Chun yun. That's the ubiquitous phrase in China around this time of the year. Literally, it means spring travel. But in practice, it means a nation on the move, going home for the Spring Festival family reunions.

Equally ubiquitous at this time of the year are media reports and photographs of seething masses of humanity at rail and bus stations - topped only by people in my country, India, traveling on train roofs during their festival time.

Perhaps the journalists are missing a trick - they should stake out the airports, particularly the overseas departure gates, for the big story.