Stewardesses distribute China Daily, the national English language newspaper. The headline today: "Leakage of State secrets to be plugged" with sidebar detailing espionage cases and subsequent executions since 2000. Another full page story: "Dramatic increase in cosmetic surgery among young women, especially double-eyelid surgery to change single lid eye to a more Western look." Female job applicants feel that pretty girls have better job prospects [Oh, really?]. The cost is 3,000 - 5,000 yuan per procedure (about 6.8 yuan to $1 U.S.).
Chinese Eastern airplane: A few good ideas here -- an airplane bathroom that is brightly lit with a full wall of mirror. After 14 hours aboard, you can really see what's happened to you. The seats on the plane, even in coach, are Recaro seats (the kind used in German sports cars). On the back panel of each seat is a real cup holder like you have in your car, as well as a live electrical outlet to plug in your computer. However, no overhead air vents.
4:45 p.m. We're on to Chinese karaoke on the TV monitors, and what a hit that is. Karaoke and waltzing are both extremely popular in China. 10 hrs. 13 minutes flying time left.
This is an intersting flight -- no in-flight announcements. No discussion of oxygen masks. No instructions to put on your seat belt or turn off electronics. The pilot never comes on the intercom during flight. Although it is broad daylight over the Pacific, all the window shades are pulled down and the main cabin looks like the bottom of Carlsbad Caverns. The little Chinese girl across the aisle wants to know, "Is it dark night?" My seat mate (the one with the gas mask) sleeps sitting straight up with his forehead against the seat in front of him.
6:45 8 hours 45 minutes to go. The International Date Line now shows up on the left side of the video monitor. Hitherto pristine airplane bathrooms are starting to show the effect of 200+ passengers. The little Chinese girl has figured out that it is not really night; she realizes she doesn't need to go to bed. She is drinking ice water and shouting about how spicy it is and how it will make you fat. Later: "Mommy, are we at China?" Ditto that.
Everyone has his laptop out and his earphones on. Chinese passengers are watching their own Chinese films on the laptops. The main monitor has gone on to Journey to the Center of the Earth with Chinese subtitles.
8:15 p.m. The stewardess brings small round buns filled with meat, heated and wrapped in cellophane. It's too dark in the cabin to determine the exact contents.
1:15 a.m. That's AM. Stewardess arrives with beef/rice or seafood noodles, both accompanied by cold macaroni salad that could have come from the Ladies Aid Society kitchen at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Moorehead, MN. Chinese passengers won't touch it.
The most intersting part of this flight is yet to come.
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