Han Yu had taken a flight several years ago, flying directly from East Sea to Hong Kong, to replace the crew who had been ousted by the foreign Captain and shipowner at the Kowloon Wharf Container Terminal.
Hence, flying was not very novel to him; instead, he felt somewhat fearful.
This could be related to the industry he worked in. Although there were risks involved in navigating a ship on the river or at sea, as a senior crew member he could control the situation to some extent.
Flying was different. Once you board the plane, you entrust your life to someone else, similar to how drivers who are used to being behind the wheel are apprehensive about riding in cars driven by others.
But this was his first time going to the Capital, and the thought of seeing Tian'anmen Square, the Forbidden City, and the Great Wall—places he had seen countless times on TV and in textbooks—thrilled him.
