Business in Asia

Flight out of Stockholm on Saturday evening; switch planes in Zurich and then on to Singapore. I stayed at a work colleagues place in Singapore and its hot as usual. We immediately take a few beers down to the pool and I have the chance to catch-up with Olle on the state of business in Asia, as well as update him on all the gossip from work. Train business takes me to Singapore and we spend the day on Monday meeting the local metro operator and playing with their trains. Lunch, then on to the airport for a flight to Hong Kong. I catch a minibus to the Chinese border and get there just in time to cross into Shenzhen before they close it at midnight. I pass through immigration with no hitch with my tourist visa… big relief. Check-in to the hotel, meet Gang and then watch the snooker final on late night TV… yes, O’Sullivan wins, great.
Shenzhen is just busy work meetings and then again on to the airport for a flight to Beijing. I realise during the 3 hour flight that dispite the fact I’ve been to China several times, this is the first time I’m visiting the capital. I have just 2 days to squeeze in 5 meetings, including a visit to the Transportation research department at Beijing University. After the last meeting, we get time to leave the taxi and walk in Tiananmen Square, the iconic centre of this sprawling city. Mao’s portrait is looking down at me as we walk past the entrance to the Forbidden City, as if to remind me of this modern cities communist past. Some good Chinese food for dinner and then a last look at the city at night. The next day I’m flying to Germany to meet up with Caroline in Köln for a long weekend and her birthday.