Eric's Beijing Diary

Passport pants. I lost my passport coming back from Tokyo. I had it out when checked in my luggage at the NWA counter. Airline security people were meticulously checking all passports AND visas. I had it out again when I went through immigration to leave the country. And I had it out the last time on the plane to fill in the documents for entry into China. When I got to Beijing, and lined up to leave the plane, it was gone. At first I thought it had been stolen, because it wasn't under my seat. But I finally found it under the seat across the aisle. Must have slipped out of my pocket. Perhaps I did not put it back in well enough, because I was sitting down at the time. The whole trauma didn't last long, but it gave me a scare. So I went to my tailor when I got back and had him make a couple pairs of pants for me with side pockets on the legs. You really do need to carry your passport on your person.

A passport is a constant companion when you live outside the United States. When I'm in Beijing, it's not that big a deal. I throw it in a drawer and forget about it. But in China, it really is not possible to travel without it. You need a passport to check into a hotel. If you take the soft sleeper, they will ask for it. You could get around that by taking the hard seats, I think. I have never been asked for my passport when I had a hard seat ticket. But who wants to do that? Last summer when I was in Kashgar, there was a guy who took a trip to the mountains and lost his passport. He had to get a special travel document from the PSB (Public Security Bureau) and go to Beijing. It's not the end of your life or anything, but it could be a powerful distraction. Again, passport and money should be carried on your person.

In other news, the elevator lady washed my backpack. That old thing cleans up pretty good.