Techie Was Stung by a Wasp, Held Overnight by Chinese Police, Then Trapped in a 13-Hour Meeting
The Register, Friday, October 2nd, 2026
A UK techie sent to China without a visa endures wasp stings, police detention and a marathon sales meeting.
In The Register's On Call column, a reader dubbed 'Carson' recalls being asked to fly to China the next day for a sales meeting about messaging products, with the employer promising to arrange a visa.
The trip began with three wasp stings and a 12-hour economy flight to Hong Kong, and still lacking a visa, Carson was sent onward anyway, ended up held overnight by Chinese police, and then sat through a 13-hour meeting.
The column notes sales calls can be even nastier than support calls.