Beijing: Get In And Around
Beijing has a reputation of being one of the most ruthless cities in the world, with a population that widely disregards standard western norms and basks in the glory of improper, impolite and savage livelihoods. There definitely is validity to this stereotype, but like I said previously, there's a strange, almost counterintuitive beauty to it. There's a certain comical level to a taxi driver refusing to drive me and my friend because we have too much luggage, proceeding to argue back and forth for 30 minutes to no avail. There's a beauty to seeing a child pooping on the sidewalk as soon as I arrive at the hotel. The thought of thriving once you arrive may seem impossible, but all I can say, the savagery is surprisingly beautiful. It starts with your arrival, so here's how it's done.
Landing
Beijing Capital Airport is huge, like literally everything in China. It's one massive building (as are most transportation centers in China) for each terminal, and getting between terminals requires the use of a tram. Before getting to the tram though, I had to wait in a 30 minute line to clear customs, something you will have to do if you have connecting flights as well. Once you get to the tram, the crowds begin to really become a problem. In fact, going from our arrival gate to the baggage claim, we had three separate occasions where last-minute travelers were pushing their way in, not allowing the doors to close, which was quite annoying. Then once we got to the terminal where the baggage claim was located, it was another 5-10 minute walk, along with another baggage checkpoint. Once I got my bags, I walked out to meet up with my friend, and somehow ended up behind some famous Asian star named Sun Yan Zi who wreacked havoc on the crowd of people waiting to see family and friends. It definitely freaked me out because they erupted once they saw who she was, which happened to be at the same time I turned the corner since she was only a few steps ahead of me. Getting out of that crowd was another challenge, albeit an entertaining one because I felt like a mini-celebrity walking behind her. Then came the fun part, when we tried to get a cab. We had two large luggage's, a duffel bag and two backpacks with us, and after waiting a few minutes in line for a cab, the taxi driver refused to let us in his car because he thought we had too much luggage. We went back and forth for a bit while I somewhat reveled in my ability to argue with this stupid taxi driver, but once I had exhausted my Chinese speaking ability and began repeating the same thing over and over again with no avail, I decided to screw it and go one line over and pay the extra $15 for a larger cab to take us across the city. Essentially, I did not thrive once I arrived.
Pro tips: Navigating the airport is a breeze because there are a lot of signs and the design is overly-simplified, but finding people (employees, taxi drivers, etc.) who speak English is difficult, so definitely come prepared with some sayings you'll need along with your address for the taxi driver to reference.
Transportation
Obviously, I had no choice but to use a cab to get to where I was staying. And cab drivers in Beijing might as well be professional stunt men. This dude had no chill. I'm talking driving on the side of freeways, tailgating super hard, weaving like he was a professional seamstress, so on and so forth. Sitting in the front was like being in a roller coaster, except I really wanted this one to end.
If you enjoy retaining your food and maintaining a healthy heart rate, opt for the subway out of Beijing. It isn't necessarily the most convenient for many hotels, as you will need to make a transfer or two, but it is much cheaper and much less frightening.
Which brings me to this. If you ever see a map of Beijing, you'll see its perfectly planned out. The center of the city is the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square, surrounded by a ripple of ring roads (three main ones). As many capital cities are, Beijing is hyper-organized with a clear, easy-to-understand layout. But, with that said, the subway lines are almost too simple. I feel like the government focused on keeping the design in order rather than creating the most efficient routes, so getting around usually means making a few stops no matter where you are. But regardless, all stations are clean, easily navigable, and the trains are well-maintained.
But Beijing is home to a ride-sharing culture like no other. Obviously, they do not have Uber, so the people sort of create their own. They have a bunch of these fake taxi drivers who will post up in popular areas, waiting for dumb tourists like me to wander over and ride in his personal car to wherever I needed to go. Bartering with these guys is easy-you should always end up paying half the original offer-and adds to the fun of the experience as long as you don't end up with cab drivers who go back on the agreed offer and threaten to drop you off on the side of the street if you don't raise your price mid-drive. That guy sucked. Screw that guy. But hey, I remembered that guy and am writing about him.
While bartering for a ride in someone's personal car may be fun, the most fun comes from riding these little three-wheeled motorcycles that fly up and down the feeder roads alongside the main roads. These tiny contraptions barely fit two people and are only useful for short distances, but provide long-lasting memories and a hair-raising experience driving through crowds of people, bikers and cars. I would definitely recommend riding one of these through the streets of Beijing at one point or another.