First Trip Abroad After Three Years of Pandemic - New York and Washington, USA
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a global pandemic for more than three years, feeling like a different world. Countries enforced strict quarantine controls, international flights were almost completely grounded, and checking health codes and nucleic acid tests were daily routines. There was even a time when we couldn't freely leave our apartment complex, let alone dream of pursuing poetry and distant lands. The world and our lives have undergone profound changes, but everything dissipated with the WHO's announcement in early 2022 that COVID-19 no longer constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, and the relaxation of national epidemic prevention policies. The world reconnected, and the life we were familiar with gradually returned. The scenery once known, what we miss we still miss, what we look forward to we still look forward to, and prosperity goes its own way...
In March 2019, I returned from a business trip to France, and in November, I traveled to Taiwan with my family. Since then, I haven't been abroad. After spending the Spring Festival with my parents in my hometown this year, I went to the community to get the fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine (CanSino inhaled) and then returned to Shanghai full of energy for the new year's work. At the end of February, I learned that the company's headquarters leadership intended to invite global teams to visit the US headquarters for a meeting in April. After all, many colleagues had been working remotely together for a long time in the past few years without meeting in person. Domestic colleagues began preparing to apply for US visas, but unexpectedly, visas to popular European and American countries this year were in high demand, and appointments for visa interviews at embassies and consulates were extremely hard to get. Fortunately, I obtained a ten-year US visa in 2015, which came in handy this time. I just needed to update my information in the eVUS system.
In early April, international flights had not yet recovered and ticket prices were high, especially for flights between China and the US, with almost no direct flights available. On April 6, I took a Cathay Pacific flight via Hong Kong, with an A350-900 aircraft operating the Hong Kong to New York route. The flight duration of over 16 hours was once the longest direct flight in the world. Compared to the B777, Cathay Pacific's A350 is newer and has a shorter fleet age, so the comfort and in-flight entertainment system were better. Also, I must mention that the in-flight meals were excellent, each accompanied by Häagen-Dazs ice cream. There is a 12-hour time difference between Shanghai and New York. I safely arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport around 8 PM that evening. Only a few windows were open at the immigration checkpoint, so there was a long queue waiting to process. My nephew, who is studying in New York, was already waiting outside. After about an hour of waiting, I entered smoothly, reminiscent of the famous movie "The Terminal"... My nephew called a ride-hailing car to take us back to our rented apartment. Along the elevated highway, neon lights flickered, and in the distance, the brightly lit Manhattan skyline was faintly visible. First impressions of New York - developed, old, bustling...
Back at the apartment that night, it was late. I didn't deliberately adjust to the time zone; I just took a shower and went to bed. Sure enough, I woke up very early the next day. My nephew took me on the subway to Manhattan for brunch, which consisted of fruit salad, bread, and cereal. It was expensive; when we got the bill, it was $62 in total, including an 18% service charge (tip). Walking along the world-famous Fifth Avenue, we passed Trump Tower, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Rockefeller Center, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), Times Square, and Madison Square Garden. At MoMA, I saw Monet's "Water Lilies" and Van Gogh's "Starry Night". The paintings were surrounded by people taking photos, reminding me of the same scene in 2019 when I visited the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci at the Louvre in Paris... Standing at the Crossroads of the World, Times Square, I suddenly felt that ideals had turned into reality because since childhood, I knew New York was prosperous and that many powerful Chinese entrepreneurs went public in the US and rang the bell at Times Square, haha. After taking photos in Times Square, we took the subway to Wall Street. Walking to the end of Wall Street and crossing the street was the Hudson River. My nephew and I sat on a bench by the river for a while. Not far away was the famous Brooklyn Bridge connecting Manhattan and Brooklyn. We found the famous Charging Bull (Wall Street Bull). I wanted to touch it for good luck, but the queue was too long, so I gave up and took a selfie from afar. By the time we moved to the New York Stock Exchange, it had already closed. This is the global stock market benchmark, influencing the world's economic trends. In the evening, my nephew called an Uber to take me and his roommate to Flushing Chinatown. I treated them to a Chinese hotpot at Dolar Shop; the total for three people was $252. I also want to talk about the New York subway. It is one of the oldest subways in the world, over a hundred years old, so the facilities, including the trains, appear very old. The tracks are not protected by barriers, so if there is a crowd or fight, it is very dangerous to fall. The biggest feature of the New York subway is that it operates 24/7, which shows that New York is a city that never sleeps, getting more beautiful as the night goes on...
