Entering Shenzhen at LuWo Station

I flew into Hong Kong the night before meetings in Shenzhen. Mistake, because I had to use up my second (and final) entry from my limited-entry visa into China.

"One country, two systems" was the philosophy behind China's re-acquisition of Hong Kong in 1997. Duh, I should have realized the implications of this on entering into China.

Anyway, I took a fast train/subway system from Kowloon to the border. Walked across, and I was warned my many people to be careful in Shenzhen's LuWo station. "They cut some woman's hand off last week for her cellphone," "there are pickpockets everywhere", "you are are a foreigner so they will steal your laptop," and on and on.

I used to walk through New York's Time Square without fear in the bad old days, and the only real fear I've felt in recent years was when I foolishly attended an Oakland Raiders game. But everyone had me spooked about LuWo, so I stuck my wallet in my suit jacket, took the strap off my laptop case, tried to look big, and practically ran all the way from the station to a hotel where I met my colleague.

Really, there was no problem. The only trouble we had was with the world's nastiest cab driver (see below).