Beijing: Saturday, September 10, 2011:

We had an early start so we set the alarm for 5.40am as we had to be at the airport for 8.15am.

We left the hotel at 7.10am and made made it to the airport in good time but there were long queues at check in.

There was an increased security level which was because of tomorrow’s 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

I read an airline magazine article on the aircraft about a road trip book by James A Reeves (I am guessing this was The Road to Somewhere: An American Memoir) and watched a few films on the flight home.

We landed ahead of schedule and we got through passport control and customs by 6pm.

After we got through to Kings Cross we caught up with a mate for a drink before catching our connection to York.

However, the train was late into York and we missed the Scarborough train literally by seconds – and this was despite us running over a footbridge and down the platform while all the time shouting at the guard of the waiting train. We just literally stared in disbelief as it disappeared into the distance.

It was the last train of the day and we feared we were stranded. Having said that East Coast sorted a taxi home for us, because we had seat reservations, and and we also dropped some stranded girls in Malton on the way as our good deed for the day.

Eventually we got home at midnight.

UK: Sunday, September 11, 2011:

I do actually regret that I didn’t buy a Mao watch. We had a relaxed day while jointly suffering from jetlag.