Tom Hanks in The Terminal was inspirational in how to survive airport hell.

And so that’s who I was thinking of yesterday, on Thanksgiving, when waiting from morning through evening at Terminal 3 in Beijing.

I was awaiting news whether or not my delayed flight to Bangkok for a conference would cancel – which eventually it did as a result of the airport protests in that country.

The movie, The Terminal, is a story of a man, Viktor Navorski (Hanks), trapped in a terminal at JFK International Airport after being denied entry into the United States. He can’t go back home due to a revolution in his country.

Mr. Navorski makes a decent life for himself at his terminal. The airport features stores like Brookstone and the Discovery Channel, where Mr. Navorski also seeks employment. He kindles a romance with flight attendant Amelia Warren (Catherine Zeta-Jones). And he learns English by immersion and also using the New York City tour guide.

Mr. Navorski was a model airport refugee, and in my book, much preferred to the likes of people who lie on airport benches, roll their eyes at staff, and generally look pissed off when their time is a-wasting in transitory purgatory.

And so, I set out to enjoy the fruits of Terminal 3’s labor, and have some tips for enjoying delays in China’s international airports as a result.

• Make a trip to Burger King. As I understand it, Terminal 3 hosts the first Burger King in China. A flame-broiled burger definitely is king compared to the Big Mac pawns of the McDonald’s world, but only recently have people begun to understand that in China, thanks to Terminal 3. There’s no crazy add-ons either here. You don’t get some funky hot sauce added to a quarter pounder, making it a “Brazilian Burger,” as was once the case at McDonald’s in Beijing. No, this is the real Whopper deal. There are other burger variations, but all pure Americana. A double cheeseburger with mushrooms. A bacon burger with barbecue sauce. Believe me, when you’re hungry, delayed, and feasting on processed cattle, there are few steps closer to paradise.
• Eat other junk food. Hey, you’re supposedly stressed, so go for it. Foreign chocolate stores abound. I had my eyes on a Mars bar, but personally, didn’t want to waste the Whopper aftertaste.
• Go get some DVDs. They’ll have them at the book/magazine store. No, you won’t be getting the wonderful 10 RMB pirated stuff here. But you’ll also never be happier to pay 80 RMB for any foreign flick around. You’re choice will be limited to about 10 DVDs, ranging from Mr. Bean’s Holiday to the Fantastic Four. The great thing is, these are DVDs you’ve never been interested in anyway – until now. So you don’t have to worry about watching something again. Anything you get, by the way, will be fantastic compared to watching the minute hand go by.
• Don’t fight. You’re bored, so it’s tempting to pick a fight for the hell of it. Avoid this because your mood will eventually sink into self-disgust.
• Pee often. You’ll be surprised how happy a little tinkle will make you feel. And considering the restroom is the ultimate Achilles’ heel of almost every establishment in China for its omnipresent stench, you’ll enjoy the fresh airport air upon leaving.
• Surf the net. Admittedly, this was difficult to do as the access was intermittent for some reason. But it also became sort of a game. Does the Internet work in the coffee shop? No, but how about on the coffee shop table as opposed to my lap? Yes, for a few minutes. Hmm, how about a half-a-kilometer away? And so on. I’d suggest, meanwhile, signing up for some kind of Internet access on the go. I remembed I had signed up for Boingo back in the U.S., and the Beijing Airport gave me the option to surf with that account.
• For dinner, find seek out cuisine of the country you should be in by now. This suggestion isn’t for the glass-half-empty crowd. I’m assuming you’re a Mr. Navorski kind of guy by now. So, in fact, I had Thanksgiving dinner at Phrik Thai. The ambience was washed out somewhat from the airport’s white lights, but surprisingly, not at all by the fact I wasn’t in Bangkok. I ordered Pad Thai, some cuttlefish with fish sauce, Tom Yum soup and pineapple fried rice. Surrounded by Thai aromas and tastes, I almost felt like I was actually in that warmer, southern destination. Although I was supposed to be having an open-air Thanksgiving Dinner on the 65th floor of the Lebua Hotel overlooking Bangkok, I was happy and thankful I had a very big roof over my head and a tasty meal.

This advice doesn’t necessarily apply to those with long layovers in connecting international cities. In that case, I’d be the first to suggest getting out of the airport and going sightseeing for a half-day. In fact, I’ve done this twice in London and once in Toyko, and enjoyed myself thoroughly. This is the only way I’ve gotten to know these cities first-hand, as I’ve never made them my travel destination. I certainly like them well enough though now, and would consider a visit in the future after these wonderful appetizers of visits.

Since I live in Beijing, though, I stayed put at the airport this time. I didn’t end up making new friends, reading, or making a life for myself at the airport as Mr. Navorski did. But I did find that airports are in fact small cities, with everything you need to survive, and even some things to enjoy life perfectly well on Thanksgiving.

    Channel: Local Wisdom     |