Scammed in Beijing

"The last time I urinated in such a low toilet was in elementary school,' I think to myself, confirming that I have arrived in Beijing. Since the flight to New Zealand was much cheaper with a layover in the capital of China, I prepared myself for a double-enrichment in combination with a city tour.

However, I can already see the huge smog cloud over the city from the airplane, and in retrospect, I am sure: Beijing also stinks in more than one way, but one thing at a time.
My airplane arrives there at 6:30 a.m. Anyone with a valid ticket for another flight does not need to apply for a visa in advance and can stay in the city with a 72h permit.
However, I can only leave the airport at 11:30 a.m., but who's surprised - it's children working there (at least that's what they look like). I meet a German who has worked in Beijing for 4 years, and he tells me that he could easily finish his work in Germany within 2 years. I actually thought the Chinese were real workaholics...
Not everyone gets the permit, some Polish people in front of me in the endless line are denied. When asked for a reason, the Chinese police come and simply say, 'No is no'.
I especially celebrate one Pole who is so angry about not receiving the permit that he simply takes the visa stamp when the police are absent and slaps it into his passport ^^
The following Chinese shouting concert by one of the two ladies responsible for the permit stamp at least provides entertainment, because I have been standing in line for an hour now.
The two snippy ladies go on their break and an older Chinese man takes over, who later unconditionally grants me the permit (what??).
Flo (who also comes from Germany) accompanies me on the subway almost to the 'Forbidden City', then I'm alone among many small, black-haired people. Many of these people wear a face mask because the air is ridiculously bad, and Flo also told me that his handkerchief is always nicely stained black in the evenings and that I shouldn't let the Chinese spit on my shoes - they do this to 'cleanse' their respiratory tracts.
Two women ask me in English if I'm also going to the 'Forbidden City' and if we want to explore it together. Since I enjoy being in company, I agree and constantly check my wallet and documents that I keep close to me.
"How about some typical Chinese food?' they ask, and since I'm already hungry and interested in other cultures, I have no objection. The food in Beijing is extremely cheap, as the menu confirms, and in the end I pay half of our cost with a card. Only one of the women shows me 'the Forbidden City' and 'Tiananmen Square', the other has apparently already seen them. (Why don't I notice anything yet??)

The residence of the 22 Chinese emperors is indeed impressive, but I also feel like an attraction when a stranger Chinese woman asks if she can take a photo with me (most Chinese people never have the opportunity to leave their country, and people who come from outside of Asia hardly spend time here).
Since I still have over 7 hours until my flight, I decide to accept the two women's request for another meal - it doesn't cost much.
After the meal, I pay half again and politely ask for a receipt, because here they really only understand Chinese ^^
4000 Renminbi??? At the airport exchange rate, 1€ equals 7 Renminbi, so that's over 500€ for a lousy meal (and the restaurant is really lousy)!!!
Should I slap them? Wait! No, I'm against violence towards women, and I've been told that Chinese prison is not so grand premium. So I decide to resolve the situation with words, which is not so easy because I am currently really overwhelmed. I repeatedly indicate that you can't just order a 600€ wine without clearing that with the paying party beforehand. Then one of the women apologizes and says she will pay for the wine and I can pay for the rest. After the statement: 'I thought Europeans have a lot of money and should enjoy their vacations', I really have to control my hand! The chef supposedly cancels my reservation and transfers the money back to me (can they even do that?). My bill for the meal is still over 100€ (how is that even possible??), but I just want to go to the airport and currently I don't trust anything or anyone anymore!
"How mentally limited am I actually?' I ask myself. Statements from the women like: 'I prayed this morning and therefore cannot take a selfie,' or this exaggerated friendliness, or the fact that they know Beijing surprisingly well for not being from here, should have opened my eyes. Before, I typed my email address into one of the women's phones, because they said they would soon be going on a trip to Europe and would like to contact me when they are in Germany.
To top it off, one of the women says that everything is alright now and if they are in Germany, I can invite them, right?
I still regularly check the presence of my wallet and documents, but that is obviously not the problem.
I feel a little relieved as I disappear into the subway and no longer have to see the two fraudsters. It will only be in the next few days that I will find out how much money is actually missing, because bookings from other continents take several days to arrive at the bank and be visible in online banking. Fortunately, I loaded 'only' 1000€ onto my Visa card, as I knew exactly that you can do a lot wrong with it. (Tip: if possible, change money abroad and don't pay with a card - unfortunately, I only changed enough for the train and the entrance ticket to the Imperial Palace, and I actually wanted to eat again at the airport)
I have now been awake for over 40 hours and accordingly, I feel. On the way to the airport, I'm not quite sure anymore if I'm on the right track and I approach people who either just continue walking or make waving hand movements indicating that they don't understand English.
Among 22 million people and yet extremely lonely, a feeling of loneliness like I have never felt before!
Somehow I manage to get to the airport anyway, and after another endless wait in the security checkpoint line, I meet several Germans who are waiting for the flight to Auckland but did not visit the city because their plane arrived later than mine. I have returned to the world as I know it and I am incredibly grateful for that!
When I sit in my seat, I have been awake for 48 hours already and sink into the land of dreams. I believe I had some kind of nightmares about Beijing and definitely cannot stand Chinese food for the next few months, let alone consume it!
I have learned a lot - an expensive realization...
Actually, it's not a bad trait to not immediately assume the worst, but in Beijing, different rules apply.

In Auckland, the clean air gives me a feeling of freedom, and I go to a family's house (acquaintances of my parents) on the Pacific, where we ride around and go kayaking on the Pacific at warm temperatures - all things that probably no one really wants to know ^^

Currently, I'm in Hamilton and will try to get back in touch when something unusual or exciting happens :)