intuition

Actually buying the tickets - and the white stuff


With the flight plan all worked out, I decided to float the idea at home, with my local Chinese expert.

- You know, I missed the first flight with that new airplane?
- Yeah I know. Too bad for you.
- So.. I was thinking, maybe I should try to fly it on the first day to Shanghai instead.
- Really?! But you just got back from Japan, and we are going to China anyway in December.
- Yeah, but it is just for the weekend...

I'm not really sure if I actually said that last sentence or it my brain managed to take control of my mouth before disaster struck.

It doesn't really matter though, because I was guilty as charged and a flash of reality swept over me. It suddenly felt difficult to rationalize the spend just to fly on a first-flight that wasn't the actual first. Just the first longhaul, and there wasn't even a promise from the airline that the schedule would stick or that they would do any special event on the inaugural flight.

Well, it was either that flash of reality or the evil eye I got from the local Chinese expert that made me decide it was time to let go.

And the hardest part wasn't even letting go of the actual flight, but letting all the hard work of putting the itinerary together go to waste.


They days passed, and I didn't feel too bad after all. Me and A350 just wasn't meant to be. Live and let live. There will be other flights.

Then, suddenly.

- Hey, what day were you flying to Shanghai again?
- eh, well, I never bought the ticket, I thought you said...
- What?! I have bought tonnes of stuff on Taobao and they have already sent it to your hotel. Now I need you to go to Shanghai and pick it up!

With a dive most athletes would have envied me, I was back at the computer booking flights like there was no tomorrow.


I opted for the saner schedule, staying in Shanghai 3 days before returning.
Saner as in "if there is a last minute equipment change, it will affect the return flight as well, so a same-day-return seems risky", maximising my chances of getting A350 on at least one of the 2 segments. Also, the layover gave me a chance to meet some friends in Shanghai, a couple with a 2 year old.

Now, to fully understand the story, we need a small detour.
Swedish made milk powder apparently is 'the thing' in China. And when I say 'the thing', I'm talking desire all the way up there, together with BMWs, LV bags and Rolexes.

Hardcore stuff, really. I've seen stories of expat Chinese people raiding the local food stores 'til the point of milk powder going extinct. Swedish babies on telly crying because all their food getting shipped to the east. Swedish fathers crying, because mothers need to breast feed another year and "sorry, I'm so sore, perhaps we can just read before going to sleep". You get the picture. It's huge.


In short, there is a grey market for the white powder. Naturally, I was asked if I couldn't bring some.

-Sure, I replied, I'm glad to be of service, thinking that it surely wasn't just an insane trip anymore but now with a grander purpose. Helping the babies, what could be nobler.
- As much as you can carry, please! We really need it, Xiao Huangdi isn't too keen on anything else.


Now, milk-powder is pretty white and pretty powdery. You know, similar to stuff that might attract unwanted attention in the customs. You do watch TV show "Border patrol Australia", don't you? Geez, those suckers getting caught all the time. They never pay any attention to the rules, do they now?

Come to think of it, those Australian border guards are still pretty decent. I mean, you never really see any beating of the suspects on telly. No rats in the holding cells. No electricity used to loosen your tongue. You even get an interpreter to help when you stuttering explains that your bag of dried meat really isn't food but just snacks, and your mother packed it and sorry I am just a poor student who didn't know written rules needed to be followed.


But you've never seen any episodes of "Border patrol China", did you now? I'm pretty sure that's because there wouldn't be anything left to air after they've cut away all of the above.
Scene 1: Foreigner entering customs. Customs inspector opens bag.
Scene 2: Roll the credits.

The extended version of the show might also contain a perky banner "White ghost was enrolled in the 10-year correction program".


Hm, perhaps I should research this milk powder a bit further. I decided to consult the local Chinese expert again.

- Are you sure it is legal?, I ask while my largest suitcase is getting jam-packed with the white stuff.
- Of course, it is just milk. We have milk in China too. How could that be illegal to import?
- Well, many countries have restrictions on importing food, you know. Disease and such. I don't want to get into trouble.
- You'll be fine.
- But can you at least check the import regulations for me?
- You'll be fine.
- So it won't be like that time you told me "Don't bother registering with the police even though it says so on the visa" and then later the police raided the neighbourhood looking for foreigners who didn't register?, I asked in my most polite and least cynical voice.

The conversation grounded to a halt and if I was going to be so un-Chinese in my thinking, I might as well read those import regulations by myself.

I decided to be Chinese on this matter, but stood firm in my position that we must keep the milk powder sealed in their original boxes. That way, I argued, authorities can at least read table of contents before letting me rot in jail. A new roll of eyes, but at at least I won that one.



As with life in general, one needs to keep focused on the important things though. I get to go to Shanghai on the inaugural A350 flight, and can't let a minor worry about Chinese prison system cloud my sky.





Up next - Bringing a large suitcase with white stuff along on a 10 segment, three separate tickets journey. And possibly some minor details about the inaugural A350 Finnair flight to Shanghai.