Rule number one about China: nothing is ever straightforward. Even if someone tells you something is straightforward, don't believe them, because it's not. Take buying plane tickets online, for example. Previously, I was resigned to the fact that in order to buy my plane tickets to Beijing next week, I was going to have to go to a travel agent (not wanting to have to call various airlines on the phone). But then my one-on-two teacher told me that in China, it's now possible to buy plane tickets online. I didn't believe it at first, but then it was confirmed by my classmates. "Yeah - you can totally buy plane tickets online - with a credit card!" Totally impressed, I got psyched up to navigate the whole new world of buying plane tickets online in China.
My first stop was the school computer center, where I found the flights I wanted. Not wanting to enter my credit card number into a public computer, I waited until last night to complete the transaction - asked one of the guys on my hall if I could use his computer. He agreed, though kept threatening that he was about to go get in the shower, and I had better hurry up if I didn't want to see him take off all his clothes - apparently the price for him letting me use his computer (for those of you who know him, this is one crazy Korean). Regretting all the while that I hadn't brought my own computer with me, I quickly got to the part of the website where they were supposed to let you input your credit card info, only to discover (and I should have seen this coming), there were no credit cards, only bank cards, and only Chinese bank cards. I switched websites (over to www.elong.com/, which is a great travel website), where I was firmly assured by said Korean that I could use my credit card. Everything went smoothly with the reservation, I got my reservation number... and then it came time for payment. Time for extreme not-straightforwardness: apparently, to use a credit card, you need to call the company and give them your credit card number over the phone. They then email you a form which you print out and fax back to them with your signature. Long story short? I wound up paying in cash, but I'll tell you how.
Last night ended with me making a reservation and getting a confirmation number, without having to see anyone naked. They sent me a text message to my cell phone saying that my reservation was being processed. I returned to my room, where my roommate asked me how much I had paid for my ticket, and then told me I had paid too much (this is generally what my roommate says when I tell her what I paid for anything). At 8:30 this morning, I woke up to a phone call from the company (eLong) in Beijing. They asked me how I wanted my ticket delivered. Though my original plan had been to go to their representative company in Harbin, my roommate and I couldn't find their address on the map (they're located on Red Army Street), so I asked them if they could send someone over to my dorm with the ticket. No problem. I also asked if I could give the person who delivered the ticket payment in cash (RMB 1700). Also no problem.
Five minutes later, the representative company in Harbin called me to tell me they were sending someone over. Two minutes after that, the delivery guy called me to tell me he was on his way, and would be there in half an hour or so. I just had time to duck out to the ATM to get cash when at 9:20, I got a call from the front desk of the dorm, telling me a guy was here with my plane tickets. I went downstairs, gave him the cash, he counted it, and gave me my tickets. I should clarify here - these are not real tickets but e-tickets - what I got were the RECEIPTS for the e-tickets, with two official looking stamps, red stars and all, and printing that was about a half-inch off from where it should have come out ( i.e. nothing is in the column it should be in). But the dates and times are right, my name and passport number are right, and it looks like I'm set to go! hooray for buying plane tickets in China!
