Smoggy view from my hotel window at 5:00pm.

You know the one. The one that comes out on the other side of the world in China. Well, I didn’t dig. I took a 15 hour plane ride instead, but I’m here. I’m exhausted and weary. The sights from the taxi were intriguing, but it was already getting dark by the time I arrived at my hotel at 5:40pm.

The most astounding thing so far is the smog. I’d heard about it and read about it, but couldn’t believe it. I’d just seen the sun from the airplane window. Now it was gone. The other jets at the terminal seemed distant through the haze. It’s yellowish-peachy-gray. You can almost taste it when you walk outside. My taxi driver cracked the window and my chest felt tight after the 30 minute ride. I actually tried to take a picture of the air. But you’ll probably just think it’s hazy. I guess that’s true, to a degree, nut this is more than “haze.”