Eight hours

On June 13, 2010.

 

6:30 p.m. My flight to Beijing was supposed to start boarding half an hour ago.

 

6:45 p.m. Supposed flight takeoff time

 

8:45 p.m. Still sitting in the Shanghai airport, staring at my plane that was parked outside.

 

9:36 p.m. Started talking to a cute boy sitting next to me. Turns out he's doing an internship in Beijing too.

 

10:45 p.m. Still waiting. The flight attendent told us that there is an "unspecified delay" because of an electrical storm in Beijing.

 

11:30 p.m. Decided to go home instead of crashing on an airport couch.

 

11:35 p.m. Said goodbye to my new friend. I don't think I've even told him my name.

 

12:00 a.m. The flight attendent told me that they had lost my lugguage.

 

12:15 a.m. The same flight attendent told me that he could not rebook me for another flight to Beijing the next day unless I have my lugguage in my hand.

 

12:16 a.m. Just stared at him.

 

12:20 a.m. People started a fight in front of the ticket counter. 200 planes were grounded. People were chanting "we want water, we want food, we want a bus!" I was not as demanding; I just wanted my lugguage and a new ticket.

 

1:22 a.m. They found my lugguage!

 

1:25 a.m. Was informed that the ticket rebooking system had crashed because so many people were rebooking.

 

2:49 a.m. Got my new ticket. My parents picked me up.

 

3:35 a.m. Crashed onto my bed at home.