Ok..the toughest part of the trip is over!! The flight wasn't as bad as I thought...being in business class made the flight much more comfortable (despite all the turbulence we had). I'm in Beijing for a night and then I fly to Phnom Penh tomorrow. Arriving in Beijing was interesting...because of the H1N1 flu, we couldn't deplane until everyone had their temperature checked. My coworker knew of someone who had been quarantined for a week because someone on his flight had a fever. I saw them take away 3 people, but they didn't do anything to the rest of us...so maybe they've loosened their restrictions?!??!
They checked me for a fever as well at the hotel. The thing actually looked like a camera and I thought they wanted to take pictures of their guests (kinda like when you go to the carribean and just get off the plane)...so I was like, "oh no, I look terrible!" (and who wouldn't after 18 hours of flying! :) ). They had to explain to me it was for the H1N1...hahaha...
The hotel is really nice. I used my Marriott points to stay in the Courtyard Beijing Northeast. I got upgraded to the executive suite and I feel like I'm in a 5 star hotel and this is just a Courtyard!! There is no way a Courtyard would look this nice in the US. The shower has the sprays from the top and sides...nice glass doors, and see-through glass from the bathroom to the bedroom. The room is decorated beautifully...I wished I had taken some pictures before I put my stuff all over the place. I'll be staying in a different Courtyard when I get back to Beijing in 6 weeks...so if it's just as nice...I'll take some pics.
My grandmother, uncle and his family arrived in Phnom Penh without any problems yesterday. When I get to Cambodia, I'm suppose to bribe the customs agent with $20 (tucked into my passport) so he won't give me any problems (which was what my uncle did). Since my passport says I was born in Cambodia, my parents are worried they might give me a hard time...and it seems everyone who goes there knows that they have to give a bribe! What would've happened if my parents weren't around to tell me this?! Let's hope this is what I am suppose to do and I don't get detained for trying to bribe an agent! :)
