Mainland China detour featuring censored internet and rip-off prices

From Thailand my next layover flight was to Ghuangzhou China. I had a total of 16 hours before my next flight...

Before going to immigration one of the ChinaSouthern airlines personell told me they would put me up in a hotel formthe night since my flight was basically the next day. I was perfectly content waiting at the airport but the thoguht of having a nice bed to sleep in before my next flight seemed really appealing. I took the offer and ended sharing a room with another person fromthe states. His name was Ramon and he's originally from the Philippines. After 24 years of being in the Navy he was now enjoying a retirement vacation throughout Asia and was in Japan before landing in China. The hotel they placed us in was nice but there was nothing nearby to go check out so we just had some tsing tao beers in the hotel lobby which was really nice. While using the internet I realized i couldn't use facebook, youtube, or even update my blog. It really felt a bit unjust to limit the freedom pf information. That's what the internet's for; why try to control of filter it!?!? Even in the states steps are being taken to have the feds have a certain amount of control over the internet (CISPA and SOPA) I'm not too worried though because if it does get bad people will find a different way to share information and a new kind of internet will be invented in a different format.

While at the airport I was pretty turned off at how the proces were determined for food/souvenirs. Considering China is oretty cheap by most standards their prices at the airport were insane! A canned beer cost me 7 US dollars! The beer I had at the hotel in Guangzhou cost me 1.25 US dollars and it was twice the size! I know airports in general are more expensive but this was ridiculuous! I also had perhaps the most greasiest noodle soup ever for the equivalent of 12 US dollars. 

The flight from China to Taiwan was not bad. I was oddly one of few people on the plane and definitely the only westerner.

Landing in Taiwan I was now ready to see what this country had in store me.