Few weeks before we depart, I asked a friend who went there in January whether we have to apply for visa and was told not necessary. So, like gungho to China we went... Our flight was at 9am and we have to be in KL Sentral 2 hours before if we want to do our check in there. But, we arrived just 5 minutes after and of course was not allowed to check in. Like chicken without head, we rushed to KLIA and arrived there 8am, 1 hour before departure. Since we were already late, the lady at the MAS counter didn't even bother to check our passport. Got our boarding pass and off to the boarding gate. There we met with one Chinese uncle who frequent China on business purpose. Talk a little and not long after that board the plane. 6 hours went by and we reached Beijing.

Prior to touch down, we were given a form to fill and I started wondering when I saw this.. "visa number".. So I asked hubby "Yang, what's this?" He said "Tak applicable to us kot.." So, without hesitation, we left the plane heading towards the arrival hall.

Ok, this is where it all started.. the joke that I was talking about.

When we reached the arrival hall, there was already a long que. Hubby was just behind me. When it was my turn, I went to the immigration counter to validate my passport. Then this happened..

"Visa?"

So, we were sent to a corner waiting to be punished for trying to enter China without visa! How stupid can I be? That moment, I regretted asking a friend. Hubby was trying to cheer me up with a stupid joke. Arrival Hall in Beijing Airport has this beautiful mural of Great Wall of China and hubby said.. "Yang, mai kita amik gambark kat sini.. at least kalau kita kena balik pon, we have this pic already.."

"Awak diam sat boleh dak?.." I was already so angry and feeling so stupid.. The officers were definitely not friendly and rude! I wanted to call my friend who is working in Malaysian Embassy, so I asked one of the officer how to go about and was told NO!

So ok, we had to stand there for 15 minutes before one stupid dongoloik came scolding us.. Just because he can speak a little bit of English doesn't give him the right to call us stupid right? Hubby was so angry that he nearly screw the guy, but I stop him. They were already making arrangements to send us back to KL on the next available flight.. Aarrrgghhh.. This cannot be happening!! We spent 6 damn hours on the flight and now we are going to be sent off?? I so hope NOT! This dongoloik guy then asked for our passport and tickets, for what I do not know and made a photocopy of each..

Then came the rescue... huh!! what a relief.. 1 week before we depart, I contacted my friend in China, the Bahraini Ambassador and he sent his officer together with his driver to fetch us.. Since we were so long in the arrival hall, he came to look for us. Prior to that I managed to call the Ambassador informing him of my stupidity and the reason why we were late. Apparently, his officer couldn't locate me assuming that he was to fetch an Arab lady and even had the calling board written in Arabic. Why la I always have to deal with this mistaken identity thingy..even in a critical situation like this?

Anyway, after much fighting and arguing, we were off the hook and had to pay USD180 to do the visa on arrival and our stay was guaranteed by the Kingdom of Bahrain! Malaysian being endorsed by Bahraini... hehehe... However, we were not the only dungus there, mind me as there were one other couple that went to China without visa.. These people should thank us, I think.. If it's not because of us and our connection, I think they would be sent back as well.. So, altogether, there were four dungus of the day..

After all the hassle, we were sent to Hilton Beijing and was greeted by Karim, the Front Office Manager. I met Karim when he came to help with our hotel opening. Again, the stupid story came up and me & hubby became the laughing stock!

Checked in and was upgraded to higher floor. Went to our room and rest for a while before we went down to meet with Zai, my friend from Malaysian Embassy. Well, actually this is the first time I am meeting her as was introduced to her by SO via IM. Met up with her and the hubby at the lobby and went up to the room after that to lepak for the rest of the day..

2nd Day

Had breakfast in Coffee House. It was so difficult telling them what you want as they do not understand a single thing. I asked for half boiled egg but was given boiled century egg instead!! what is this lar? I cannot imagine how they are going to manage the Olympic in 2008.. Anyways, went out with Zai and hubby to do some shopping. Well, actually not some la.. a lot of shopping!! You'll definitely be crazy once you see all the barang there! We bought 10 pairs of snickers, 1 travelling bag, a lot of table cloth and a lot of other stuff...

Hubby manage a Chinese word "ipai" which means RM100.. so since then he's been bargaining like an expert.. He will gather 3-4 items and ask for the price.. it is a standard thing in any shop that the sales girls will inform you of the price using a calculator.. If it is more than "ipai", hubby will protest.. "No, no "ipai" and I will take".. The sales girls will then scold us crazy but in the end will still accommodate the price we wanted.. Ohya..! for them to call you into their shop, they will be standing at the door and say "come, come.. luke, luke.."(read : luka in malay).. first I thought what is this la luke, luke... Then Zai told me, it was actually "come, come.. look, look.." and if they know you are from Malaysia or Indonesia or Singapore.. it will be.. "come, come.. murah, murah.."

