Hello readers!

Some days the border crossing can be quick, other days it can feel like molasses.

The other night I was coming back over the border to Shenzhen and was stuck in a line that remained motionless while all the other lines advanced at a rate of one person per roughly 45 seconds.  We were all told by the 值班队长 (on-duty captain) to make sure that our entry cards were filled out.  I suspect that the delay was caused by a person whose China visa had 失效 (lost effect), because that person was later taken to another room at the station.  On another note, of all border crossings that I have been to, 福田口岸 (Futian border crossing) was easily the slowest I have ever been to.  Alas, neither crossing went smoothly.  Back to the other night- after clearing HK exit customs, I hopped on a 班车 (shuttle) thinking that I would have an easy time crossing on the China side.  What I did not know was that someone would try to 让 (make) the driver 掉头 (turn around) as there was a person who left a bag on the bus while he 本人 (himself) ran to the bathroom.  After exiting China customs, there was the usual array of 不正当 (unordinary) transport options available, including unlicensed taxis, vans, and maybe even trucks.  As I hopped into a licensed taxi, I wondered what an expert in 金融 (finance) would have to say about this border transport micro-economy.

值班 zhi2ban1 – on-duty
队长 dui4zhang2 – team captain
失效 shi1xiao4 – lose effect
福田口岸 fu2tian2kou3an4 – Futian Border Crossing
班车 ban1che1 – shuttle
让 rang4 – make, have sb. do sth.
掉头 diao4tou2 – turn around
本人 ben3ren2 – [himself]
不正当 bu2zheng4dang1 – unordinary
金融 jin1rong2 – finance