Continuing his journey with China Eastern Airlines, Nelson flew from Taipei to Ningbo Lishe International Airport in China. Here he observed some unique features of Asian airlines' seating arrangements and noted the absence of meal service on shorter flights.
In Beijing, Nelson enjoyed an upgraded stay at JW Marriott Hotel Beijing and explored iconic sites like the Forbidden City and Great Wall of China despite falling ill briefly during his visit.
His next flight with Xiamen Airlines took him to Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport without incident. However, delays awaited him there when his Kenya Airways flight was postponed by a day. Despite this setback, Nelson managed to requalify for Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite status thanks to an unplanned hotel stay.
Finally reaching Bangkok on Christmas Day after resolving ticketing issues that threatened his participation in the SAS promotion, Nelson experienced Kenya Airways' fifth-freedom route between two major Asian hubs—a rare opportunity given its typical African routes.
Nelson concluded this portion aboard Saudia flights from Bangkok via Jeddah en route towards Dubai—his first business class experience during this challenge—which offered comfortable seating but lacked functional Wi-Fi throughout its duration.
As challenges persisted throughout these legs—including unexpected changes affecting mileage eligibility—Nelson adapted plans accordingly while continuing onward toward achieving one million points before year-end amid camaraderie shared among fellow participants met along various stages within China's borders alone!
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