A guy travels from Holland to China to meet his online Chinese girlfriend for the first time and waits 10 days in the airport but she fails to turn up.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-36950013

Not a good start, but at least she came forward in the end so it could be a "Happy Ending".

How long would you keep waiting for them to arrive on a first real life date, at home or overseas?

Not 10 days Certainly not in an airport.

- I would not travel abroad if I didn't have his home address and had that verified.
- I would not travel to meet him the first time, he can do the travelling.
- in normal situations (not abroad), I might wait 10-15 mins. Usually we've exchanged phone numbers, so if he was caught up in traffic or anything, he can call to let me know he's late. If he doesn't, I leave after 10-15 mins

I agree, 10 days wait is a bit much anywhere.

He could have been a lot better organised for his trip, but he certainly gets an 'A' for effort.

My timescale would be about an hour dating at home, but as you have said you would have a lot more information when meeting someone abroad to be able to contact them.

No that's not advisable ... I could only try to travel within my country and the lady should not be the one to come to me first... the male should be the one to do the traveling no matter what or how it takes.

Wow, Steve Bushimi really blew it.

Whether he travels or I do, that's something we mutually agree. We will have exchanged cellphone numbers and actually been using the same numbers in our communications.
If local date, I would give benefit of doubt due to traffic and any other unforeseeable circumstances. That said, I would wait for half-hour.

If travelling out of the country, there's need for more precaution....

Return ticket sponsored by him.
Emergency pocket money, I will refund when we meet.
Known cellophane number.
Where possible I would ensure that my good friends in Mingle or otherwise, who lives in his town, city or state are aware of my travel details just in case the guy develops cold feet or was a fake.

I would wait for half-hour as i enjoy walks around the airport. If I cannot reach him on his cellphone within the waiting time, change of plans. Go to a hotel to freshen up and plan meet up with anyone of the friends I had notified. If not possible, it's holiday time! I would catch a train or any public means and go exploring. Believe you me no one would suspect am a foreigner and worse still, stood up! I am like a tea bag!
Back home with a lesson but happy that I toured a foreign country and captured some memories lol.
When life gives you a lemon, make that great lemonade and enjoy!

Love this!!!!
I will do the same things as you..Enjoy the sightseeing of the country.
Make new friends there. I will make sure.. I make the most of the trip.
Yeah... It is holiday time!!!

And then after that trip...I will make sure I will block him.
I will tear and throw his H/p number in the toilet bowl... and full flush.


PS
I make sure I activate my overseas ATM card.
And I will pay for my own trip. So if this happened... I do not owe him anything.

Waiting 10 minutes for my
"Happy Family" dinner delivery is my limit.

I won't mind traveling overseas meeting a guy even at my very own expense.
,provided all the given infos and details were verified and legitimate.

and normally when I go on traveling out of the country.
I already have this habit of always planning of back up itinerary/ies.

so when we talk about waiting period for the person to show up at the airport to meet me up.half an hour is fair enough unless he'll call and inform me he is being caught up into unforeseen circumstances.

but meeting someone locally 10 mins.is quite long enough(unless again,there's an unforeseen circumstances).
i
sorry,punctuality runs in my system.i value time.i respect people's time.
and I expect that in return

Very thought provoking topic Duttoneer.

Ofcourse I would call about 15 minutes after the agreed meeting time to confirm that the person was still coming if it were my country , and if they are on their way,I am prepared to wait an hour for them, unless it interferes with another appointment.

In a different country, I think I would want to research affordable and safe spaces I could sleep at , in the event the person doesnt show up or for that matter if my gut is telling me that this person has lied about who they are, after Ive spent time with them.

If I can't reach the person via phone , I would wait a couple of hours.If they are a no-show, I would try to check into a hotel, and keep trying to reach them.

I think Ive read too many horror stories about online dating for me to take anything for granted. I am metally prepared for the worst . Ofcourse I will be broken hearted if the person doesnt show, but it wont be a shock to me because I see it as a real possibility.

I personally would treat it like a regular travelling experience if the person doesnt show up, and go site -seeing around the country so it wont feel like a waste.


Oh I just read what you wrote Urmissing Lib! That's exactly the attitude I have about that event. Prepare for the m=worst and make the best of whatever comes! You go girl!!!

Have waited for hours for someone I loved at the airport.. He travelled from the other side of the world just to see me and I knew he's dying to see me and be with me too.. I'd wait no matter how long for someone I trust and love, for someone who loves to be with me..

Very romantic, baby.

She thought it was a joke????
Just goes to show, you've got to correspond for a long time before you do something like this!!!

If she left me waiting, I'd be like, well 10 days it is,,, solo.

Leave you waiting??? I will not even leave you alone for 10 secs.... let alone 10 days.

[
Where possible I would ensure that my good friends in Mingle or otherwise, who lives in his town, city or state are aware of my travel details just in case the guy develops cold feet or was a fake.

Oh! Does this mean if he developes cold feet you would send the 'boys' round.

Only kidding.

I think this is utterly B.S. She thought this was a joke my A$$...
I think the whole thing is a huge fiasco...One of the worst horror stories of internet dating...Trust but Verify all the way.

His failure was and is... not verifying that she would be there... not verifying that she was real. Not staying in contact...

Her's to many to list. Wants to continue after she is healed up??? Really it would so later days...

I do travel and I have traveled a few times for a meet up.
I always have a back up plan.. Always... No exceptions.

How long would I wait locally... 30 minutes max and that is only because of one of our highways which is the only highway coming in or out of the Matsu is almost like taking your life in your own hands and traffic gets backed up horribly. And there is places of no cell reception. So if they can't send me a text to let me know then I am out of there.

Airport... An hour maybe before I am at the rental car desk getting a rental car... Next online with Booking.com or Trip advisor getting a hotel then I am going to go have fun til time for me to use my return flight.

I never ever travel with out a back up plan.

I always let family and close friends know when I am traveling..where I am traveling...And when anything changes.
Traveling on blind faith is plain silly...

Thanks everyone for your response, your thoughts and good advice. It's good that we are all patient and adventurous people here in Mingle2.

Nice thread Duttoneer :-)

My mate and I talk about it all the time, how lucky we
got that we were both real because it is simply a crapshoot
until you meet and actually press the flesh.

There would be no flying to other countries for me.
The risk factor is simply too high.
Men are braver I know.
But I think it is a stupidity issue :-)

I would not wait 10 days for just anyone.

Now if it's Cote De Pablo, I would wait much longer!!!