Had lunch with Zai and hubby in a restaurant called "Little Penang" situated just behind Hilton.. Place owned by Malaysian Chinese with all cook from Malaysia.. Mamak to be exact.. Good food, great place..

3rd Day

We went for yet another shopping blast!! Was told by Zai that Erra Fazira also shop in China and had to pay nearly RM3,000 for excess baggage!! Gila!!! Luckily ours was not that much... Kalau tak, balik KL makan pasir beb!! We bought pearl necklace and some other stuff..

Had dinner with Ambassador Karim (Bahraini Ambassador) in his residence.. He sent his driver to fetch us at the hotel and it was quite a long drive to his place.. Met his wife, Madam Fatima for the first time and she definitely is a stunning lady.. We left the house at about 10pm and the driver sent us back to Hilton.. We bumped into a group of people in the lift and this conversation started..

"You Bahraini..?" one of the man asked pointing at me..

"No.. why you say that.." ahh.. another mistaken identity incident

"I saw you in and out of the Embassy's car.."

"Oh.. the Ambassador is my personal friend..I'm from Malaysia"

"Aahh.. we're good friend then.." and started hugging hubby

"Yeah, good friend.. good friend.. Where are you from..?" hubby

"Israel..!"

"Ahh.. very good friend indeed.." hubby with his shocking face..

And apparently our new friend was Israeli Ambassador based in China and their Embassy is just next to ours and is only separated by a wall.. We are indeed good friends..!

4th Day

We signed up for a city tour and went to Tiananmen Square, Summer Palace and Forbidden City.. We signed up for group tour but ended up having a private tour.. what a luck!! Went to silk and pearl factory (part of the trip).. After the tour we took cab (with the help of the guide, she wrote zoo in chinese..) to Beijing Zoo..

Ok, the zoo is definately an old zoo and it smells ok! Since I want to see the panda bear, we paid whatever fee to go inside.. We asked around for the panda garden and none of them understood!! Bukan panda dari negara diaorang ke?? Anyway, hubby took out his ticket and show it to one of the staff and finally, we get to see the panda! Went back to hotel after that and had dinner in Little Penang (on our own..) and we walked back to the hotel..

5th Day

Great Wall of China! Finally I get to see one of the 7 wonders of the world. It was huge and the steps are uneven.. I cannot imagine how they did this amazing thing.. Tak boleh imagine langsung! It was really amazing.. We walked 800m to the top and bought a souvenir to say that we've been to the Great Wall of China on 14 June 2005..

Ok, here's some creepy story about this trip.. Before Great Wall, we stop at this place called Ming Tomb.. It is a place where one of the great Chinese Emperor & Empress (Emperor Dan..?? or something la..) was buried together with 7 of his beloved concubine.. It's like a showroom with 1 entrance and 1 exit.. The guide took the tickets and we went in..

Ok, the moment you go in, you'll be greeted by this big, gigantic statue of Emperor Dan (or whatever his name was..) and of course me and hubby was shocked! It was in yellow gold and so very big that me and hubby started laughing.. You have to finish the round to reach the exit (something like IKEA la..) and while doing our round, we took some pictures and still giggling.. ok, when we reached the exit, our camera got stuck!! (masa tu takdak digital camera lagi..) Hubby push open the cover and took a picture of a tree, not just any tree, a 6500 years old tree.. You know what.. What ever pix that we took inside, tak jadik!! The one right before and the tree was ok.. the one inside, gone!! The guide said we were cursed!! by who?? by the Emperor!!! What!!!! but enough said, all the nice pix including the BIG statue.. gone!!

Went to this tea place and jade shop as part of the trip and back to hotel at about 5.00pm. We slept early that night.. we were so dead tired and lenguh the whole body due to the "exercise" at Great Wall.. Lagipon, our flight back to Malaysia the next day is at 9.00am... Buatnye tak bangun, mampus kena denda lagi!!

I woke up tekejut! Thought that we are going to miss our flight dah sebab terang benderang.. sekali tengok, it was only 5.00am!! I forgot that daytime are longer in China..

Ambassador sent his driver to sent us off to the airport and we left China with mixed feelings.. Sampai Malaysia, the story of us trying to get into China without visa spread like a rapid fire!! and you all know what?? If I were to apply from here (had I known), I would only have to pay RM60!!! and for 2 persons!! Anyway, we had a blast and most important thing, we've been to Great Wall of China!! as there's a saying "NOT A HERO UNTIL ONE REACHES THE GREAT WALL..