NINE MILLION BICYCLES - starting from scratch in Beijing
  • Blog
  • About
  • Blog
  • About

30 December 2015: Beijing touch-down

14/1/2016

8 Comments

 
Saying goodbye to friends in Brussels was hard.
13 amazing years of friendships, fun and happiness. And then of course saying goodbye to the family in Italy and Denmark. Goodbye for 4 1/2 years. Arrivederci - we're off to the other side of the world. For 4 years.
The container made it to the port of Antwerp from where it would start its voyage to Beijing...and we made it to the airport. We could finally relax once we had checked in our 15 suitcases, paid for excess baggage baggage and, most importantly, finished the paperwork for our cat Pumba who was coming with us.
We arrived in Beijing at 5 am. As we got off the plane we could feel it and smell it immediately. The air quality was bad. Really bad that day. Welcome.
(We've been very lucky since then and I'll write about the air quality issue soon!)

We were reunited with Pumba at the airport. She was shaken and very thirsty but otherwise ok.
After 1 hour in a small, humid office, signing another million papers for her, she got the green light by a vet provided that she'd be in quarantine for one month at our hotel apartment.
The Oakwood Residence (our home for the first couple of months) turned out to be wonderful and we felt welcome from the very first day.
With some of the stress, tiredness and emotions over, we finally had time to look at each other and say "What the h*ll are we doing here?" :-)
Picture
Zaventem airport, Brussels
Photo
Beijing newcomers always exaggerate :-)
Photo
Our own private bus to the Hotel
Photo
Oakwood Residence
Photo
Very first walk - in the sunshine
8 Comments
Nathalie Welschbillig
15/1/2016 03:31:22

Fantastique Lise ! I admire you. Nathalie

Reply
Lise
15/1/2016 06:37:58

Aw thank you Nathalie :-)

Reply
Gorm
15/1/2016 03:49:25

Bliver spændende at følge! Jeg vil fx gerne høre om jeres oplevelser af "turist-kina" vs. "hverdags-kina". Herunder hvordan de mange forskellige typer af "almindelige kinesere" i Beijing lever, spiser, opfører sig. Skriv, skriv, skriv...

Reply
Lise
15/1/2016 06:37:29

Mange mange tak Gorm!! Det lover jeg! Kh Lise

Reply
Christina
16/1/2016 03:20:03

hi lise!
just stumbled over you blog on foreigners in Beijing. I will for sure follow your writing very closely as we, that is my husband and our 4yo daughter will move to Beijing in August. ;) the best of luck for your apartment search! christina

Reply
Lise
16/1/2016 14:48:14

Thanks Christina,
So happy you find it useful!
All the best,
Lise

Reply
Far
20/1/2016 17:14:28

Hej Lise,
God måde at følge Jer på.
KH Mor og Far

Reply
Lise
23/1/2016 18:14:46

Dejligt mor og far! Nu er der et nyt opslag om indkøb herude. Knus Lise

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Categories

    All
    Chinese Culture
    Emotions
    Everyday Life
    Housing
    Kids' School
    Language
    Places
    Shopping
    Travelling In China

    Archives

    August 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.