OFF TO TAIWAN

 30th Nov - 2nd Dec 2023

The flight departing 9.30pm on 30th November from London Heathrow T4 was with China Southern Airlines. After the scrum and hassle in grotty, vastly expensive Heathrow T4, the flight was comparatively pleasant. 

I had my small corkscrew confiscated at the baggage security check! I carried this 'hideously dangerous weapon' with me on all the flights I took in July and August without any problem (from Southampton, Porto and Krakow). Why should Heathrow object? I can't think how this item could in any way pose a threat. Can you imagine some lunatic threatening to hijack the aircraft by announcing "Take me to Cuba. I have a corkscrew and I'm not afraid to use it!". The on-board mealtime plastic (metal in First Class) knives and forks would be more lethal. I mentioned, politely, to the lady security manager that this 'confiscation' was ridiculous and not universal to other airports. She just said 'I'm sorry but that is the rule here". She did have the grace to admit that she couldn't explain the logic but had to stick (mindlessly) to the 'rules'. I suspect the security staff at Heathrow (Thiefrow) benefit greatly from the distribution of confiscated corkscrews (and other items) at Christmas. This OTT 'security' paranoia is overdue reform. PS. A tip: You can buy decent plastic corkscrews which do not show up on the 'security' x-ray scanners.     

The aircraft was a shiny new Boeing 787 (Dreamliner). I had an aisle seat in 'prole' class but it was at the very rear conveniently next to the loos and the drink supply and there was a vacant seat next to me so plenty of room for the empties. The Chinese cabin crew were delightful, smart, efficient and eager to please. Interestingly, although all the ludicrous 'covid' rules, restrictions and lunacy are long gone (thankfully!) all the cabin crew were wearing face masks. None of the passengers, that I saw, were wearing them. It was a 13 hour flight to a 'stop-over' in Guangzhou, China (about 150 miles NW of Hong Kong) and we were served surprisingly decent meals and unlimited drinks including some very pleasant red wine. As such I managed a bit of kip.

We landed at Guangzhou at 6.30pm (time zone 8hrs ahead of UK) and I had 15 hours to kill before the ongoing flight, with China Southern again, to Taipei the next morning at 11.20am. Phew! After a Gestapo-like baggage search by very officious Chinese 'security' staff (everything but a strip-search) I paid the equivalent of £28 to use the China Southern VIP lounge and it was money well spent with comfy reclining armchairs, desks and limitless food and drink. I made sure I got my money's worth!

Left: The lounge at Guangzhou. All mod cons, but there were two problems. They had good WiFi but, as I discovered, China has banned any connection with Google and associated facilities. This was, for me, a major problem as I have a 'Gmail' address and use other Google bits and pieces (including this blog!). So no access to my e-mails or WhatsApp etc. I was told by a fellow sufferer that I could use a 'VPR' address, but I know these can be costly and sometimes don't even work. I was confident that this problem would not occur in Taiwan so I would put up with being out of electronic contact until then. It is surprising, worrying indeed, how I have become so dependent on a working internet connection and fret when it disappears. This was never an issue 25 years ago. I have become a 'netaholic'! The second problem was that they closed the lounge at midnight and I was just getting cosy. We (there weren't many of us) were kicked out and had to fend for ourselves in the 'transit' area. I am getting used to this (vis. my overnight at Faro airport in July). I managed to survive the night camping out on an armchair near a departure gate. There were a few other similar 'campers' in an otherwise deserted terminal. In fact I must credit Guangzhou airport as being sparkly clean and civilised (apart from the Google issue). There was no hassle, helpful staff, a good information desk and it boasts some very smart shops and cafés much cheaper than Heathrow. I even managed to get a decent cup of coffee and comfortable seat in a café at 4.30am (couldn't get to sleep in my armchair).

The flight to Taipei (Chinese Southern again, Airbus 330) left on time at 11.20am. One extraordinary feature of this airport was the numbering of their departure gates. They ranged from A20 to A170 on various levels up/down escalators in no particular order or location. Why? I couldn't begin to ask. Very early, we were directed to gate A169. I, and a few others, sat there from about 9.00am. It was by chance that I noticed, on the screen and with no verbal announcement at about 10.00am, that the gate was inexplicably changed to A60, about half a mile away! Several of us passengers passed the message around. I suspect that there must have been a few who were badly caught out.

It was a swift 1.5 hour flight to Taipei (Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport) at the northern end of Taiwan and again, excellent cabin service with a good lunch meal. All credit to Chinese Southern (and it was cheaper than any other including free cabin baggage....unlike some rip-off airlines nowadays). The Metro journey from the airport,  some distance to the west of Taipei was cheap (£3) and took 40 minutes (there is a quicker 'express' service which I wasn't aware of at the time). So, I am now in Taipei and have just checked into a 'cheapo' hotel on Nanjing West Road, Datong District on the west side of the city. Standby for my initial impressions of this city.......