(My nephew's rented apartment
MADISON SQUARE GARDEN - NBA Team New York Knicks home court
TIMES SQUARE
FLUSHING HOT POT)
On the third day, I got up early, had breakfast at the apartment, and took a walk alone along the Hudson River. Oh my god, what a surprise! After walking for about 20 minutes, I saw the United Nations Headquarters, which often appears in news broadcasts. Wow. The streets of New York in the early morning were quiet, with only a few joggers. I remember that day was sunny, the sky was blue, and sitting on a bench by the river, watching the quietly flowing Hudson River and the Manhattan skyline on the other side, it was incredibly beautiful. I wished time could slow down at this wonderful moment... At noon, I returned to the apartment, said goodbye to my nephew, took the subway and the JFK Train to John F. Kennedy International Airport, and met up with five colleagues from Singapore. After working together remotely for over three years, we finally met at this moment. Happy haha. After completing the car rental process, we began our road trip. That afternoon, we drove from New York to White Marsh and checked into the Hilton Garden hotel, about a 2-hour drive.
(HUDSON RIVER & UN BUILDING)
On the fourth day after breakfast, the six of us drove two SUVs with full tanks and set off for Washington, D.C. After about an hour's drive, we arrived at the parking lot of DC Central Station. Walking through the train station and coming out of the hall, I was surprised to find the U.S. Capitol building, which I often saw on TV, right in front of me! Haha! It was still sunny that day, and with few people in the morning, it was very pleasant to walk through the National Mall. Along the way, we occasionally saw squirrels playing on the grass or in trees. Our tour route was roughly: U.S. Capitol (Capitol Hill) -> Washington Monument -> White House -> Korean War and Vietnam War Memorials -> Lincoln Memorial -> Cherry Blossom Garden. Except for the White House, which was heavily guarded and inaccessible, we could freely visit other places. The White House was much lower than I imagined, and there were many people taking photos in front of the gate. At noon, everyone had lunch near the Washington Law School area. Ee How specially treated me to a glass of SAPPORO (Japanese-style Sapporo craft beer). We toasted for the first time to Sino-Singapore friendship! Along the way, we also passed the IMF building, the International Monetary Fund. The DC National Park is very large; we walked the entire area for about 6 hours. That day, my WeChat step count was over 21,000 steps, ranking first! Haha!
(CAPITOL HILL)
On the day before returning to China, I drove back to New York from Baltimore with my Singaporean colleague and an Indian colleague. On the way, we made a special stop at the Philadelphia Outlets. After looking around, I felt it was similar to the ones in Shanghai and not particularly cheap. Before returning to the hotel, we visited Liberty State Park. Overlooking New York Harbor, the view was expansive, and the bustling Manhattan CBD was right across. You have to admit, this is the world's top power, the United States of America! All good things must come to an end. We said goodbye to each other and agreed to meet again somewhere next time!
(PHILADELPHIA OUTLET
LIBERTY STATUE PARK
NEW WORLD TRADE CENTER)
On the return trip, I took an Emirates flight via Dubai to China. For the first time, I flew on the world's largest passenger aircraft, the Airbus A380. True to the airline's reputation as a "rich airline," we received gifts upon boarding, and meals were served according to local time—breakfast, lunch, and dinner, more than enough. Even though I was in economy class on the lower deck, the ride was very comfortable, marking a perfect end to the trip. A fun and fulfilling life is half about daily necessities, half about mountains, rivers, and seas; half about the烟火 of human life, and half about poetry and distant lands. The world is so big. In the post-pandemic era, let's set out again!
