Beijing, China Part 1
5 - 10. august 2025
After 24 hours of traveling — first to Bangkok, then to Beijing — we finally stepped outside.
It was the kids who noticed first:
“Mom and Dad… we haven’t been outside in 24 hours!”
They were right. In Hurdal, they’re so used to fresh air every day, running in and out as they please. I’m glad they noticed, because here, the moment we finally stepped into the open, we could feel the difference.
Speaking of air… Beijing greeted us with a wall of it. Hot, heavy, humid air — around 35°C and 77% humidity — so thick it was almost hard to breathe. It wrapped around us instantly, like stepping into a sauna while wearing all your clothes.
Immigration was our first test of patience. Forms to fill out, a long line, with signs telling us to be silent, no filming, no photos. A flicker of nervousness about our not applied visas came to me — especially since we hadn’t booked a departure from China yet. Everything went fine, but those minutes waiting felt much longer than they really were. Norwegian citizens do not need to apply for visa and are allowed to stay in the country for up to 30 days without. You must report where you stay to the local police office, thats why we have chosen to stay at hotels during our time in China, as they report for us automatically.
The first smell we noticed was intense fog of cigarettes in the airport parking garage. And instantly, we were cut off from the outside world — no internet until we set up our new eSIM and VPN. Then came the challenge of figuring out a taxi. Our first Beijing problem-solving moment.
Outside our first ever real Chinese restaurant.
First surprises
As soon as we started driving through the city, the surprises began:
It’s so green here. Tree-lined streets, flower beds full of roses, and huge, carefully kept gardens. The streets are clean, tidy, and organized.
Service workers are polite but don’t smile much — almost like it’s part of the work role. But in the parks, metro and markeds, especially when we meet mothers, children, and older people, the warmth is instant. They’re curious, kind, and happy to connect.
And the rules… there are so many! “No” signs and big posters everywhere, telling you what’s allowed and what’s not. People behave here, hehe. Because you dont have a choice. The police is everywhere and It is cameras everywhere, too. Its makes us think a lot about how the country is ruled. communism is surely interesting. Not sure if it feels to controlling or safe. We wonder what the Chinese people think of it themselves.
We got some lovely new friends by the Summer Palace. The girl is same age as Astrid.
Getting around
We quickly learned to use our translator app for communication, DiDi for taxis, and Amap + Alipay for public transport. The metro is clean, fast, and simple once you get used to it. And the kids ride free, which we love. We will write an article just about this for those who are spesifically interested.
It took us a couple of days to settle in. On the third day, I crashed completely — awake all night, not a minute of sleep. But after that, things started to feel more natural.
The city is loud, not with traffic or honking — but with speakers everywhere, announcing rules and information around tourist attractions. It’s so loud it rings in your ears and impossible to talk and think.
The skies over Beijing
One day, it rained — and it was amazing. The air felt cleaner, lighter. Our Nordic lungs drank it in.
Another night, a thunderstorm rolled in. The sky blinked constantly, as if it couldn’t decide between night and day. The thunder rumbled deep and long, echoing between the city’s high-rises. It was mesmerizing — a reminder that even in the world’s second largest city, nature still puts on the best shows.
And speaking of pollution. I actually saw stars in the sky at night. I think we can confirm that Beijings air is cleaner than the rumours says.