I was leaving in Beijing to be laundered (jacket and trousers, which have each lasted forty-three days and will, now I hope, last the next forty-three days until I am home). Then I got to reception and Eugene was there, so I left my case with the porter, my key and the clothes with the receptionist, picked up my breakfast and headed out.
We had a dream run to the airport and arrived well before 0630. I checked in within five minutes and took my leave of Eugene until he meets me at the station Monday morning. I went through security and set off the alarms, but was okayed after a screening with a wand and a pat-down. I went off and found the departure lounge (actually a departure lounge for a bus – presumably, as I found out later, the plane was far away from the terminal). I waited upstairs in the more comfortable area, had some of my breakfast and purchased a drink, and finally went down at 0745, just before the due time for boarding. Here I met the Phillips family from Oregon, and we chatted. Then after quite a time, we found the plane was delayed due to fog in Xi’an and we weren’t going anywhere. So we had a good and long chat, covering how to survive when lost in foreign places. Then I heard Australian accents and found an Australian family sitting down on the floor (also waiting for the Xi’an flight). The husband had worked as a chef during the Olympics and the family had now come over to see some of China before he returned home. We got served a box breakfast because of the delay, but some of the items belonged to the “It’s Inedible” TV special show.
Eventually we boarded the bus for the flight, at about 1010. We got to the plane by 1020 and, by the time another busload arrived, we finally took off at about 1040. We had a sometimes rough flight, but arrived safely in Xi’an at about 1215. Here I was straight out, because I had no checked luggage. I saw my name, pointed to it and me, and then meet Lulu at the exit. We went out to the car, but then had to find it (which took a few minutes). We went straight out to the Terra Cotta Warriors, because I had also had another breakfast on the plane and wasn’t hungry.
There I was able to look at the Pits (the warriors remain in the approximate area in which they were found, and excavation goes on) which are now inside buildings – protecting them and allowing controlled access. There were crowds there, but nowhere near as many as Beijing.
After I saw the excavation sites and a few other displays (including bronze chariots and Chinese playing soccer in a time BC, we headed off to the ancient village which was discovered during the survey for a power station. This is also now in a building and has an art store associated with it – where farmers, who learned from artists who worked on the farms during the Cultural Revolution, now display and sell their work. It was very different from traditional Chinese art.
Then I was driven to the hotel – which doesn’t have Internet access (although the laptop is picking up a WiFi signal here, but I think it’s too hard for the staff) and, after settling in, I went for a walk. Just as I left the hotel I was approached by a man who asked me where I was from (Australia) and he then told me I should be the “Australian Confucius”.
The hotel is in a park, which becomes a square. This has green areas, vending and entertainment areas, shops and fountains. I got some stuff for tea, found an ATM (I need some Chinese currency, but it was out of order) and then found out there was a fountain display (to music) at 2100. I waited around and chatted for a few minutes to a couple of Australians who were going to get something to eat before seeing the display. Then I got approached by a little girl who tried out her English on me – but this backfired on her, because she told me her parents were teachers, so I popped up and chatted with them until the display started. When they left, I gave them the photo site address so they could see themselves and what the display looked like to me.
The music was martial, traditional Chinese and then classical. The fountain spurts were in time and sympathy with the music, but the still shots don’t really convey the effect. I filmed the last piece, a waltz, as a short movie.
Then it was back to the hotel, process the photos, write this blog (while batteries were charging) and then to bed. No Internet posting tonight!