Great last day in Pingguo and much later to Nanning than expected

Well at least I had no reason to get up early as my train wasn't till 6pm. But a combination of factors happened. Nong had been in her hometown and was coming back early afternoon and wanted to meet up and I thought "why not?". But in the end she had issues getting someone to look after her kids so by the time we met up I had pretty much giving up any chance of getting my train. But this is Pingguo...I'll be able to sort something out. Anyway we met up for a bit of a nosh, then she had to go to sort out her kids so I pinged A Wu and ended up eating and drinking with him for a bit until I realised I really needed to sort out getting to Nanning within the next couple of hours.

So it was off to Li Kun's again, but after a couple of cups of tea he'd found someone willing to pick me up at 3.30am for only 260 kuai. And I actually spoke to the driver to confirm which entrance. Well that would be cheaper and more convenient than a hotel in Nanning, but I still had to negotiate the next four hours. I left Li Kun and mates to hugs at some time gone midnight as I knew they had lives in the morning, and I only had a flight at 8.20am.

Try as I might I couldn't get any kip, more for fear of missing the cab than anything else. I'd already packed and left 70% of my clothes so finally when 3.20am rolled round I gave the bloke a call and thankfully he answered, saying he'd be 15 minutes. To be fair Li Kun had said he'd take me there if it screwed up but I didn't want to be doing that especially as he has to work at 8am.

The driver turned up at 3.40, and chastised me for leaving so early for an 8.20 flight. I tried to argue, then thought better of it and and a swig of something I'd poured a bit earlier. He drove calmly, almost too calmly for a local, but we made it to the motorway for a good hour until he turned off at a service station. It was an electric car so I worried that he might need to charge for half an hour, but no, something much more Chinese, he just wanted a rest, and within a minute he was snoring deeply as I was chatting to Andge and Awl on zoom.

My driver snoring deeply

So much for having a go at me for leaving so early, but he woke up after 15 minutes and indeed half an hour later to do the same thing. Well at least we got there safely at 5.30 and I gave him 300 kuai which he seemed really appreciative of. I just hope he doesn't end up driving into a ditch.

Despite it being an international trip, this was considered quite rightly a domestic journey to Beijing so the bloody desks weren't even open yet. But thankfully the landside lounge I've been using for over 10 years let me in with my hold luggage, and half an hour later I was able to check in with no worries. Without aid, I'd managed to make it 22.5kg and they didn't seem to care about my hand luggage which could have been so much heavier. So back to the lounge I used their own security only to be stopped for my clippers. I bloody don't know why I didn't put them in the hold luggage like I did on the way over but yeah they had a pair of scissors that were a bit too long in the blade. Hey-ho, I didn't argue, and was met with a smile, which doesn't normally happen from Chinese air security.

The lounge was the one I'd used before so I got some breakfast and although could have justified a drink as it wasn't even midnight in the UK didn't. But I did appropriate some full-sugar lemonade and poured one should it be a scary flight. As it was, it was quite turbulent for the first half but I was so tired I didn't care. I may have had some of the self-poured drink in the second half as I was worried about it being confiscated while transferring in Beijing.

Much better than nothing

But despite only having just over 2 hours to transfer, immigration was a quick piece of piss. It seemed like the bloke took one look at all the Chinese stamps in my passport and had no reason to question further...and why would you? I was leaving the country. By now it was well gone 12pm so I made beeline to the PayLounge I'd been to before and grabbed a beer, simply as I wanted a chance to sleep on the next flight (I don't know how I hadn't on the way over as I'd been up now for 24 hours). I asked about wine and said last time it was available, but the chef pointed me to a sign at the reception saying I could get a bottle for USD20. Sod that (unless I had no other option). I checked Amex and it appeared there was a China Southern lounge available to Platinum holders, so I thought I'd better check it out and justify the yearly expense, so left PayLounge saying I wanted to buy something and might come back in a bit.

Well I did by some Esse for the lads, it's a bit of a cliché now but appreciated after a couple of drinks. And after a few minutes I did find the China Southern lounge after a few false starts (locked doors but no pointers to where to go). But after a couple of minutes of then scanning and re-scanning my card it was cool and a much better experience than the PayLounge. Although having said that they could have had some tonic to accompany the gin.

Gin and soda water and Esse...sorted

As I had a good hour to spend I took full advantage and spoke to Awl who for some reason was up at 5am buy hey...we've all been there. I was knackered and now a little pissed, but had the time to reflect on the last three weeks, and je ne regrette rien, as Venky would say. It's been quite full-on, but I wouldn't want anything less.

I was of course one the last to board the flight, after having bought two bottles of sugar-free orangeade for my carry-ons, and had to leave my big carry-on suitcase halfway up the plane before getting my back row (but aisle seat), something I couldn't care less about at the time.