Ever wondered what kareoke would be like on a roller coaster? Take a trip with China Eastern Airlines and find out. Upon take off you will suddenly feel a regretful sinking sensation, followed by utter relief when the screaching metal on metal sound comming from the wings is apparently a regular noise for wings to make - according to the locals that frequently catch it. Once the pilot has majecticaly weaved his way terrifyingly through the clouds...and you have pulled your fingernails out of the armrest - take a listen to the passengers sing kareoke on the stewardesses announcement phone. It is quite an ingenious idea. Why not jeapordise the passengers safety by cluttering the only direct line from the cockpit to airline stuff by asking perfect strangers to sing for the entire aircraft. It was rousing stuff. And before you ask - yes it did happen.
But I make a friend on the plane too so that was lucky. We must have been the only two english speaking people on it.
There is a secret weapon however. And it is smiling and being polite. It works every time. I always hear from people - mainly the yanks - bagging out the Chinese for not being more friendly. But quite frankly if you're not going to be friendly in return, why should they? I expect some people need there hands held, and those people come down very hard on their culture. As far as I can tell they're fine as long as you are. And yes...sometimes they look disinterested, but maybe if people learnt chinese, they would look a hell of a lot more interested in the rubbish people are talking at them.
