I am now sitting in my room at Wuhan University’s hostel for foreign students/guests, situated in the campus. It is pretty much like a 3 star hotel, except that the ensuite bathroom isn’t in a very ideal condition. Otherwise, it has all the works – air conditioning, cable TV, fridge, water heater, kettle, disposable slippers, etc.

It’s been a long day, starting with an early morning flight from Singapore to Guangzhou. There, I cleared immigration and customs rather quickly. I was stopped for questioning by a China immigration official. Having been in and out of China several times in the past, this is the first time I’ve been stopped.

The conversation went something like this:

Official: Where are you from?

Me: Singapore

Official: What are you doing in China?

Me: I’m going to Wuhan University

Official: How many of you are there?

Me: It’s just me alone

Official: 3 others just came earlier and said that they are going to Wuhan University too

Me: Maybe they are from another university?

Official: Which university are you from?

Me: NUS

Official: How many from your school are going to Wuhan?

Me: About 6, but I’m not sure

*Official waves me on and I get my ass out quickly*

I still don’t understand what’s the point of the questioning, when I do have a valid visa.

The Guangzhou airport hasn’t changed much since I visited it last spring, except that now there is a spanking new Novotel hotel beside the airport. It’s supposed to be a transit hotel, but at the price of about S$120 a night (after discount), it certainly isn’t a good idea for the 8 hour layover I will be having when I return next month.

I had lunch at the King Long restaurant operated by the Baiyun Airport management. I had a set meal of Roast Goose with watermelon juice. It was pretty good (I think it’s much better than the overrated food in Singapore), except for the usual Singaporean complaint – too oily. The meal set me back by 60 RMB or about S$12, which is pretty costly considering an average bowl of noodles here in Wuhan costs RMB 2.50.

Apart from the expensive food, the prices for snacks, souvenirs and other products are actually pretty reasonable considering how much other airports in China (i.e. Pudong) marks up prices by. A bottle of distilled water costs just 3 RMB.

And oh, it’s the season for my favourite fruit – LYCHEES! The airport had lots of stands selling different species of lychees, and some even come in a gift box. I’m gonna buy some back if they are still in season when I return. I’ll also get some of those weird vacuum-packed foodstuff and also I saw a keychain that I want to get as a souvenir for my mom.

After a 3 hour layover at Guangzhou, it was onward to Wuhan on a Hainan Airlines flight. I was pretty impressed by the standards of this airline. It is so much better than China Southern, yet cheaper. The aircraft is quite new, and the service crew were very professional and committed to safety (a rarity in China). Safety reminders were given more than a dozen times throughout the flight. Quite naggy, but a must especially when there are lots of Chinese people who don’t seem to appreciate the importance of safety precautions on an aircraft.

I was met at the airport by student volunteers from Wuhan University, who arranged for transfer to this hotel that I will stay for the duration of the trip. After a quick shower, I was rushed out to have dinner with a number of other participants together with 2 student volunteers. We had a 9 course dinner at a restaurant on campus and each paid 17 RMB (~S$3.50). The dinner was quite good and to Singaporean tastes, however, I would expect that a campus dinner should cost less, considering I had a meal in a Shanghai hotel’s restaurant for just 38 RMB for 4 persons.

There are about 30 participants for this program, and one of them impresses me – he’s a 63 year old Canadian man who is taking his Masters in a Canadian university for fun. Apparently he runs a business with dozens of employees. Yet at that age and with his status, he’s still passionate about learning and is currently studying Chinese Philosophy.

That’s all for now, I’ve got a few photographs but I’ll put them up another day. Time for bed.

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