Comments on: Escape Sling http://www.wannabemyfriend.com/2006/07/15/escape-sling/ Rants/raves + false childhood memories Fri, 10 Sep 2010 05:13:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Anonymous http://www.wannabemyfriend.com/2006/07/15/escape-sling/#comment-10 Anonymous Fri, 04 Aug 2006 22:44:57 +0000 http://www.wannabemyfriend.com/2006/07/15/escape-sling/#comment-10 It's like the way that people used to put steel chains around the emergency exit doors at movie theaters and dancehalls to ensure the patrons wouldn't let in their buddies for free. The CKS people probably think that if not for the chains, people would take out the slings and use them to carry their babies around. I still think it's hilarious that the bookstore in the old section of the airport (Lee's Books) has nothing in English, despite the passengers who pass through the airport being from all nations. Nothing like having to curl up with an inflight magazine when you've got a 10-hour flight to Europe ahead of you! In comparison, Hong Kong's airport bookstores almost make a layover there worth the extra time! My final pet-peeve is that the ground transport is totally run by people who don't speak any other language than Mandarin or Taiwanese, basically meaning that anytime I have any friends coming into Taipei I absolutely must make reservations for them or else personally pick them up. The taxi stand captain is worthless, as he doesn't know the names of any of the hotels ("Liu Fu" = Westin?). None of the bus people have any idea what they're doing -- and the Kuo Kwang counter is the worst of the lot. Other airports in Asia (Tokyo, Kansai, Incheon, Hong Kong, etc.) have great information counters with knowledgeable, multilingual staff. It’s like the way that people used to put steel chains around the emergency exit doors at movie theaters and dancehalls to ensure the patrons wouldn’t let in their buddies for free. The CKS people probably think that if not for the chains, people would take out the slings and use them to carry their babies around.

I still think it’s hilarious that the bookstore in the old section of the airport (Lee’s Books) has nothing in English, despite the passengers who pass through the airport being from all nations. Nothing like having to curl up with an inflight magazine when you’ve got a 10-hour flight to Europe ahead of you! In comparison, Hong Kong’s airport bookstores almost make a layover there worth the extra time!

My final pet-peeve is that the ground transport is totally run by people who don’t speak any other language than Mandarin or Taiwanese, basically meaning that anytime I have any friends coming into Taipei I absolutely must make reservations for them or else personally pick them up. The taxi stand captain is worthless, as he doesn’t know the names of any of the hotels (”Liu Fu” = Westin?). None of the bus people have any idea what they’re doing — and the Kuo Kwang counter is the worst of the lot. Other airports in Asia (Tokyo, Kansai, Incheon, Hong Kong, etc.) have great information counters with knowledgeable, multilingual staff.

]]> By: Michael C. http://www.wannabemyfriend.com/2006/07/15/escape-sling/#comment-9 Michael C. Fri, 04 Aug 2006 18:23:45 +0000 http://www.wannabemyfriend.com/2006/07/15/escape-sling/#comment-9 Yeah, I think that airport really need to beef up management. I had a picture of mops leaning against the wall, mops side up left there for drying, in the public restroom. Nice way to greet foreign visitors. I wanted to send it to someone, airport authority or something, but I got lazy. This picture just reminds me of that. Yeah, I think that airport really need to beef up management.
I had a picture of mops leaning against the wall, mops side up left there for drying, in the public restroom. Nice way to greet foreign visitors. I wanted to send it to someone, airport authority or something, but I got lazy. This picture just reminds me of that.

]]> By: McGruff the Crime Dog http://www.wannabemyfriend.com/2006/07/15/escape-sling/#comment-8 McGruff the Crime Dog Mon, 17 Jul 2006 21:56:43 +0000 http://www.wannabemyfriend.com/2006/07/15/escape-sling/#comment-8 The other day, I was in a buillding where there these metal escape-sling frames without any actual slings. Seems that's a weakness in the whole system. Meanwhile, to its credit, my gym has 4 slings ready to go at a moment's notice. The other day, I was in a buillding where there these metal escape-sling frames without any actual slings. Seems that’s a weakness in the whole system.

Meanwhile, to its credit, my gym has 4 slings ready to go at a moment’s notice.

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