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English Version 47
Sunday 18.05.08
Maoxian
A long quake during the night while it rained though not as heavily as
predicted. As it woke me up I thought about my situation once more. Most
people don`t understand, I didn`t go with the helicopter at once. I
discussed it with Xia Wei. He thinks I should have left too. He also
thinks the road south to Chengdu will be dangerous even if it`s cleared
and I agree. I would prefer to pass the point up north where you only
can pass on foot dragging a bike? and then picked up by a car that can
take me to Jiuzhaigou where there is air connection with Chengdu. That
must be a problem for the embassy?
When I was awake I realised it was only in the evening at home, so I
managed to speak on the phone for almost an hour I think. The longest
call was via Skype for me, so it doesn`t cost much.
My pen is soon finished so I walk the street to see if I can by a new
one. In one of the small shops I can, but just when I`ve paid there is a
quake which makes the house producing sounds, and everyone included me
RUNS out in the street.
For the first time during my one and a half month in China I`m upset.
While I eat breakfast suddenly comes a new "contact person" and tells I
have to come along NOW. It`s very dangerous here! The helicopter with
wounded people is already waiting.
I insists on packing a few things in my backpack. I insist on phoning
the embassy but can`t get through and what is packed I`m not really sure
- no clothes at least. I do not say goodbye to my Chinese brother and
only shortly to class 4 who has taken so good care of me. I am REALLY
upset, but lower my voice some. Shake hands with he I think is the
headmaster (he`s normally more or less invisible). When I in a police
car reach the meadows with the helicopters all the other foreigners are
there already.
It`s 11.07 when we take off. Before that a Chinese journalist asks me my
opinion of the goodbye and I willingly tell that there must be a
conflict between the local authorities and the central government that
has made this happen, but when he asks my name, I answer that I prefer
keeping it to myself and when he asks for nationality I won`t tell him
that either, but afterwards I hear him asking one of the Chinese
Americans and she tells him I`m from Denmark. Or I`m not sure, I just
think I hear the word Danmai and later "he speaks a little Chinese".
Sure stupid bitch. Why was that. You heard me saying I didn`t want to
tell!
Besides we foreigners there are wounded people. Some are carried others
can walk by themselves. We are told not to take pictures in and from the
helicopter, but the others don`t respect it.
When we have to go NOW, it`s because the weather is getting worse. It
wasn`t the heavy rain last night, but it`s probably going to come.
That was a bad ending to my stay in Maoxian.
I`m at the end of the helicopter and can only see mountain sides, but
when we approach Dujiangyan I see one one the bridges missing a part.
The big dam is still standing and Dujiangyan looks OK from above. Only
once I see something that could have been a crashed building, but it`s
very little I can see.
When we`re through the mountains the helicopter flies more stable, it
follows the main road I was on last saturday to Dujiangyan. No - it`s
the highway I see, then the main road is right beneath. It`s burning hot
but I`m glad I put the cycling jacket on anyway, else I wouldn`t have it
with me.
I receive a SMS from Christian during the flight. He couldn`t get
through but was able to send a SMS?
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| Just after the landing | The camera crews were busy | Then they didn't care - and we left |
I wonder if Danish journalists are told anything by the Chinese
authorities? I`ll find out. I don`t want to talk to any of them.
It`s going to take about an hour I can see. We`re not going to the
normal airport south of the city, to a hospital maybe? There`s at least
one destroyed house in the northern part of Chengdu. We land at 12.05.
After the landing we are waiting for something, it`s the camera crews
from CCTV and someone to carry the wounded. Those that cannot walk are
just lying on the floor.
Just now after 5 min`s he stops the rotor.
So instead of being carried down at the back which would have been
better, they have to be taken out of the door at the side, but it
apparently looks better on TV?
When we`re out nobody cares about us. After having waited a long time,
we start walking out of the military airport, maybe somebody asks for
permission I don`t know, we just walk anyway. Goodbye. Before we get to
a big road a Chinese van stops and we are offered a lift to Chengdu.
It`s very tight in there but Chinese people are friendly. We`re dropped
between 1. and 2. ring road I think and some of us takes a taxi to Mix
Hostel, where the others have some luggage, and I have planned to stay.
I ask for a vacant room and there is, but don`t check in. I`d better
wait to hear if the embassy wants me to go home as soon as possible? I
feel a need of "ending" my journey in some way. Now I didn`t go to
Qinghai Lake which was my wish, I want to do something else.
I answer all Danish and foreign e-mail friends. They`ve of course been
very worried about me. I do a back-up of the latest pictures and then
the consul arrives. He`s been on his way from Chongqing the last couple
of hours.
We sit at the river and drink tea for hours and I`m speaking all the
time. This travel that has been so intense, I havn`t been able to speak
about in Danish until now. So I have a lot to say.
Then we go to Plaza where he stayed while they were looking for me.
They`ve been as far as Dujiangyan and as far as they could get up north.
They`ve been to all the hospitals in the area and talked to all kinds of
Chinese authorities. Without knowing I started something! I`m offered
medical assistance but the only thing I need is a shower and Plaza is
just that kind of hotel I havn`t tried yet in China.
Then we go out for a luxirous dinner (compared to my usual meals).
Peking duck: small pancakes in which you put sliced vegetables and
pieces of duck that are cut so that it`s almost only the skin and which
you dip in a black sweet sauce. It`s delicious! And paid by the Danish
government I hope?
I`m taken home and we`re a bit late, cause a call from Denmark I`ve been
waiting for is coming through, before I`ve said goodbye to the consul. I
do not thank in the proper way for this excellent treatment I`ve been
given, but the program for the day is hard and I have to let "my China"
out of my mouth one more hour into the phone. It`s not difficult.
When I wake up at 3 there`s just one more call for Denmark I HAVE to do
and then I sleep until 6.30.
It was another day I`ll never forget.